After returning from an in-town dinner, Jack and Kathy were watching late news when
news of the attack on churches broke. Jack called Frank and asked Kathy to get on the extension. Frank answered his home phone on the third ring. Jack gave him a quick brief, with Kathy adding some details she knew he would want. Frank responded that he was sure the Professor was behind these attacks and that he was just starting. He told them he was heading into the office and asked them to call him in an hour.
By the time Jack and Kathy got Frank on the phone, he had been briefed by his own people and was ready to get down to work. First, he wanted to get the observation post overlooking the rug shop up and running 24/7. If Jack had trouble staffing the OP with vetted people, he would send three people from his office tomorrow. Frank emphasized that burning of the churches was the Professor’s work. Much more would be coming. The Professor wasn’t taking the risk of personally running operations in America for small stuff. Something much bigger was in the works. Right now their only lead was the rug shop and its owner. Jack said he would call tomorrow with his plan. In his usual style, Frank hung up before Jack could say goodbye. The conversation was over, why waste any time with goodbyes. Jack smiled at Kathy and said, “Are his telephone manners part of CIA protocol?”
“No. He’s always been that way. I’ve never been able to figure out where it comes from. It is definitely not part of CIA manners.”
Jack said, “Go meet this Lou person and get him to come here now and to bring anyone else that you and he agree would fit in. Offer him whatever he needs, including covering any business losses he might have by coming here. I also think that we can use Kelly. She can make up whatever course work she misses later. This is a good opportunity to get her started. Can you call her and ask her to come in the next few days? She can stay at our house for now.”
“Okay, that leaves you alone to man the OP.”
“No problem. I’ve spent hours as a sniper and a cop manning an OP. Just get back as soon as you can.”
separately to Columbia, SC. The Professor listened to their separate debriefings from behind a screen and sent them all to Myrtle Beach to await further commands.
of Charleston’s historical district. Then, with a final check of readiness, he passed the word to take out their assigned targets.
It is and has always been my top priority to develop captivating stories that people will want to read and talk about. But I also want my stories to give readers a deeper understanding of issues that may — and possibly already have — invaded their world. There is truth within every fiction if you know where to look. All of my stories, and the characters within them, are based on my experience and imagination. The events and people in these stories are not real but blend in with actual files. Like I have always said since my days in the CIA, were I permitted to talk or write about real-world intelligence activities, the tales would be similar. It is up to the reader to participate in the planning sessions and share the action and adventure with the characters.








