DHS–Domestic Terrorism
Annex
Washington, DC
March 07, 2018
Cass met Dan in the Annex lobby and while walking to the cafeteria, they recalled the day two weeks before when Cass stopped the giant killing machine from crushing his skull before detonating two cartons of explosives later disarmed by the bomb squad.
"Those cartons were filled with high grade C4 explosive with no chemical taggant which means they were smuggled into the US. I'm not laying the blame on my Customs and Border patrol colleagues, but there was enough material in those boxes to level this building and produce a devastating effect on the surrounding neighborhood."
"Like I said, you saved my skin a second time."
The pair chose a quiet end of the seating area to have lunch and catch up.
"So I left the ship and took forty-five days of leave before getting back here to DC where I grew up. The Navy assigned me to an Admin job over at the Washington Navy Yard where I spent six months partially fulfilling my service obligation before they offered an early out which I took in a heartbeat. I ended up applying for a Defense Security Services job and have been with them ever since. It pays the bills and keeps me busy, but I can't see staying there forever. Plus, the skipper made sure my service record contains an indelible DFC, Detachment for Cause, so my future opportunities working for the government are somewhat limited. How did you end up here in DHS?"
He recapped the highlights of the last few months and told her a little about what he was doing at the Annex. She shook her head in disbelief at the rapid and traumatic changes he lived through. Not wanting to dwell on the pain of the recent past, he shifted the conversation to the present.
"As the Ops Officer, you had a Top Secret clearance, right?"
"Yes, I was also read into a couple of special access surveillance programs we had going on behind the scenes. Why?"
"I'm struggling with this investigation and need some help I can trust. Just wondered if you might be interested in doing something different."
"Working with you here in DC?"
"Yep."
"Where do I sign?"
They both moved to lighter subjects about the previous deployment and some of the characters in the ship's company and the Seal Platoon. He walked with Cass back to the lobby and promised to be in touch.