The Aegis Conspiracy Read online

  Keating went on to tell them they had no problems in Arizona either. Obviously, he was proud of the way he arranged the Tucson police department’s decision to terminate their investigation into the murder of the Jordanian. He grinned as he told how he convinced the FBI that it was a terrorist sting operation that went bad and how he got the FBI to convince the Tucson Chief of Police it was a drug sting operation that went bad. Both the FBI and the Tucson Chief of Police would keep quiet, Keating said, “as a matter of national security”.

  “You’re a lucky man, Mister Clark,” Keating said. “Deputy Director Brewster understands what has happened to you. He has gone far out of his way to completely clean your record. He has pulled a lot of strings to protect you. He told me he couldn’t blame you if you decided to leave your CIA career far behind you, but he wants you back in Clandestine Services.”

  Keating was sincere when he referred to what he called Den’s most unfortunate experience. “I know you’ve had a bad ride,” he said, “but please think about coming back. You’ve got a good future in the Agency.”

  Den stood up, and tossed his .357 onto the bed. He apologized for treating Keating in such a violent manner. Keating waved off the apology and admitted he would have acted in the same way if he were in Den’s shoes.

  “Well, Keating, I guess I’ll have to recall those letters.”

  “Letters?”

  “Yes. A protective measure. Friends have a report to mail out if anything happens to Gigi or me. They’re not necessary now.”

  Gigi, standing at the window, had been silent during Keating’s discourse. She didn’t believe him.

  Keating cautiously smiled when he admitted the CIA had given him a liberal expense account. That evening he asked them to be his guests at a posh restaurant in one of the Five Diamond hotels in the Zona Dorada. He suggested they all plan to meet at the airport in the morning and begin the trip back to Washington.

  When Den agreed, Gigi, from her position behind Llewellyn Keating, signaled her disapproval by slowly, but emphatically, shaking her head. Den disregarded her. After the friendliest of good-byes, Llewellyn Keating returned to his hotel in the Zona Dorada.

  Chapter 30

  From their hotel window, Gigi watched Llewellyn Keating enter his taxi. She turned to Den intending to tell him she distrusted Keating and doubted his story. She was surprised when Den stopped her in mid-sentence and agreed with her. Den’s disclosure of his exposé letters was meant to convince Keating he believed his story. Neither of them believed the death of Jacobson offered them the protection they needed. Keating’s assurance of their safety wasn’t close to being convincing.

  Gigi’s suspicions were aroused by the announcement of Jake Jacobson’s death. Jacobson’s accident occurred less than 24 hours after Cullen Brewster received Den’s letter. Gigi did not think it was an accident.

  Den’s letter alerted the Deputy Director to the danger represented by a murderer in their midst. Den’s letter sounded an alarm. To protect the Agency, Gigi argued, the Deputy Director could not run the risk of allowing Jake to be tried or even accused of Teddy’s murder.

  Gigi questioned the Deputy Director’s motivations in extending so much effort to protect them. She was skeptical. The hit-and-run accident, so soon after the Deputy’s receipt of Den’s letter, was suspiciously fortuitous.

  Deputy Brewster, she decided, would quickly recognize the problems that would be created by public knowledge of Jacobson’s murder of Teddy Smith. The avalanche of adverse media publicity, the political fall-out, the demands for firings and for reorganizations, as well as the demands for even more stringent congressional oversight could do great injury to the Agency’s ability to function.

  Deputy Brewster would certainly recognize those threats. Gigi believed he arranged the accidental death of Jake Jacobson. If Brewster would kill Jake to protect the Agency, why wouldn’t he kill Den Clark and Gigi Grant, the only other people who knew Jake killed Teddy?

  Gigi thought Llewellyn Keating was sent by Cullen Brewster to dispose of them. She was unwilling to go to dinner with him, let alone run the risk of returning to the United States with him. She much preferred saltine crackers and baloney sausage with Den on a rusted tramp steamer over caviar and champagne with Llewellyn Keating at a Five Diamond hotel.

  Den needed no convincing. His little voice had not been whispering to him. It had been shouting at him. Everything was just too neat. The end of the threat from Aegis, the elimination of the problem presented by the unsolved murder of Abdul in Tucson, the Agency’s decision to cover up Den’s involvement in assassinations, even the offer to come back to the CIA - it was too much like a Disney movie. “And they all lived happily ever after.”

  When Keating began to talk, Den saw the warning flags begin to fly. The inconsistencies in his story drew Den to a conclusion. Keating could not be trusted.

  Den’s letter to Deputy Director Brewster didn’t mention Gigi. Her name didn’t appear in the Guaymas, the Mazatlán or the Guadalajara hotel registries. In each case, they signed in as Ernest and Maggie Adams.

  How did Brewster know her name and how did he know she was traveling with him?

  Keating told him Brewster wanted to assure him the investigation into the killing of the Palestinian had been quashed. It no longer endangered him.

  How did Brewster learn he killed Abdul and needed to be shielded from the Tucson police investigation?

  Keating told him Brewster wanted to assure them they were no longer threatened by Aegis because the conspiracy consisted of only Teddy Smith and Jake Jacobson. Den never heard the word “Aegis” spoken by anyone other than Teddy. The secrecy surrounding the conspiracy was unconditional and absolute. None of the conspirators would acknowledge its existence.

  How did Brewster learn of the Aegis organization?

  The Palestinian was dead and unable to tell anyone what he knew. Only Jake and Teddy knew Den and Gigi were together. Only they knew Abdul threatened Gigi. Only they knew Den killed Abdul. Only Jake or Teddy could have been the source of Cullen Brewster’s information.

  Teddy and Jake were Aegis conspirators, Neither would disclose the existence of Aegis to any stranger to the conspiracy. They would pass Aegis related information to Deputy Director Brewster only if he was a member of Aegis. Brewster would share information with Keating because he, too, was a part of the conspiracy.

  Den knew what would happen if he and Gigi joined Keating for dinner. They would be killed and their bodies buried somewhere in the Mexican desert. Den accepted Keating’s dinner invitation and let him know about his exposé letters for a single reason. He wanted to delay any plans Keating had to assassinate them.

  The presence of exposé letters might cause Keating to report back to Brewster for confirmation of instructions to kill him. The acceptance of the dinner invitation was intended to assure Keating he had no suspicion of the danger that might await them after the evening dinner as well as sending Keating back to the Zona Dorada and giving him and Gigi the opportunity to disappear into the interior of the Libertad.

  By the time Keating realized his dinner guests were “no shows”, he and Gigi would be safely hidden and, soon, on their way to Panama.

  Something else was obvious. Den and Gigi lost the protection they hoped would be afforded by their threat to expose Aegis. The deaths of Smith and Jacobson would be used to insulate Aegis from the damaging revelations of Den’s exposés. He could foresee what could happen.

  Brewster would tell the world he became suspicious when he learned of the killing of the four Guatemalan students and ordered a quiet internal investigation. The result of that investigation, he would say, was the discovery of the del Valle, Montoya and Guatemala assassinations. Brewster would use Den and Teddy and Jake as his scapegoats. They would be accused of planning and carrying out the murders.

  The Deputy Director would claim the three CIA officers had a falling out. Smith or Jacobson tried to kill Clark in his Arlington apartment. Clark ran and was
probably living somewhere under an alias and with a new identity. Jacobson killed Smith and then died as a result of a hit-and-run accident. If Clark were ever found, Brewster would promise to extradite him back to the United States and the appropriate law enforcement facilities would bring criminal charges.

  All loose ends would disappear. Den and Gigi would be silenced. So were Jake and Teddy. No investigation would uncover their planning of Aegis killings. No investigation would uncover Abdul’s ties to the Aegis conspirators. The FBI had been finessed into believing Gigi’s disappearance was a result of a CIA terrorist sting. The Tucson police would never look for her. They had bought Keating’s CIA witness program story.

  No one would bother to look for Den. He, presumably, would be well hidden in Latin America. No one could ever find him.

  Later, when the politicians and the media received the reports from Den’s SEAL friends, Brewster’s explanation of the assassinations by the three rogue agents would have already been accepted as fact. Den’s warning of a larger Aegis network would be dismissed as poppycock. They would be passed off as the self-serving declaration of a murderer. With Den and Gigi in some unmarked desert grave, the potential of the exposure of Aegis would die with them.

  Before Llewellyn Keating’s taxi arrived at his Zona Dorada Hotel, Gigi and Den, unseen by anyone, went to the docks and quietly boarded the Libertad.

  CODA

  The guard at the gatehouse saw a black Lincoln approaching. It stopped and the darkened window on the driver’s side rolled down. The guard recognized its occupant and the gates swung open. Deputy Director Cullen Brewster’s automobile moved forward and started down the quarter mile drive that ended at a large, white pillared home. Its architecture, its appointments and its surroundings proclaimed its owner to be a man of considerable wealth.

  Minutes later, Cullen Brewster sat in a comfortable wicker chair on the veranda of the Virginia country estate. His host, a tall, silver-haired man in his early seventies, sat next to him. A bottle of Chardonnay in an iced bucket and two long stemmed glasses rested on the small table separating their chairs. They were alone.

  The older man looked out at the Virginia countryside. He sipped from his glass. He liked white wines. As he enjoyed the view, he thought about Aegis and the events Teddy Smith had set in motion. Teddy’s decision to turn his back on Aegis, the organization which the older man had so carefully constructed, was a disappointment to him. Teddy had violated the core principles that justified the creation of Aegis. His Guatemalan venture could have destroyed the organization.

  Neither Brewster nor the old man had been aware of the mission Teddy had hidden within Operation Ocelot. They had been unaware of the unauthorized assignment Teddy gave to Den Clark. In spite of Aegis’ rejection of Colonel Rodriguez’ proposition, Teddy Smith took it upon himself to honor his request. He and Jake Jacobson planned the assassinations and hid them inside Operation Ocelot.

  “In one way, I’m sorry to lose Teddy,” the older man said, “but his judgment went bad, very bad.” He paused and sipped from his glass. “We had agreed on Clark before Teddy recruited him. Teddy followed the rules in recruiting him. I wonder whatever possessed him to insinuate that man Jacobson into the organization without seeking our stamp of approval. I wouldn’t have approved him and, I’m sure, you wouldn’t have done so either.”

  Cullen Brewster was in agreement. “You’re right, sir. Deception is an important tool in our business, but within our group there is no room for it. Being completely open and honest among ourselves is an absolute condition precedent to our continued existence. Jacobson’s history in Damascus proved he was both uncontrollable and untrustworthy.

  “Of course, Teddy should have let us know he wanted to recruit him. Obviously, Teddy didn’t want us to know what he was planning. He knew we’d never approve Jacobson.” Brewster took his first drink of the Chardonnay. As soon as he tasted it, he smiled. Impressed, and looked at the bottle’s label.

  “Clark,” Brewster observed, “performed well in Chile and in Bolivia. I had hopes for him.” Brewster’s host made no comment. The old man raised his chin slightly, looked at the Deputy Director for a second and, rather pointedly, changed the subject.

  “I simply cannot understand why Teddy would agree to undertake the Rodriquez project,” he said. “I can’t believe he thought we’d have anything to do with the killing of student dissidents. My God, didn’t he understand what happened in Chile when they started killing youngsters? Teddy’s Guatemalan venture could have exploded in our faces. He could have sunk us and there is so much more appropriate work to be done. What do you think caused Teddy to go wrong?” the old man asked.

  Brewster had already given that question considerable thought. “Teddy didn’t like our philosophy behind target selection. He didn’t tell us about Jacobson because he wanted to set up his own organization. Of course, he knew we wouldn’t support the Guatemalan Junta or have anything to do with that fascist Colonel. That’s why he didn’t tell us about the scheme he concealed inside Ocelot. I hate to think of what might have happened if Teddy’s plan to cover his tracks had succeeded.”

  “We would have thought Clark was killed by some Guatemalan drug lord,” the old man said. “Teddy and his man Jacobson would have continued their private schemes without letting either of us know about them and, sooner or later, Aegis would have been uncovered.

  “Then, at some time in the future, this country would have to face dictators and madmen rather than enjoy the peace resulting from our preemptive early removals.” He slowly shook his head as he asked: “Whatever caused Teddy to put us at risk?”

  The Deputy Director answered. “That is a question I’ve asked myself many times. I don’t believe it was ego and I don’t believe it was a messiah complex. I think Teddy believed only dictatorships and military juntas could protect our Latin America flank. I believe Teddy was unduly frightened whenever Latino politicians made speeches condemning the so-called Colossus of the North. Of course, we have to carefully watch them when international alliances are potentials, but Teddy went overboard.”

  The old man nodded briefly. He again looked out over the countryside and slowly turned his wine glass. When he looked back from that peaceful scene, his pensive mood had changed.

  “Well, Cully, you acted quickly and you acted effectively. Smith and Jacobson are gone and our problem has diminished substantially. We may be in for another bit of heavy weather when Clark’s report is distributed. Let’s hope it won’t come too soon.”

  A cautious smile appeared and quickly disappeared on the old man’s face. “With Jacobson and Teddy to shoulder the blame, I’m sure we’ll survive the storm.”

  Cullen Brewster nodded, but made no comment. Then he gently brought up a delicate subject. “It is too bad Teddy mishandled Denver Clark. He could have been one of our most important assets.”

  The old man smiled. “You are a subtle one, Cully. I know what you’re up to. Please stop. I said our problem was diminished substantially. I didn’t say it had disappeared.” He leaned back in his chair, cleared his throat and again changed the subject.

  “We’ll have to find a replacement for Teddy. Llewellyn Keating is a possible candidate. I can find only one blemish in his record. It’s too bad he failed his Mazatlán assignment - although he did uncover Clark’s exposé letters. With Jacobson, Smith, Clark and the woman all out of the way, all testimony would be gone and Clark’s report could be deflected”

  The old man sipped from his Chardonnay, looked up at Cullen Brewster and said, “The Mazatlán matter is the only mark I can find in Keating’s record. Comment, please.”

  “Llewellyn Keating,” the Deputy Director answered, “leaves the impression of being a nice guy, but not particularly imaginative. That disarming impression is one he has carefully cultivated. It had misled many. In addition to being a very competent field agent, Keating had been very effective in carrying out missions. I don’t believe he should be faulted for failing to kill Cl
ark and Grant.”

  Cullen Brewster got his host’s attention when he added the word “but”.

  “But, I don’t think Llewellyn is the man for the job. Carrying out assignments is one thing. Creating them is quite another. I don’t think Llewellyn has that special kind of intuition - that ability to foresee the unforeseen and make provision to handle it. Teddy had it. His plans usually covered all the bases.”

  “Very well, Cully. You sound like you have someone in mind.” Privately, the older man hoped he wouldn’t hear what he was sure he was about to hear. Now it was Brewster who took a sip from his wine glass. He had to screw his courage up a notch before saying, “Denver Clark comes to mind.”

  This was the third time Brewster brought Clark’s name into the conversation. The old man knew Brewster was opposed to killing Denver Clark.

  “You are a persistent lad, Cully,” he said. “We’ve been through this before. I know you appreciate Clark’s various abilities, but, as long as that man and that woman are alive, Aegis is endangered. He can sit off-shore and give interviews and send letters to editors and Senators and the like. Dead men cannot testify before Grand Juries, Cully. It will be much easier to point the finger of blame at people who are no longer among the living.”

  “May I comment, sir?”

  “Go ahead Cully. I’ll listen to you one more time. I hope we will never discuss the matter again.”

  “Agreed, sir,” was Brewster’s immediate response. “Clark’s Guadalajara letter is quite revealing.” he began. “It told us Jacobson killed Teddy and it told us why he did it.”

  “If I were a cynic,” Brewster’s host interrupted, “I might conclude the Guadalajara document was meant to get you to…” he paused and selected the right word, “to get you to neutralize Jacobson.” It was apparent to Brewster that his “debt of gratitude” argument had not impressed his older companion.

  Brewster agreed with his host. “Of course, sir, you are correct.” The Deputy paused and used the older man’s word. “I did neutralize Jacobson, and, yes, Clark’s report was meant to protect him and the woman.” Then he continued his argument.