The enemy within, p.1
The Enemy Within, page 1
part #1 of Alex Watkins Mystery Series
The Enemy Within
L C Lang
COPYRIGHT 2018 by L C LANG
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written permission from the publisher or writer, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes.
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to anyone person, living or deceased, is purely coincidental.
CHAPTER 1
It was eight o’clock in the evening when the two men got out of their SUV. There was no moon, so the night seemed even darker. The driver is a few years older than the second man is. Using flashlights, they made their way into an open area about forty feet wide. The two men stopped for a moment, while the older man searched for the marker he left here. Finally, ten feet away from where he is standing, he found the marker. He walked towards it, with the younger man behind him. With his flashlight, the older man pointed to the handle. The younger man pulled up the door and opened it wide. With their flashlights shining down into the hole, the two men walked down the steps.
When they got to the bottom of the steps, the older man felt for the light switch and then turned on the lights inside the bunker. The room was twenty feet square. In the back of the room was a cot, with a pillow and a folded blanket on top. A half-wall blocked off a toilet.
To the left was a small kitchen area. A microwave and a toaster oven are sitting on top of a five-foot long wooden table. Sitting on the floor next to the table is a four-foot tall refrigerator. Sitting on top of the refrigerator is a three-foot square box of food. Another larger box is sitting on the floor next to the refrigerator. A large ceramic bowl, a container of liquid hand soap and a towel are sitting on the left edge of the table, which was for washing. Sitting on the floor next on the other side of the table is a ten-gallon jug of water, ten cases of bottled water and ten cases of soft drinks.
On the right side of the room is another five-foot long wooden table, with a laptop computer sitting on top and a chair in front. Cords connect the computer to the electric plug, to the router, which is sitting on the floor and to the circuit connector on the lower part of the wall.
The younger man looked around what was to be his home for a while. He carried a backpack, which he now sat on the floor.
“Do you understand what you are supposed to do?” the older man asked.
The younger man nodded. “Yes, sir. I do.”
“And you also understand you have two weeks to be on this job?”
“Yes, sir. But why a bunker?”
“Let’s just say we want you hidden for a while. That is all you need to know.”
The younger man nodded once. “I understand, sir. What about food?”
The older man pointed to the left side of the bunker. “The refrigerator is full of frozen and fresh food. The box on top of the refrigerator is full of a variety of microwave meals and snacks. In a week, I will send you a message and more food will be delivered that day. Someone will pound on the door, but do not open the door for fifteen minutes. Then you can go up and open the door. There will be boxes of food, water and soft drinks for you. The box on the other side of the refrigerator contains paper plates, plastic forks, plastic glasses, paper towels and toilet paper. As you can see, you have electricity. Leave the computer on at all times. I understand you were given some work to do while you are here?”
“Yes, sir. I have it in my backpack.” He knew what he had to do and what he cannot do while he is here, but two weeks underground is going to be lonely. However, with the stack of papers he had to work on, he was sure he would stay busy most of the time he is here.
The older man turned to stand in front of the younger man. “I cannot impress on you enough the significance of this job. I will check in with you in a couple of days. If there are any problems or you have a question, go through my secure email, which is on the computer. It goes to my phone, which I always have on and with me at all times, so I will see it right away and will get back to you. Do not call my office number. Calls there can be traced, but not to my cell phone’s email.”
The younger man nodded. “Yes, sir. I understand.” And he did understand what he is supposed to do. Mainly, all he had to do is to make sure the router remains connected to the laptop computer at all times. He did not know why, but he was not about to question anything. He is just glad he has a job and will earn money.
“Alright. You can adjust the light down whenever you want to sleep, but don’t turn it completely off. There are no windows, so you will lose track of time. In case you are wondering, there is ventilation. There is a hidden pipe above, so you will get in fresh air. However, being underground means you will keep cool.” The older man paused a moment, looking around the room. He could see nothing he had missed bringing in here yesterday. “Alright, if you have no further questions, I will leave. I want you to lock the door once I close it. Do not open it for anyone. I will let you know when I come back for you. Do you have any questions?”
The younger man shook his head. “No, sir.”
“Alright. I will leave you to your work.”
The older man turned and walked back up the steps. The younger man followed him and then waited. The outside door closed and he latched the door. Then he went back down the steps and looked at his home for the next two weeks.
He had been standing at attention since they arrived. The other man had the bearing of someone higher up in rank, even though he did not wear a uniform. Nor did he know the man’s name. He blew out his breath and relaxed his shoulders. For a while, he would have no one to bother him. It would be lonely, but he was being paid very well to do this job, so he is not about to complain. He had brought his Ipod with him, so he will have music to help pass the time. Then he walked over to the table and sat down on the chair in front of it. At least the chair was comfortable, he thought. He turned on the computer.
The computer was more elaborate than he had worked on in the past, but it would be no problem. He knew what he had to do. While he did not know what they were doing, he was not about to question it either. He had been in the military long enough to know not to question someone else’s orders.
Once the main computer screen came up, he clicked on the only icon on the screen. He wasn’t tired, so he would begin working on what he had brought with him. Standing up, he opened one of the cases of soft drinks, pulled out a can and then opened it, taking a long drink. Then he got into his backpack and pulled out the five thick manila envelopes that contained the paperwork he had to do, including a web address where he can enter the required information.
Then sat down again in his chair, opened the first envelope and pulled out the papers, sitting them on the table. Fifty pages. Each page would take him several minutes to enter, but he was familiar with the work. Unlike before, he would not have to hurry doing the work. He had two weeks to finish. Of course, if he finished early, then he could just relax. At least he had a job. Something he’d not had since he got out. The money was going to come in handy.
He knew that knowing the time of day was going to be a factor. With him being able to regulate the light on the ceiling, then he could use that to show him when it was day and when it was night, by simply raising or dimming the lights. Then again, he could always tell the time by the clock on the computer.
Two weeks. He hoped his girlfriend would not be angry with him for disappearing on her. The money he is being paid will give them a good start to their future. Maybe he would be able to put down a good deposit on a house for them to live in. She deserved it after all the time she had waited on him. He would definitely make it up to her. Taking a deep breath, he logged into the website and began working.
Outside the bunker, the older man got into his SUV and looked back towards the door of the bunker. He knew if anyone came by, they would never find the door. He knew this was a risk. He had told his boss that two routers would be enough, but his boss wanted a third one. It was a risk they would have to take. So, they needed someone to make sure the router remained connected to the computer. At least for a short time. The only good thing is that the email messages that go through will not show up on the computer in the bunker. Hopefully, the project will end soon and he can take everything out of the bunker.
He started the SUV and made a u-turn, and then headed back to Washington, D.C. It is going to be a short night and a long day tomorrow. He has an early morning trip to make tomorrow morning. At that point, everything will be set up and then he is finished with this part of the job. Then he will just have to wait to see how the project progressed and he is needed again.
CHAPTER 2
A week later….
Alex Watkins walked into the office building. It is a six-story building and contained a variety of business offices, but only one office is she familiar with. She has no idea who else has offices here. Next to this building is the F.B.I. and across the street is the Department of Justice. A block south are the numerous buildings included in the Smithson Museum. Other various other government offices and attractions are within blocks of here. She is in the midst of the federal government offices.
Inside the office building, she headed to the elevators at the back of the hallway. There is no button to push to go up or down, just a card reader. This is a secure building and you can only go to the floor you are supposed to go to, and nowhere else. She swiped her card into the reader and the elevator door opened. She stepped inside and once again swiped her card. The door closed and began the descent down to the only office she could go to.
Alex looked at her reflection in the silver lining of the elevator. She is twenty-eight years old, five-foot-seven, long light brown hair, blue eyes and is self-employed. She did not consider herself beautiful. Although relatives told her she looked a lot like the mother she never knew. She has a picture of her deceased mother and she considered her a beautiful woman. How her father ever won her mother, she still had not figured out. She blew out her breath. She did not need to be thinking about this right now. There was more to think about, like why she had to come here today.
Normally, Alex did not come here. Her boss had recruited her two years ago. Most of the time she worked from home. She had only been here twice before. Once when she first started and then again about a year ago. The rest of her contact with her boss came by cell phone.
Her boss is Mr. Jenkins. That is all she knew about him. She didn’t even know what department she works in or who Mr. Jenkins’ boss is. All she knew is that she works for the Department of Justice. Still, the job pays well and she has fun with it. Whatever the reason why she is here today, she knew she will find out soon enough.
A few moments later, the elevator door opened and she stepped out. She turned left and began walking down the hallway, made a right into another hallway and then stopped in front of a door halfway down on the left side. She is now three floors below ground. Whatever goes on down here is secret. She had figured that out the first time she came here. How secret, she wasn’t sure. All she knew is that she had no idea what goes on behind the several doors she passed.
Alex looked at the door in front of her and took a deep breath. Well, might as well find out what is going on, she thought, as she grabbed the doorknob and twisted it.
She walked inside, closing the door behind her. The room was twelve foot by twelve foot and was the first room in a two-room suite. There is a desk and chair, but no one is sitting there. Neither of the two previous times she has come here had she seen anyone at the desk, so she wasn’t sure anyone ever did.
Behind the desk is a closed door. This is Mr. Jenkins’ office. She walked up to the door and knocked. A male voice from behind the door told her to come in. She opened the door and stepped inside, closing the door behind her.
Inside, this office is bigger than the front office. The office measures fourteen feet by fourteen feet. A five-foot long dark oak desk, with a high back black leather chair is in the middle of the room. There is nothing else in the room.
Sitting in the chair is a man. Mr. Jenkins. He is in his early fifties, dark brown hair, and dark piercing eyes. He is wearing a dark blue suit, light blue shirt and a dark red tie. The only things on the top of his desk are a laptop and cell phone. He pointed to one of the two chairs in front of his desk.
“Thank you for coming, Alex,” Mr. Jenkins said. “Why don’t you sit down? This is going to take a while.”
Alex nodded and sat down in the chair. She sat her messenger bag on the floor next to her chair. Then, she pulled out a notepad and pen, just in case she needed to make notes. The look on Mr. Jenkins’ face told her something was wrong.
“You have been doing a very good job for us,” Jenkins said.
“Thank you, sir.”
Jenkins nodded. “We have agents who can hack into computer systems and we have hired other civilians at various times who can also hack, but none of them can do what you can do. This is why I had you go through training at Quantico last year.”
Alex nodded. She remembered that time. Mr. Jenkins told her that he wanted her to go through training with the F.B.I. At the time, she wondered if her job was changing, but soon realized that is was not. Because of her training, she is not only a computer expert, which in her case means she is a hacker, but now she is also an investigator.
Since her training a year ago, she has gone back monthly to practice her techniques and practicing at the gun range. Most of the guns she practiced with she was sure she would never use again, but she had become proficient and could easily use any type of weapon if she needs to. After her training, Mr. Jenkins gave her a Glock. She knew how to handle it and she was a good shot. The F.B.I. also taught her self-defense techniques. She had progressed to the point where she can now take anyone down she wanted to, no matter their size.
Alex also went weekly to a gym near to where she lives. She is focusing on weight lifting to keep up her strength, but she also works on the other equipment to have a good overall workout. She may not be an F.B.I. agent, but she could now hold her own if the situation ever came up. She wondered why he is bringing this up now.
Mr. Jenkins leaned back in his chair. “We have gotten word of a situation that we are not sure about.”
Alex nodded again. Now he is getting down to what is going on. She waited him out.
“Two weeks ago, we got word about a military contract with a nearby company. Normally, a military contract is very specific. But, not this time.”
“And you find that suspicious?” Alex asked.
Mr. Jenkins nodded. “Yes.”
Alex nodded. “What kind of company is the military contract with?”
“It is a medical company called Diagnostic Innovations. They develop containers and scientific formula’s for the medical community.”
Alex made a note of the company name. Maybe the military just wanted to update their medical care at their military bases, but even that did not sound right.
“Which branch of the service originated the contract?”
“The Army.”
“Did it list who ordered the contract?”
Mr. Jenkins shook his head. “No. That is the strange part. No commanding officer signed off on it and the contract did not list exactly what they want the company to make.”
Alex narrowed her eyes. “That is strange. And you just now heard about it?”
Mr. Jenkins shrugged. “You know how bureaucracy goes. Unfortunately, someone put other paperwork on top and they just found it yesterday. I was notified this morning.”
Alex shook her head. Someone is in trouble for not catching that paperwork sooner. “What can you tell me about Diagnostic Innovations?”
“Technically, they deal with the medical field. They have some of the best scientists in the country working there. The company has been very successful.”
“Is this a company that would normally have a contract with the military?”
Mr. Jenkins shook his head. “Not necessarily. As far as I can tell, they have never had a military contract before.”
“Then I guess my first question is why is the Army dealing with a medical company they have never had dealings with before?”
“That is a good question.”
Alex nodded. “Alright. Exactly what would you like me to do?”
Mr. Jenkins leaned forward, laying his arms on his desk. “I know it has been two weeks, but I need you to research Diagnostic Innovations. Get into their system, do whatever you have to do, but find out what they are developing for the Army and when it is to be delivered. This contract is so vague that I am not getting a good feeling about it.”
Alex nodded. “Alright, I can do that. Can you get me some background information on Diagnostic Innovations?”
Mr. Jenkins nodded. “Yes, I can. I will send it to your phone.” He paused a moment. “How long do you think it will take you to figure this out?”
Alex shrugged. “That depends.”
“On what?”
“On how fast it takes me to find the information you need. I don‘t know how deep into their computer system I will have to go to find it. And it is possible no one mentioned in an email.”
“I understand. There is one more thing. I need to find out who in the Army requested this.”
Alex nodded. “Alright. I will see what I can find.” Although she already knew breaking into the Pentagon’s computer system was not high on her list of something she should do. She could do it, but it was the principle that she shouldn’t hack into their computer system. She will have to find another way.
“This whole situation is suspicious. With military action slowing down, we cannot figure out what the Army is up to. And because it was not stated what they want developed, then that makes the contract very suspicious.”
