t’s most odd about all of these subjects is the lack of an obvious motive—either for suicide or running away. Usually, adults who go missing are dodging debt or a failed relationship. But not these people. Legally and financially, they had their lives in order.”
“What about suicide? You never know what goes on in someon e’s mind,” Gabby said. “Plenty of people—especially creative people—appear normal to friends and family one day and then kill themselves the next.”
“No, h e’s right,” Kera said, feeling like she should jump in. “Separately these could each easily be explained by suicide. But together? If no bodies have been recovered? Somethin g’s off.” She could n’t get the odd scene in Rowena Pet e’s apartment out of her mind.
“Have you run the names through the watch list?” Gabby asked.
“Of course. Ther e’s nothing there.”
“None?”
“Not a single match,” Jones said.
“The terror watch list?” Kera asked, confused. “I thought we were talking about artists. Why would they be on the watch list?”
“We do n’t know what they are. We have to start with what we know and check everything. What we know is that they were young and passionate.”
“That does n’t make them terrorists.”
“It makes them idealists, which makes them prone to extremism,” Gabby said, not without disdain. “Has Branagh seen this?”
“Not yet.”
“All right, I’m headed to a meeting with him now. I’l l fill him in. In the meantime, Jones, get a code name assigned for this case. Kera, this will be your priority, starting immediately. Her e’s your new workstation.” Gabby unlocked a drawer under the desk and retrieved several items from it. “This is your secure phone and tablet. Both automatically sort incoming and outgoing calls and data as either classified or unclassified. You wo n’t be able to access anything classified when yo u’r e outside of Haw k’s walls. Jones has already transferred all of your current data over. Your phone number will remain the same, and yo u’r e to keep the phone on you at all times. Is that understood?” Gabby paused as if considering whether sh e’d covered everything. “ I’l l need you to give me your old phone and tablet.”
Kera hesitated, not realizing at first that Gabby meant now. But after a moment she acquiesced, handing over the old devices and reaching for the new, which to her looked identical.
Next Gabby pulled a thin strip of glass out of a small case and held it out to Kera. It was about the size of a Band-Aid and completely transparent. “Here are your access codes for HawkEye. The memory will wipe clean at 1200 hours. OK? You two need to learn everything there is to know about these people. Their routines, their work, their friends—everything. And, most importantly, what the hell happened to them.”
Gabby pivoted to leave, and Jones turned back to his monitors as if Kera was n’t standing there.
“Gabby?” Kera said, hurrying to catch up. “I— I’m a little confused. I’m grateful for the promotion—thank you—but this is a missing persons case. I’v e been tracking major cyberthreats coming out of China and the Mideast. Are n’t I a little overqualified for this?” Gabby stopped her right there with a look of reproach. Kera tried to backpedal. “Do n’t get me wrong, I’m not questioning you—”
“That sounds like exactly what yo u’r e doing.”
“ I’m sorry, I did n’t mean that. I’m just—”
“Do you remember what you said when we were in Rowena Pet e’s bathroom last night? You said, ‘S h e’s trying to send a message .’ ”
Kera nodded slowly.
“You think yo u’r e overqualified? Prove it. Figure out what message sh e’s trying to send.”
“What about my other cases?”
“W e’l l find someone else to cover your caseload. This is your only priority. Is that clear, Agent Mersal?”
“Yes, m a’a m,” Kera said, but Gabby was already walking
“What about suicide? You never know what goes on in someon e’s mind,” Gabby said. “Plenty of people—especially creative people—appear normal to friends and family one day and then kill themselves the next.”
“No, h e’s right,” Kera said, feeling like she should jump in. “Separately these could each easily be explained by suicide. But together? If no bodies have been recovered? Somethin g’s off.” She could n’t get the odd scene in Rowena Pet e’s apartment out of her mind.
“Have you run the names through the watch list?” Gabby asked.
“Of course. Ther e’s nothing there.”
“None?”
“Not a single match,” Jones said.
“The terror watch list?” Kera asked, confused. “I thought we were talking about artists. Why would they be on the watch list?”
“We do n’t know what they are. We have to start with what we know and check everything. What we know is that they were young and passionate.”
“That does n’t make them terrorists.”
“It makes them idealists, which makes them prone to extremism,” Gabby said, not without disdain. “Has Branagh seen this?”
“Not yet.”
“All right, I’m headed to a meeting with him now. I’l l fill him in. In the meantime, Jones, get a code name assigned for this case. Kera, this will be your priority, starting immediately. Her e’s your new workstation.” Gabby unlocked a drawer under the desk and retrieved several items from it. “This is your secure phone and tablet. Both automatically sort incoming and outgoing calls and data as either classified or unclassified. You wo n’t be able to access anything classified when yo u’r e outside of Haw k’s walls. Jones has already transferred all of your current data over. Your phone number will remain the same, and yo u’r e to keep the phone on you at all times. Is that understood?” Gabby paused as if considering whether sh e’d covered everything. “ I’l l need you to give me your old phone and tablet.”
Kera hesitated, not realizing at first that Gabby meant now. But after a moment she acquiesced, handing over the old devices and reaching for the new, which to her looked identical.
Next Gabby pulled a thin strip of glass out of a small case and held it out to Kera. It was about the size of a Band-Aid and completely transparent. “Here are your access codes for HawkEye. The memory will wipe clean at 1200 hours. OK? You two need to learn everything there is to know about these people. Their routines, their work, their friends—everything. And, most importantly, what the hell happened to them.”
Gabby pivoted to leave, and Jones turned back to his monitors as if Kera was n’t standing there.
“Gabby?” Kera said, hurrying to catch up. “I— I’m a little confused. I’m grateful for the promotion—thank you—but this is a missing persons case. I’v e been tracking major cyberthreats coming out of China and the Mideast. Are n’t I a little overqualified for this?” Gabby stopped her right there with a look of reproach. Kera tried to backpedal. “Do n’t get me wrong, I’m not questioning you—”
“That sounds like exactly what yo u’r e doing.”
“ I’m sorry, I did n’t mean that. I’m just—”
“Do you remember what you said when we were in Rowena Pet e’s bathroom last night? You said, ‘S h e’s trying to send a message .’ ”
Kera nodded slowly.
“You think yo u’r e overqualified? Prove it. Figure out what message sh e’s trying to send.”
“What about my other cases?”
“W e’l l find someone else to cover your caseload. This is your only priority. Is that clear, Agent Mersal?”
“Yes, m a’a m,” Kera said, but Gabby was already walking
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