Radclyffe - Honor Under Siege

too,

sweetie.

* * * * *

Cam tapped on the hotel room door, feeling like an interloper. Stark,

in a smartly tailored navy blue suit and white shirt, answered.

“Do you mind if I sit in on your briefing,

Chief?

“No, come on

in.

When Stark stepped aside, Cam nodded her thanks and entered the

dimly lit suite. The drapes over the windows were closed and the

overhead lights turned of , leaving only the scat ered table lamps for il

umination. The ef ect was oddly intimate. Cam strode directly to one

of the empty chairs grouped around the cof ee table in the seating area,

nodding to Mac, Wozinski, and Hara as she sat down. Stark returned to

the chair in the center of the group.

“We were just reviewing the exit routes,

Commander.

“Go ahead, Cam said. “Sorry to

interrupt.

“No problem, Stark said quickly and handed Cam a printout. “The

timetable, shift assignments, and agent placements are al outlined there.

Cam glanced at it briefly. It was thorough and complete, as she

anticipated it would be. It wasnt the things they planned for that

concerned her. It was the threat of the unanticipated that had her

pacing in the suite across the hal until Blair had strongly suggested that

she ask to sit in on the pre-departure briefing. So now Cam found

herself in the awkward position of being an observer.

She was on the verge of get ing up and leaving when Stark pushed the

papers aside and said, “Is there something in particular you

wanted to review, Commander?

Cam cleared her throat. “First of al , I just wanted everyone to be clear

that Im here because Blair threw me out, not because Stark needs any

help.

Stark smiled and the other agents

laughed.

“Wel , Cam continued. “Im definitely more use over here than across

the hal right now. She addressed Stark. “I dont suppose metal detectors

are feasible, considering that the reception is in the open mezzanine?

“We could insist that everyone use one escalator and one bank of

elevators, but I think wed get a major logjam as a result. That kind of

chaos sometimes makes it easier to overlook things.

“I tend to agree. Plus, Cam said with a sigh, “it rather defeats the

purpose of having Blair make a public appearance if we ramp up the

security measures to the point where its obvious were worried.

“Im not worried, Commander, Stark said steadily. “As far as Im

concerned, every time Egret makes a public appearance, we have to

assume she is a target. Thats the only way to do the job.

After a moment of complete silence, Cam said, “Youre absolutely right,

Chief. She glanced at the others. “Perimeter coverage?

“I get to sit this one out in the surveil ance van, Mac said, unrol ing a

schematic

and spreading it out facing Cam. He pointed to a red X with a circle

around it. “Here. The other vehicle wil be at the south entrance. He

pointed to a blue X. “Here. One of Tanners men wil drive that vehicle.

He then opened another schematic of the bal room. “Exitshere, here,

here, and here. Also covered by Tanners people.

“Are we using the local field agents? Cam

asked.

“No, Stark said. “I decided that Tanners team has just as much

experience, maybe more. And were already used to working with them.

“Good cal , Cam murmured. She was as certain as she could be that the

local Secret Service agents were not compromised, but they also werent

as likely to fit seamlessly into their current team as Tanners security

personnel were. Under the circumstances, she would have made the

same decision.

“Savard wil be with Diane, Cam said. “We have to assume Diane is a

potential target as wel . She glanced at Stark. “But Savard stil has

mobility issues. Shel be fine at close range, but youre going to need

mobile backup for her.

Stark never changed expression. “Already taken

care of.

“Did anything turn up in the doctors background? Cam asked, referring

to the keynote speaker. “Threats, angry protesters, anything that

might spil over tonight?

Stark nodded to Mac, who opened a file folder. “Emory Constantine.

Shes thirty-one years old, has been at the Johnson Institute for five

years, and received a sizable federal grant matched by the Institute two

years ago. Has a bunch of recent publications and is considered one of

the front runners in stem cel research in the world.

“Young for that, Cam

observed.

“Apparently she was one of the few to see the writing on the wal before

anyone else. She did a lot of the preliminary work while she was stil an

undergraduate. A case of good timing and, from what Ive been able to

find out, a lot of brains.

“Personal

life?

“Not much there. Lives in Beacon Hil in the family residence with her

mother, divorced, no children.

“Threat

assessment?

Hara spoke up. “There have been right-to-life protesters at the last

three seminars where Constantine has been a headliner. This guy,

she passed out photographs, “was arrested at the last one for physical y

threatening her as she left the podium. Alexander Frenkel. Theres a

restraining order on him now. If he shows up within five hundred feet of

her, he goes to jail.

“Everyone has his picture, Stark said. “Hes not registered at the hotel,

at least not under that name.

“These four, Hara went on, fanning out another set of images like playing

cards, “have been observed at two out of the last three locations where

Constantine made a public appearance.

Cam

frowned.

“Af

iliations?

“Three belong to dif erent groups, but the fourth doesnt appear to

have any group connections at al , Hara replied. “Two are fetal rights

activists, one is a pro-lifer, and the loner is an unknown commodity.

“Whos providing this intel igence? Cam

asked.

“Local FBI, Mac said. “Theyve kept a file on the doctor since another

stem cel researcherJames Bennet was at acked in a car park a year

ago. The injuries kept him in the hospital for two months.

“Did the victim have any relationship to

Constantine?

“None other than the fact that they knew each other professional y, Mac

said. Stark said, “We anticipate the usual demonstrators tonight. Wel

bring Egret in

through the side entrance, because the protesters wil most likely be out

front

where theyl get more press coverage. The hotel can legal y bar

them from

entering, so once were inside, shel be in the clear from the majority

of the

organized

dissenters.

“What do you have on local anti-gay factions? Cam

asked.

“A few religious groups, but theyre mostly involved with debates

over the church recognizing gay priests and performing same-sex

marriages, Stark answered.

“None of them with a history of

violence? “No.

“The press will be all over her tonight, and were not going to

keep them out of the banquet. Its a fundraiser, and Im sure

the PR people from the institute will want reporters present.

Cam shook her head. “Its going to be a long night.

“Theres one other issue, Commander, Stark said.

Cam gave her a questioning look.

“You were targeted this week, so we have to assume youre at

risk. Wozinski will cover y

“No, Cam said flatly. “I appreciate it, Chief, but dont

pull someone off Blairs detail for me. I dont need it.