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“Too long, sir. I’m honored that you took time out of your schedule to meet with me personally.”

“Deciding which chair Sunny Wicka’s ass is in while she drones on about our new aid package isn’t much of a priority for me.”

The program to be announced at next week’s state dinner was yet another example of the bribes that the Americans believed would keep Pakistan docile.

Not that Taj objected to the influx of Western money. He would see to it that only a tiny portion of that billion dollars ever found its way into the hands of Pakistan’s poor. The rest would be diverted to the military and the terrorist groups the Americans were so frightened by.

“Please join me in my office, Senator.”

Ferris waved at his people to stay where they were and followed the ISI director inside.

“Tea?” Taj offered.

“I’m on a tight schedule, Ahmed.”

“Of course. I understand completely.”

Ferris had gained a visible amount of weight and was trying unsuccessfully to hide it with a creatively tailored suit. Undoubtedly it was the product of stress. The information given to the politician by Akhtar Durrani would have made for an explosive hearing—endless hours of Ferris hitting Irene Kennedy with specific dates, names, and places, while she stammered and equivocated. A bold first step toward his party’s presidential nomination.

Unfortunately, Durrani was dead and Kennedy had discovered Ferris’s relationship with the former ISI deputy director. She was keeping the information quiet for now, but the public release of evidence linking the prominent senator to Pakistani intelligence had the potential to devastate his political career.

“Let me say—” Taj started, but Ferris spoke over him.

“Kennedy told me that Durrani kidnapped her man Joe Rickman and was torturing him for information. That they’re both dead now.”

“Irene Kennedy is a professional liar.”

“And you’re not?”

“I was appointed to this position specifically because I’m not, sir.”

Ferris frowned, but there was no skepticism in his expression. Like everyone else, he saw Taj as weak. A pawn to be used and, if necessary, sacrificed.

“So you’re saying it’s not true?”

“That would be too simple, Senator. Kennedy mixes truth with lies to keep her enemies off balance.”

“Is that scotch?” Ferris said, pointing to a crystal service. Taj had his people bring it in specifically for this meeting.

“It is.”

Ferris poured himself a glass uninvited. “What’s your truth, Ahmed?”

“Durrani was little more than a thug. He was not capable of creating a plan this complex. I can assure you that it was entirely Joe Rickman’s doing. He had become disillusioned with the CIA in a similar way that you have. He saw it as a corrupt and destructive organization that no longer answered to elected officials like yourself. Unfortunately, he was far more clumsy in his actions than you would have been.”

It was untrue to the point of being transparent. Rickman had been a brilliant strategist. He’d spent years devising a plan that had a very real chance of dismantling America’s intelligence apparatus. This partisan half-wit would be no more capable of comprehending Rickman’s complex machinations than Durrani was.

Of course, the senator didn’t see it that way and accepted the blatant flattery without a second thought. “How were they killed? Kennedy didn’t say what happened to Rickman and the reports said your man had a heart attack.”

“They were shot by one of Durrani’s men with the help of an anonymous American.”

“An American? Are you sure?”

“Yes. We have recordings of his voice. It’s impossible to prove because of the poor quality, but we believe it was Mitch Rapp.”

Ferris’s face twisted with hate and he stalked around the room for a few moments, processing what he’d heard. Finally he stopped short. “That bitch! She made me believe that Durrani had been playing me and murdered Rickman. She said she’d release the emails between us and make me out to be either a traitor or some naïve patsy. She threatened to have m

e arrested. Me!”

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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