AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“There is one way, and it’s right in front of us.”
Flood was intrigued. “Enlighten me.”
Stansfield shook his head ever so slightly and said, “I think it best if you remain in the dark on this one.”
Flood’s hands moved to his hips, and a strange look washed over his face. He paused, wondering for a moment if he was reading Stansfield correctly. “What do you have up your sleeve, Thomas?”
Stansfield looked out the large window behind his desk. Without turning back to Flood, the director of the CIA said, “We both know what needs to be done, General, and there’s no sense in risking two when one will suffice.” Slowly looking back over his shoulder, he said, “I think now would be a good time for you and General Campbell to go visit the front lines. Maybe have a talk with HRT and Delta. See how they’re doing. Make sure they’re ready to move when the authority is given.”
Flood squinted, part of him wanting to know what Thomas Stansfield was up to, but another part of him wanting nothing to do with whatever the director was planning.
“Thomas, what are you up to?”
Stansfield gingerly walked around the desk and placed his thin hand on Flood’s substantial biceps. Turning him toward the door, Stansfield started to walk with him.
“I have the best of intentions. Do not worry.” Several steps closer to the door and he added, “Just make sure the boys are ready to go when the time comes.”
LESS THAN a minute later they were standing in the control room. Flood had informed Campbell that they were going to visit the troops. HRT would be first and then Delta. The ranger assumed it had something to do with the call to Vice President Baxter and hoped they were about to get the green light. He quickly gathered his things and on the way out the door held his encrypted cell phone up to Kennedy and reminded her to keep him informed of any changes.
After the two generals and several of their aides were gone, Kennedy looked at her boss, who was standing one step above her. Stansfield looked back at her with his tired old eyes.
“Did Baxter give you the assault authority?”
“No, I’m afraid not.”
Kennedy’s lips pursed. “Why was General Flood in such a hurry to get out of here?”
“He had some things to take care of.” Stansfield looked at his watch and then asked, “Is Mitch on the line?”
“Yes.”
Stansfield thought it through one last time, making sure he had all of his bases covered. Then looking around the dark room, he said, “Irene, tell everyone to take a fifteen-minute break.”
“Everyone?” questioned Kennedy. He surely didn’t mean everyone.
“Everyone,” stated Stansfield calmly and coolly. “I want the room cleared.”
Kennedy, cut from the same cloth as her boss, knew the man did not mince or waste his words. She could only assume he had a very good reason for his rather unusual request and immediately went about the task of clearing the room. Rather than making a boisterous announcement to the entire group, she started with the front row and worked her way to the rear, telling everyone to finish up what they were working on and then head out. No one questioned her.
It took just under two minutes, and when everyone was gone, Kennedy and Stansfield were left standing alone in the dimly lit room. The wall of monitors at the front of the room cast a blue hue across everything.
Stansfield looked down at his protégé and said simply, “You too, Irene.”
Kennedy was surprised. Her security clearance couldn’t get any higher. There was nothing she couldn’t hear or view unless it was compartmentalized. A She studied her boss intently and wondered what could possibly be going on. Why would he need to be alone in this room? Stansfield stood in front of her like a statue, giving nothing away. Kennedy finally stepped for the door, her mind trying to retrace the steps that led up to this unusual situation.
RAPP HAD AWKWARDLY accepted Anna Rielly’s apology. Somewhere in the back of his mind it registered that asking her to not tell this story was impossible. She would have to tell it to one degree or another—as long as she now accepted the conditions. From the corner the secure field radio beeped several times, announcing that an encrypted communication was received. Rapp reached over and snatched the handset.
“Yep.”
“Mitchell, it’s Thomas. Have you found a way to verify our most recent problem?”
Rapp was a little surprised that Stansfield had used his first name. “Maybe. Milt seems to think he might have a way, but it might be hard to pull it off from a logistical standpoint.”
There was no immediate reply. After a moment Stansfield began to speak in a very slow and deliberate voice. “Mitchell, you’ve sacrificed a lot over the last ten or so years, and I’m very grateful for that.” There was another pause. “I’m going to ask you to do something, and I don’t want you to discuss it with anyone else.” Stansfield stopped again, letting the gravity of his request sink in. “Am I understood?”
“Yes, sir.”
“First, we must verify if President Hayes is safe in his bunker. Second, we need to reestablish radio contact with him. All radio and phone traffic from the bunker has been jammed, as you know. Find and disable that unit so I can speak directly to the president.”
