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The desk phone rang and the director of the CIA picked it up. “This is Pepper.”
The voice on the other end said, “This is Paul. You asked for any information we have on Marshall Hail’s whereabouts?”
“Yes,” Pepper said, taking a sip of coffee.
“We just received two pieces of information from our agents monitoring the flight and electronic passport interfaces.”
“OK,” Pepper said.
“Hail’s Gulfstream just left Dubai International Airport and filed a flight plan for Peshawar, Pakistan. It will be landing at Bacha Khan International Airport.”
“Good work,” Pepper said.
Without acknowledging Pepper’s attaboy, Paul added, “And something even more interesting is that Marshall Hail used his passport to board a commercial flight out of Dubai, also headed to Peshawar.”
Pepper had to think that one over for a moment. Why would Hail be flying on a commercial jet when his agent, Kara Ramey, had told Pepper that Hail hated flying commercial since the death of his family? Whatever the case, it must be important. Still, the pieces weren’t adding up.
Tom asked, “I bet you are wondering why Hail is flying commercial when he could have flown on his own jet?”
“Exactly,” Pepper conceded.
“We’ve had more time to think it over and have concluded the only reason Hail would be on the flight is to surveil someone also on that flight.”
“Kornev?” Pepper asked.
“Or Kara,” Tom suggested.
“Why would he surveil Ramey?” Pepper asked.
“We really don’t fully understand their relationship and we don’t even know if we have all the facts. For all we know, Kara and Hail are working together on a project which they don’t wish to share with us.”
When Pepper spoke, his tone was bitter. “Every time we get more information on what is going on with Ramey and Hail the situation becomes murkier. First, Ramey goes missing and Hail knows nothing about it. Then, Hail says he will help us find her. Now, he is either on the trail of someone, working with someone, or possibly working with Ramey; and we still don’t know a damn thing about what’s really going on. I don’t like this. I don’t like this one bit. What assets do we have in Peshawar?”
Paul said in an upbeat tone, “We actually have more than twenty agents working in the Peshawar area because it is so close to the Afghanistan border.”
“Great. Send them a photo of Hail and have them follow him when he leaves customs.”
“I’m on it,” Paul said.
“And keep me informed,” Pepper added. “I want Hail to know we can be just as effective as he thinks he is.”
“Ten-four,” Paul said, and the phone call was terminated.