Report #3270, Transcript Section #40
(Operation SANDMAN)
©1998-1999 Shane Ivey

KEEPER: Okay. Let's catch up with the scene last time...

KEEPER: The team had gathered at the safe house, while FBI agents kept watch outside.

KEEPER: Lundquist said he was waiting for The Group to call in a favor with a compliant federal jor official udge who could order the FBI off for you to transport your "confidential informant" to safety.

KEEPER: Danforth and Keen packed the electronics, while Kelley packed the hardware, and you secured the unfortunate FBI agent in a biohazard suit.

KEEPER: And you're waiting.

CABOT: So, as of yet, we don't have the green light to move out, correct?

ROGERS: "Nope we're here till Mr.L gets back as far as I can see unless the FBI shadows have gone?"

CABOT: "Have your superiors given you an alternate safe house location yet?"

KEEPER: (Rogers: FBI shadows are still there. No word on the safehouse.)

LUNDQUIST: Do I need to go down and meet with this judge and Deveraux? Or is that done in my absence?

KEEPER: Top Men have been assigned to handle the judge.

LUNDQUIST: So what about a new safehouse then? Did Meredith get back to me on that?

CABOT: "Lundquist, how confident are you in their ability to give us window to relocate?"

KEEPER: No word yet on the safehouse.

LUNDQUIST: And can we pass our infected FBI guy on up the food chain for the Top Men to cure & return to duty?

LUNDQUIST: "I'm pretty optimistic... The window might be pretty small, though. We need to be able to move in a hurry if it comes up."

LUNDQUIST: "Also, I trust Devereaux about as fas as I can throw him. I fully expect he'll try to have some of his people follow us even if a judge orders him not to. So when we do move, we need to be even more paranoid that usual."

CABOT: "Yeah, but I smell an opportunity if we can capitalize on it. Theoretically, anyone we find dogging us after 'window' is opened is working outside normal channels."

ROGERS: "What about diversionary tactics if we are followed?"

LUNDQUIST: "Exactly. So if we have one team take our 'friends' to the new house, while the other team traps any stooges following us, then we've got an advantage."

LUNDQUIST: "If such stooges turn out to be Deveraux's people, then we use that as leverage against him to get him to back off."

ROGERS: "Just what I was thinking a big obvious van for one team and a nice quiet move in a plin car for the vital gear."

LUNDQUIST: "And if they're working for someone else then we can question them for more information."

KEEPER: Kelley adds, "Yeah, but we can't confuse FBI agents who are hot on our trail with the guys that we've been shooting it out with all week."

LUNDQUIST: "Right."

CABOT: "Devereaux's either a big league company man or a small player for bigger fish. He won't authorize a violation of DoJ orders if he's the former and if he's the latter, well, I guess that's stating the obvious."

LUNDQUIST: "I say we force a confrontation and let them make the first move. If they're FBI then we'll just get into a shouting match with them. If not, then we put our faith in the OICW."

ROGERS: "Which get here when exactly?"

LUNDQUIST: "Deveraux might also just be a tenacious cop who doesn't like to lose, even if he has to bend things a bit."

LUNDQUIST: "Especially if he thinks we're dirty for some reason."

CABOT: "Easy Brian, we're on thin ice here as it is. Direct action at this point has us tits up. I've got to make a run to my supply cache for some equipment, I can pick up the OICWs when I do."

LUNDQUIST: "All I'm saying is that IF we catch Deveraux working outside of the rules, then it gives us leverage to turn back against him."

CABOT: "Regardless of who's signing Devereaux's checks, he's not the sharpest tactician I've ever met. We should be able to outsmart him if we behave rationally."

ROGERS: Rogers whispers to Lundquist "We also have to arrange to make a dead drop to get my samples to the appropriate people"

LUNDQUIST: "Right... I expect Meredith to let us know about that."

ROGERS: "Ok I'll get my end of it set up."

CABOT: "Let's do a quick once-over of our liabilities here to ensure we don't miss something."

CABOT: "First: we've got he extremely hot fed in the bubble basket. What's his disposition? We took an awful risk just to secure him, I don't want him to die or be lost before he provides us with any intel."

ROGERS: "He may have given us all the intell we are going to get, he may be more usefull now to us as a way of getting into peoples good book by 'recovering' him"

LUNDQUIST: "Yeah, but that might also look fishy as hell. Plus, before anybody 'recovers' him, we need to get that shit out of him."

ROGERS: "I didn't say we had to recover him alive."

CABOT: "Yeah, that's a good potential angle. But he's an awfully big piece of luggage to carry around and he requires someone to constantly baby-sit. He needs to be gone over by personnel better qualified than us. Kelley, what about those friends you alluded to when we first got the guy?"

LUNDQUIST: "For crying out loud, Rogers..."

ROGERS: "Well if this thing in him kills him and I don't know it won't dead men tell no tales."

LUNDQUIST: "Let's just explore other options before we make any decisions, okay? He's a federal agent, remember. We're supposed to be on the same side."

KEEPER: Kelley shrugs. "I thought the plan was to have our people pick the man up all along."

ROGERS: "I'm just assuming worst case here L"

LUNDQUIST: "Right... So if Meredith would get off her ass... I'm still waiting for those Bradleys, too. Wish Osborne were still around, she's not half the CO he was."

ROGERS: "Yeah we still don't have the air support we requested either to track the helicopter down."

ROGERS: "Or anyone to drive it."

LUNDQUIST: "And she won't retask NRO Keyhole satellites for me either."

CABOT: "Look, we run a high likelihood of running into that stuff that's in him in the future. All I'm saying is, if you have people that can take this guy, examine what's inside him, and potentially provide us with information and defensive measures against it, move on it. That intel's no good until it's capitalized on."

LUNDQUIST: "I agree entirely. But we have neither the facilites nor the skills to do that here, especially with the G-men parked out front."

CABOT: "Jesus Christ, you asked for light armor?"

LUNDQUIST: "(Well, I didn't expect to get it...)"

CABOT: "That's my point! If we're expected a window to relocate here, this may be our best opportunity to transfer the guy out of our hands."

ROGERS: "Just one more thought has Danforth done a sweep of this place for bugs recently, or checked the phone lines?"

LUNDQUIST: "Concur entirely. I want to chase down the missing leads, not babysit this poor sod."

KEEPER: Danforth says, "I swept it all a few minutes ago."

CABOT: "Okay, so Objective #1 when the window opens is to see that the infected fed is jettisoned to proper elements. Now, what's it gonna take to arrange and support this objective?"

LUNDQUIST: "Well, secure transport, for one thing. I assume our betters will provide a vehicle, but we ought to have him ready to load."

ROGERS: whispered to MARK "Can we change the arrangement s for the samples and get him passed off as well?"

LUNDQUIST: "And we should be ready to drive him somewhere ourselves if that turns out to be necessary."

LUNDQUIST: "Yeah, good thinking Rogers..."

CABOT: "Okay, so one of our vehicles is out of the loop for equipment transport of this guy to the transfer point. Probably one of the Rovers. That could create logistical problems. Plus, our use of Rovers is becoming somewhat of a trademark."

CABOT: "It might be wiser to use an alternate vehicle capable of carrying the load."

ROGERS: "No problem I'l arrange some transport a nice van HERTZ will still rent to us right."

CABOT: "Good, that's a good plan. Who will coordinate for the recipients of this guy and the drop point?"

ROGERS: "Well given our record with rental you'd better go and rent the van Cabot."

KEEPER: Kelley says, "Use two men to drop him off. Then regroup when they know they're secure."

ROGERS: "And make sure they have those portable flamethrowers."

CABOT: "Yeah, I could swing that when I go to the cache. But we also need to make provisions for the initial plan going to shit and provide security measures."

ROGERS: "Just get a couple of ponds of C4 and strap it to the guy any probs duck and cover as the turtle once said."

CABOT: "The fed needs to be bugged, and the crew accompanying him wired for direct communications with a tactical support element in case the shit hits the fan."

CABOT: "Rather than lay all our cards on the table as we have in the past, I move we proceed from here on out with a little more tactical finesse."

KEEPER: "We don't have the manpower for support elements if we split up. If we send two men for the drop off and two for support, that's all but the two that go straight to the safe house."

CABOT: "The explosives are a good last resort in the event both the primary and secondary measures to ensure the transfer occurs fails."

ROGERS: "What about two three man teams then?"

KEEPER: "One man for the drop-off, two for surveillance and support?"

CABOT: "Yeah, one man with the fed in the van, one man for security, one coordinating commo support. The make-up of our little team here provides for that."

KEEPER: "Do we have the vehicles for that?"

ROGERS: "We should do."

CABOT: "The logistics of transportation can be finalized once we settle on a course of action."

KEEPER: Kelley nods.

ROGERS: "Before we head off with this plan how are we going to neuter the surveilance of the FBI counter the actions of our enemies and what next lets think about the next objective as well here."

CABOT: "Our team here currently boasts two tactical operators, Kelley and myself, two legitimate fed entities, Lund and Rogers, and two "technical support" personnel, Keen and Danforth. Then there's the PI."

CABOT: "Yeah, Rogers. You're right. Hold that plan for now until will see if it needs tweaking to fit in with outher objectives."

CABOT: "The Second Objective is Mahmoud back there. What's his future hold?"

LUNDQUIST: "Are we done with him?"

ROGERS: "Is it worth interrogating him some more while we have the facilities? Is it tactically worth bringing him on the eventual raid on that farm?"

CABOT: I look at Kelley for concurrence, "There's always the possibility he's still holding out on something. But we have established, shall we say, 'a level of trust and understanding.'"

ROGERS: "Good and is that level sufficient that you run a raid based on his info Kelly?"

KEEPER: Kelley shakes his head. "On the raid? Hell no. If we think he's got something more to offer, then he's a resource. But only if he's strapped down."

KEEPER: "His info may be bullshit. He may not have a clue what's really at that farm. If we run a raid, we'll want on-site reconnaisance regardless."

CABOT: "Yeah, but his is probably our greatest liability right now because of the simple fact Devereaux knows we have him."

ROGERS: "Want to just drop him off at the farm micked up and see what happens to him?"

CABOT: "Kelley's right. Milk him for info, but confirm everything his says with independant intelligence."

KEEPER: "Not before we get some other surveillance of the farm, Rogers."

ROGERS: "Well no but would be interesting to see what reception he gets."

KEEPER: "I don't know. Right now, his people only know he's missing. If he shows up, he'll tell them to bug out."

CABOT: "No, I think we need to hold onto him a little while longer, but maybe not in our physical presence. What are the prospects for pawning him off on someone else to sit on for awhile, in the event we need to talk to him again?"

ROGERS: "I think I can arrange that."

ROGERS: whispered to MARK "We can just include him with the FBI guy to the other agents and get him back the same way if wee need him."

CABOT: "That's alleviates us having to detail men to secure him and should throw Deveraux off for a while."

LUNDQUIST: "We could always have the PI sit on him in a cheap motel somewhere."

KEEPER: Kelley smiles. "I like that plan. But it will remove Knight as a tactical resource."

CABOT: "No, I don't like that. We still aren't sure how the hell they even know we nabbed the guy. Putting the PI on him alone is asking for trouble."

LUNDQUIST: "They saw us take him out of the building. We dragged his protesting self right past their surveilance car."

ROGERS: "We can combine the problems hand both the FBI guy to our techs and him for safe keeping."

CABOT: "We don't need Knight winding up with his throat cut and a lost asset."

KEEPER: "All this is assuming we can get out and get settled again unobserved."

CABOT: "Why the fuck didn't you inform me of that when you drove him to THE SAFEHOUSE?!"

ROGERS: "A lot less risk moving one van than several Kelly?"

ROGERS: "Because it was not an option then it neeeds arranging."

LUNDQUIST: "We didn't KNOW they were watching. We missed them. Ask Kelley about it."

CABOT: "Then how do you know that's how they know about him?"

LUNDQUIST: "It jives with the other facts. But you're right, we might be making an invalid assumption there."

KEEPER: Kelley nods. "All we have on that is what Sanderson out there had to say."

CABOT: "I don't buy it, intel on us is seeping in from some other channel here."

CABOT: "It goes without saying that OPSEC needs to be first and foremost on our minds here."

LUNDQUIST: "Concur."

KEEPER: "They may have other sources, or maybe not. That's conjecture. We can't plan for it unless we have something else to go on."

ROGERS: "Time to cut out all the evidence and deep 6 it for a while."

CABOT: "Okay, so we could combine the drop of the fed with a transfer of our. . .guest. That loosens up some of the manpower constraints we were concerned about."

ROGERS: "The other team can run interferance for the team that moves the two guests."

CABOT: "Again, that depends on the time span of our window of opportunity."

KEEPER: "But that's good to start with. What else is up?"

CABOT: "This place, how long and how much is going to be necessary to move all this shit out of here?"

ROGERS: "We need to decide our next move we need intel on that farm blueprints maps etc, and we need to decide what to do go there first or do some more digging around the edges maube the Third Court Warriors at last?"

CABOT: "Agreed, but those contingencies can be handled once we're safely relocated to a new safe house."

KEEPER: "We need to clean everything out of here. The electronics and hardware is going to take up most of the space in one of the Rovers."

CABOT: "Remember that we'll need to have some equipment on-line to support the transfer, should we execute those options."

KEEPER: "That means establishing the new safe house before the drop-off."

KEEPER: "I think team one needs to establish the safe house. That means Danforth. Team two should be ready with the remote comm gear. That's Keen."

CABOT: "The Agency's got "cleaners" that can make this place shine once we're out. Of course, there is the old "Jewish lightning" option, but that would attract undue attention."

KEEPER: "Yeah. Let's just get the gear out. Wang and her people can make sure there's no evidence to find."

ROGERS: "Better let them find some evidence don't want it being too clean thats suspicious in and of itself."

KEEPER: "Anyway: Danforth and team one can support the other team once the safe house is established."

CABOT: "Yeah, that's true. But team one needs to observe the same tactical pattern as the other team. We can put Knight on Team One to accomodate the movement of equipment."

ROGERS: "So priority one is the new safehouse, then moving our guests to other facilities then moving our stuff to the new location. and cleaning house right?"

KEEPER: "Right. But Mahmoud and the fed go nowhere near the new safehouse."

CABOT: "Sounds like a good basic plan. But before we execute it, let's plan for contingencies a moment."

LUNDQUIST: "Except I'd like to clear out of here in one big move, if we can. I don't want to be running back and forth."

LUNDQUIST: "Or did we decide we don't have the manpower for that?"

KEEPER: "No. Once we get out, this place is dirty. No coming back to it."

KEEPER: "Hell, it's dirty right this minute. We're just hoping to buy time to get out of it."

CABOT: "Roger that. The two major objectives probably need to be carried out simultaneously."

KEEPER: "We get out. Team one establishes the safe house. Team two sits tight. Then team two makes the transfer while team one provides support."

CABOT: "Objective One's covered: make the transfer without hitch, failing that, direct action to protect the transfer, failing that blow the van and it's occupants (not the driver, BTW)"

CABOT: "I guess that makes Objective One Objective Two now. :)"

KEEPER: "Something like that."

KEEPER: "If that all goes well, we hook up again at the new house. What then?"

LUNDQUIST: "Again... Why don't we all get out at once? We don't need the safehouse before leaving here. One big team leaves all at once. We transfer the two prisoners to whoever."

CABOT: "What's the contingency for the establishment of the new safe house? At what point does it become tactically unsound to hang on to our equipment as opposed to destroying it and going to the mattress'?"

LUNDQUIST: "If someone interferes with us, the support team deals with them and the transport team bugs out. We link up later."

LUNDQUIST: "If all goes well, we just drop the prisoners off and all go to the safehouse together."

LUNDQUIST: "In either case we're constantly checking for roving tails."

KEEPER: "We won't have decent communications support if we don't get Danforth set up in the new place first."

CABOT: "Connor, Keen, is there anything in your inventory of equipment that might raise flags if Devereaux's people found it?"

LUNDQUIST: "But balanced against that is that once the FBI surveilance is gone it could reappear at any time. Maybe the AG decides that things are fishy, and that our judge's word isn't good enough. So they G-men return. I say if we get a window, we all go through it quickly."

KEEPER: Danforth looks surprised. "Well, they'd know we were doing some major surveillance, right? A lot of this shit is DOD-specific. It doesn't show up in Justice missions except supporting DEA overseas or something."

LUNDQUIST: "Well, we can say that that's just what we're doing... Supporting secret DEA undercover ops in the Carribean. If we erase all the tapes there's no evidence we were actually using that stuff here."

LUNDQUIST: "This is all assuming the worst, of course, and the gear gets into the wrong hands. Which we'll just strive to prevent."

KEEPER: Kelley: "We should get out of here simultaneously. Then team two needs to park somewhere and hold tight while team one establishes the safe house and communications."

KEEPER: "Then, Team One can support while Team Two makes the drop-off."

CABOT: "Now that's an option we hadn't considered. . ."

CABOT: Keeper: Is Knight here with us?

KEEPER: "I don't want Mahmoud or our infested friend in there going to the new safehouse."

KEEPER: (Yes, but he's in another room.)

ROGERS: (we had sorted that both bodies would go to the drop with the samples if we could arrange it)

KEEPER: "Right."

CABOT: "We should coordinate with Knight and come up with some dead drops in the event any of these plans go south. We can also get his input on some good locations for equipment caches, rendezvous locations, and a drop off locale that affords us good tactical leverage."

KEEPER: "Right. He and Rogers are our best local resources."

ROGERS: "Ok so I set up good safe ares for the group."

CABOT: "So we're agreed: The plan is to initiate both Phases jointly, with the emphasis on relocation placing the transfer portion in a holding pattern."

LUNDQUIST: "Yes."

CABOT: "How soon till we obtain our window of opportunity?"

ROGERS: "Yes but myself and Mr. L have to arrange a pickup for the two guests we have."

LUNDQUIST: "And unfortunately, we're dependent on others for both our window and the dropoff of the guests. So we have to wait."

ROGERS: "What can we achieve while we wait though apart from housekeeping worth interrogating the guy on the farm anymore?"

KEEPER: "So. What's next? After we get situated?"

LUNDQUIST: "Well, we've got a whole slew of options there."

LUNDQUIST: "We can hit that farm, or grab a Warrior for questioning."

ROGERS: "Lets go for the Warrior option."

ROGERS: "The farm will be there and if we get a high ranking Warrior we may be able to backtrack to the farm."

KEEPER: "We need to set up something on the farm. Remote surveillance, at the least. We can assume that other elements will move to clean it out once Mahmoud fails to call in."

ROGERS: "OK that would seem to be a priority."

LUNDQUIST: "Yeah, the farm is definitely something with an expiration date."

KEEPER: "Do we ask MEREDITH for some troops?"

ROGERS: "But that would need a team of experts to set the surveilance up know anyone Kelly?"

CABOT: "Let's divide the responsibilities. Lundquist, we need to know the location of the new safe house, ASAP. Once that's determined, Rogers and Knight select a preferred route that includes a dead drop in the event that the movers are tailed so that they can be dealt with. Meanwhile, Connor and Keen start packing. I'll go to my storage cache and get the OICWs and some other surprises."

LUNDQUIST: "If she's agreeable. I don't think that overtly borrowing the HRT is an option, given the amount of exposure we have already. And I'm not sure we're up to hitting it by ourselves."

KEEPER: Kelley says, "Let's look at our options on the house. We already know what gear we'll need to get out there to start surveillance. Once we have a window to move out, Keen or I can head out there with the gear, while Danforth goes to the new house and gets it online."

CABOT: "I think you're counting your chickens before they hatch guys. The farm can wait until we're safe and sound and capable of reassessing our situation at the new safe house, free and clear of the fed and the raghead."

KEEPER: "That's if we can spare a man from the drop-off."

KEEPER: He nods. "Or, yeah, we can do it after we're secure from the transfer and the safe house."

LUNDQUIST: "Okay, Cabot, agreed. I'll call Meredith and see what's keeping her." (Actually, I'll probably send an email... Whatever procedure calls for).

ROGERS: "So basically we are information limited>"

KEEPER: Kelley holds up a hand. "One second, guys, before we break this up."

ROGERS: "Yes Kelly?"

LUNDQUIST: "Yeah?"

KEEPER: "Let's take a step back, here. Look at our intelligence as it stands. Before we get in deep with another objective, we need to go over what we already have. I feel like we're still just reacting and hip-shooting."

LUNDQUIST: "Well, no shit, but until we get established in a new safe house we're not going to be able to do anything. That's our priority, right?"

ROGERS: "Ok."

KEEPER: "Yeah, but we have a minute to cool our heels here, right?"

LUNDQUIST: "That's what we've been doing, yeah."

CABOT: "Not exactly, there's alot of prep work that needs to be done before one of your cell phones rings and tells us the clock is ticking, Kelley."

KEEPER: Kelley sighs. "Understood. All right. We can go over it later."

LUNDQUIST: "What? Let's go over it now."

ROGERS: "Once we've set everything up we can then plan strategically."

CABOT: "Does the division of labor as stated seem sound?"

LUNDQUIST: "I like the division of labor."

CABOT: "What is there to go over? The Third Court Wazoos and this farm in bumfuck-Egypt may be relevant to this whole operation, but they aren't going to see to it that you get your happy asses safely relocated and unburdened of unneccessary luggage."

CABOT: "Let me remind you that we came inches from having the whole operation explode in our faces by some third-rate FBI hack."

ROGERS: "Yes which is why we need to get sorted out."

LUNDQUIST: "Well, I agree, but Kelley seems to have something else on his mind... Got anything to add, Kelley?"

KEEPER: "Just what I said. We need a course of action to work from. But we can talk strategy when we get the transfer taken care of, no problem."

LUNDQUIST: "That's what I was thinking. Having the FBI camped out front is really affecting my concentration. I want to be out from under them ASAP."

KEEPER: "All right. Let's get ready to move, then. Whatever else we need to do before we get the word."

CABOT: "If you feel the need to incorporate future ops involving the farm into this move, just make a basic op order for equipment you think you'll need and deposit it at one of the caches we develop."

CABOT: "That way there won't be a slime trail from the new safe house to the farm. We just pick up the equipment at the cache and move out when the time comes."

ROGERS: "Mr. L you need to speak to the relevent people so that they can put th wheels in Motion."

KEEPER: "Good. Danforth, Keen, you set aside the surveillance gear we'll need to set up on-site. I'll put a weapons kit together."

LUNDQUIST: "And I will try to expedite getting our move underway by lining up a place to go to."

CABOT: "First off, I need to get out of here and get on the road to the storage unit. I think I might have something there that will dramatically change the dynamics of our ability to deal with unwanted persons taking an interest in our activities, legit or otherwise."

KEEPER: Kelley, Danforth and Keen get to work.

ROGERS: "I'll prepare some sedatives to make our guests more cooperative for the move when it comes."

CABOT: "I'll get the rental while I'm out. But we need to arrange for my departure without the knowledge of our peeping Tom's out there."

Lundquist whispers to Keeper: Hey, Kelley's behavior seems a bit odd to me. I want to try to feel him out, does he seem different or anything? Psych roll.

Keeper whispers to Lundquist: He seems a little frazzled. It's probably fatigue--you're about on your last legs, yourself--but he also seems a little preoccupied.

ROGERS: "Any back ways out of this place for just such an eventuality?"

KEEPER: There's only the one driveway.

KEEPER: You could hop fences and hoof it out unseen, if they only had vehicular surveillance on the place.

LUNDQUIST: "And if we weren't burdened down with prisoners and black ops gear and stuff."

CABOT: "No, I can go on foot and make my own arrangements to get where I need to go once I'm clear. I just need a basic diversion. Once I'm free and clear, I'll collect the equipment and get the truck, then await your call telling me the window is open. I'd like to take at least one person with me for security, though."

KEEPER: Meanwhile, Kelley and Danforth and Keen keep putting gear together.

ROGERS: "I don't want to seem overly paranoid, here but when we got the FBI agent in here who was exposed to him?"

LUNDQUIST: "We're all overly paranoid, Rogers... Don't sweat it."

CABOT: "You want to run another "sizzle test" on everyone?

ROGERS: "Well maybe once we move them."

ROGERS: "Maybe a before and after test?"

CABOT: "Take about ten minutes to do."

CABOT: "But if we're gonna do it, lets get the show on the road."

KEEPER: Lundquist, what are you up to?

ROGERS: "Lets do it now get everyone together."

LUNDQUIST: "Well, it can't hurt. We're not doing anything else right now, and making doubly sure we're all clean would clear away any lingering doubts about that leak Cabot suspects."

ROGERS: "Just what I was thinking."

Lundquist whispers to Keeper: I'm leaning against the wall, keeping an eye on everyone, especially Kelley.

Lundquist whispers to Keeper: I'm trying to be subtle about it but I don't know if I can pull that off in my present state or not.

KEEPER: Like Cabot said, it doesn't take long to draw blood samples and cook them. Everyone cooperates, and everyone comes up clean.

CABOT: Cabot retrieves one of those high-speed, low-drag mini-flame-throwers (HSLDMFTs) and some specimen trays and syringes from the back of the house.

LUNDQUIST: Okay, everyone's clean then. Whew.

ROGERS: "Thank god for that."

KEEPER: Cabot, are you trying to sneak out?

LUNDQUIST: Well, is there any word from Meredith? Is the bureau car still out front?

CABOT: "Who's going with me? Rogers and Knight have to stay here to determine our most advantageous use of the city."

KEEPER: The car is still out front. No word yet from On High.

LUNDQUIST: "Want to take Danforth? Or want me or Kelley to go?"

LUNDQUIST: I'll crack a window and listen. Any aircraft droning overhead?

CABOT: "If nothing interferes, we should be back as soon as the window opens to load and go with the two packages."

ROGERS: "Would they have taps on the ohone lines yet?"

KEEPER: No aircraft droning.

CABOT: "Man, Lundquist, maybe you ought to think about retiring."

ROGERS: "If they do what about some misdirection."

LUNDQUIST: "Well, I could make some coffee and run it out to them. That ought to distract them for a few valuable moments at least."

CABOT: "Connor, Keen, you'd know if we're being tapped, wouldn't you?"

KEEPER: "Hell yeah."

ROGERS: "And are we?"

KEEPER: "You think I'm keeping secrets here? No, we're not being wiretapped."

ROGERS: "Ok then."

ROGERS: "What about going for a walk and spotting the surveilance there's no law aginst it."

CABOT: "Wire me and I'll bell the cat."

KEEPER: Kelley hauls two heavy-looking metal cases out of the back. "All right. This is the gear to infiltrate the farm."

ROGERS: "Well lets spot the surveilance teams and get the tag numbers."

CABOT: "Like I said, wire me. I'll make a run to the store and see what there is to see. Should take all of fifteen minutes."

ROGERS: "Ok Danforth wire the man up."

CABOT: "I'll take one of our electronics-wizards with me for his expertise."

KEEPER: Kelley looks around. "If we're doing a distraction, let them check the surveillance while Cabot takes off. We can send word when he's away and safe."

ROGERS: "Ok we'll get on with the houskeeping then till you get back."

KEEPER: Keen says, "I'll go. You need Connor to babysit the gear."

CABOT: "No, this isn't the move out yet. Just a test of the level of their scrutiny."

LUNDQUIST: "Right."

ROGERS: "If we spot the cars they'l change them and we can just repeat this every so often."

CABOT: "No distractions, I'm just going to go at plain as day and see what there is to see."

ROGERS: "Lull them into it being routine then move. when they are resetting the surveillance maybe."

CABOT: "Keen, you packing. If not, be so kind as to do so."

CABOT: That's "packing" as in heat, not boxes.

KEEPER: Keen says, "Yeah."

CABOT: I check my 9mm and chanmber a round, but safety it before placing it in its shoulder holster and pocket a spare clip.

CABOT: Then I conduct a commo test with Danforth.

KEEPER: The wire checks out.

KEEPER: Lundquist, your phone buzzes.

CABOT: "How secure are our communications going to be?"

LUNDQUIST: "Hello?"

KEEPER: Danforth says, "Signals are going to be secure. Just don't let anybody get you with a parabolic or a laser."

CABOT: "OK, then we use code words from here on out when communicating electronically."

KEEPER: Lundquist, you hear an electronically masked voice. "This is Meredith. The surveillance will lift shortly. Transfer to 213 Marilyn Street, Queens. Understood?"

LUNDQUIST: Keeper: Any way to authenticate this? Or is that assumed already?

KEEPER: Well, it's on your DG-only line. That's about it.

LUNDQUIST: Okay, cool (or something). "213 Marilyn in Queens, rog. Have a nice day."

CABOT: Cabot, assuming the subject of the call, swears, and shakes his head, "Fuck."

KEEPER: Meredith continues: "I have coordinates for the transfer of evidence."

LUNDQUIST: "Ready."

CABOT: (ALPHA, VELVEETA, DELTA, UNDERWEAR. . .)

KEEPER: "191st Street, Manhattan, at building 13. We will send an ambulance. EmergiCare Transport Services."

LUNDQUIST: "Understood. Anything else?"

KEEPER: "That's all. Send e-mail when you are ready to make the transfer."

CABOT: I mouth "How long is the window open?" to Lundquist.

LUNDQUIST: "Any idea how much time we will have?"

ROGERS: "I'll get the medication ready."

KEEPER: "We can't control that. The feds will be ordered off. How well they follow that order is up to them."

LUNDQUIST: "Okay, we'll proceed with that in mind."

KEEPER: "Good luck."

CABOT: There is a subtle, yet unmistakable whistle as Cabot's sphincter slams shut.

LUNDQUIST: "You too."

KEEPER: (click)

KEEPER: (That was the phone, by the way, not Cabot's orifice.)

CABOT: ROFL

LUNDQUIST: "Okay, guys, we're in business."

CABOT: "Knight! Rogers, you and Knight have got to brainstorm with routes and contingencies for both locations."

KEEPER: Kelley checks Danforth's last monitor, the one showing the bu-car outside. "Okay," he breathes, "now you can just get the fuck out of here..."

LUNDQUIST: "I still expect Devereaux to have a chopper or something try to shadow us..."

CABOT: Cabot writes the two locations down and places them in the pocket containing his Zippo.

KEEPER: Kelley says, "Not a chopper. If he does it, he'll want it to be secret. He'll be playing our game." He keeps watching the monitor.

KEEPER: Kelley says, "Here we go. They're starting the car. Sanderson's partner looks pissed."

CABOT: "I've got to get going, my shit's a ways from here. I'm going alone. Hey, Lund, would you be so kind as to go out there and rub this latest development in their noses while I bail?"

LUNDQUIST: "Uh, I'd rather not... I don't want to be so high-profile about it."

CABOT: (looking hurt) "Aw, don't think they can handle a little inter-service rivalry?"

KEEPER: Kelley says, "They're rolling. What... those assholes. They're coming up the driveway."

LUNDQUIST: "I think we've got all the inter-service rivalry *I* can handle right now is all."

LUNDQUIST: "Okay." I go to the front door, but don't open it yet.

KEEPER: "Sanderson's coming to the door. His partner's still in the car."

CABOT: "Lock and load gentlemen, Keen, Danforth, come with me." We move out of sight.

KEEPER: Keen and Danforth follow Cabot.

ROGERS: "I'll sort out the routes and stuff."

CABOT: (Maybe they CAN'T handle a little inter-service rivalry!)

LUNDQUIST: So who's at our door? Sanderson, or the other one?

KEEPER: Kelley says, "Sanderson's coming to the door. His partner's still in the car."

CABOT: I don't want us to be ID'd under our new appearances.

KEEPER: Kelley steps away from the monitor and watches Lundquist at the door.

LUNDQUIST: "Right. I'll handle him."

KEEPER: Lundquist, Sanderson knocks on the door.

LUNDQUIST: I open it a few inches and hold my foot against it so he can't open it further. "What are you doing here?"

KEEPER: Sanderson leans in. "We just wanted to let you boys know that we're moving out for a while, pursuant to a judicial order. I get a feeling that order's going to get somebody fired, but it won't be me. So, good luck with all the policing you guys are up to."

CABOT: (If he's canvassing for Jehovah's Witness', shoot him.)

KEEPER: "I mean, we're all on the side of God and truth in this, right?"

KEEPER: He smiles coldly.

CABOT: (ah, fuck it, shoot the prick anyway)

LUNDQUIST: "Yeah, well, this crap right here is in direct in violation of that judicial order. So I find it fucking ironic that you're standing there on my stoop talking about not getting fired."

KEEPER: Kelley, out of sight of the door, reaches into his coat to the holster at his lower back. He either snaps it or unsnaps it, you can't tell which.

LUNDQUIST: "You got no clue what's going on here, Sanderson. You're fucking with something that's going to get a lot of people killed you asshole."

LUNDQUIST: "So take your self-righteous routine somewhere else where it won't hurt anyone."

KEEPER: Sanderson nods. "Yeah, you said that. And you guys being on the game is what kept everything clean and neat at Breckenridge, right? But hey, I'm off the case!" He lifts a hand as if to pacify. "Far be it from me to interfere."

LUNDQUIST: "Fuck you, Sanderson! I damn near got killed at Breckenridge! As I recall, it was a building full of well-armed drug dealers who made the mess there! So don't try laying that shit on me!"

CABOT: "Hey Connor, will this bug I'm wearing work in that car out there?"

CABOT: "Hurry, Connor. My idea has an expiration date."

KEEPER: Sanderson leans closer. He speaks more quietly. "But you didn't get killed out there, did you, Lundquist? Just a bunch of FBI agents and cops and ATF boys bought it out there. Trying to help your little act, here."

KEEPER: Connor nods. "Yeah, long as it's within range. But if it drives off it will get out of range pretty soon."

CABOT: "You got something better you can get to quickly?"

KEEPER: "Not quickly."

CABOT: "How long is not quickly?"

KEEPER: "Five minutes."

CABOT: "Get on it!"

KEEPER: He starts digging into his cases of gear.

LUNDQUIST: "You've about done it, Sanderson. You blow our security all to hell with this keystone kops crap. Now you've pissed me off. Don't think this isn't going to come back on you. Let me ask you something."

KEEPER: Sanderson lifts an eyebrow, listening.

LUNDQUIST: "Why the fuck do you think Breckenridge was my idea? I mean, Christ, I saw a three year investigation go down the tubes in that little incident. And I lost some of my people too."

KEEPER: After a second, Sanderson's face goes poker-blank. He steps back. "Me? I don't think anything, Lundquist. Not a thing. You did it all right out there? That's good to hear. Keep up the good work." He looks away a second and shakes his head. "You want to get your guy away? You got it. Best of luck to you."

KEEPER: He steps back and turns to head to his car.

LUNDQUIST: "You fibbies all seem obsessed with the idea that we orchestrated that whole thing for our own amusement or something. And you know, I'm fucking curious. Why is that? Huh? Enlighten me."

KEEPER: He turns, looks back as he walks. "You tell me, Lundquist. You're the mastermind criminal investigator, keeping the world safe from us Bureau types, right?" He keeps walking

LUNDQUIST: "Go home, Sanderson. Go home and grow up."

LUNDQUIST: (Well, I guess we got some inter-service rivalry in after all...) :_)

KEEPER: He waves and gets in his car. They pull out and drive off.

LUNDQUIST: "That piece of shit, I'm taking his fucking badge."

CABOT: "You're not setting any land-speed records here, Connor."

KEEPER: Danforth says, "I said five minutes."

CABOT: "No need to hurry, sounds like they're leaving."

LUNDQUIST: I lock the door and go back into the other room, seething with anger. "Well, our cousins are gone. We ready to go?"

KEEPER: Kelley nods. "Let's move."