CIA: Donovan

Hampton, Virginia

It was Sunday and the beginning of the last week of January. Frank sat at the small table just outside Starbuck’s but inside Barnes and Noble Bookstore, as they were attached. It was too cold outside to sit, but still there were always those that would brave any weather. He looked over his shoulder to the “fools” he called them, as they sat in twenty degrees with a wind chill off the Chesapeake of zero. The small town off the Bay was Hampton and that was where their new home was, actually his Great-Grandfather’s home where he and Marisca lived. They had come most Sundays to share coffee and look at books after they had brunch. Now he waited for Marisca with the Cappuccino Mocha she always wanted while he sipped his double espresso. Finally he saw her limping along with her right lower leg in a cast on two crutches. She had magazines rolled up in the two pockets of her white leather car coat, as she had no free hands to carry them. The small silver handbag that looked like a little lunch box was gripped in her left. She dropped it as she was almost to their table.

“Shit!” she exclaimed as it thumped to the ground and Frank quickly paced over.

“You should have used shoulder bags with these crutches”, he said picking it up and carrying it himself as they went to the table to sit.

“It’s a bit late since I have this stupid cast taken off tomorrow”, Marisca answered as she put her crutches against the wall and sat down. “Not too busy this afternoon. No one’s at the magazine section.”

“Too cold out and it’s suppose to start snowing hard. Aren’t you cold in those leather shorts?” he quipped, liking how she looked in the matching white leather Bermudas.

She had her left leg covered with a tan, cashmere knee high sock that matched her heavy wool sweater and a flat brown leather shoe. Her right leg had a cast from the bottom of her knee down and around her foot. Marisca liked her leather and she made no bones about it, and so did Frank as he wore a pair of camel colored tight leather pants, a matching suede shirt that fell loose and a long camel double breasted coat. They both looked chic and very “D.C.” as the young sophisticates were called in the capitol.

“No, I’m not cold. And I know you like my leather shorts. You bought this outfit for me for Christmas! They turn you on, admit it!” she laughed taking out the two magazines she had. “You’re a turn on in those tight pants, too. You have to be careful of that bulge you’re showing everyone. Like on the front cover of this!” she stated shoving the February issue of Razor Magazine with him on the cover, under his nose.

“Oh, I forgot about that” Frank said slyly knowing she would come across it.

His photo was on the cover of the Canadian magazine. He was posed, sitting by a table wearing a charcoal gray suit with a stripe shirt with his legs spread apart. Frank was well endowed and this photo, Marisca pointed out, showed just how well endowed he was.

“How the hell could you forget about being on a magazine cover?” Marisca chuckled as she leafed through it. “And in it, too! My God! These two photos are great, Frank! Why are you in this? With all these other guys?”

“They approached me months ago in Chicago. An issue on eligible guys in Toronto and then they wanted a couple from Chicago. My name came up somehow. Let me have a look, Marisca” Frank said and she handed it to him. “They were just supposed to put down that I worked for the Justice Department and not get in to any details. Of course they didn’t know that much. Six foot, one. A hundred seventy-five, black hair, brown eyes. Thirty-six. Prominent in Chicago society and supporter of the arts, Jesus! Where did they get that?”

“I think they’re very sexy shots, baby. Except the girl, she’s too cute and sexy” she laughed looking at the young thing wrapped around him on the ones inside. “If she were a blond I’d be mad and very jealous. Anyway, why don’t you go grab the rest of them off the shelf?”

“Buy all of them? What the hell for?” he inquired in a chuckle.

“To pass out at the office! What do you think?” she replied then waved her hand. “Just go get them Mr. Director Man!”

That was what she called him, especially at the end of the day when he came home from CIA headquarters in nearby Langley.

“How was your day, Mr. Director Man?” she’d ask as he kissed her hello.

Frank was the new Director of Counter Intelligence. He had been since Singapore. But he had stayed by Marisca’s side in Germany for a good week while she recovered, then they flew back to the states and their new home. He went to the office that next day, the Tuesday of the second week in December. Marisca stayed home to recoup and get the place together, at least call the people that she could hire to do it. And hire people to move Frank’s things from Chicago. Frank may have thought she resembled Martha Stewart but she definitely was nothing like the woman. Why do something yourself when you can hire people to do it for you, was Marisca’s philosophy not Martha’s. And there really wasn’t much she could do with the cast on her leg that would not be off until February and then she had to have physical therapy. It was going to be the middle of the month before she could go back to work. Marisca was not anxious to get to that stage. She was not anxious to resume her life in counter intelligence and neither was her roommate.

But Frank went back to work in his new position with the Agency with confidence. And Director’s were treated like Kings. If he wanted something he got it. If he made an order it was followed. Do this, do, that, and everyone jumped except his old team members who arrived the following week. A couple weeks away from him and they were back in their old habits as reported by their various training instructors. But Donovan remembered how he was during training, much the same, always asking questions and questioning orders. That was why he was patient with them. That was why he knew they would be of better service to the CIA. A place to hone their skills and display the talent he saw in all four.

The holidays came up fast and the day before Christmas Eve Frank sat in his office after five, sipping a glass of good Irish whiskey his secretary gave him. It was his favorite and the one he had stocked the caches in Bolivia with years ago. Then he thought quickly on Armando and his recent trip down there with his team. He had just finished reading several reports when a knock came at his door and Cody’s head popped in.

“Sir” Cody said clearing his voice, Frank looked up with his usual “icy” gaze. “Do you have a minute?”

“Sure” Donovan replied and Cody entered with Monica following. “Have a seat. Whiskey?” he offered which threw Cody off balance, as he was being hospitable.

Yeah, I’ll have a glass”, replied Cody as he shrugged his shoulders to Monica.

“Ok, me too. Just a short one, Director” Monica answered as he went over to the small bar across the room that was set in to the wall.

“So why are you two here, so late? The night before Christmas Eve?” Donovan questioned as he poured two glasses, equally amounts as he knew Monica actually wanted more than a little.

“We don’t exactly know how to put this”, remarked Cody as he was handed his drink.

“Put what, Cody? You’re not going to quit on me already? Your instructor says you’re the best tech he’s come across in years” Frank complimented him. “And you Monica, one of the best profilers. I’m counting on you still to work directly under me. After you pass training.”

“No, that’s not it, Sir!” replied the woman. “I love it here and so does Cody! We just heard, you know some talk around the place.”

“Talk about what?” asked Frank as he sat down again behind his massive desk.

“About your daughter, Jennifer, Sir” stated Cody who was waiting for Donovan to blow up, but he did not. “We heard she was murdered. We figures that was why you beached yourself before you came to Chicago.”

“We wouldn’t be saying anything, Sir. But I also overheard one of the guys from Analysis mention something about a Jennifer. A young teenage girl” Monica interjected. “It may be nothing but we thought we should report it. We both assume you’re still looking for her killer.”

“Who did you hear about Jennifer from?” Frank asked wanting to know who had divulged the confidential information.

“Water cooler talk, Sir” said Cody and Monica shoved her elbow in to his arm. “Sorry! But that’s where we heard it! You know, us, Mr. Donovan. Monica and I are gossips, what can I tell you!”

“It wasn’t quite that gossipy, Sir” Monica stated, clicking her tongue. “It was just some secretaries who think you’re handsome. They were asking about you. If you were married or seeing anyone. Children, stuff like that. One of them mentioned you worked here before, off and on. Then she said she heard about your daughter from her boss. I don’t know who her boss is though. But I’ll find out.”

“It’s all right. I suppose I’ve been keeping it to myself too long. People always get curious” he quipped. “Especially in a place where keeping secrets is a way of life. Then they get more curious, it’s the nature of a spy. So what do you think about this?”

“We’d like to help you find the bastard, Sir” Cody replied. “I know it’s hard, but can you fill us in on what happened?”

“I know your not predisposed to talking about your personal life. But, it’s been eating you up hasn’t it? Even after a year and that’s partially why you came back to the Agency” Monica analyzed very accurately and Frank nodded. “And Marisca doesn’t know either, does she?”

“No, she doesn’t. I met Jennifer’s Mother at Dartmouth. It was the proverbial ‘one night stand’ and I didn’t hear from her after. And I didn’t bother to call” he reflected sitting back, sipping his whiskey. “I was just twenty-one and just a month from graduating. I was off to Harvard to start law school that fall. Anyway, six years ago I get a call from the girl’s Aunt saying she had died of cancer. And there was a daughter who was mine. I’ll be honest! I didn’t even remember her name so when the woman said she was sending the teenager to me. Well, I put a halt to that right away until I got a DNA test. It was positive. So Jennifer came to live with me here in Virginia. And we became as close as a Father and daughter could become. Then just after her fifteenth birthday party she had she disappeared from the house, right from under my nose. The next day she was found cut up badly and strangled.”

“Was she abused, Sir?” asked Monica with sensitivity as this was hard for Frank to talk about.

“No, the autopsy said she wasn’t. Thank God, for that at least” he replied somberly. “I knew it was someone at the Agency even though I was working primarily with the FBI. I did what I could to get some leads. From people that knew people, that knew the enemies I had made here. There’s always some one that hates you. And in this business it’s too the extreme and they end up wanting to knock you off. In this case my daughter.”

“So did you do anything when you left here? Before you went to the UC unit?” asked Cody now.

“The first couple months I continued to put feelers out. After that I just started to try to cope, then I was talked in to getting back to work” Donovan retorted. “And I did and tried to forget about it for a time. And I did. For a time.”

“When you met Marisca, right?” asked Monica.

“Yeah, she has a way of making you forget about everything” he laughed slightly. “But now Director Tenet has confirmed what I had suspected. That someone in Operations put a hit on Jennifer. I’ve been combing through the files of all the personnel in that department trying to get some lead. So far, nothing.”

“How does Director Tenet know this?” questioned Monica. “If he’s privy to that information, why isn’t he telling you?”

“He’s privy to a lot of ‘water cooler’ gossip. Some legitimate, some not. He would have told me the name of the killer, if he’d known. Or any other information he’d have that was important in finding him. He only knows the person works in Operations. And as for his informant, well he has to protect that source” Frank replied.

“I start a couple weeks in Analysis after the New Year. I’ll start chumming up to the guy I overheard. In the meantime, is there any way I can access personnel files, too?” Monica inquired.

“Sure. Use my laptop” Frank said as he reached behind him to get it off the credenza. “Login using the password ‘Topol.’ Try it now” he said passing it over to her.

“How do you spell that?” she asked, flipping up the lid and turning it on.

“Like the Israeli actor, Topol” interjected Cody as he watched her. “T.O.P.O.L. She’s in, Sir.”

“Ok. But when you start going through the files, if something, anything, unusual occurs shut it off immediately and don’t try logging on again. Call me, instead” Donovan exclaimed.

“Someone’s monitoring? Or starting to?” questioned Cody and Frank nodded.

“These are the real files not the cover files you hack in to. Or they allow you to hack in to” Frank responded. “If you get in to these with an authorized password they’re suspicious of, they’ll come after you fast and furious. So call me if anything happens.”

“I’ll help Monica this weekend” said Cody. “Are you going to be here on Monday?”

“I haven’t been here long enough to take time off” Donovan chuckled, as all the Management seemed to be leaving until the New Year, except for him. “I don’t celebrate Christmas anyway. But I guess I actually will be this year!” he said thinking about the tree at home and the lights on the house he put up.

“That’s right you’re Jewish. A belated Hanukah to you, Sir” stated Cody. “Wish Ms. Vanius a Merry Christmas from both of us. Let’s go Monica.”

“Ok. Good night, Mr. Director” spoke Monica as she got up with Cody then left.

Frank closed up shop for the night and decided to drive up to Georgetown Mall in D.C. that evening instead of tomorrow, Christmas Eve. He was always late for buying gifts and this was no different. Now having waited the last possible minute, he had found what he wanted for Marisca but at a small specialty shop up north. Frank phoned her quickly, telling her he was having a last minute dinner with another Director, then grabbed his coat and took off. The roads were cleared of snow and there wasn’t any falling at that time, so it took him just under two hours to get to Georgetown, an exclusive area in D.C. And to his favorite mall where he had once seen Arnold Schwarzennegger film “True Lies.” He was home by ten-thirty and making love to Masica by eleven, very gingerly around her cast.

The holidays went rather well and the weather had turned colder. The old home Frank was given by his Father had been passed from each generation from the time his Great-Grandfather William Donovan bought it. It was an original Colonial home built in the late seventeen hundreds, like those found all over the area. It was two stories of red painted wood, white trim, white shutters and a big black lacquered door at the front to greet you. Now with a huge evergreen wreath and red bow for the holidays. It was donned with white icicle Christmas lights, Marisca forced him to put up for her, just enough to make it look elegant and not gaudy. It was a three thousand square foot home, the size a wealthier person of that era would own, set on two acres of trees with a pond to the front and to the back another acre that ended at the water. The junction where the Chesapeake Bay formed off the Atlantic, on the north side of the town of Hampton, a thirty minute drive to work going west. Marisca had sent for her Trump Tower furniture from storage in New York and Frank’s from Chicago and by Christmas time everything was settled in, looking like a combination of Early American and “black leather bachelor pad”. But she made it work, changing the backdrop to blue and red painted walls, black with red design wall paper and coordinating paper borders throughout the house. The floors were all highly polished mahogany with Colonial rugs on the lower level and wall-to-walls upstairs, all in designs of red, blue and black. Much of it they had bought just the weekend before Christmas and they still had a few rooms to fill. Both had found a new hobby in shopping for furniture and antiques in the area. And the local shopkeepers enjoyed having them especially the one Marisca had bought all the artificial cranberry decorations. She bought the shop’s supply of red cranberry topiaries, wreaths, and other item she wanted to display for the entire winter season. And that was what their home reflected, the “winter” part of the season and not just the holidays, except for the evergreen Christmas tree by the window.

As the weeks went on Frank found it comfortable living with Marisca. They kept the same time schedules, rising at five-thirty in the morning and enjoying a cup of coffee quietly in the kitchen while they read the paper. Breakfast was always cereal, his was Kellogg’s Corn Flakes and hers, Quaker Oats maple-brown sugar oatmeal, no substitutes. He showered in the morning she showered or bathed at night. When they were not using the shower or tub as an arena for sex. Frank would leave for work at seven and she would watch The Today Show and plan her day. It would be a day of phoning shops, carpenters, painters and such until Dotty their housekeeper came at ten. The middle aged woman from town Marisca had hired through an agency would drive her around to do errands, usually lunch out, shopping, then back to the house to start dinner and clean up. And during the woman’s meal prep time, Marisca and she would enjoy a glass or two of Chardonnay and talk more about what was going on in Hampton. By seven Frank was home, a cocktail to easy out of a busy day, two hours for dinner and catching up, some T.V, lovemaking then sleep. They were all nice days and both were enjoying them, being together and not having to rush around, not having to physically catch the bad guys.

That was what came across his mind one day after Monica had exhausted every possible lead she had from her time in the Junior Analysis Department. The man she had overheard was Paul Meyers, a Ph.D. from MIT in statistics who was there on loan from the Senior Analysis Department, where the “big boys” were. But he was too aloft and weird, so after two frustrating week of trying to converse with him she had to go back to training classes. His file said nothing except he was brilliant in everything he did but there was still something about him. Monica and Cody both felt the same and when you ever mentioned Director Donovan the man got that “look” on his face that said, “I know something but I’m not telling.” And what had crossed Frank’s mind was having Marisca come back to work, but as a Senior Analyst in the department where Meyers was. She would always be under his direction because she was technically still a double agent. The Russian’s listed her as “active but missing” in Afghanistan. He did not want her chasing the bad guys anymore, out in the world where he could not keep an eye on her. Yet, he needed her to help track down his daughter’s killer. Marisca was the only one he could get in to that department and be a viable part of it. And very few people knew of their relationship, so it was a perfect plan to him. He hoped Marisca would understand and go along with it. But, as fortune had it he was sent to a seminar in D.C. returning on the night of January twenty-fifty. Now he sat across from her the day after on Sunday afternoon at Starbuck’s drinking coffee and looking at himself in a magazine.

“I don’t plan on passing these out at the office, honey”, he said looking at himself again on the cover as he leaned on twenty copies she wanted him to buy.

“I was just kidding. But it’s always what people do when they get in the newspaper or something. They buy up all the issues they can get”, she stated. “But I still want them.”

“It’s getting dark out. I think that storm is going to hit soon. We’d better get going”, he said buttoning his camel coat, then grabbing her crutches and purse.

“Ok” she replied standing up and getting set to go. “I’m glad you’re not in Chicago anymore. When all the women see you in this issue they’ll be looking for you.”

“I hadn’t thought of that” he chuckled as he put her white leather coat together for her.

“Yeah, sure!” she answered sarcastically.

By the time they got in to Frank’s new black Range Rover, the snow began falling hard. It was only a twenty- minute drive home to the northern part of Hampton where 1500 Chesapeake Bay Road, their address was located. Frank was planning to call the man he hired to plow his road when they got in to the house. Theirs was secluded so there was no general service and he definitely needed to get to work the next day. No “snow days” for him, he smirked to himself thinking about all the schools that would be out because of this storm. They got inside and Dotty was there. The fireplace was lit and it permeated warmth even though they did have remarkably good central heating. And they could smell her pot roast cooking, as Frank took their coats and put them away in the entry hall. Marisca sat on the blue and red striped sofa she had owned before, that was now in front of the blazing fire. She turned and watched Frank pass behind her and took a lingering look at his tight ass in his very tight leather pants. She smiled with gratitude that his “ass” was hers. Several minutes later he returned, as he normally did after they got home on Sundays, with an open bottle of wine he had carefully selected and two glasses.

“I thought we’d try this Burgundy from the Loire Valley, it’s produced by a vineyard called Nuits St-Georges, 1998” he said showing her the bottle before he poured.

“Nice label” she chuckled as she knew nothing of wines. “If it weren’t for you I’d be drinking vodka or cheap Thunderbird vino.”

Frank laughed in his deep, erotic way that turned her on totally. She could feel herself throbbing as he handed her the glass of red wine. He sat down and turned towards her with his knee bent on the sofa, brushing her thigh that was bare as her shorts had ridden up. She looked down at the leather that seemed tighter now against his legs and then up to his chest where he had undone the top few buttons of his butter soft suede shirt. He smelled of the Dial soap he always used and the new Ralph Lauren men’s cologne called Romance. Marisca’s gift to him, he liked and wore for her. He looked deeply in to her eyes and brushed away her bangs to see them better. All her bruises were just a few shadows now, not quite gone and her legs showed just the slightest remains of the cuts that once covered them. Her missing tooth had been replaced and her lovely nails once again long by the magic of acrylic. She had been what she called a “real mess” but he still looked at her with love as he was doing now.

“I read that Burgundy should be served for romantic evenings, not Champagne anymore”, he said clinking his glass to hers. “The red color is more seductive, warm. Its taste mellow on your lips and tongue.”

“I think I agree with that”, she answered softly having taken a sip, tasting and smelling the heady bouquet.

“I need to speak to you about something serious, Marisca” he stated gently and she looked at him in shock.

“God! You’re not going to ask me to marry you, are you?” she asked directly as everything he was doing led her to believe he was.

“Ask you? We are getting married!” he answered taking a sip of wine. “I thought that was understood? When I told you I loved you?”

“You’re not going to marry me because you’ll want children. And I can’t have them”, she said softly.

“I know that, honey. I’ve seen your hysterectomy scar. You didn’t think I knew why you had a scar in that spot?” he asked sensitively and she shook her head. “But that doesn’t matter to me. When you feel more comfortable talking about it, you can tell me what happened. But we’re going to get married. That’s an order.”

“Then I suppose there was something more serious you wanted to discuss?” she reflected now.

“Yes. I’ve been more of an open book with you than anyone in my life. But there’s one thing I haven’t told you about, that I had a daughter. Her name was Jennifer but I didn’t know her Mother at all, really. Something stupid I did in College. Then ten years later I found out about her. Her Mother died and she came to live with me here in Virginia” he said.

“In this house?” she asked for some reason.

“No. A place I got in Richmond, for the schools. I didn’t know anything about her but she looked just like me. I guess I just fell in love and you know how cute little ten year olds are?” he asked but she had not a clue. “We got close and I wasn’t too bad when she became a teenager. Fortunately she wasn’t that interested in boys, so I didn’t have to chase any away. Then when she just turned fifteen, on her birthday she was abducted. The next day the police found her body by the river, beaten, cut and she was strangled.”

“They didn’t find the killer, right?” she asked and he shook his head. “Are you still trying to find him or her, Frank?”

“Yes. I’m getting closer. That’s why I need to ask for your help”, he explained. “To make a long story short. Director Tenet has a source that’s confirmed who ever killed Jennifer works in Operations. Monica overheard a conversation by a Senior Analyst named Paul Meyers that made her think he knows about the killer or is the killer, himself. She couldn’t get at him, so I need you to go in. Work your undercover magic as a Senior Analyst. Get close to this guy and find out for me, honey. I don’t know what else to do.”

“Sure. But does anyone know we’re living together, and apparently getting ‘hitched?” Marisca inquired.

“Director Tenet and his secretary, my secretary and my team from Chicago” Frank answered. “What do you think?”

“I have no problem with it. I’m the best operative the Agency has so if I can’t find out no one will!” she stated as a fact. “Anyway, this might be the best place for me to permanently be assigned. I don’t want to be in the field anymore, unless it’s an absolute emergency. And I’m a brilliant statistician and analyst. I don’t have a Ph.D., so you’ll have to manufacture one for me. From MIT, I think would be the best place. A Ph.D. in linguistics too, from Harvard, you might as well through that in. Where does this Meyers have his degree from?”

“Actually, MIT. Asset or a problem?” he asked.

“Asset, definitely. Don’t worry, he’ll think I sat next to him in all his classes by the time I’m through with him” she laughed and now Donovan did too, feeling much better. “When are your two little UC agents out of training?”

“Jake and Alex? Two weeks, then they have a month of classes at headquarters. Why?” Frank questioned sipping his Burgundy.

“I’ll need some field workers that aren’t known at Langley yet. They’ll do. I can’t stand either one of them, but they’ll do” Marisca remarked. “You’ll have to get them back now, have them report to me here to go over the situation and start surveillance on this guy. Has Cody bugged his place, his car, anything?”

“Yeah, all of that, his house, his car and his desk. Nothing. But I couldn’t utilize them for surveillance or assign any one else. I’ll get Jake and Alex back by Tuesday. Is that soon enough for you?” he inquired.

“Yes, then get my cover in order. The one good thing about being me is that everyone there doesn’t know a hill of beans about me. Most just know me by my secret agent name” she laughed.

“Red Badge. I’ve been trying to figure that one out since I read your ‘real file’. We’ll have to go over that too, so you can tell me if it’s real or not” he chuckled. “So what is this Red Badge?”

“I thought I was very clever coming up with a code name I could use for the US and the Soviets. Red Badge for the Red Badge of Courage, the patriotic, Americana book and Red Badge for the Red Army. It was great! If I came face to face with two agents from both sides I’d give them my secret agent name and they’d think I was working with them” she stated. “Am I not the coolest, Wild Bill?”

“The coolest and the most egotistical” Frank answered, recalling when he told her about his family before they moved in to his Great-Grandfather’s house and “Wild Bill.”

He had told her everything he had done from the time he was recruited out of Harvard to present date, except for his daughter. Marisca had filled in the gaps of her sketchy life and she supposed from his remark about her file, she would be going over that with him too. Sometimes for her, reality and fantasy were intermixed and often she would swear she had done something or been someplace, when she had actually just made it up or it had been made up for her. It was rather liberating being “real” but also scary, it made you more vulnerable. So Marisca was, in a way, happy to not only go back to work in a new position she would be very good at. But also get back to being illusive, not exposing her real self just yet.

“Frank, You know it isn’t possible for me to work there permanently unless I have a doctorate. I want you to ask Director Tenet if I can be assigned there and still use the fake ones”, she stated. “I want the job and I want his approval.”

“I was hoping you would, honey. I couldn’t bare the thought of you getting lost again”, he said. “And finding you in places like Jakarta. Which reminds me, I’m supposed to get a report in from Singapore in the morning. See what our friend ZiZi Hong is doing. He’s been too quiet since I killed his son.”

“Quiet isn’t good” Marisca said knowing he had expected some overt action against him, which he wanted. “Call me if there’s anything interesting. You know what we need?” she asked out of the blue.

“What do we need?” replied Frank as he put his arm around her shoulders, sitting close now, and gazing at the flames.

“A dog. I miss Scottie” she remarked, as her eyes got moist. “I wish I could have found her. I hope someone found her in New York and she has a new home” she said of her Scottie dog that was left behind when she was taken from Trump Towers. They had called the pounds and Frank had his friend search, but she was gone.

“That’s ok with me. What kind of dog do you want? Another Scottie?” Frank inquired.

“No. One of those really big poodles. You know the ones that stand this tall” she said with her hand up about three feet. “White or chocolate.”

“You’ve got to be joking?” he laughed out loud, reaching over to grab the bottle on the table behind them. “There’s no way I’m walking a F…IN poodle around!”

“Donovan! Let’s not get hysterical. I’m not that bent on having one!” she exclaimed. “What do you want? And if you say a Rottweiler or a Boxer, forget that!”

“What about a black Lab? They’re nice and mellow” he retorted. “He’ll go along with the décor too. The chocolate poodle wouldn’t.”

“Oh, yeah. I hadn’t thought of that” Marisca replied, as she was usually so concerned about matters like that. “Fine, a black Lab it is! A female though.”

“We’ll discuss that later. I know it’s only five, but I’m starving. I’m going to see if Dotty can serve us now” he stated getting up and leaving.

She shouted to him.

“Oh! Now that you mentioned a black dog matching the house, I’m going to have the trim and shutters painted black and lacquered like the door. Ok?” Marisca asked out of courtesy but she was going to do it anyway.

Sunday evening soon passed and so did the remainder of the night. Marisca slept soundly, as she usually did, even through the heavy wind that was blowing off the water. Frank lay awake thinking about everything, the last of which was when they should get married. He was glad she finally knew he understood they could not have children from her. And he knew she was not the maternal type, and that was “ok” too. He had had one daughter that he lost. Another child was not really what he wanted. He only wanted to be with Marisca. And to him love meant marriage, he knew she felt that too. Frank quickly decided they would get married after the business with Meyers, no matter how it ended. That would be another order he would give her. She was a stubborn woman who did what she wanted and always had. But for some reason she always followed his orders. So she would follow this one. That was his last thought before he heard the snow ploy outside, the clock said five a.m. He listened to it, sounding as loud as a garbage truck and Marisca still slept soundly. Half an hour later the alarm went off and he smashed his hand down on its top to stop the noise.

“Good damn it!” he yelled as he looked out the window now. “He’s F…IN blocked the driveway! Again!”

“Again?” she asked coming from her sleep and getting up to look. “Well, put some clothes on quick and start shoveling, baby” she said holding his warm body from behind for a moment. “I’ll start the coffee.”

This was the fourth time the man plowed the snow up off the road, blocking the drive up to the garage. Each time Frank made a made dash to get dressed and out to shovel it. It always took a good half hour, and it was cold and dark, so he swore the whole time. Marisca turned the furnace up to sixty- eight to make it warmer for the day. But she was of the old school, keeping it slightly cool and putting heavier clothes on. She was also being economical, as Frank had wanted to take care of her and not use her money. He was making twice the amount of money so that was easy for her. The cost of living in Virginia was much less than New York or even Moscow. But she supposed when she began to work in the offices she would get a regular salary that Frank would allow to incorporate with his.

Frank finished, came inside and went directly upstairs for a hot shower. He paced in to the kitchen by quarter to seven dressed in a black suit, pearl gray shirt and tie, looking like a Director. He was an imposing figure, but even more so in a business suit, which meant he meant business. After a quick cup of black coffee and cereal he was out the door leaving Marisca to get ready by nine, when Doty would take her to the doctor. She decided to start her research on MIT so Marisca got up and went to their study and sat down at the desk. She logged on to the computer and started searching the web for any information she could find and read on MIT, the famed school in Massachusetts.

“Director Donovan, Director Tenet is on line one”, said Helen his secretary.

Frank did not knowledge her, he just picked up the receiver of the secure phone and pressed line one.

“Director Tenet. Thanks for calling me back, Sir” greeted Donovan.

“Hi Frank. Good morning. How was your weekend and more important when are you going to invite my wife and me over?” he chuckled knowing Frank was a very private man.

“I’ll have you over for dinner before my wedding” Frank replied coyly. “In another month.”

“Congratulations. I knew it was serious, but I had no idea. Well, are you having a large wedding?” Director Tenent asked. “Margaret will want the details when I tell her tonight.”

“No, just the local Justice in our home. Of course, I haven’t told Marisca this yet” Frank chuckled again. “She just found out last night we’re getting married.”

“Another Donovan ultimatum you’re famous for?” George inquired.

“Yeah, I suppose you could say that. But, Sir, the reason I’m calling does have more to do with her. I’ve got reliable information about a man in the Senior Analysis Department that may be a link to Jennifer’s murder. I’ve explored other avenues to get information about him and from him, but I’ve come to a dead end” Donovan stated.

“So you want to send Marisca in as a Senior Analyst? That’s fine with me” Tenet replied, he had thought of having her in that department himself.

“Yes, Sir. I guess we’re thinking along the same lines. Of course you know I’ll have to beef up her resume a bit, Ph.D. from MIT and such. She wants to remain in that Department in the same capacity afterwards, Director. Marisca’s had enough field work so she wants a desk now” Frank explained.

“Sure, I’d love to have her join that department. It needs a new person who knows what fieldwork’s about. Her take on analysis of information will be refreshing. Go ahead with your plans and I definitely don’t have a problem with her maintaining a fictitious Ph.D.” George replied. “Let me know what happens. I hope for simplicity sake, this man is who you’re looking for. Anyway, I’ve got a meeting so I’m off.”

“Good bye, Sir” said Frank then hung up.

Frank got on his computer and in to the personnel files of his operatives, that only he had access to beside Director Tenent. He easily put in, under education for Marisca, a Ph.D. in Statistical Analysis, MIT. She got her undergraduate degree in 1982 so he gave her graduate degree in 1984. It made her sound a bit more brilliant as it was a short interval of time in between then one in Linguistics, two years later from Harvard. He sent a modified version to the Director of Information Analysis, leaving out her operative work with a note that said Director Tenent requested him to forward this for his new Senior Analyst’s file. An hour later he received a message from Mary from the Director that said everything was in place and that Marisca should report for work the following Monday, February 3rd. She would be given Security clearance 4, the highest, which meant she had access to almost everything and she would be at level SA10. SA12 was the highest level in her new department but her salary would be a rather good one, $90,000, a little less than half of what Frank was making. Government work did pay well if you were there long enough and Frank would probably be earning twice his salary in another ten years.

The next thing he needed to do was get Jake and Alex out of training temporarily, but that was easy enough. Helen made the necessary contacts and by ten in the morning the two were on their way back from the secure location where they had been training in fieldwork. Then she e-mailed a message to Jake and Alex on their cells from Director Donovan ordering them to report at five o’clock at 1500 Chesapeake Bay Road, Hampton. She did not say it was his home. Helen finally received confirmation from both half an hour later.

“I just received confirmation, Sir”, she said over the intercom.

It was well past the time Marisca would have gotten her cast taken off and he had wanted to wait then to phone her. Frank got his cell out and speed dialed hers, as he never used the phone at work to place a private call. It rang twice, then he heard her answer, laughing.

“What’s so funny?” he inquired before she said hello.

“Hi, baby” she replied using a new name she had for him, he though it was sweet. It was meant to be. “I was just laughing at some of Doty’s gossip. I got my cast off! God! You should see how awful my legs looks! It scrawny and whiter, than I already am.”

“I can’t wait to see it. Where are you now?” Frank questioned as he could hear traffic.

“We’re in Richmond. I’m going to buy a car so I can start getting around. I’ll need one for work, too” Marisca answered.

“Oh, yeah. I guess you will. I thought about you driving in with me, but we can’t do that. Now that I think about it. Don’t you think I should be helping you pick out a car?” he asked, a typical male assumption.

“I think I’ve bought enough cars on my own, Frank. I just don’t have anything in mind that I really want” she stated.

“Well, don’t get anything flashy or too expensive. You’re going to be making $90,000 a year, SA10 and you start Monday. Ok?” he reported and he heard her chuckle.

“Not the kind of money I’m used to, but it’s very good. We’ll add that to our pot each month. If you’re all right with that?” she inquired. “Let’s go in to the Lexus place, Doty” he heard her say.

‘Too expensive’ to her obviously meant a Rolls Royce or Ferrari. ‘Too expensive’ to him meant a Lexus. But he kept silent.

“That’s what all working couples do so that’s ok with me. Anyway, I also wanted to let you know ZiZi’s coming to D.C. this week. And get this! He’s one of thirty Chinese businessmen that are going to meet with Bush. In the White House” he laughed. “He’ll be arriving on Wednesday and with Bush on Thursday.”

“You’ve got to be kidding? Was this an extended invitation or was it something these business men arranged?” she asked.

“It was an extended invitation from the President. I’m sure he’s quite aware of who Mr. Hong is. They check out everyone, but I’m still going to double check myself with the West Wing” Frank remarked. “Hopefully, I’ll find out by the end of the day. Oh yeah, I forgot to take the list of things you wanted from the commissary. What were they again, honey?”

“Oil of Olay, Total Effects cream, uv protection and fragrance free and Pantene Pro-v, two in one, sleek and shiny. Are you writing that down?” she asked. “I know you’re not going to remember. And I don’t want anything else.”

“Shit, I know that! And I’ve got them written down. One last thing, Jake and Alex will be at the house at five. Explain to them what’s going on first and then what you want them to do” he stated. “I’ll have Cody and Monica be there too to update you and I’ll be home early, about five-thirty. I’ve got to get going. I’ve got a meeting in ten minutes.”

Marisca ended up buying a Mercedes station wagon, the old fashioned style instead of the SUV’s that were so popular. The bright red model that was on the lot “called out” to her, it said, “I live in the burbs, I’ve got money, I’m traditional but I’ve got flair and style”. It had a camel color leather interior and you could put the back seat down for more room for groceries. And it cost a little more than half her first year salary, so she leased it. It was four in the afternoon by the time she and Doty got home, as they had stopped for a nice lunch. The painter she hired to do the interior had come out early, despite the weather with his crew to paint the trim and shutters black. The entire exterior would have to be done, but in the spring. For now she wanted that little change done right away, so with some charm and more money she got it done. And the home looked much better and much more elegant, red with black trim now. Marisca headed upstairs to change, putting on a pair of black velvet slacks, an oversized red fleece sweater, red socks and her favorite black patent ballet slipper shoes. She was so happy to be able to put her regular clothes on instead of manufacturing various styles to get over her large cast. And putting on a pair of shoes was heaven to her now. She went downstairs and found Doty starting dinner, Lobster a la Newburg that night, so she got out a bottle of Chardonnay that was already open for them to sip. The doorbell rang and Marisca quickly looked at her Rolex, it said five already.

“Shit! They’re here!” she exclaimed, grabbing her glass of wine.

“Are they staying for dinner, Marisca?” Dotty inquired nicely, pleasant as always.

“No way!’’ she shouted as she paced out of the kitchen.

Doty liked Marisca because she was honest in how she felt about people and you knew right off how she felt about you. She would tell you, straight to your face. Marisca had brought some fun in to her life, even if it was just driving her around or sitting and sharing some wine. She had been a housekeeper in many homes in the area for various lengths of time, but she hoped this couple would keep her on permanently. She also thought they were interesting knowing both worked for the CIA at Langley, there was nothing secret about that as many people did in Hampton. Doty decided she would serve drinks to the guests so she could see whom the people were Marisca did not like, may be hear her say something outrageously rude. She got another chilled bottle of Chardonnay out with some glasses and headed towards the living room where they were sitting. The doorbell rang again.

That’ll be Cody and Monica”, said Marisca. “Doty could you get it for me, please? Jake, could you pour the wine, please?” She was trying to be polite.

“So why are all of us here, Ms. Vanius?” asked Alex as Jake handed her a glass then sat down next to her.

“Yeah, we were pulled out of training. What for?” questioned Jake a bit irritated talking with the woman, he had expected Donovan there. “Where’s Director Donovan?”

“He’ll be here in a while, but you’re here for a special assignment. You’ll be working under me”, Marisca said as Monica and Cody came in.

“Great crib, Ms. Vanius” greeted Cody as he came up and shook her hand, as did Monica. “Like the combo of black leather and American stuff. Works for me.”

“So, have Jake and Alex been briefed on the situation?” asked Monica to Marisca.

“What situation?” inquired Jake, “The Triad again?”

“Monica, why don’t you brief Jake and Alex? I’d like to hear your take, anyway” Marisca asked.

Monica explained the situation carefully using all the “psychobabble” terms both Marisca and Jake despised. That was the one thing they had in common. The over analysis of people, psychologically, but the others felt it a valuable tool. Frank did especially, and Monica was the most accurate he had ever worked with. Donovan was perfectly suited for “management” now. He was not the “Wild Bill” he used to be. He was more deliberate in every move he made and that was why he began to value professionals like Cody, in technical analysis and Monica, in psychological analysis. Soon he would be heavily relying on Marisca for her professional take on situations.

“What I want you two to do is start watching this guy, all the time. Cody will keep monitoring him and on Monday I’m going in as a Senior Analyst. I’ll be working side by side with this Meyers. Monica, I’ll work with you directly going over anything that may be important. These weird ‘head cases’ as you call them, sometimes act that way as a defense. I’ll find out for sure”, Marisca stated. “And I don’t think I have to mention that no one is to know about my relationship with Director Donovan. That would blow the whole thing right out of the water.”

“Yeah, we get that, Lady”, said Jake rudely. “We’ll watch him, but I’m only reporting to Donovan! Not you!”

“Look! I don’t care if you like me or not. I’ll tell you right now, I don’t like you. Alex is tolerable but I think you’re both inept. Donovan went out on the line for you. I honestly don’t know why the hell he did! You’ve F…KED UP more in the short time you worked under him. I’m still surprised he isn’t dead. So you’d better not screw this one up because you’ll be working under me! You’ll report to me. I don’t want anyone seeing you with Donovan. I don’t want anyone overhearing you talk to him. Is that clear?” Marisca said in a way that scared the “shit” out of all of them, she could do that.

“I think you’d better say ‘yes’ to my fiancé”, exclaimed Frank as he walked in, he said it deadly serious but he was smiling to himself.

Marisca could be as scary as he could, when he wanted. That was why they were the best at what they did. They got thing done they way they wanted.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

CIA: Donovan - A New Chapter - Part 2