Special Talents (20 page)

"They're deciding that right now. I briefed them fully this morning. Dr. Sloan felt they should have some time to think it over before making a decision. I agreed with him."

"Dr. Sloan?"

"Madam Secretary, these people aren't soldiers. They aren't even regular agents. Aside from Kamalene – Ms. Alania – none of them have anything to do with any law enforcement agency. They're ordinary, everyday citizens who have been asked to take on quite possibly one of the heaviest burdens today. And they know how dangerous it could be. I felt it necessary that they take whatever time they needed to make an intelligent, informed decision."

"They're supposed to have their answers in the morning," Scarborough interjected.

"Well," said Napolitano, looking over at Porter, "I must say I'm impressed. I never expected these results so quickly. I thought it might be months before you found suitable candidates for the team."

"Well, Madam Secretary, you did hire me to find them. And Assistant Director Scarborough was very convincing during the briefing. I can't really speak for any of them but I think most, if not all, will agree to join. Like many Americans, they want to do something because of what happened on 9-11. This will give them the opportunity to do something quite significant."

"Very good," said Napolitano. "The ones who accept will start their training on Monday. We've set up what you might call a 'crash course' in protocols and procedures used here at Homeland Security, applicable laws, and a few other things we believe they'll need to carry out their missions. It will be very intensive but they should be able to handle it."

"I'm sure they will," said Scarborough.

"In the mean time, Assistant Director, I want you to prepare a detailed report on the individuals and their abilities. We need to know what they can do, what their weaknesses and vulnerabilities are, what their limitations are, that sort of thing."

"I'm not sure that's a good idea, Madam Secretary," said Jeremy.

"What Dr. Sloan means," interjected Scarborough, "is that we don't know yet exactly what the extent of their abilities are. He assures me that it could be weeks or even months before we're familiar with the aspects you've asked for."

"Is that true, doctor?" Napolitano asked.

"Well," began Jeremy glancing unsteadily at Scarborough, "as I'm sure you're aware, each child will grow at their own rate. Many of these people are still children with regard to their abilities. As such they're still learning about them and how they work. Most of them haven't even realized the potential of their abilities. They really have no idea what they're capable of doing with them."

"I see," said Napolitano.

Jeremy recognized her tone. It meant she was suspicious. And he couldn't blame her. Richard had put him in a position to either back him up, or show that he was lying. Jeremy wasn't sure why Richard would put him in that kind of situation but he knew he must have a reason.

"General Porter, would you excuse us, please?"

"Certainly, Madam Secretary," replied Porter, a note of confusion in his voice.

General Porter left the office and Napolitano sat looking at Richard and Jeremy for a moment.

"Gentleman, do you know what I did before I became Secretary of Homeland Security?"

"If I remember correctly," said Jeremy, "you were the Governor of Arizona."

"That's correct. In fact, I was the third woman to hold that office then the first one to win re-election for it. Before that I served as Attorney General of Arizona from 1999 to 2002. I was the first woman to serve in that office. I was also appointed as United States Attorney for the District of Arizona by President Clinton. As you can see, I'm a very experienced politician.

"I grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico for part of my life. During my time there, and the time I've spent living in Arizona since moving there, I've learned a few things. Things that many politicians don't know. One of those things, gentlemen, is something that's not very pleasant."

"What would that be, Madam Secretary?" Scarborough asked.

"Well, if you'll pardon my French," said Napolitano, "it's the smell of horse shit."

"I beg your pardon?" questioned Jeremy.

"'
Most of them haven't even realized the potential of their abilities?'
Please, doctor, that sounds like something straight out of a textbook. I've been in politics a long time. I've heard my share of double talk. I've even done a fair share of it. And what you've just told me is nothing but double talk. Answering my question without actually giving me an answer.

"Now, I'm going to assume that you may have misspoken. Both of you. Because otherwise it would mean that you've deliberately lied to me. Which means I wouldn't be able to trust you. So I'm sure you wouldn't deliberately lie to me, would you Assistant Director Scarborough?"

"No ma'am," said Scarborough. "I'm sorry for the confusion. It wasn't intentional, I can assure you."

"Of course it was," said Napolitano. "What I would like to know is why?"

"Madam Secretary," began Jeremy.

"Madam Secretary, this is all my responsibility," interrupted Scarborough. "Dr. Sloan was merely following a request I made of him. He wasn't even aware of what was going on. I apologize for the deception. I felt it was best under the circumstances."

"You felt it was necessary to lie to me?"

"If I may, Richard. Madam Secretary, we didn't lie to you. What I said was the truth. Most of the people don't realize the potential of their abilities. One has the ability to move through solid matter. And he was using it to commit petty burglaries to support himself. Another one has the ability to draw information directly from a person's mind. Until a few days ago he didn't even know he had an ability. These people have been given some rather extraordinary abilities and have been using them to perform parlor tricks.

"I'm not sure why Richard felt it necessary to mislead you. I'm sure he has his reasons. But I can assure you even though most of the people have very good control over their abilities, they're only now beginning to understand the extent of those abilities. And it may take quite some time before they've fully mastered them."

"Okay, Richard. Care to tell me why you felt it necessary to withhold vital information from me?"

"To be honest, Madam Secretary, it wasn't you I was thinking of when I did it."

"Then who were you thinking of?"

"Madam Secretary I respect you a great deal. You've done some incredible things in your life and I don't mean because you're a woman. I believe you to be a very ethical person and I think your actions are governed by a strong code of morality. And I don't think you would ever deliberately do anything that might put this team in undue jeopardy."

"But," said Napolitano.

"But what you're asking for is for these people to tell you, essentially, their deepest, darkest secrets. To tell you things they might not necessarily tell anyone else. You won't be here forever, Madam Secretary. Eventually someone else is going to sit in that chair. And no one can guarantee what will motivate them. If it's not someone as scrupulous as you are, those people could find themselves in a very untenable situation."

"You think we'll try to turn these people into super solders or into some kind of killing machines?"

"I think it's a very distinct possibility, ma'am. Oh, I don't necessarily mean you. But someone else might. Someone who might use the very information you're asking for against these people. If they agree to help us, they'll be doing us a favor. I can't, in good conscience, do anything that might put them in harms' way. It wouldn't be right."

"I think I understand," said Jeremy. "He was trying to protect our new team. That information could also be used to blackmail the team into doing something they might be ethically or morally opposed to. Imagine, Madam Secretary, if someone learned your deepest secret. Something that you would do anything to prevent it from coming out. We all have secrets. Most of them we wouldn't want the world knowing about. Imagine someone using that secret against you. To get you to do something you wouldn't ordinarily do."

"I see," said Napolitano. "But have you considered something else, Richard. What if one, or more, of these people should become disillusioned with America and its way of life? What if they decide to join the terrorists? We could be creating a terrible weapon that could essentially be used against us. Without this information, we'd have no way to protect ourselves against them. Just as we have no way to protect ourselves against the terrorists who have these special talents now."

"I've thought of that," said Scarborough. "And you're right. They could potentially be a very real threat to the security of this nation. But that doesn't give us the right to demand them to tell us something they don't want to because they
might
do something. That goes against everything we believe in. Everything this country stands for. People are prosecuted for what they do, not what they might do. If that were the case, the Constitution wouldn't be worth the paper it's written on."

"Dr. Sloan, you said you didn't think it was a good idea to give us this information. Why did you say that?"

"Because it's not our information to give," said Jeremy. "It's similar to information I learn during one of my counseling sessions. I may need the information to help one of my clients. But I can't disseminate that information without the patient's consent. It's not mine. And I don't think these people are going to be willing to give their consent to give you that information. As Richard said, these people aren't your regular agents. They're ordinary citizens who may agree to help their country. I don't think it's right to demand more of them than that."

"And what happens if one of these people should decide to join the terrorists? What do we do then? They have these special talents and we have no way to defend against them."

"If that should happen, I give you my word the rest of the team would do whatever was necessary to insure that person wasn't a threat. While you may not have the information you want, you would still have the means of dealing with it should the worst happen."

"That's not a very good guarantee, doctor."

"I'm afraid it's the best we can do under the circumstances. Unless those people voluntarily agree to tell you what you want to know, I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to divulge the information you want. I'm bound by doctor-patient privilege."

"Need I remind you they aren't your patients?"

"Neither are they agents of Homeland Security," interjected Scarborough. "They're ordinary citizens and as such have the same expectation of privacy as any other citizen. We can't bend the rules simply because it's convenient."

"I can see your point, Richard. But without knowing what they can do there's no way for us to determine how best to use them when the time comes."

"Well, I don't think that telling you what they're capable of doing is a breach of professional ethics," said Jeremy. "They're aware of what you're asking of them and that implies that you'll need to know what they can do so you can decide the best way to utilize them.

"You both feel very strongly about this, don't you?"

"Yes, ma'am, I do," said Scarborough.

"As do I," said Jeremy.

"Very well. I'll still need a breakdown of what their abilities are and what they can do with them. And I also need to know what they can't do. It wouldn't do to send someone on a mission only to find out that their ability is useless in that situation. As for the rest, we'd like to know that information, but the team is free to tell us or not. That's the best I can do."

"Thank you, Madam Secretary," said Scarborough. "You won't be disappointed."

"And Assistant Director Scarborough? The next time you feel the need to try and deceive me, we won't be having this conversation. You'll be on the unemployment line looking for a job. Do I make myself clear?"

"Perfectly, Madam Secretary. It won't happen again."

"See that it doesn't. Please send General Porter back in on your way out. And I'll look forward to your report on the group's decision."

"Just as soon as they've made it, Madam Secretary."

"Did you suddenly lose your mind?" Jeremy asked as he and Scarborough left the headquarters building. "Lying to the Secretary of Homeland Security? You're lucky to still have your job."

"I had to give it a shot, Jeremy. I told those people I would back them up. I knew why Napolitano wanted that information. She views them as a potential threat to national security. I can't say I blame her. They could one day be a threat. But it's my job to look out for them. To make sure they're treated fairly. That's all I was doing."

"Representing your client zealously as required by the canon of ethics?" Jeremy asked.

"Something like that. I see you're familiar with the canon of ethics for lawyers."

"I know you went to college to get a law degree. Even though you planned to follow your family into the law enforcement profession. But there are better ways to protect the interests of the team. And quite frankly I don't appreciate being put in a position where I had to lie to Napolitano."