The Second Term

Tuesday, March 30, 2021, 8:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

“So, are we all synchronized and ready to go for tomorrow?”

The Attorney General looked around the meeting room at the attendees, who all nodded.

He had been annoyed to be left out of the National Security Council meeting on the North Korean missile threat. Maxfield King had reportedly gained a great deal of pull with the President in that one.

But Max King wasn’t at this meeting, and as far as the AG was concerned, this meeting would result in a lot more love from the President than anything Max could possibly concoct. And it also probably had more impact on national security, come to think of it, if one defined “national security” as “whatever makes the President’s hold on power more secure.”

He looked long and hard at each of the attendees, as if to convey the seriousness of this operation. After half a minute, he continued.

“This will require perfect coordination. The correct timing is essential. We want these apprehensions to happen in the correct sequence. Otherwise the entire intended effect will be lost. Understood?”

One of his agents was raising his hand.

“Jensen,” the AG said.

“The target list is kind of various,” Jensen said. “Some big names, then a few I’ve never heard of. Do we need to know why they are being brought in?”

“Leave that to me,” the AG said. “Once they get to the D.C. Lockup, we will have people there familiar with their cases, and ready to process them. All you need to do is to deliver them.”

“Should we be concerned that any of these suspects might be armed and dangerous?” asked another agent.

“We have no information that indicates that any of them will be,” the AG responded. “But be sure to be ready to defend yourselves. This conspiracy has many tentacles. We have evidence implicating each of the people you will be bringing in. We cannot know how desperate any of these people might be if they feel themselves to be cornered. Be on your guard.”

“I see here that some of these suspects are likely to have on-site security,” Jensen said.

“I believe you are referring to the Secret Service protection enjoyed by some of them,” the AG said. “We have coordinated with them, and they will be expecting you at precisely the times and places we have indicated. Which is part of the reason we need each of these apprehensions to go off with the precision of a Swiss watch. Understood?”

The assembled agents mumbled assent.

“Now once again, these apprehensions must proceed in precisely the order and at the times I have indicated. Two of the lower-level suspects will be taken in first. We understand that one of them, this Janice Isley, is the lawyer for the other, Vaneida Allen, so if we take them both in, they will have to look elsewhere for assistance. We expect one of them to contact one of our highest-value targets to help her out. In that way we can draw him in without going to the expense and bother of an apprehension. The other targets will have to be apprehended in the normal manner. I think you are aware of the ones to which ones I refer, correct?”

Nods all around.

“Does anyone here have the slightest qualms about what we are about to undertake?”

Silence.

“I will need an audible answer to that question,” the AG said. “Do any of you have any mental reservations about what I have ordered you to do? I need to know that I have your implicit loyalty and that I can rely upon you to remain discreet about this. No reservations?”

“No,” the group said in unison.

“Very well, gentlemen. Good hunting.”

The assembled agents rose and began to file out of the room.

“Tomorrow,” the AG said as if to himself, “we take care of all family business.”