Page 94 of Turn the Tide
“What’s going to happen now that the Agency won’t get the information?” Ethan asked.
“That’s not what any of you need to worry about,” Sanborn said easily.
Too easily.
Why wasn’t he concerned about who had a percentage of the data? Or the repercussions of the Agency not getting their hands on any of it?
The CIA played for keeps, and they wouldn’t let this go.
“The stunt you pulled at the Reichstag resulted in the deaths of two civilian security guards, one BfV officer, and three CIAcleaners. Others were injured. You all came this close”—he held up two fingers an inch apart—“to being whitewashed.”
A heavy silence settled in the room.Cleanersechoed through Logan as he swallowed past a knot in his throat. The CIA was so dirty it disgusted him.
Sanborn pulled on a solemn expression—a look Logan had only seen on him when the boss was about to tell them someone on the team had died. Everyone in the room seemed to brace themselves.
“You’ve all been disavowed for your insubordination,” Sanborn said.
The statement struck Logan like a two-by-four, leaving him mute.
“The decision was made above my head. I argued to at least let me get your side of the story first, but…” Sanborn clasped his hands in front of him. “Mike, Ethan, Ashley, you no longer exist as far as the Agency is concerned. No pension. No work history. You. Are. Ghosts.”
“Wait. Wait a minute.” Mike stood up, shaking his head. “Fire us instead.” His tone was tight and pleading. “With Missy pregnant, my health insurance would carry over for six months. It’s a high-risk pregnancy, and she’s already had complications. I could collect unemployment to tide us over.”
“My hands are tied with the Agency.” Sanborn cut his gaze to Ashley. “You shouldn’t have run. Instead, you should’ve come to me.” The hard light in his eyes softened when he pressed a hand to his chest. “Trusted that I would’ve listened. Trusted that my ethics would’ve outweighed my sense of duty. Trusted me to protect you.”
In that moment, one thing rang clear as a bell—before ambition or allegiance to the Agency, Sanborn was faithful to his people. The hindsight stung.
“This wasn’t about not trustingyou.” Ashley’s eyes turned glassy. “I never wanted to betray the trust you put in me, but it’s not like I could’ve picked up the phone and had a chitchat about this or sent you an email.”
The National Security Agency monitored comms for the D/CIA and heads of every division at Langley and on their personal devices. They had no such thing as privacy.
Sanborn’s gaze swung to Logan. “I brought you in to help. You should’ve convinced her to turn the drive over to Knox and explain things to him, to give us a chance to find a solution. Instead, you took them down with you. As of right now, you never worked for the Agency either, which means no more work-related disability checks.” His mouth twisted in disappointment. “I never thought you’d fail, Logan, and make things worse by creating an international incident that was captured on CCTV.”
Fail? His only goal was to find Ash and get her through this safely. He was up-front about that from the get-go. Mission accomplished in his book. And screw the disability payments. Things would be a little tight without them, but he made enough from his consulting work to live.
“What about that drive?” Logan asked, looking at the shattered pieces on the table. “Are we going to be in danger because the CIA didn’t get their doomsday formula?”
“This goes higher than the Agency, but no one is in danger anymore. I’ve taken measures to ensure it. The key players will settle for some of the data rather than nothing. I’ll come up with an explanation for the destroyed thumb drive. That’s all you need to know.”
The Agency had the information? Somehow. Some way. They must’ve recovered the 30 percent of the data, or this shitstorm wouldn’t be over.
A horrible, dark thought crawled inside his head like a cockroach. Had Glasses been working for the CIA? Had their own people tortured Ashley for the drive?
“What about Knox?” Ashley asked with genuine concern in her voice and looked at him, where he stood, jaw clenched, his stance loose, ready.
He was a fast-burner destined for great things. Regardless of their issues, Logan still hoped that was true. The last thing he wanted was to tank his career too.
“Knox wasn’t caught on CCTV in the middle of a firefight with the BfV and Reichstag security guards,” Sanborn said. “Ethan, a camera on a nearby rooftop caught you. Just like these three.” Naked emotion washed across his face, tugging at Logan.
He would’ve sworn this went deeper than disappointment. Something closer to heartbreak. Their actions had hurt the untouchable Bruce Sanborn.
The sight of it rocked Logan to his core.
In this ugly business, everyone got their hands dirty, but compassionate leaders worth their salt tended to get the short end of the stick protecting their people. It wasn’t fair, damn it.
“I’m sorry.” Ash glanced around the room. Her cut bottom lip quivered. “I thought I was doing what was right. I’m so sorry.”
They’d come so far, sacrificed so much. It hadn’t been a mistake.
