Quest Chapter 30

Chapter 30 Summary

Mark Peltier’s military flight from Pope Field to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport takes less than an hour. After landing, he disembarks at a private terminal and is greeted by a young CIA handler who introduces himself only as Phil. The two make casual conversation during the drive to Langley, with Phil expressing admiration for Mark’s service after learning he was a former Green Beret. Mark, exhausted, dozes off for much of the trip.

Upon arrival at the George Bush Center for Intelligence, Phil escorts Mark to the Original Headquarters Building (OHB). After clearing security, Mark is directed to a conference room to meet with George Ramsey, the CIA official overseeing the mission.

In the conference room, Mark meets Ramsey, who acknowledges Mark’s reluctance to join the operation but emphasizes that Colonel Weaver highly recommended him. Their conversation is interrupted by the arrival of Dr. Alexandra Conner, a CIA official who requested Mark’s expertise for a classified assignment.

Dr. Conner outlines the mission: A powerful AI system called Quest, developed to identify national security threats, has flagged the three scientists who originally built it as potential threats. Mark is being brought in to surveil them and determine if the system is accurate—or if it’s producing false positives.

Mark questions the need for someone like him for a surveillance assignment, arguing that any licensed private investigator could handle such a job. However, Conner and Ramsey insist that the targets are highly intelligent and perceptive—only someone with Mark’s elite field experience and covert skills could do the job without detection.

Conner reveals that the person deemed the highest priority among the three is Dr. Thomas Allen, CEO of a cybersecurity company in San Francisco. Supporting documents, photos, and personal profiles (dossiers) have already been compiled, and Mark is expected to begin the assignment immediately.

Mark agrees—but states that he’ll need appropriate tools: new clothing, surveillance gear, multiple identities, and a significant budget. Ramsey assures him that all resources will be provided, including credit cards, passports, and a generous financial allowance tied to multiple cover identities.

The meeting concludes with plans for Mark to review the dossiers overnight and meet with Dr. Harding, a behavioral psychologist who assisted in Quest’s development, the following day. Mark's final question—where he’ll be staying and how to get out of his army fatigues—sets the stage for the next chapter.