The monsoon winds pick up the dust of the desert and a light rain brings them back down again. I sit at Lookout Point as the sun makes its way down to the horizon and let the desert sky do its stuff.

The light rays project around the rain clouds and I sit in my black turtleneck and pull up the collar on my custom made all-weather combat jacket, that has served me well. The suns rays still warm my face, yet the winds which hustle the clouds along bring a chill. If the desert is anything it is a land of extremes. and as I sit here, I realize how much I belong here.

I look around me and the rocks sit as mute testimony to strength and power. People like power. They like to feel that they are in control.

I hear a series of tones. It is my Blackberry Tempest.

Before the Bush administration left DC to Obama and Change, they set up a network of communication for all the major players -sort of like a government in exile. About 200 Blackberry Storms redone up to milspec and powered with the latest Fortezza KSV-21 card readers, were issued. They were bolstered with lots of additional features deemed useful and each was affectionately renamed Blackberry Tempest.

"Hello. Tech1 here."

"We have a situation."

"What's the problem?"

"Do you recall Project O?"

"Yes. I do."

"It was successful."

I pause. I let my brain try to absorb what it has just been told.

Project O was a Top Secret research project that was endeavoring to clone humans. Not just any humans - it was designed to clone world leaders. SDAI had no involvement as I am fundamentally opposed to cloning and this was well known. I think I had heard about an Agency team that was used once to retrieve DNA from a hotel during a G20 summit and that was the last I heard of this waste of resources. I never expected the project would pan out and I suspect it has not.

"Really? I find that hard to believe."

"Yes. Well, that's what we are hearing - along with a request for additional funds."

"Why tell me?"

"Well, this Project was off the books and had a ATS EO, technically it doesn't exist and I really don't want to drop it in Barack's lap or get the EOP involved unless there's a verification. I thought you might be useful to verify the success or failure. The Project was conducted for the Agency by foreign nationals in South America and naturally, we have reason to suspect this is a fraud to generate additional funding. A properly equipped team seemed the natural choice for verification."

I listen to the words, but I don't like it. Not one bit. I don't want to go and don't want to send a team for this either.

"Have your assistant transmit all the pertinent data on Project O to my Tempest. I'll review the data and get back to you ASAP with my decision."

"Thanks Tech1. By the way how's Tech7?"

"She's doing great. I'll tell her you asked."

"She's a great gal you got there."

"I know...and she doesn't let me forget it."

"Okay, I'll have the data transmitted before the day is out."

"Ok. I'll get back to you later."

It's the first time I have been asked to do something like this even though I am no longer on the clock. I understand the sensitive nature and the implications and all, but I really am uncomfortable with this. I don't like trips to South America and I trust people involved in human cloning just as much as I trust Rahm Emanuel. Yes, zip, nada, zilch.

I decide against it before I even get the data. Let the EOP handle it. Let them shut it down, pay more or do whatever they want to do. I look at the rocks around me and realize that I now have the strength and power to choose.

As the sunlight hits my Tempest and bounces off in an infinite number of directions, it occurs to me being reflective is a very useful trait.