TWO YEARS PRIOR.
It was a secret meeting, as so many of them were in Washington. Except this wasn't in Washington. This was much further away, in another country. There were no cameras around. They were in a small diner in Chiapas, Mexico. They were dressed like tourists. It was broad daylight and they both smiled like they were happy and contented.
This was the CIA director that preceded Hoskins and Virginia's father, Senator Joseph Hart.
Senator: We want you to go after Calvert, but we know it can't be done.
CIA Director: Who's we? You and your daughter?
The Senator didn't answer.
CIA Director: You're right. It can't be done.
Senator: If I asked you to do it anyways?
CIA Director: Black ops? Don't you have people for that?
Senator: Answer my question.
CIA Director: I couldn't. The risk would be too great. We'd lose too many people and we'd have to expect retaliation.
Senator: That's what we thought.
There was silence for several minutes while they ate their food—eggs benedict with orange juice and hash browns.
Senator: The most evil man in the world is untouchable.
CIA Director: He's like the devil, a slithery serpent that can't be killed. Not even Jesus killed the devil.
Senator: What about USI?
CIA Director: No one can go after Calvert. There's too much risk.
Senator: Even undercover ops?
CIA Director: Too much risk. I don't know how much clearer I can be. You can tell your daughter and your committee to give up on Calvert. He's invincible, untouchable, and even if we tried to get him, I'm not sure if we could. He's hidden better than the devil. At least the devil has the courtesy to possess unsuspecting college students and the homeless from time to time. Calvert has the best security money can buy, and there's that—he has money. He's also a genius. Okay. No one is ever going to get Calvert. It's impossible. At every level and by every definition of the word.