The Gray Man Ch. 24 - Ana

Vicky smiled, "Gray and his team are the ones trying to catch someone. In this case, we want our presence known. Our goal is to drive the bad guys into hiding long enough for the good guys to find them."

Before she left Gretchen pulled Vicky aside, "Isn't Mario a bit young for a security detail?"

Vicky smiled, "He is young, but he's good at what he does. I'm not sure who he impressed in the Academy or his first field assignment, but we've been partnered for a few months and I'd trust him with my life.

That evening after Gretchen went to bed, Gray spent some time talking to Mario. He found out that an old ankle injury had flared up which caused him to have to retire from football. His goal, if not the NFL, was to take over the family business in Miami, but his mother and baby brother were killed in a robbery.

A friend of his, a Pennsylvania State Trooper, had told him one evening sitting on his tailgate that he should go to the Academy. Mario laughed, "She was very persuasive." Before the State Police Academy started he was contacted by the DOJ and they made him an offer he couldn't refuse.

He started in witness protection and within a few months was brought over to this team working with ODNI.

Gray smiled, remembering the night in the Virginia Countryside with the FBI agent. He remembered looking across the valley to the young man getting his cock sucked by the female Virginia State Trooper. He wondered if Mario had a similar recruiter. Instead of saying anything, Gray patted him on the back, "Welcome to the team. I should get some sleep."

Gray slept hard that night, he even needed his alarm to wake him at 0530. He knew he was tired, he never needed an alarm.

He showered, got dressed and headed downstairs where Gretchen and the young agent were having coffee. At 0600 Vicky walked in, Mario said his goodbyes before Gray and Vicky headed into the office.

By 645 Gray was at his new desk that was located behind a glass wall that looked into his team's bullpen. Everyone had their own space, with a combined work area in the middle. Emily was already in the building and coffee was brewing.

The team started to meander in and by 0700 each member had taken their seat. Gray stood at the head of the table. As Emily projected the images and data on the screen behind him, her nimble fingers deftly managed the system.

"Good morning, everyone," Gray began, his voice firm yet welcoming. "Last night, we received some crucial intel from our sources. Rebecca, what have you got for us?"

Rebecca leaned forward, eyes focused on her laptop screen. "Looking at some encrypted messages from a suspected informant within the organization. It looks like we have contact, maybe even a bagman," she said, her fingers dancing across the keyboard.

Caleb chimed in, "I managed to track down some suspicious online activities. It seems our target has been communicating through various encrypted channels to cover their tracks. But I've narrowed down the locations, and we should be able to track their movements within a certain radius."

Isabella added, "I've analyzed the profiles of potential suspects and cross-referenced them with known operatives. There's one individual who seems to have a motive and a history of engaging in double-crosses."

Sahara, nodded with approval, "Excellent work, team. Let's build a trap.

Malik looked at Isabella, "Can you get me a profile so I can find a way to get close?"

As the team divided into small group discussions Gray watched as ideas flowed freely. He was impressed watching Aisha. At this point there wasn't a need for a team medic and Gray hoped there wasn't one at all. Some would zone out during meetings like this, however Aisha moved from team member to team member, small group to small group listening, learning, and even adding in some of her insights.

Before things broke up she walked over to TJ, "I need to take a look at that hand, boss."

TJ's brow furrowed, "Why?"

She smiled as she gently took his right hand in her hands. "Because it looks like shit and I don't want it to get infected." She looked at him, "Don't move, I'll be right back."

In 3 minutes she was back with meds, an ointment and a wrap. "I'll check it again in the morning."

Vicky again got Gray safely home, Mario came in to relieve him and they repeated the cycle again the next day.

Finally, after lunch Isabella and Caleb knocked on Gray's door. When TJ looked up Isabella smiled, "Got a second, boss?"

Gray nodded, "You got something?"

Isabella and Caleb entered Gray's office, their expressions tense with the weight of their discovery. Isabella, known as Viper, carried a file that contained the profile of the suspected leak. As they both sat down, Gray noticed the unease in their eyes, and he prepared himself for what was to come.

"Boss, I gave Caleb some information from a profile I've been working up, he ran with it and you are going to want to hear what we have found," Isabella began

Caleb took over, "We've been analyzing the profiles of potential suspects, and every scenario we track comes back to something that is buried so deep that we don't have access. We don't have a name yet, but this person has in-depth knowledge of our operations and a knack for covering their tracks."

Isabella, her eyes focused and intense, added, "Whoever it is, they're well-versed in the art of manipulation, and they seem to be working closely with a high-ranking Congressional aide. I don't have a name, but she is known as Dragonfly."

Gray froze, "Wait a minute, are you talking about Operation Dragonfly?"

Caleb nodded, "I can't crack it, dig into it, or find anything about it. It's locked up tighter than a chastity belt."

Isabella shot her teammate a dirty look as Caleb fired back, "What? Am I lying?

Gray sat back and rubbed his temples. "Operation Dragonfly," he whispered. "I discovered a file locked deep in the CIA..." he shot them a look, "Do not ask how I found it, the knowledge of that alone may get you sent to ADX Florence."

Isabella and Caleb listened as Gray continued, "What I found was a member of Senator Davis' staff was working with a man named Robert Li - a wealthy businessman with close ties to China. It turns out The Agency knew about it and locked it down. Admiral Barnett tasked a member of his staff to dig into it."

Caleb nodded, "Whoever your leak is does not go straight to Nazir - it goes through Dragonfly."

Gray's mind raced, trying to piece together the puzzle. As he listened to Isabella and Caleb, a sinking feeling settled in his gut. He trusted few people and where this was pointing him would be a betrayal he never saw coming. "Are you absolutely sure about this?" Gray asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

Isabella nodded, her expression grave. "Yes, we've run multiple cross-references, and the profile is consistent. It's someone close, someone who knows your deepest secrets."

Gray took a deep breath, feeling the weight of responsibility bearing down on him. "I trust your instincts, Isabella, Caleb. Find out everything you can. I need concrete evidence before we take action."

When they walked out Gray pushed a button on his desk and Emily popped in. "Find out where Archangel is. I need a face to face, now."

30 minutes later TJ was in a meeting with Pierce, telling him what his team had uncovered. Archangel looked at Gray, "Do you think Shooter could do this?"

TJ thought, "I didn't, but there were some things that were happening that may have been a bit strange. I chalked it up to getting older wanting to settle down and get out of the game." TJ paused, "He's been dating my cousin?"

Pierce sat back, "Wait, Mark Underwood in a relationship? You are bullshitting me."

TJ shook his head, "I wish I were. We were in Finland on an operation, he was on overwatch and not one time did he alert me that Russian helicopters were buzzing our position."

Pierce nodded, "I can see it in your eyes, there's more."

Gray nodded, "You heard about Jennifer St. Jean leaving her position? I had something to do with that. I thought she was working alone to set me up, now I think that Shooter, Smith, and she may have been working together. Hell, Admiral Barnett tasked Mark to dig into dragonfly. Maybe he is in on it too?"

Pierce reached into his drawer and pulled out a bottle of Blanton's and two glasses. He poured each of them two fingers of the bourbon before he sat back in his chair. "What's our move?"

TJ thought a minute, "Underwood is supposed to be in Germany, but I can't verify that. Let me roll up Smith. If Underwood is connected he will panic."

Malcolm Pierce looked at his agent. Gray was still showing cuts and bruises from Scotland, and in a little over 48 hours he had taken a team and possibly exposed one of the highest level espionage rings in US history. Pierce sipped the bourbon before he spoke, "What do you think of the team?"

TJ nodded, "They are good. Young, but good."

"When this is over, they are yours." Archangel spoke as if this were a certainty.

Gray looked at his boss, "What do you mean?"

Pierce lifted his glass, "We are bringing you in here. The work you did with Barnett was tier one shit. You said it yourself, these kids are good but they need someone to lead them. That someone is you, Ghost."

TJ paused, "I don't know. I'm not that kind of ranger. Put me in the field with my face painted green and I'm at home. Leading a bunch of kids? That's not my style."

Malcolm smiled, "Nor was it mine when they dragged me in here, but look at me now. At least think about it, Ghost. We need to be the ones giving these kids tools. Hell, they are smarter than us, better educated than us, but a lot of them have never been punched in the mouth and it shows."

TJ stood, "I'll think about it, but first things first. Can you find where Ana Smith will be tonight? She and I need to chat."

Pierce pushed a button and asked his assistant to find the information that Gray was looking for. In two minutes she walked in the door, "Senator Davis and his Chief of Staff are attending a campaign fundraiser in Blacksburg, Virginia this evening."

TJ smiled, "I think I'll need to get my suit out. We will talk in the morning."

Pierce nodded, "Happy hunting."

Gray called Vicky who met him at the Sally Port and took him home. On the way, she called Mario to let him know the boss needed him at Andrews by 1600 hours and to wear a suit. By 1730 Gray and Mario were stepping off of a UH-72 helicopter of the Virginia National Guard at Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport.

A rental car was waiting for them and they hurried off to the fundraiser at the house of a Virginia Tech grad and billionaire Allen Babin and his wife Valerie.

Mario and Gray walked into the Babin estate and Mario's eyes grew large as Valerie Babin tore herself away from guests and walked right up to the strapping young man. Her hands moved to his chest in an overly familiar manner. "Senator Davis didn't tell me that his protection was so fucking hot."

Gray watched as the billionaire walked over, his cheeks pink as he blushed. "Hello, is my wife out of control again?"

Gray stayed silent, waiting to see what Mario would do. The young man kept his composure, "She's fine, Sir. Ma'am, I am not part of the Senator's protection detail, I realize the ear piece is confusing. This is my client."

Allen looked at the man standing next to him, tall and lean, short hair with a short salt and pepper beard. The presence of the stranger caused his cock to shrink further into the cock cage he wore under his suit. Allen looked at Gray, with the bruises and cuts not quite gone from his face and hands. "Welcome, I'm sure the Senator will be happy you are here."

Gray looked at Mario as The Babin's wandered off. "Don't wander too far away, Mrs. Babin looks like she wants you as an appetizer. When things are winding down you and I will escort Ms. Smith to our car. If she creates a scene, keep your head down and keep walking."

The event was a typical campaign party. Music, rich people mingling around being annoying, alcohol, handshakes, promises, and backroom deals.

Guests were beginning to meander onto the dance floor when Ana finally relaxed for a minute and walked over to the bar to order a drink. She stood at a table in the corner and took a sip of her drink.

Mario watched from the bar as Gray walked up to the table. TJ paused, "Good evening, Dragonfly."

All of the color drained from Ana's face before she recovered, "Pardon me? I have no idea what you are talking about."

TJ smiled, his eyes never leaving hers. "Stop, we know who you are Ana, we know about Mr. Li, we know about Nazir. We know just about everything."

Ana pulled back, "You need to leave."

TJ smirked, "Correction, we need to leave, together."

She tilted her head, a glint of defiance in her eyes. "And what do you plan to do? Arrest me right here?"

"That's up to you. We can go someplace more private and have a little chat, or we do it your way, and I arrest you right here in front of all the television cameras. We can announce to everyone here that you are a spy, your boss is a fool, and that you two are sleeping together." Gray paused for effect, "Yes, I know that too. It's your call how you want to move forward."

Ana took another sip of her drink, "Why, so you can fuck me too, like you did Fatima? Or Fox? You see, I know things too, Mr. James." TJ was caught off guard, "Yes, I know your true name, your true identity. To the world you are Ghost or Mr. Gray. Deep down though, you are just another pervert, Thomas Patrick James. By the way, how is First Sergeant Taggert?"

Just as the last word escaped her mouth, she realized she had fucked up. In another split second, she saw that he had realized it as well. A stony expression passed over his face, his eyes turned ice cold and she felt her heart drop to her stomach. They sat frozen for a second, their eyes locking, and then Ana attempted to get up from the chair.

Gray moved faster and grabbed her wrist, squeezing it hard. "If you do anything stupid, I will blow your fucking brains out, right here on this table."

Ana gasped, feeling the strength of his fingers digging into her skin. She was trapped, and for the first time since the beginning of her meeting, she was terrified. "Gray," she said, calling him by the name the world knew him by. "I'm-I'm a pawn in all this."

Gray said nothing, his face steely and hard. His eyes bore into her. Finally he spoke, "Funny, Ahmed and Fatima said the same damn thing."

"Please," she begged again.

"You're coming with me," he said. "Now."

She wanted to resist, but she knew that it would result in death. They got up; his hand still gripped around her wrist. Gray nodded to the bartender and motioned to Mario. The rest of the people in the mansion barely raised their heads from their own drinks and conversations as she retrieved her coat and they walked out of the door.

Gray walked briskly down the steps, leading Ana by using pressure on her wrist. After the comment about Angela he would enjoy snapping her wrist if she resisted. She whispered out pleadings for mercy, but he said nothing as they continued down the cobblestones towards the waiting car. She tried to keep her wits about her, mentally formulating a potential escape plan.

Once in the car Mario spoke, "Where too, boss?"

Gray gave him directions to the barn where he had taken the FBI agent almost a year ago. "Ron, it's Gray. Listen, I'm going to be in your barn tonight. Yeah, work related. Is the basement still secure?"

Mario and Ana heard the muffled voice through the phone but couldn't understand what was said until Gray paused, "Thanks my friend, Once this is over I'm heading home for a few days, why don't you come along, I have an in for a box at Ford Field for the Lions. By the way, is the code still the same and is the box in the basement?"

Mario was shocked. He had never seen anything like it. A spy was sitting in the back of a car with a US Intelligence officer and the officer was talking to an old friend about a barn for interrogation and tickets to a Lions game.

They arrived at the barn, Gray said nothing as he pushed open the doors and pushed Ana through. He still didn't let her go, taking her through the barn to the small office in the back. In the back of that office was a steel door with a keycode, Gray punched in the code and opened the door revealing a set of stairs.

As Ana walked down the stairs, she got increasingly more nervous and worried. At the bottom of the stairs, Gray flicked on the lights, and Ana's eyes strained to adjust to the dimly illuminated room.

It seemed to be used as a storage room or something similar. There were a few stacks of wooden boxes and crates alongside the stone walls and various contraptions hanging from hooks. There was a small sofa shoved in one corner with a box underneath it. At the center of the room, there were two identical chairs. A chill ran through Ana's body. She knew what he was about to do.

"Gray," she started again, tears welling up in her eyes. "Please...please, don't do this. I'll talk."

"Shut up and stand over there," was his response. He finally let go of her wrist and shoved her towards the chair. She stood in front of it, and he quickly reached into his coat and produced his H&K P9000K and pointed it at her chest. "Drop your purse, take off your coat and let it fall to the ground."

Ana looked at him, catching his gaze, and she gingerly followed his direction. She shed her heavy trench coat, letting it fall down to the floor in a crumple around her feet. As it hit the ground, there was a small, hollow thump against the stone. Gray's eyes narrowed as he looked at Mario. "Go through the pockets and her purse. If anything looks like a listening device, destroy it."

"How could you do this Ana? A spy against your own people." he said, turning the glove over in his hand. He looked at her, his face contorted in anger. "You are a true piece of shit."

Ana shook her head, trying to save herself. "I was just a pawn. This was my job."

"A pawn?" he repeated with a smirk, "You're a spy. A deep plant, You knew what you were doing. You were doing exactly what you trained for. What is your name?"

Ana stood still, as she refused to answer.

TJ walked up close to her, "It's over Dragonfly, what is your fucking name?"

Ana," she stammered. "Anastasia Smith."

As soon as she said that, he stepped forward angrily and suddenly put up his hand to curl it around her neck, pressing his fingers and thumb into it. She gasped, putting up both her hands around it, trying to claw it off, but he was much stronger than she.

"Tell me what your name is," he said again, through clenched teeth. "Now."

"It's-it's Natalia," she choked out. He let go of her throat, leaving her coughing.

"Natalia," he repeated, "You're Russian." He said it with disgust, but as Ana watched his face, she saw the rage in his eyes. He stepped back, still holding up the pistol aimed at her chest. "Who are you working for?"

Ana paused again, her eyes shifting. "Guoanbu."

Gray shook his head in fury. "The Chinese?" he asked. "How does a Russian work for the MSS?"

Ana clammed up. She couldn't tell him anything. She couldn't compromise the rest of the investigation. If she was to die, so be it, but she couldn't put everyone else involved in danger. "I'm just following orders. I am a pawn, just like you."

"I'll give you a new set of orders to follow. Take your dress off."

She looked up at him, confused, but he pressed the barrel of the pistol against her cheek. A small tear dropped down from her eye, something that was entirely against all of the training she had done. She looked for the younger man, but he had gone upstairs and had not returned. She had fucked for information, for access, for power. She had been trained to fuck, and at the right moment to snap her lover's neck. That was her plan. Snap Gray's neck, take his gun, sneak up the stairs, shoot the kids, and drive back to DC.