Episode 10: Catch Her If You Can
Part 1
Her hands ran over the books, taking in the varying textures that the different bindings offered her impatient fingers. There were so many delicious choices in this library, each one filled with its own priceless bits of history, bursting to be known, to be read. Instead, they sat on the shelves of a selfish government, in a restricted section, collecting dust.
Her time was limited, but she could not stop her fingers as they wandered over a first edition copy of Mark Twain’s legendary Huckleberry Finn. Carefully, she pulled the book from its spot on the shelf and laid it delicately on the table next to her. Gently, she opened the front cover and peered at the opening sentences. “You don’t know about me without you have read a book by the name of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer; but that ain’t no matter. That book was made by Mr. Mark Twain, and he told the truth, mainly.” This book alone would be a treasure to own, but she was not here for this treasure. Closing the cover, she placed the book back with its companions. She could not spoil her months of planning for this one item by taking one of considerably less value.
Her research told her she needed to move two rows to the left, about halfway up the aisle. Softly, she skulked, careful not to disturb anything more, in case the new guard decided to come on duty earlier than scheduled. Standing on the tips of her toes, she scanned the spines of each book on her intended shelf. When she reached a series of books covering the Wisconsin Cheese Festivals from the turn of the twentieth century until the recent decade, a smirk crossed her face. It was a wonder to her that no one questioned why a book about cheese festivals was located in the restricted section of the Library of Congress. She assumed that those who used the library never really looked at the titles of the books unless they needed them.
Cautiously looking around, she took in the location of the cameras and kept her face turned so that it could not be seen in full. Then, she reached her hand towards the Cheese Festival books and pulled three of them off the shelf. Rising on tiptoe again, she glanced into the opening the books left. Nothing immediately jumped out at her. Still smirking, she stuck her arm through the gap and began to feel around behind the books. She felt nothing but the back of the bookcase.
Frustrated, she shoved the rest of the books about the Wisconsin Cheese Festivals onto the floor. In her haste, a few other hardbacks fell off the shelves. Upset with herself for mistreating the books, she bent down to pick them up from the floor. Her source had informed her the text was located here. She knew her source was not wrong; he agreed with her agenda, at least the agenda she had told him. Brushing the strands of black hair that had fallen into her face back behind her ears, she stood and placed the books on the table behind her, careful to continue averting her face. Grabbing the first book in her stack, she stood staring at the annals of the cheese festivals from 1920-1929 and thought about the situation that faced her. This was her one chance. She had two choices: abandon her pursuit for this one item and move on, or tear apart the entire library searching for it and hope she could find it before a storm of guards came to take her away.
Neither one of these ideas sat well with her. Unfocused on what she was doing, she started to put the book back on the shelf. A noise coming from the stairwell caused her to look up, panic-stricken, and that was when she saw it. The back of the bookcase behind where the cheese festival collection had been located was not as far back as the back of the shelves behind the other books.
Positively giddy at this point, she stood up on the tips of her toes and started feeling around again. There had to be a catch of some kind to release what she most desired. After only a few seconds of groping around, she felt something different and heard a slight click. This was it. She knew the alarms would begin sounding; she had to grab the book and make a run for it. There would be no time to cherish her new possession until she was safe.
Prying the boards away, she finally felt binding and quickly pulled it out of its spot. Unable to wait, she decided she needed to take a look now. It was imperative that she knew she had the correct book before bolting, rather than finding out later she’d stolen a first edition Betty Crocker cookbook. Scanning the words of the first page, she knew right away that she had the real deal: only one page in, she already saw secrets about the United States and its founding fathers. Unable to keep up an air of professionalism, she let out a squeal.
“Up here,” she heard a voice call. The squeal was too much, probably. It was fine with her; she wanted them to catch a glimpse of her, to witness her great theft. Running faster than she thought possible in a skirt and heels, she made her way toward the back staircase and took every chance she could to look up at the security cameras. She needed to look now; it was part of her escape.
Finally, she reached the doors. Mere steps away from freedom, she heard the same voice she’d heard earlier shout, “Freeze!” She turned to face the voice, laughing at the cliché use of “freeze.” Really, couldn’t they find a more creative way to tell someone to stop moving?
A smile started to play on her lips as she stared at the guard through the black strands of hair that had fallen back into her eyes. His hands were shaking slightly. “Ashavari?” the man questioned. The woman laughed. It was even better that this guard had caught on to her disguise perfectly; that was something she had not planned for. Before he could say anything else, the woman pulled a gun from her suit jacket and shot the guard in the knee.
There was barely enough time, but she made it out of the library and managed to be far away before the police, FBI, and CIA arrived. She walked along the path in the park, caressing the book’s cover gently. By far, this was her most coveted possession, but she did not have much time to cherish it. She had to move on to the next heist, the next priceless book that needed “rescuing.”
***
“You guys need anything?” an accented voice called out through the house.
“No, we’re good, Opal! Well, wait, come on over; I’m sure we could use something to help brighten up the room,” Nick called back with a grin as he refocused his attention on the files on the table in front of him.
“Don’t you start getting coy with me, Nick!”
“Now, Carter, I told ya, she’s mine,” joked Brian, who was sitting next to Nick on the couch. It was a new phenomenon for the two of them to be in the same room, teasing each other in a friendly way, without any underlying animosity. But things had changed ever since the FANthrax virus had almost claimed Brian’s life in Canada. “Whatever happened with Julilly, anyway? I’da thought you’d have used that trip to the Olympics as another chance to hook up with her.”
Nick shook his head, grinning sheepishly. “Man, you know how those things go…”
“Do you have booty call girls in every country or something?”
Nick’s grin grew wider. “Something like that.”
“Good thing they’re booty calls, or they’d get sick of you.”
“Brian, you just don’t know. Once they go Nick, everyone else makes ’em sick.”
Brian shook his head and returned his focus to what they were actually supposed to be working on inside his suburban home just outside of Washington, D.C.
To Nick, the two-story colonial house set at the end of a tree-lined cul-de-sac looked like something out of a movie. It had pale blue siding with white trim and tall white columns on either side of the red front door. The large back porch had a pair of handmade wooden rocking chairs, perfect for drinking lemonade on a warm summer day. The inside had a homey feeling, designed for comfort rather than style and filled with heirlooms passed through Brian’s family. It was actually the kind of home Nick wished he’d grown up in — not that he would ever say so aloud.
“Hey, you paying attention?”
“Not fully, sorry.” Not at all, to be more accurate — not that he’d ever say that either.
“I was saying, from the look of it, everyone’s starting to calm down about the Olympics. South Korea finally stopped blaming Canada for their lax security, and Cypress Mountain is open for operation again now that the avalanche cleanup is finished. You and Styx are lucky you got out of that alive.”
Nick nodded, shuffling through the papers with pent-up frustration. “Yeah, but what about Drums and Dr. Rough? I tell ya, man, the last I saw of them, they were flying off a cliff. Literally, off a cliff! They went over the edge! Tell me, how could they possibly have survived that? But these say no bodies were recovered…”
Brian watched Nick and nodded sympathetically. “…which makes you think that, once again, Rough managed to escape.”
After slamming his fist on the table, Nick tossed the files in his hand down. “It’s fucking frustrating, man! This midget has gotten away from us five different freaking times! Who knows, maybe more, and it just took us ages to realize it was that twitchy bastard.”
“Not just you that’s aggravated, Nick. We are, too. My superiors are pissed no one’s found him. They’re shocked as hell that HimTak hasn’t gotten the job done yet.”
“Don’t rub it in.”
“Sorry, but we’re getting fed up, too. I don’t get how he keeps slipping away.”
“’Cause he’s a munchkin coward. Little people are evil.”
Brian smirked. “Hey, cut the short jokes. Not all of us are angry, overcompensating, little twits.”
Nick snickered. “Well, you’re not angry…”
“Now, I ain’t the one showing mine off all the time.”
“Maaaan, you know K almost killed me ’cause of you.” Nick picked up the files again, his eyes scanning them for anything that could help him finally track down FANS and give them what they deserved. He tried not to think about how Brian had forced him to flash Canada and show off not-so-little Nicky at the hotel in Toronto.
“I know; he called and yelled at me, too. It was worth it to see your face.”
“Glad to see you feel guilty about it, Country Boy.” He saw Opal pass by them, heading into the kitchen. “Hmm, I know Red sent you that video, but did Opal ever see it? Might explain why she’s not knocking at my door yet…” he teased with a playful smile.
“Oh, I saw it, Nick,” she answered with a giggle as she tossed her curtain of silky black hair over her shoulder. Her green eyes met his as she opened the fridge. “I just prefer the good ol’ fashioned country boy.”
“Ouch, Opal.” Nick pouted dramatically with his hands over his heart. “I don’t know if I can go on.”
“You better ’cause I know I ain’t doin’ all this paperwork for HimTak and the CIA by myself,” Brian said matter-of-factly, his accent thickening. He shoved the HimTak papers back at Nick’s chest.
Nick shook his head. “Fine, but one day, Opal… one day…”
She laughed and closed the refrigerator door. “One day, your dreams will come…”
Brian groaned. “Hon, don’t get him started on Disney songs. He doesn’t stop!”
Nick stuck his tongue out at him. “Had my share of those last year, thanks. But I can sing for you since you love it so much.”
Opal came to the table, leaned over Brian, and kissed him softly. “Sorry, sweetie,” she said with a wry grin. His hands reached for her face gently and pulled her down for another kiss.
“You owe me.”
“Maybe… I need to run to the store, though, okay?”
“Mmm… not if you’re gonna do this, Ashie…”
Oblivious to the exchange, Nick began to sing. “I want to love you… P-Y-T! Pretty Young Thing… you need some lovin’… T-L-C!”
“Michael Jackson again?” Brian asked, once he pulled away from Opal, who went to grab her purse and keys. He watched Nick with amused amazement.
Nick danced in his chair to the music in his head. “Hey, the man was the King of Pop.” He grinned as he got back to work, continuing to sing, of course. “…Tender Lovin’ Care… and I’ll take you there… I want to love you….”
“P-Y-T!” Brian chimed in, waving as Opal headed for the door, laughing to herself. It was good seeing them get along, though it looked like Nick wasn’t the best influence in the world. Either way, it was entertaining.
“‘Bout time I see you loosen up!” Nick beamed brightly. “…Pretty Young Thing, you need some lovin’…”
“T-L-C!”
“Tender Lovin’ Care… I’ll take you there…”
Just as they finished the impromptu duet, there was a loud knock at the door. Brian gave Nick a shrug before he got up and walked through the living room to answer the door. Nick listened closely as the person at the door introduced himself.
“I’m Agent Tom,” a man said, “and this is Agent Hank. We’re with the FBI. Is there an Ashavari Desai at this residence? We have a warrant for her arrest.” Nick sat up as soon as he heard Opal’s real name and the word “warrant.” He crept silently through the living room and across the hallway, where he slipped into the coat closet unseen.
“On what charges?!” Brian exclaimed, still standing in the doorway to deny them access to his home. Obviously, he knew Opal had just left, but they didn’t know that, and he wanted to stall them for as long as possible.
“As far as you’re concerned, she’s been connected to a number of crimes: grand theft, assault with a deadly weapon, and threatening national security, at the top of the list,” Agent Hank said, growing impatient.
“What the–” Brian started before taking a moment to process this information. During the pause, he looked back and noticed the coat closet door cracked open just slightly. He would have been impressed with Nick’s quick hiding skills if he hadn’t been so concerned about Opal. “When did she supposedly commit these crimes? We’ve been damn near inseparable for almost a week now.”
Nick’s eyes widened as he listened through the crack he’d left in the door. He immediately pulled out his cell phone and sent Opal a text message: FBI IS HERE LOOKING TO ARREST YOU. DO NOT COME BACK TO BRIAN’S. STAY WHERE YOU ARE.
“So Ms. Desai is here, then?” Agent Tom said, ignoring Brian’s last comment.
“No, actually, she’s not,” Brian said through gritted teeth, as it was clear he was not going to get through to these guys enough to call off their manhunt for his Opal. “She went into D.C. for the day with some of her friends.” He hoped they would buy his lie but knew they had no reason not to. The Rok had been trained to spot liars just as well as they had, so he knew all the traps to avoid.
Agent Tom and Agent Hank exchanged looks. “Fair enough. We should be able to find her there,” Agent Hank said to Agent Tom, quietly enough that he surely didn’t want Brian to hear his comment.
“Just remember, Officer Littrell, if we suspect foul play, we can have you arrested for obstruction of justice and harboring a fugitive of the law,” Agent Tom said as Agent Hank walked back down the front steps of the porch and made his way back to the car.
“I hope that’s not a threat, Agent,” Brian commented, trying to control his temper as much as he could at that moment, “because it sounded awfully threatening and damn near accusatory. Now, if that’ll be all I can do for you today…”
“I suppose it is, Officer Littrell.” Agent Tom turned around to walk to the porch steps, twisting back to look at Brian before he descended them. “I hope I won’t have to come back here looking for you soon, too.”
“Have a good day, gentlemen!” Brian called as he began to close the door, waving goodbye while ignoring Agent Tom’s last statement. He instantly turned around after locking the door and darted to the hall closet. “I’d make a joke about you coming out of the closet right about now, but we really need to–”
“–Warn Opal to stay somewhere safe until we can come get her?” Nick finished, holding up his cell phone to show the text message he’d just received from Opal that simply said: WHAT?! FINE, GET HERE QUICK. B KNOWS WHERE.
Brian grinned as he read the message, then reached behind Nick to grab a jacket. “Come on. We have to work quickly if we’ve got a chance.”
***
“I gotta hand it to ya, Carter,” remarked Brian as he drove them to Opal’s preferred grocery store. “You can think on your feet. I’d almost say that was genius.”
In the passenger seat, Nick raised his eyebrows and blinked rapidly, feigning disbelief. “What was that, Littrell? Could you say it again? The last part?”
Brian smirked. “I said, I could almost call that genius, Carter.”
“Almost,” Nick repeated, smirking back.
“’Course… they could’ve searched the house and blown your cover,” Brian added, determined not to let Carter’s head inflate too much. “You’re just lucky they didn’t.”
“Opal’s lucky,” Nick amended in a dark tone. “So what the hell is this all about, anyway? What exactly are they accusing her of doing?”
While waiting a few minutes to be sure the Feds were truly gone, Brian had placed a call to a contact he had in the FBI to find out just that. Now he pressed his lips into a grim smile, his nostrils flaring as he drew in a sharp breath and answered, “There was a break-in at the Library of Congress last night. Security was breached in a restricted section, and a priceless book was stolen. Security cameras captured a woman who resembled Ashavari, and I guess there was an eyewitness — a security guard at the library — who recognized her… or thought he did, anyway. But…” He shook his head quickly. “It couldn’t have been her. She wasn’t there, Nick. She was with me at the house. Neither of us were anywhere near the Library of Congress last night.”
“But no one else knows that, right? It’s only you who can confirm her alibi, and since you’re involved with her, CIA or not, you’re not exactly an unbiased witness. Sounds like the stupid fucking Feds think they’ve already got the case in the bag,” Nick spat, his words tinged with bitterness at the mention of federal agents.
For once, Brian could understand his resentment. “Exactly,” he muttered back. “I’m not gonna let them put an innocent woman — my woman — behind bars for a crime she didn’t commit. If it’s the last thing I do, I’m gonna get Opal away from here until this whole thing blows over… until the real culprit is caught.”
“Harboring a fugitive… nice.” Nick grinned. When Brian gave him an annoyed look, he added quickly, “No seriously, dude, I approve! If Opal’s innocent, and the goddamn U.S. government’s determined to find her guilty, then you gotta fight to protect her.”
Seeing Nick’s enthusiasm, Brian was suddenly skeptical. He didn’t have an actual plan yet, but it seemed he was well on his way to doing exactly what Nick was suggesting: harboring a fugitive. And he, a CIA officer! Opal was innocent, but there would be no doubt of his guilt if he helped her escape. They would go down together.
“I dunno, Nick,” mumbled Brian, shaking his head. “I dunno what I’m doing… I dunno what I’m thinking! This is a bad idea. Maybe she should just turn herself in and offer her alibi.”
“And then what, rot in federal prison while they frame her anyway? Make an example of her to show the public they’re cracking down on library terrorism?” Nick let out a derisive snort. “Screw that,” he retorted. “And you can forget this whole ‘I’ business. Make it ‘we,’ dude — I’m with you all the way. Anything to screw over the government… and save a damsel in distress at the same time. I’m in. I’m so in.”
Brian laughed skeptically, still shaking his head. Deep down, though, he felt oddly touched at Nick’s sudden surge of loyalty towards him. Well, him and Opal… perhaps with the emphasis on Opal… and at the root of it was Nick’s hatred of the government, the very agency for which Brian worked and bled. But even still, he was touched.
00Carter really wasn’t so bad after all, once you got used to him.
***
“I can’t believe we’re plotting against the government in the freaking ladies room at Safeway,” grumbled Nick, looking around in disdain.
“We’re not plotting against the government,” Brian said sharply, giving him a warning look. “We’re just plotting how to get Opal away until the government catches the real criminal.”
“Right.” Nick snorted. “And we’re doing it in the women’s bathroom.” He cast a mistrustful glance at the tampon dispenser.
“Like I said…” Brian sighed heavily with the air of someone trying to explain a complex problem to a hyperactive two-year-old. “It’s the only place they don’t have security cameras to record everything we’re doing. If the parking lot cameras catch the three of us together, they’ll know I helped Opal.”
“Well, why couldn’t we have done this in the men’s room?” Nick complained.
“Why can’t the two of you just stop bickering and tell me what this is all about!” exploded Opal suddenly, stunning the two men into silence.
“Sorry, hon,” Brian apologized to her quickly. “Listen, someone who resembled you broke into a highly secure wing of the Library of Congress last night and stole something valuable. Between surveillance camera angles — and you know how grainy those images are — and the statement from a guard who thought he recognized you, they’re convinced it really was you.”
“What?!” Opal cried, shaking her head as her eyes widened. “But that’s insane! You know I couldn’t have–”
“I know,” Brian cut in. “And Nick knows that too. That’s why we’re going to get you away from here before they can incarcerate you for something you know nothing about.”
“But I have an alibi! You can confirm–”
Brian shook his head. “I don’t know how much good my testimony will do. Like Nick said earlier, they won’t consider me an unbiased witness. Word gets around; the Feds will know we’re together. They’ll think I’m just covering for you. And then they’ll start to wonder if I’m involved too, if maybe I even helped you.”
“But… Brian, this is the government…” Opal protested weakly. “They just couldn’t do that…”
Nick snorted. “You just said ‘it’s the government.’ Of course they could! They could, they can, and they will if we let them. They pull shit like this all the time! You, of all people, should know — you work for them.” Opal shook her head, but he went on, “You can stay at HimTak, at least for now. It’s the one place in the continental U.S. that the government can’t touch.”
“But it’s located next to Area 51. That’s government property.”
Nick offered her a grim smile. “You keep our secrets, and we keep yours. We coexist, but we don’t interfere in each other’s business.”
“But isn’t that what you’re doing now? Interfering in their criminal investigation by hiding their suspect?” Opal asked.
Nick frowned at her. “Look, do you wanna stay out of jail or not? I’m offering you a safe haven. You’ll be safe at HimTak. They can’t touch you there.”
Opal nodded slowly. “Of course I want to stay out of jail. I just don’t want to do anything that would jeopardize either of your careers.”
Finally, Brian spoke again. “If anyone’s jeopardizing my career, it’s me. I’m doing this of my own free will. Your freedom and safety are more important to me than serving a government that would put an innocent woman behind bars. You got that?”
Opal didn’t reply. She looked like she wanted to protest again, but she kept her mouth shut.
“Look, between Nick and I, we’ve got a lot of pull with Kevin. I know once he hears the whole story, he’ll see to it that you’re protected. You’ll leave here with Nick, and he’ll contact K and get you safely back to the HimTak headquarters in Nevada.”
“What about you?”
Brian sighed. “I’ve gotta stay here, pretend I don’t know anything about your whereabouts. If I disappear too, they’ll know I helped you.”
Nick cleared his throat. “Here, put this on,” he said, offering her a long, blonde Halloween wig from his shopping basket. She rolled her eyes but took it out of its packaging and secured it on her head. While she did, he put on the gorilla mask he’d picked up for himself.
“You two better hope they don’t bust you for shoplifting on your way out,” warned Brian.
“Chill out, Country Boy; I’m not stupid. I paid for it,” said Nick. “I don’t wanna draw any more attention to us than we already will, but at least this way, if the Feds get a tip that we were here, they won’t get anything off the surveillance cameras in the parking lot. Nothing they can prove, anyway. By the way, here’s your disguise.”
He tossed Brian another package containing a huge, black seventies afro. Brian flashed him a look of deepest loathing but reluctantly opened the package and pulled the wig over his wispy curls.
Nick started to snicker at once. When Brian glared, he said, “Hey, it suits you, man! I mean, you’re like four inches taller with that thing on! You’re almost as tall as me!”
“Better stop while you’re ahead, Carter,” Brian growled, “and get my girl outta here before I change my mind.”
“You got it, Richard Simmons. Come on, Blondie.” Nick reached out to take Opal’s hand, but Opal hesitated, turning pleading eyes upon Brian.
“Wait… Bri, are you sure about this? Have you really thought about the implications of–”
Brian stepped closer to her so that they were face to face. Beneath the ridiculous ‘fro, his eyes were serious. “I’ve done a lot of thinking, and it all adds up to one thing: You’re getting in that car with Nick where you belong.”
Opal shook her head, tugging on the front of Brian’s jacket. “But Brian, no, I… I–”
“Now, you’ve gotta listen to me! You have any idea what you’d have to look forward to if you stayed here? Nine chances out of ten, we’d both wind up in a federal prison. Isn’t that true, Nick?” He looked to Nick for back-up.
The gorilla head dipped in a nod. “I’m afraid the FBI would insist.”
“You’re saying this only to make me go,” accused Opal.
Brian’s reply was immediate. “I’m saying it because it’s true. Inside of us, we both know you belong at HimTak with Nick. If that car leaves the parking lot, and you’re not in it, you’ll regret it…”
“No–”
“…Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of your life.”
Opal’s eyes had grown teary. “But what about us?”
“We’ll always have DC. We didn’t have; we… we almost lost us until you came to Canada. We got it back last year.”
“When I said I would never leave you,” whispered Opal.
Brian shook his head. “And you never will. But I’ve got a job to do, too. Where you’re going, I can’t follow. What you’ve got to do, I can’t be any part of. Ashie, I’m no good at being noble, but it doesn’t take much to see that the problems of three little people don’t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world.”
“A hill of beans?” snorted Nick, interrupting their tearful exchange. “Where’d you pick up that expression, Country Boy?”
Brian ignored him. He only had eyes for Opal. “Someday,” he said, “you’ll understand that.” As her face fell, he reached out and took her chin between his thumb and forefinger. “Now, now,” he murmured, tilting her face up to meet his. “Here’s lookin’ at you, kid.”
Nick cleared his throat. “We should get going. Everything’s in order.”
Brian looked at Opal. “Are you ready, Ashie?”
Opal’s voice was suddenly stoic. “Yes, I’m ready.” She joined Nick at his side. “Goodbye, Brian. God bless you.”
Brian’s throat felt tight. “Better hurry so you’ll miss the Feds,” he said.
Without another word, Opal allowed Nick to take her hand, and they walked side by side to the door of the ladies’ room. Nick held it open for Opal, and they sidestepped the “CAUTION: Wet Floor” sign Brian had placed just outside the door to give the impression that the restroom was being cleaned. He looked back once just as Brian said quickly, “Anyway, thanks for helping me out.”
“You owe me, you know,” said Nick. Brian could imagine the big, smirky grin hidden by his gorilla mask. “First I saved your life, and now I’m saving your woman. But I’m sure you’ll be good for something someday.”
“Does that mean you’re officially no longer opposed to working with someone who works for the government?”
“Nah…” Nick shrugged. “I guess you’re alright, Rok.”
Brian smiled. “Nicky… I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”
With that, he waved them off, watching from the shadow of the doorway as a man with a gorilla’s head and a woman with Rapunzel hair walked quickly out into the fluorescent lights and disappeared through the automatic sliding glass doors at the front of the store.
***