The 22nd Secret Read online

  “Sir, that file’s not on Lawrence, it’s on a Pamela Koller.”

  “Hell, Tom I know that. Patty Lawrence is her Level 21 cover name. Everyone working on the Level 21 project is given a cover name. I told you nobody knew about these people. They all had covers. Even their co-workers didn’t know who they really were and what they worked on. The whole damn project officially didn’t exist. I’ll give you Koller’s file. Keep it in your safe. It can’t leave this building.”

  “So who is it we’re after, Koller or Lawrence?”

  “Think of her as Patty Lawrence. That’s who she was at Los Alamos, probably the name the Chinese know her by.”

  Tom thought for a moment. “Sir, this is incredibly bad. I’ve been all over the security at Los Alamos for years trying to control the Chinese leaks. Why didn’t I know anything about this girl? How in the hell can someone as valuable as this Lawrence bitch just be allowed to get on an airplane and defect to China?”

  “You’ll have to ask Lo. That was his job. Watch the Level 21 people.”

  “And the Chinese got to him.” Tom added. “Got any idea of why Lo and Lawrence did this, any motives?”

  Stanley cleared his throat and spoke for the first time. “Tino was real close with the Chinese mob. The Chinese knock off a lot of our licensed products, CDs, stuff with logos, that kind of thing. Tino helped them market them here in the US. I’m assuming money or access to the Level 21 technology was his motive.”

  “God only knows what was motivating Lawrence and Lo,” Johnson added. “Tom, you may not realize it but the work you did trying to control the Chinese. Well, it was better than good considering most of the time you were fighting them and us. The President, Stanley, and I can’t think of a more experienced, better-qualified man to handle this problem. We want you to take charge of finding Patty Lawrence and retrieving anything she took. You mentioned a Chinese ship near Alaska. That may be someplace to start. This time, we won’t be working the other side behind your back. I want you to come up with a list of what you’ll need from us. We’ll meet again after lunch, at 2 pm. Have a plan. We have to move fast.”

  “Yes, sir after lunch.” Tom left the room and headed down the hall. He took pride in being one step ahead. Johnson and Stanley just didn’t know how far ahead of them he really was. The one thing he needed to accomplish this morning was getting this assignment. He was the logical choice as the Deputy Director of Chinese Counter-Intelligence. He already was formulating a plan, though it was not exactly what Johnson and Stanley had in mind.

  Tom sat at his desk and read the new information Betty had left in the safe for him. The best news was that the Chinese Research Ship had requested and was granted an additional week before they would have to leave United States territorial waters. He studied the weather and FAA reports again. Timing would be critical. The actual FAA report stated that Mitchell arrived at the crash at dusk. He observed two dead males, something the paper failed to note. He noticed the luggage had been ransacked and that one individual walked away from the crash, possibly a woman.

  He doodled notes on his yellow legal pad. He studied the estimated times he had written down on the pad.

  Patty would not have walked away from that plane unless she was with the Chinese, but he knew they were a hundred miles away at Otter Bay. Say it took Mitchell two hours to get back to his place from the crash. Another hour to mess around and ‘oh by the way’ not report a crashed plane. That still leaves a half hour. What the hell was he doing between 5 and 8:30?

  The thought struck him suddenly. He has her. Could that be? It made sense. That’s it, he has her and she’s okay. Thank God, he thought. She’s alive. She had to be. I mean, if she were dead why wouldn’t he just report it? Or maybe she’s dead and he had the disks? No, hell he wouldn’t know anything about this. Why would he be silent about the girl unless Patty put him up to it somehow? Put him up to it. Hell of course she did. That’s just what she would do. She can’t just tell him the truth. Somehow, she got him to hide her from the authorities and she’s waiting for me to contact her. That sweet little bitch has him under her power. She was going to have him help her commit treason. It was the only logical explanation. Tom scratched down some more notes while studying a detailed map of Kenai Peninsula, Alaska.

  He looked at his watch. It was already 11 am. He had three hours before his meeting with Johnson and Stanley, plenty of time to get a bite to eat and call Hank. He got up and walked out of his office and headed for his car.

  He ate at this McDonald’s often. Not many CIA people ate lunch at McDonald’s. He had to pass two closer locations to reach this one. He got his favorite meal, a double quarter pounder with cheese combo, super-sized with a Diet Coke. He quietly looked around to make sure he didn’t recognize anyone. When he was finished, he walked to the pay phone in the parking lot by the street. He dialed a long distance number and entered Ron Mack’s credit card number.

  “Anchorage Holiday Inn Airport, how can I direct your call?”

  “Tommy Chan’s room please.”

  “Hello.”

  “Hank?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Listen. I’m pretty sure Patty’s alive and waiting for us to contact her.”

  “You sure about that?”

  “No, but it’s all we got. So here’s what I want you to do. This is the phone number and address of the Anchorage FBI office. The man in charge is Mike Turner. Write it down.”

  “Hold on.” The conversation paused while Hank got a pencil and paper. “Okay, what’s that address?” Tom gave him the address.

  “Let Bobby know what’s happening,” Tell him to contact his people. Tell him you’ll deliver Patty Lawrence around noon tomorrow. Think you can do it?”

  “Do I have a choice?”

  “No.” Tom paused a moment. “Hank, be careful around the Chinese. Okay, buddy?”

  “Yeah, thanks. I will. Is that all?”

  “One more thing, the owner of this lodge is named Jim Mitchell. He’s a former navy SEAL. I figure he’s trying to hide Patty from the authorities. The sheriff’s name is Bill Keller, ex-Army Special Forces. He may be in on this too. Watch these guys. They could be dangerous. Try to catch Patty alone. If they don’t know what’s going on, I’d just as soon keep it that way. I’ll be at this White Bear lodge by tomorrow afternoon. Good luck, Hank.”

  “Thanks. I’ll need it”

  They hang up without saying goodbye, for reasons neither wanted to think about. Tom held onto the receiver. He looked at his watch and saw that it was 12:45. He dialed the number to the Anchorage FBI office, hoping Turner would be in. Listening to the phone ring Tom thought timing for the next few days would be everything, timing and a little luck.

  “This is Director Stanley,” Tom said. “Put me through to Mr. Turner.”

  “This is Mike Turner.”

  “Turner, this is Director Stanley. Do you recognize my voice?”

  “Yes, sir,” he was obviously playing it safe.

  “You know anything about the Cassioppi plane crash?”

  “We got a bulletin on it just this morning. I’ve assigned a man to the investigation but with the storm and all we haven’t had a chance to–”

  “Good. Stop whatever you’re doing on this case. I’m assigning a special CIA agent to the case. He’ll be using an FBI cover. His name is Tom Walker. He’ll be contacting you today. You and your office must be put at his complete disposal. Whatever he needs, you do it without question. Is that clear? Without question.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “I’ll be sending you a confirmation of this by e-mail in a few minutes. Remember, Walker will be in complete charge of this investigation. You and your entire office do whatever he needs you to do. You got that, Turner?”

  “Yes, sir.” The line went dead.

  Tom thought about the plan he would go over with Johnson and Stanley on the drive back to Langley. He looked at his watch, pushed the pedal down a little, and dialed Betty’s home nu
mber on his cellphone. It rang just once before Betty answered it.

  “Hello?”

  “Betty, Tom. I’m sorry to disturb you so soon.”

  “That’s okay. I got home, took a shower, and have been waiting by the phone for you to call.”

  “How’s Randy?”

  “He’s down in the basement playing with his trains. You need me be back at work, boss? Anything new?”

  “I think Patty’s alive and with Mitchell.”

  Betty shot up at the news. “I’m coming in.”

  “Good, listen. I’m going into a meeting with Johnson and Stanley in about an hour. I’m going to Alaska tonight to head up the investigation of the plane crash and Patty Lawrence’s defection. I need you to find out how I can get to Mitchell’s lodge by tomorrow afternoon. Find out the schedule for commercial flights from Anchorage to Seoul late tomorrow afternoon and book a first class ticket for Bobby.”

  “How about the FAA, you know, for the crash site?”

  “Good call. But I want our guys get me a couple CIA people with FAA covers.”

  “I’m on my way in.”

  “Thanks, Betty. You’re the best.”

  At 1:50 Tom picked up the phone in his office and dialed the number to Sheriff Bill Keller’s office. He would try and talk with Mitchell by radio. He began typing a couple of e-mails on his laptop as he spoke.

  Tom entered Johnson’s office at 2:20. Johnson gestured for Walker to sit in the chair next to Stanley. “Sorry I’m late.”

  “Forget it. I’m sure you’re just a little busy today. What’s your plan? First thing I think we need to do is have the Coast Guard investigate that research ship. They’re a hundred miles from the crash site on the course the plane was on when it went down.”

  Tom glanced at the clock on the credenza behind Johnson. He knew Hank should be in Turner’s office by now.

  “Okay, but let’s think this through a little first.” Tom pulled the yellow legal pad out of his attaché case. “Either of you got any more info on why Lawrence decided to defect or how the mob was involved?”

  “No, but by God we’ll find out,” Johnson said. “Stanley’s people and ours are all over this. We’ll have some goddamn answers by the end of the day.”

  “You say the Chinese don’t know anything about this Level 21, Tom said. “Lawrence could be dead or with the Chinese already. But say they lost track of her like we have. Look at it from their perspective. They got a crook and a traitor telling them they have a virus in their missile systems they can’t detect and only this one girl in the whole world can fix it. From what you’ve told me they couldn’t have any real proof any of this is true. Hell, they must be pretty suspicious, right?”

  “Damn, you’re right. I knew you were the right man for this. You’re getting out ahead of this already.” Johnson leaned forward, eager to hear more.

  “We go up to Alaska with everything we got and board this ship, send in the Marines and the Air Force. The CIA goes crazy. Hell, this will be all the confirmation they need. They’ll go after the girl, if they don’t already have her, and they may be closer or luckier and get to her first. I say we go in quietly. Don’t tip our hand. Make it look as though we’re not the least bit concerned about Lawrence or Lo. Shut down this investigation into Lo and Lawrence until we get our hands on the girl or confirm her death.”

  Johnson thought for a moment then looked at Stanley.

  “Your call, Roger,” Stanley said.

  “Done,” Johnson picked up his phone to call his secretary and Stanley picked up his cellphone and dialed his office.

  “I’ve e-mailed your offices with the orders I think we should issue,” Tom said. “All you have to do is tell your people to forward them, Director Stanley.” Stanley looked at Tom. “I’ve made a special e-mail for your office in Anchorage asking them to give me full cooperation. I’d appreciate it if you’d see that it gets sent out right away.”

  The e-mails were sent minutes later and the FBI and CIA investigations were officially shut down. Johnson hung up the phone after his last conversation.

  “Tom, I’ll see that you get a copy of what Stanley and my people have so far. What’s your plan and what do you need from us?”

  Tom paused, as though thinking of what to begin with. In fact, he was relieved this had worked. He knew they would have cracked this whole operation wide open within a day.

  “We get an Army Special Forces Team to move toward the crash site ASAP. There’s a unit outside of Anchorage. Weather’s clearing. They’ll get there late tonight or early tomorrow morning and begin digging out the crash. We inform the Attorney General of Alaska, because of the mafia involvement, that we want his people and the local law, including this Sheriff Keller, to stay out of this. The FBI will handle the investigation and, of course, share anything we get with them. I fly into Anchorage tonight with a couple of our guys with FAA backgrounds. I’ll use my FBI ID. They’ll use FAA IDs. Betty is arranging all this. We basically want Lawrence and any documentation she may have with her, right?”

  “That’s right. We want the girl.” Johnson answered.

  “Well, she’s one of three things. One, she’s dead somewhere near that plane. Mitchell, the eyewitness, said someone survived and walked away from the crash. She wouldn’t have lasted long in that environment. Which brings up two, the Chinese have her, but where? The only thing they have there is that research boat, and it hasn’t moved. Betty checked this morning.

  They were granted a one week extension on their research permit. Leaving three, the only other answer, she’s alive and well, probably with Mitchell. Why? I have no idea. Maybe Mitchell’s connected with the Chinese. If she’s dead, the army will find her. If she’s with the Chinese we’re already screwed, but I think that’s not likely. The Chinese would have high-tailed it out of there already if they had her. This crash would have caught them off guard. With this storm, they have a lot less resources to get to her than we do, and we haven’t been able to move on it yet. I think she’s with Mitchell at his lodge. He’s the key. I’ve questioned him through a telephone radio patch with that sheriff right before this meeting. That’s why I was late. I think he’s lying. I think he knows where Patty Lawrence is. After inspecting the crash site with our FAA boys, if Lawrence isn’t there dead he’ll tell me where she is. If he doesn’t cooperate I’ll do whatever is necessary.”

  “God I miss the good old days when the agency could do whatever was necessary. Now we got the damn Congress sniffing up our ass every time we fart. Tom, the President is in agreement with Greg and me on this. Of course, officially none of us will acknowledge this but…well; we don’t want Patty Lawrence back. If you find her alive kill her.”

  “Why?”

  “We can’t just send her back to Los Alamos like nothing happened. We could lock her up in solitary. But Congress would want to investigate. That would blow the lid right off Level 21. What’s in her mind is too valuable to just leave laying around for something like this to happen again. Why she decided to defect is beyond me. The President made the decision if we can’t use her, than no one can. We don’t care how you do it. If you find her kill her and don’t leave anything for Congress to get curious about. Fortunately, we still have a few men like you willing to risk it all for their country. Walker, do whatever is necessary. Keep the Chinese from getting Patty Lawrence and eliminate the risk she’ll expose the whole Level 21 project.”

  “I know the Attorney General of Alaska,” Stanley said. “I’ll call him.”

  “Good. I’ll get the army moving right away,” added Johnson. “When are you going to Alaska?”

  “Betty’s working on getting me to that lodge by tomorrow afternoon. I’ll let you know what I’ll need.”

  “We’ll meet here to coordinate at 5 tonight.” Johnson reached for his phone and Tom left the office.

  Chapter Three

  Recruitment

  July, five years before the crash - Idaho

  Henry Lo was driving
the rented Buick sedan. Dr. Howard Woolum was seated next to him in the front seat. The men were completely different in mind and body. Henry Lo was barrel-chested with a neck like an NFL linebacker. Dr. Woolum was a small thin man blessed with the mind that created Level 21 Technology. They were quiet as they drove through the picturesque Idaho countryside. They were enjoying the lush green scenery that was a welcome change from the hardscrabble landscape of New Mexico. The sky was a deep blue and there was not a single cloud. They drove through a valley green with fields of potatoes that stretched to the foot of the distant mountains.

  There were only six people within the does not exist realm of the Level 21 Project. Dr. Woolum was number 1. His associate, and Tom Walker’s boyhood friend, Dr. Martin Weiker was number 2. The third developer of the original Level 21 Technology, Dr. Allan Gerstin, was number 3. The non-scientific members were Walker, number 4, Henry Lo, number 5, and Walker’s assistant, Betty Morgan, number 6. They used numbers to identify each other in their secret group, whose existence was known only to them. Their numbers matched the numbers on the dial of the watches they each wore. The watches, although relatively simple devices, were developed using Level 21 Technology by Gerstin for all communications within the group. The group formally came into existence when Level 21 was adopted as the United States’ secret Star Wars technology, just after Tom was transferred to Washington. Although Walker was never officially cleared for Level 21, his lifelong relationship with Dr. Weiker and knowledge of the early development of the technology qualified him as one of the founding four members. Besides his official job working Chinese intelligence for the CIA, he kept a constant eye on the Presidents, CIA and FBI directors, none of whom knew about the relationship these six had or the secrets they shared. Walker recruited Henry Lo to their group when Henry was officially assigned by the Director of the CIA to handle Level 21 security at Los Alamos. It was a select group, consisting of three of the most brilliant minds, two of the most skilled espionage operatives, and one of the best administrative and financial minds in the world. Billions of dollars were appropriated by Congress for Star Wars research. With the adoption of Level 21 as the official Star Wars technology, a lot of the money went to fund dummy programs used as covers for Level 21. From these funds, and the generous funding available to Howard officially for the Level 21 Project, he and Betty had managed to direct some into private accounts. Hidden from official government agencies, Betty had made some excellent investment choices, making a fortune available only to the small group of six.