Chapter 08 - A Visit from the FBI
Nicole was sitting at the front desk, going through messages submitted through The Minute Women’s Website. There seemed to be thousands of messages sent from different people but saying the same thing - Why don’t you just go away? They had been spammed by bot-generated messages before. Michael had set up a filter to block those, so Nicole wouldn’t have to see them. Either what Michael had done was broken or the folks designing the bots had gotten smart enough to get past Michael’s filter. Nicole made a note to contact Michael when he returned to the office. He was taking break time just then. As Nicole was playing this out in her head more, she heard the doorbell to the office ring. That was a bit unusual. They didn’t get too many visitors apart from food delivery and almost all the other visitors they did get let them know they were coming ahead of time.
Nicole opened the door and a woman introduced herself. Nicole asked the woman to wait a minute and then she went to Caroline’s office to let her know about the visitor.
“Caroline, there is an FBI agent who wants to see you. Her name is Sasha Smith. Should I show her in?”
“An FBI agent!” Caroline’s eyebrows raised remarkably. “Nicole, did you ask to look at her credentials?”
Nicole gave herself a knock on her forehead with her palm. Then she said, “Sorry, I didn’t.”
“Don’t worry about it, Nicole. You can let her in.”
Nicole informed agent Smith that Caroline would want to see her ID. Then she ushered agent Smith to Caroline’s office. Agent Smith had her ID out to show to Caroline. Caroline held it in her hand for a moment, but her mind was focused on something else. She wanted to be poised during this conversation, so she was making a brief mental preparation for it. She ushered agent Smith to a round table in the corner of the office, where they could sit comfortably. Then they shook hands and sat down.
Agent Smith began, “I’m a big fan.”
Caroline breathed a sigh of relief and then in a bit of gallows humor said, “I’m very glad to hear that. I thought you might be here to arrest me!”
Agent Smith chuckled. Then she returned with some gallows humor of her own. “I wasn’t planning to, but if there’s something you want to tell me in that regard, please go ahead.” She smiled, indicating this was all meant in a lighthearted way.
Caroline gave an emphatic, “No, there isn’t.”
“That’s fine. Let me explain why I’m here.”
“Please do.”
“Quite recently there have been some credible threats made against some prominent government officials.”
“May I ask who was threatened?”
“I can’t give out that information. But I can tell you that the situation is quite serious. The FBI is trying to contain it as best as we can.”
“What can I do to to help?”
“The messaging from those who issued the threats quoted liberally from The Minute Women’s Website. In particular, they highlighted the part where you make the case that the Supreme Court Justices appointed under President Trump should step down of their own accord. And if they don’t some additional pressure would need to be applied, to convince them this was the right thing to do. They highlighted the phrase that begins with additional pressure, making it clear that this is how the threats should be taken.”
Caroline thought to herself that it must have been these Supreme Court Justices who were threatened, though perhaps it was Republican members of Congress. Then she said, “I see. Surely you don’t think those threats came from us.”
“We’re quite sure they didn’t. But I need to ask you some questions to get related information.”
“All right.”
“Can you elaborate on what you mean by pressure? perhaps with an example or two?”
“Let me give you a sense of our current thinking. All along, we’ve thought of ourselves as the messenger or as a catalyst for a bigger reaction to occur. It’s our followers who, because of their numbers, have the real power. In particular, it’s those among our followers who have been loyal Republican voters where the leverage lies. We plan to educate them on how to put pressure on the members of Congress that they helped to elect. This is how democracy should work. The voice of the people will speak. So, our followers will put pressure on these elected officials and those who get the message will then put pressure on those Supreme Court appointees. All of this hinges on President Trump being viewed as a criminal, his entire time as President, and these members of Congress having violated their oaths of office by aiding President Trump to stay in office in spite of his criminality.”
“That much, I think, is implied but what you have on the Website. Is there perhaps a different meaning of pressure that you intended to convey?”
“Well, let me discuss the weakness with what I just described. Even if it works, it will take a lot of time, perhaps two or even three Congressional election cycles. And while we’re waiting for it to work, the current arrangement just gets more and more entrenched. So it would very desirable to find some other form of pressure that is quicker to implement.”
“Do you have a specific form of pressure in mind that would act quickly?”
“I’m out of my element here. Anything that’s both quick and effective is almost surely illegal. That’s not my bailiwick.”
“Have you talked about this more quick acting pressure with anyone else?”
“The Writing Group has wide ranging conversations. We’ve talked about it within the context of our work overall. We have a strict rule not to share the content of those discussions with anyone outside the organization. I’m confident that we haven’t had any leaks.”
“Does anyone in the writing group have expert knowledge about applying a quicker form of pressure?”
“I don’t think so. Our conversations never indicated that. Everyone seemed to be equally uninformed, taking their examples from TV shows and the movies and maybe some online stuff about cyber terrorism. We did speculate some but never tried to verify if our speculation holds water. You need to understand that there is a need for the writers to be playful now and then to get into a good place mentally for the writing. All the cloak and dagger stuff we talked about was in that category.”
“I understand. Let me ask a different question.”
“Sure.”
“Do you know Mark Askren?”
Caroline’s eyebrows shot way up and her eyes opened wide. Obviously, she was surprised by that question. “Yes, I know Mark.”
“When was the last time you saw him?”
“I made a visit to his office last week.”
“Can you tell me about that visit?” With that, Agent Smith took a pen and a notebook out of her bag so she could take notes while Caroline told her about what happened.
* * * * *
When Caroline met Mark, he was an analyst for the CIA. This was while she was working for the Congressman. Office romances were considered taboo then. It wasn’t much better if the potential couple worked for different areas in government. Nonetheless, Mark asked Caroline out. There was a definite attraction between the two and he knew he wasn’t going to stay in the CIA for too long. So he acted as if the unwritten rules didn’t apply to him. Caroline seemingly understood this, yet she agreed to go on a date with Mark anyway. She was so wrapped up in work. She needed something to take her mind off of that, something that would give her a warm feeling inside. And she really did like being with him.
The first date was filled with romance. They held hands while walking in the park. Then they sat on a bench at the river while watching the sunset. They were able to recall childhood memories of watching the sunset and did so with a great deal of fondness. As dusk fell upon them they embraced. Then she stroked his hair while he looked deeply into her eyes. She thought he might ask her to marry him, then and there. But Mark was more cautious than she realized and this was only their first date.
The second date, only a couple of days later, also went well though it was more predictable - dinner and a movie. They saw a good comedy and laughed a great deal, a benefit for both of them. When he drove her back to her apartment she invited him inside. He stayed for a drink. They had another embrace. But then he said he had to go. There was going to be an early meeting at the office and he needed to be prepared for it. The office, it seemed, was more important than she was.
By the third date, a week later, they were both aware that it was over. He said as much almost immediately. He told her that he really liked her a lot, but it wasn’t going to happen between them. They both were wrapped up in their work. And neither of them could talk about their work with the other. It left them both feeling very squeezed. She told him that she understood. She wasn’t putting on an act. She did understand. And she surprised herself with feeling only mildly disappointed by it all. She insisted that he buy her dessert as their way to say goodbye. He absolutely agreed. They needed the sweetness. When they were done with their pie, he gave her a big hug. She ended up taking an Uber back to her apartment.
That was a few years ago. Mark had left the CIA about a year later and was now working for a security consulting firm. Caroline had Nicole check out Mark’s whereabouts and then called him ten days ago. She got voicemail and then a call back from his secretary, who subsequently set up the meeting with her.
When Caroline arrived at Mark’s office, his secretary ushered her in. Mark was standing, seemingly staring at the window where the blinds were drawn.
He said, “Hey cutie, how’s your love life?”
Caroline gave Mark a strange look as if to say, that was weird. Instead, she responded, “How’s your love life?”
“That bad, huh? I know why you’re here. I could have explained that on the phone.”
“Why didn’t you, instead of having me come down here?” And why are you being so flippant now?
“Two reasons, really. One is that I did want to see you, just to look at you up close, now that you’re a famous person. You look very good, though the wrinkles around your eyes indicate some fatigue.”
“What’s the other reason?”
“I thought that if we talked on the phone the message I was going to deliver might not be received, because it’s not what you want to hear. And I’m being flip deliberately, to make you hear the message.”
“What message is that?”
“You’re here to see whether you can fund some covert operation that would put pressure on the Supreme Court Justices appointed by Trump or on Republicans in Congress. Am I right about that?”
“Maybe.”
“Well, I’m here to tell you that you can’t do that. Neither Caroline as an independent citizen nor The Minute Women as an organization can get involved in anything like that. It will ruin what you’ve got going now, which to me looks like a very good thing.”
“So you’re saying there’s no way for a covert operation of this sort to happen, is that right?”
“I didn’t say that. I said that you can’t fund it. Other rich people, those who are sympathetic to your cause and understanding your message might fund it on their own, without you knowing anything about it or you even knowing who they are. You’ll have no control in that case, but also complete deniability if that happens, because you won’t know anything about it.”
“Are you implying that this has already happened? And you know about it? Maybe you’re even part of the scheme?”
“I’ll take the 5th Amendment on that one.”
“All right. I think I get your message. But what about a rogue operation, where others just take matters into their own hands. Might that happen too?”
“It very well could happen.”
“Is there anything to be done about it? I’m finding this possibility very scary.”
“It is scary. But truthfully, your supporters are likely not into guns bigtime nor wanting to be part of some militia-style operation. So it’s not likely. And there have been red flags out for this type of behavior, regardless of the cause, since well before January 6. The police and FBI are alert to it. They’ll be able to deter most rogue operations.”
“So you’re telling me to do what, exactly?”
“I’m telling you to do nothing. Don’t get involved in this sort of thing at all. Do what your organization has been doing. It has made a very big impression. That’s where you should focus. Forget about the covert stuff.”
“I am hearing what you say. But it’s more than a little frustrating not to exert some control in regard to the covert stuff.”
“Don’t let the frustration ruin what you’ve got going. And don’t expect to learn about the covert stuff from me, even well after the fact. That’s not how we do things.”
“I understand. Is there anything else you want to tell me.”
“No, just to wish you good luck in your work.”
“Goodbye, Mark.”
“Goodbye, Caroline.”
He walked her to the office door. They didn’t embrace at all nor even shake hands.
* * * * *
Sasha Smith had watched Caroline carefully as she told this story. Sometimes body language and facial expression can offer clues about when the person is fabricating a story or outright lying about what happened. Agent Smith saw none of that in Caroline, though it was evident that she was uncomfortable recalling the experience. When she was done Agent Smith responded in a polite way.
“Thank you for telling me that. What you’ve said has completely corroborated what we’ve heard from other sources. I needed you to provide that confirmation. We can wrap up now.”
“Agent Smith, are you telling me that Mark is involved with those threats that you’re investigating?”
“You know I can’t tell you that. Let me pack up my belongings. Then I’ll get out of your hair.”
“Agent Smith, before you leave can I show you something else?”
“Uh, sure. Is it related to what we’ve been talking about?”
“I’m not sure. I’ve gotten some death threats by email to a personal email account I hardly ever use anymore. Only my brother and his family send me stuff there at this point.”
“Please, let me take a look.”
Caroline went to the computer at her desk and brought up this old email account. There were three messages, very menacing, the last one arriving a day after she had met with Mark.
Agent Smith asked, “Have you reported this to the authorities?”
“Not yet. I thought doing that would upset office function and we’re at a critical point now. We need to be working at a high level of effectiveness.”
“This is very serious. You need to up your security in a big way. You need the equivalent of Secret Service agents to protect you and the rest of the organization. You can’t afford to ignore this threat.”
Caroline started to tear up. She uttered, “Oh my God!”
Agent Smith put an arm around Caroline’s shoulder. Then Agent Smith said, “You can get through this but you need to be proactive about it.”
“What should I do?”
“You need to hire some good security people. I can give you a number to call for that. After you hire them. Do what they say. It will mean significant changes for your organization. There’s no way to prevent that.”
“All right. Is there anything else I should do now.”
“Better to let them make all the changes rather than have me offer a few while I’m here. The only thing you can do now is to get your people ready for the changes that will come.”
“Thank you, Agent Smith.”
“I want to say something else which might frame things for you a little differently. You are a highly visible person in pursuit of a very popular cause. If you were assassinated, it could turn you into a martyr. Those who are opposed to what you and your organization are doing don’t want that as the outcome. They want you to back down. That’s their goal.”
“Personally, I know I won’t back down. But if I’m putting the others who work for The Minute Women at risk, that’s something else. I can’t do that knowingly.” “Right, I understand that. But they too are adults and need to be allowed to make their own choices, once they fully understand what the situation is.”
“Yes, that’s right. If you can give me the contact information for that security firm, I’ll have Nicole get in touch with them immediately. And then we’ll schedule an all-staff meeting for as soon as possible, so we can talk this through.”
“That sounds good. After that, I recommend some real rest for you. It’s a terrible burden to operate under a death threat.”
Caroline just nodded. Agent Smith rose, went to Nicole’s desk and gave her the information for the security firm. Then she left. After Nicole got them on the phone, Caroline talked to them for what seemed like an hour, though it was more like 20 minutes. They agreed to send some people over immediately. When the call ended Caroline asked Nicole to schedule an all-staff meeting at the first available time.
The security agents encouraged Caroline to find a different office space, one where access was much more guarded. Caroline didn’t know how to find such a space, so they offered to do that for her, finding a new space in just a few hours. Caroline leased the space sight unseen. Moving wouldn’t take that long. They could do it the next day.
The security agents recommended that Caroline have a body man as guard 7 x 24. The office also needed a guard, even during off hours. Ultimately, the team that was hired had 6 regular members, who worked 12-hour shifts where they rotated responsibility. One shift a week was also devoted to correlating general threat assessment as reported by the police and the FBI. There needed to be advanced warning of any serious threat. And the security team member assigned to the office would work in tandem with Michael and his assistant, as cyber threats were the most likely and the computing procedures needed to be upgraded substantially to stay ahead of these potential threats.
The all-staff meeting happened the following evening. By that time the staff had met the security people and learned about the death threats that Caroline had received. Those threats cast a dark shadow on the work they were doing.
Nicole opened the door and a woman introduced herself. Nicole asked the woman to wait a minute and then she went to Caroline’s office to let her know about the visitor.
“Caroline, there is an FBI agent who wants to see you. Her name is Sasha Smith. Should I show her in?”
“An FBI agent!” Caroline’s eyebrows raised remarkably. “Nicole, did you ask to look at her credentials?”
Nicole gave herself a knock on her forehead with her palm. Then she said, “Sorry, I didn’t.”
“Don’t worry about it, Nicole. You can let her in.”
Nicole informed agent Smith that Caroline would want to see her ID. Then she ushered agent Smith to Caroline’s office. Agent Smith had her ID out to show to Caroline. Caroline held it in her hand for a moment, but her mind was focused on something else. She wanted to be poised during this conversation, so she was making a brief mental preparation for it. She ushered agent Smith to a round table in the corner of the office, where they could sit comfortably. Then they shook hands and sat down.
Agent Smith began, “I’m a big fan.”
Caroline breathed a sigh of relief and then in a bit of gallows humor said, “I’m very glad to hear that. I thought you might be here to arrest me!”
Agent Smith chuckled. Then she returned with some gallows humor of her own. “I wasn’t planning to, but if there’s something you want to tell me in that regard, please go ahead.” She smiled, indicating this was all meant in a lighthearted way.
Caroline gave an emphatic, “No, there isn’t.”
“That’s fine. Let me explain why I’m here.”
“Please do.”
“Quite recently there have been some credible threats made against some prominent government officials.”
“May I ask who was threatened?”
“I can’t give out that information. But I can tell you that the situation is quite serious. The FBI is trying to contain it as best as we can.”
“What can I do to to help?”
“The messaging from those who issued the threats quoted liberally from The Minute Women’s Website. In particular, they highlighted the part where you make the case that the Supreme Court Justices appointed under President Trump should step down of their own accord. And if they don’t some additional pressure would need to be applied, to convince them this was the right thing to do. They highlighted the phrase that begins with additional pressure, making it clear that this is how the threats should be taken.”
Caroline thought to herself that it must have been these Supreme Court Justices who were threatened, though perhaps it was Republican members of Congress. Then she said, “I see. Surely you don’t think those threats came from us.”
“We’re quite sure they didn’t. But I need to ask you some questions to get related information.”
“All right.”
“Can you elaborate on what you mean by pressure? perhaps with an example or two?”
“Let me give you a sense of our current thinking. All along, we’ve thought of ourselves as the messenger or as a catalyst for a bigger reaction to occur. It’s our followers who, because of their numbers, have the real power. In particular, it’s those among our followers who have been loyal Republican voters where the leverage lies. We plan to educate them on how to put pressure on the members of Congress that they helped to elect. This is how democracy should work. The voice of the people will speak. So, our followers will put pressure on these elected officials and those who get the message will then put pressure on those Supreme Court appointees. All of this hinges on President Trump being viewed as a criminal, his entire time as President, and these members of Congress having violated their oaths of office by aiding President Trump to stay in office in spite of his criminality.”
“That much, I think, is implied but what you have on the Website. Is there perhaps a different meaning of pressure that you intended to convey?”
“Well, let me discuss the weakness with what I just described. Even if it works, it will take a lot of time, perhaps two or even three Congressional election cycles. And while we’re waiting for it to work, the current arrangement just gets more and more entrenched. So it would very desirable to find some other form of pressure that is quicker to implement.”
“Do you have a specific form of pressure in mind that would act quickly?”
“I’m out of my element here. Anything that’s both quick and effective is almost surely illegal. That’s not my bailiwick.”
“Have you talked about this more quick acting pressure with anyone else?”
“The Writing Group has wide ranging conversations. We’ve talked about it within the context of our work overall. We have a strict rule not to share the content of those discussions with anyone outside the organization. I’m confident that we haven’t had any leaks.”
“Does anyone in the writing group have expert knowledge about applying a quicker form of pressure?”
“I don’t think so. Our conversations never indicated that. Everyone seemed to be equally uninformed, taking their examples from TV shows and the movies and maybe some online stuff about cyber terrorism. We did speculate some but never tried to verify if our speculation holds water. You need to understand that there is a need for the writers to be playful now and then to get into a good place mentally for the writing. All the cloak and dagger stuff we talked about was in that category.”
“I understand. Let me ask a different question.”
“Sure.”
“Do you know Mark Askren?”
Caroline’s eyebrows shot way up and her eyes opened wide. Obviously, she was surprised by that question. “Yes, I know Mark.”
“When was the last time you saw him?”
“I made a visit to his office last week.”
“Can you tell me about that visit?” With that, Agent Smith took a pen and a notebook out of her bag so she could take notes while Caroline told her about what happened.
* * * * *
When Caroline met Mark, he was an analyst for the CIA. This was while she was working for the Congressman. Office romances were considered taboo then. It wasn’t much better if the potential couple worked for different areas in government. Nonetheless, Mark asked Caroline out. There was a definite attraction between the two and he knew he wasn’t going to stay in the CIA for too long. So he acted as if the unwritten rules didn’t apply to him. Caroline seemingly understood this, yet she agreed to go on a date with Mark anyway. She was so wrapped up in work. She needed something to take her mind off of that, something that would give her a warm feeling inside. And she really did like being with him.
The first date was filled with romance. They held hands while walking in the park. Then they sat on a bench at the river while watching the sunset. They were able to recall childhood memories of watching the sunset and did so with a great deal of fondness. As dusk fell upon them they embraced. Then she stroked his hair while he looked deeply into her eyes. She thought he might ask her to marry him, then and there. But Mark was more cautious than she realized and this was only their first date.
The second date, only a couple of days later, also went well though it was more predictable - dinner and a movie. They saw a good comedy and laughed a great deal, a benefit for both of them. When he drove her back to her apartment she invited him inside. He stayed for a drink. They had another embrace. But then he said he had to go. There was going to be an early meeting at the office and he needed to be prepared for it. The office, it seemed, was more important than she was.
By the third date, a week later, they were both aware that it was over. He said as much almost immediately. He told her that he really liked her a lot, but it wasn’t going to happen between them. They both were wrapped up in their work. And neither of them could talk about their work with the other. It left them both feeling very squeezed. She told him that she understood. She wasn’t putting on an act. She did understand. And she surprised herself with feeling only mildly disappointed by it all. She insisted that he buy her dessert as their way to say goodbye. He absolutely agreed. They needed the sweetness. When they were done with their pie, he gave her a big hug. She ended up taking an Uber back to her apartment.
That was a few years ago. Mark had left the CIA about a year later and was now working for a security consulting firm. Caroline had Nicole check out Mark’s whereabouts and then called him ten days ago. She got voicemail and then a call back from his secretary, who subsequently set up the meeting with her.
When Caroline arrived at Mark’s office, his secretary ushered her in. Mark was standing, seemingly staring at the window where the blinds were drawn.
He said, “Hey cutie, how’s your love life?”
Caroline gave Mark a strange look as if to say, that was weird. Instead, she responded, “How’s your love life?”
“That bad, huh? I know why you’re here. I could have explained that on the phone.”
“Why didn’t you, instead of having me come down here?” And why are you being so flippant now?
“Two reasons, really. One is that I did want to see you, just to look at you up close, now that you’re a famous person. You look very good, though the wrinkles around your eyes indicate some fatigue.”
“What’s the other reason?”
“I thought that if we talked on the phone the message I was going to deliver might not be received, because it’s not what you want to hear. And I’m being flip deliberately, to make you hear the message.”
“What message is that?”
“You’re here to see whether you can fund some covert operation that would put pressure on the Supreme Court Justices appointed by Trump or on Republicans in Congress. Am I right about that?”
“Maybe.”
“Well, I’m here to tell you that you can’t do that. Neither Caroline as an independent citizen nor The Minute Women as an organization can get involved in anything like that. It will ruin what you’ve got going now, which to me looks like a very good thing.”
“So you’re saying there’s no way for a covert operation of this sort to happen, is that right?”
“I didn’t say that. I said that you can’t fund it. Other rich people, those who are sympathetic to your cause and understanding your message might fund it on their own, without you knowing anything about it or you even knowing who they are. You’ll have no control in that case, but also complete deniability if that happens, because you won’t know anything about it.”
“Are you implying that this has already happened? And you know about it? Maybe you’re even part of the scheme?”
“I’ll take the 5th Amendment on that one.”
“All right. I think I get your message. But what about a rogue operation, where others just take matters into their own hands. Might that happen too?”
“It very well could happen.”
“Is there anything to be done about it? I’m finding this possibility very scary.”
“It is scary. But truthfully, your supporters are likely not into guns bigtime nor wanting to be part of some militia-style operation. So it’s not likely. And there have been red flags out for this type of behavior, regardless of the cause, since well before January 6. The police and FBI are alert to it. They’ll be able to deter most rogue operations.”
“So you’re telling me to do what, exactly?”
“I’m telling you to do nothing. Don’t get involved in this sort of thing at all. Do what your organization has been doing. It has made a very big impression. That’s where you should focus. Forget about the covert stuff.”
“I am hearing what you say. But it’s more than a little frustrating not to exert some control in regard to the covert stuff.”
“Don’t let the frustration ruin what you’ve got going. And don’t expect to learn about the covert stuff from me, even well after the fact. That’s not how we do things.”
“I understand. Is there anything else you want to tell me.”
“No, just to wish you good luck in your work.”
“Goodbye, Mark.”
“Goodbye, Caroline.”
He walked her to the office door. They didn’t embrace at all nor even shake hands.
* * * * *
Sasha Smith had watched Caroline carefully as she told this story. Sometimes body language and facial expression can offer clues about when the person is fabricating a story or outright lying about what happened. Agent Smith saw none of that in Caroline, though it was evident that she was uncomfortable recalling the experience. When she was done Agent Smith responded in a polite way.
“Thank you for telling me that. What you’ve said has completely corroborated what we’ve heard from other sources. I needed you to provide that confirmation. We can wrap up now.”
“Agent Smith, are you telling me that Mark is involved with those threats that you’re investigating?”
“You know I can’t tell you that. Let me pack up my belongings. Then I’ll get out of your hair.”
“Agent Smith, before you leave can I show you something else?”
“Uh, sure. Is it related to what we’ve been talking about?”
“I’m not sure. I’ve gotten some death threats by email to a personal email account I hardly ever use anymore. Only my brother and his family send me stuff there at this point.”
“Please, let me take a look.”
Caroline went to the computer at her desk and brought up this old email account. There were three messages, very menacing, the last one arriving a day after she had met with Mark.
Agent Smith asked, “Have you reported this to the authorities?”
“Not yet. I thought doing that would upset office function and we’re at a critical point now. We need to be working at a high level of effectiveness.”
“This is very serious. You need to up your security in a big way. You need the equivalent of Secret Service agents to protect you and the rest of the organization. You can’t afford to ignore this threat.”
Caroline started to tear up. She uttered, “Oh my God!”
Agent Smith put an arm around Caroline’s shoulder. Then Agent Smith said, “You can get through this but you need to be proactive about it.”
“What should I do?”
“You need to hire some good security people. I can give you a number to call for that. After you hire them. Do what they say. It will mean significant changes for your organization. There’s no way to prevent that.”
“All right. Is there anything else I should do now.”
“Better to let them make all the changes rather than have me offer a few while I’m here. The only thing you can do now is to get your people ready for the changes that will come.”
“Thank you, Agent Smith.”
“I want to say something else which might frame things for you a little differently. You are a highly visible person in pursuit of a very popular cause. If you were assassinated, it could turn you into a martyr. Those who are opposed to what you and your organization are doing don’t want that as the outcome. They want you to back down. That’s their goal.”
“Personally, I know I won’t back down. But if I’m putting the others who work for The Minute Women at risk, that’s something else. I can’t do that knowingly.” “Right, I understand that. But they too are adults and need to be allowed to make their own choices, once they fully understand what the situation is.”
“Yes, that’s right. If you can give me the contact information for that security firm, I’ll have Nicole get in touch with them immediately. And then we’ll schedule an all-staff meeting for as soon as possible, so we can talk this through.”
“That sounds good. After that, I recommend some real rest for you. It’s a terrible burden to operate under a death threat.”
Caroline just nodded. Agent Smith rose, went to Nicole’s desk and gave her the information for the security firm. Then she left. After Nicole got them on the phone, Caroline talked to them for what seemed like an hour, though it was more like 20 minutes. They agreed to send some people over immediately. When the call ended Caroline asked Nicole to schedule an all-staff meeting at the first available time.
The security agents encouraged Caroline to find a different office space, one where access was much more guarded. Caroline didn’t know how to find such a space, so they offered to do that for her, finding a new space in just a few hours. Caroline leased the space sight unseen. Moving wouldn’t take that long. They could do it the next day.
The security agents recommended that Caroline have a body man as guard 7 x 24. The office also needed a guard, even during off hours. Ultimately, the team that was hired had 6 regular members, who worked 12-hour shifts where they rotated responsibility. One shift a week was also devoted to correlating general threat assessment as reported by the police and the FBI. There needed to be advanced warning of any serious threat. And the security team member assigned to the office would work in tandem with Michael and his assistant, as cyber threats were the most likely and the computing procedures needed to be upgraded substantially to stay ahead of these potential threats.
The all-staff meeting happened the following evening. By that time the staff had met the security people and learned about the death threats that Caroline had received. Those threats cast a dark shadow on the work they were doing.
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