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course.
    As they separated, over her shoulder Elias caught a brief glimpse of irritation on Faulk's face.
Although he had become something of a hermit since his abrupt departure, there had been enough
communication between Elias and Marilyn to know how she felt about her new boss, her dislike
amplified, no doubt, by her very detailed inside knowledge of the incident leading up to Elias' abrupt
exit.
    "I hate to break up this reunion," Faulk interjected, using words perfectly consistent with a friendly
jab at the two of them, his tone conveying the opposite. "But we've got quite a bit to do, Elias."
    Her back still turned to her boss, Marilyn rolled her eyes, a sour smirk curling her lips. Elias had
to struggle to suppress a smile at her as he said, "Let's go."
    "Marilyn, we're going to need some coffee, and maybe some muffins."
    "Yes, sir." She looked at Elias and asked, "Your usual?"
    This time he did allow himself a smile as he answered, "That would be great. Thanks."
    The two men entered the large office. Instead of moving toward the desk, Faulk sat at the
medium-sized conference table positioned adjacent to the windows. Taking the seat at the head of the
table not only placed Faulk in the natural power-position, but also gave him access to a keyboard and
control panel. Elias followed and dropped heavily into one of the side chairs.
    Mounted on the closest wall to the table, a flat-screen came to life, instantly displaying the agency
logo. With a few keystrokes, Faulk summoned up the video he had described to Elias during the drive.
    "There he is," he indicated unnecessarily, the camera clearly capturing one of the most notorious
faces on Earth, as the man emerged from the inside of the last turnstile.
    Faulk had already paused the image when Elias suddenly urged, "Keep rolling."
    "What is it?" Faulk asked as he resumed the video.
    Rather than explaining, Elias questioned him. "Who are those two?"
    Leaning forward in his chair, Faulk stared at the two men who had entered Aegis behind
Kreitzmann.
    "I don't know. I would guess they are just two more new entrants. Why?"
    "Pause it."
    Faulk froze the motion on the screen.
    "Look at Kreitzmann. Look at the body language. It looks as though he's waiting for them, as
though they're together."
    Faulk noticed that Kreitzmann was still in the frame. After entering, he had turned to wait for the
others.
    "Do we have any video of them farther in?"
    "No. No interior cameras. Only the entry."
    "Don't snow me, Richard. This camera was there while I ran this agency, and I didn't know about
it. What else do we have?"
    Sighing, Faulk said, "Elias, I didn't know about the camera until Ft. Detrick was ordered by the
White House to bring this to me. If there are any other cameras, they haven't told me about them,
either."
    "Play it again."
    With a few clicks on the keyboard, Faulk re-cued the video and started it. This time both of them
stared silently. As it finished, Elias inquired, "Did facial-recognition come up with anything on either
of them?"
    Faulk shrugged. "It wasn't in my briefing. I'll check. But as far as those two guys, they could have
merely arrived at the same time as Kreitzmann and, you know, struck up a conversation on the outside.
It could be nothing."
    "I don't think so."
    "Why not? Simply because Kreitzmann turned to wait for them?"
    "No. There's something else. Something in the way those two move."
    "What do you mean?"
    "Not sure. But it doesn't look right."
    "I'll double-check with Detrick to find out if they ran any recognition on their faces. But, in the
meantime, there's one more thing I want to show you."
    "What's that?"
    Rather than immediately starting another video, Faulk explained, "Kreitzmann checked in three
months ago."
    "Three months ago! And you're just now asking me to go in? That's a slow response, even for you.
Why did you sit on it so long?"
    Without a touch of defensiveness in his voice, Faulk answered, "We didn't."
    Understanding instantly, Elias