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“But then a lot of people will get hurt.”
“We’ll have to do something called damage containment,” replied Sean.
“I’m familiar with the phrase. But that’s usually reserved for cases where you have multiple assets on the ground. We don’t have that luxury. Foster and by extension Quantrell have lots of resources.”
“Do you think they’re working together still? Even after they were told one is trying to screw the other?” asked Michelle.
Roy said, “They’re playing it on multiple fronts. They’ll prepare for the worst but execute any plan that seems feasible. Riley being a valuable asset is one they held in reserve. They may have intended on playing this one all along. That doesn’t mean they now trust each other. In fact, they probably don’t.”
“So what’s the glue that’s holding them together?”
“My sister talked to me about that. She thinks the glue is James Harkes. And I agree with her.”
“Tell us about him,” said Sean.
“Decorated veteran. Purple Heart. Bronze Star. Short-listed for the Silver. Been a field agent for the CIA and DIA. He’s good.”
“Is he smart enough to play this all the way?”
“You’ll have to ask my sister. She knows more about him than I do.”
“So they’ve worked together? She mentioned something like that, I think.”
“I’m not so sure they worked together.”
“What then?”
“I think they almost killed each other. And from the way she tells it she was lucky to walk away.”
“If they’re both American agents why would that have happened?” asked Michelle.
“It’s complicated, apparently. But Harkes being on their side is not good for us.”
Sean turned back around and sighed. “Great.”
A few minutes later they turned down a quiet residential street. The garage door opened at their approach, and Michelle drove into it. The door closed behind them.
Kelly Paul was waiting at the door into the house.
“Do we have a plan for tomorrow?” asked Sean, as they passed through into the house.
“We have a plan,” replied Paul. “There’s just no guarantee that it will work.”
CHAPTER
82
THE DAY SET FOR THE HOSTAGE exchange broke clear and cold. The masses on the Mall were in place by ten o’clock. There were speeches, demonstrations, songs, more speeches, portable toilets by the thousands, and lots of signs with the peace symbol on them.
The Air and Space Museum was one of the most popular of the Smithsonian’s offerings. It was just down the street from the Smithsonian Castle.
The museum was ground zero.
Two hours to go.
The cold weather helped, because everyone was dressed in coats, hats, and scarves, and thus disguise was made far easier.
Sean and Michelle were on the Mall near the US Capitol. Edgar Roy, wearing a hoodie and with his face pointed downward, sat in a wheelchair that Sean was pushing. Sean used one hand to tug his coat tighter around him. It was a snug fit for a very good reason.
