CIA Counterintelligence teams follow Corey Pearson through the Florida Keys into Key West

 

CIA Counterintelligence teams blend in to everyday life

There is a big difference between the CIA’s Intelligence and Counterintelligence cultures. The first involves intelligence gathering, obtaining critical information that our enemies have, info that they don’t want us to have. Counterintelligence consists of teams of highly trained operatives who prevent our enemies from gathering information about us, that they could use against us.

In order to protect sources and methods, and in the interest of maintaining national security, CIA counterintelligence operatives can't discuss their work, even with family. They are trained extensively in hand-to-hand combat, including martial arts like krav maga, jeet kune do and Brazilian jiu jitsu, and they become skilled to fight with improvised weapons.

In the MISSION OF VENGEANCE spy thriller, CIA counterintelligence teams are assigned to protect Corey Pearson and a highly classified operation that he was called in from Jamaica to be briefed on at a CIA safe house in Key Largo. The teams blended into the immediate environment, observing Corey’s every move, making sure he is not being tailed. One team actually posed as a boisterous motorcycle gang. Here is a snippet of how they operate in MISSION OF VENGEANCE:

The owner bragged to the Jimmy Buffett Parrothead about how he miraculously acquired a state liquor permit, his plans for a back- yard patio for bands, and a remodeling of the downstairs   bathroom.

I wonder how much the CBIF invested to take over this joint…  and their reasons for doing so. The guy doesn’t know he’s working for them or that his newly hired waitress is most likely a plant for the counterintelligence teams. Wouldn’t be surprised if the Parrothead is, too.

He gazed outside past the column of coconut palms and pink hibiscus decorating the front of the mom-and-pop bar and restaurant. It was Friday and an endless flow of traffic ventured west on US A1A, heading to Key West. The waitress tapped a series of buttons on the aged jukebox in the corner. It took a while for her selections to play, but finally a medley of Buffet tunes began, beginning with “Turnin’ Around”.

Corey noticed a motorcycle gang talking outside a liquor store across Highway 1 and wondered if they were agents of CBIF’s counterintelligence (CI). Who knows? They blend in so well…there’s more of them out there, somewhere, blending into the daily activities, invisible, and they tracked me since I left the Jamaican safe house.

What’s behind the urgent call to come home from Jamaica? Can’t have much to do with the operations there. No fresh intelligence twists or pressing problems surfaced recently. ‘CBIF-Jamaica’ is on track…secure.

As instructed, Corey ended up at the Key Lime Café after climbing aboard an American Eagle at Miami International and flying to Fort Myers-RSW airport, then catching a Cape Air Cessna flight which was forced to weave around a large flock of gulls before touching down on the tarmac at Key West International at 2:05pm. He climbed into a green Ford-250 pickup parked in log-term parking space No. 43 and drove to this unpretentious eatery at mile marker 102.8 in Key Largo and ordered a meal, as directed.

I wonder how many CBIF counterintelligence agents have copies of my itinerary? Corey finished chugging down his iced tea and savored the last bite of Key Lime pie. The waitress reappeared from the back kitchen, stuffing the cell phone back into her apron. She walked across the peanut shell-littered floor to his table and laid a receipt on the vinyl, red-checkered tablecloth. He stared at the blank tab and understood, handing her an arbitrary amount of cash.

“Keep the change.”

She smiled and replied, “Thanks. Have a safe trip.”

Corey returned the smile. “The pleasure’s all mine. I must have a look at your wine list sometime.”

In the pickup, Corey took a miniature penlight from the glove compartment and shined it upon the blank receipt. Under the special UV light, the words “You’re cleared, come on home” appeared. Fuck… she is part of the counterintelligence team.

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Lastly, enjoy this video of counterintelligence teams tailing Corey Pearson the moment he touched down at the Key West airport. They follow him through Bahama Village in Key West and elsewhere, before he meets his contact. Great scenes of Key West!

 

Robert Morton is a member of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO), enjoys writing about the U.S. Intelligence Community, and relishes traveling to the Florida Keys and Key West, the Bahamas and Caribbean. He combines both passions in his Corey Pearson- CIA Spymaster series. Check out his latest spy thriller: MISSION OF VENGEANCE.