Convergence - The Last Science #2.1 - In Plain Sight

B2: Chapter 15 - Making Friends and Influencing People - I

  "I'm just sayin', I expected you to be on the damn warpath here, removed from the case and all," said Maddie, a wine glass cupped in her hand.

  Jeremy shrugged. "No skin off my back." He nodded at the TV. "And besides, why ain't you there?"

  "Conflict of interest apparently, according to my people. Really it's just McCullough makin' a power play. Keep me off the panel so I lose the screen time." His big sister shook her head. "It won't work. Press is already banging my phone for interviews."

  "Did you mean McDonough?"

  "No, McCullough. Different senators. Annoying as fuck."

  "The Select Committee to Investigate Potential Misconduct in the Rallsburg Incident Investigation recognizes Michael Aderholt. Mr. Aderholt, please state your position for the common record."

  "Isn't this already on record?"

  "We've had to reconvene a new committee. Please state your position for the record."

  "Michael Aderholt, Sub-Station Chief for the National Security Branch, Olympia, Washington."

  "Mr. Aderholt, are you the ranking officer of the station that took control of the investigation into the incident that took place on May 15th, 2018, in Rallsburg Washington?"

  "Around May 15th."

  "Just answer the question, Mr. Aderholt."

  "I want to make clear that the timeline was not sufficiently established."

  "Yes or no, Mr Aderholt. Did you take command of the investigation?"

  "Yes, Mr. McCullough."

  "And in the course of that investigation did you do anything that might be considered improper conduct befitting a federal agent?"

  "Here it comes," Jeremy grumbled. He leaned back on the couch and closed his eyes.

  "You knew he was gonna fuck you." She got up to refill her glass.

  "No sir, because I assigned the case to my best agent at the time."

  "Which agent is that, please? For the record."

  "Special Agent Jeremy Ashe."

  "And this assignment took place..."

  "On May 16th, shortly after we began the investigation."

  "Why did you not take this case yourself?"

  "With all due respect, Mr. McCullough, I have an entire station to consider, and Jeremy Ashe was assigned an investigation as a competent agent. This was standard protocol."

  "Despite the fact that Mr. Ashe has several allegations of misconduct on file?"

  "Motherfucker," Jeremy growled. "Those were buried. He gave them my sealed file."

  "At the time, I was unaware of the allegations. When I discovered them, I removed Mr. Ashe from the case."

  "And the incident on October 26th in Tacoma, where Agent Ashe took over a police standoff under the pretense of the Rallsburg case?"

  "Totally unrelated. Mr. Ashe has since been temporarily suspended."

  "Well you knew that was coming."

  "No kiddin'. Why are we watchin' this again?" Jeremy started on the pizza his sister had brought over. "You're booked all week. You really want to spend your precious time watchin' a trial where we both get fucked?"

  "There's somethin' you'll enjoy later. Jump forward about half an hour."

  "Jesus Christ, it lasts that long?"

  "Have you ever seen a Senate panel interrogate someone? You oughta be grateful Aderholt took your place down there."

  He shook his head. "Motherfucker's just coverin' his own ass."

  "Sure is, but you got bigger fish to fry. Just jump the damn video."

  Jeremy leaned forward and tapped the keyboard a few times.

  "...And the Bureau is unable to produce a single second of footage from these so-called 'golems'?"

  "As I said, sir, we have no evidence they existed. We've had several medical professionals conclude it was mass-hysteria. Hallucinations spread by panicked people under threat by domestic terrorism."

  "Yet there were several police cruisers visibly thrown into the air and rolled away from the scene."

  "We believe there was some form of gas explosion, sir. It would also explain the exploded exterior of the bar."

  "Not monsters, Mr. Aderholt? You have testimony from more than a dozen officers at the scene."

  "And contradictory testimony from the hostages inside the bar. They all deny the presence of any monsters, sir, or this 'flying girl'. Since they were in the best position to see the attacks on the bar, being hostages, I'm inclined to believe them."

  "Over the sworn testimony of the Tacoma Police Department, Mr. Aderholt?"

  "It goes on for another couple minutes, but you get the idea." Maddie turned off the video and set the laptop aside. "Your girl's safe for now. Aderholt's covering for you both without even knowin' it."

  "Anything to make his case go away."

  "I thought you weren't actually suspended though? Did that change?"

  "Nah, they just got me chained to the desk."

  "Ah, in-school suspension."

  "Cute from the girl who got it every month in high school."

  "Anything for my fans," Maddie grinned. "Lani back to work yet?"

  "Nope. Still stuck in PT. It's boring as fuck there. And I'm supposed to work a drug case from my desk somehow. Fuckin' six bodies and a shitload of meth from fuck knows where. Abandoned building, no witnesses, death by burnin', slicin' and shootin'. Fuckin' nightmare."

  "Jesus."

  "I'm just actin' as liaison though. Hook up the Seattle detective who landed it with our tech where he needs it. So I'm a glorified errand boy."

  "Gives you a good excuse though, don't it?"

  "To what?"

  "Hop all over Seattle, you amateur." Maddie shrugged. "You gotta find the Winscombe girl, and you gotta find Jackie. If you've got Seattle detectives callin' you for tech support, you oughta offer them house calls. You frame it right, there ain't no way they can keep you at your desk without pissin' off a whole lot of people. The Seattle mayor's under pressure to handle the increase in gang killings."

  "Pressure from who?"

  "Someone in the governor's office who got a friendly tip," she said nonchalantly. Jeremy grinned. "There's enough political clout in play that as long as you keep quiet, no one will bat an eye. Aderholt gives you the tiniest bit of lip, you call me." Maddie gave him a sideways look. "Get out there and find her, Jeremy. Figure this out. Don't you stop til you do. This shit's just heatin' up, whatever it is."