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“I didn’t make that connection, sir. Who are they, sir? And what were they doing at the Mayflower?”
“They’re soldiers. Five of them are commissioned officers, seven of them are warrant officers, and the remaining ten are senior noncommissioned officers. They are all assigned to General McNab’s Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg—to the Delta Force and Gray Fox components thereof.”
“Yes, sir?”
“As to what they were doing at the Mayflower, they were having a party. The host was Lieutenant Colonel Castillo, Retired.”
“I don’t think I understand, Mr. President,” Beiderman said.
“What I want you to do, Mr. Secretary,” President Clendennen said, “is take these photographs to General Naylor. Tell him to show them to General McNab as proof that we know what he’s up to—”
“Sir?”
“Please don’t interrupt me, Beiderman,” the President said unpleasantly. “Tell Naylor to show these photographs to General McNab, and to tell McNab that if he immediately applies for retirement, that will be the end of it.”
“The end of what, Mr. President?”
“McCarthy thinks the less we put into words at this time, the better,” the President said. “For reasons that should be obvious to you.”
“I’m afraid they’re not, Mr. President,” Beiderman said. “Frankly, I don’t understand any of this.”
“I think you do,” the President said icily.
“The only thing I understand is that you want General McNab to resign.”
“Correct.”
“Presumably in connection with this party in the Mayflower?”
“McNab will understand when General Naylor shows him these pictures, and, aware that I am repeating myself, tells him he can end this whole thing by immediately retiring, and that will be the end of it.”
“The end of what whole thing, sir?”
“If you give it some thought as you’re traveling to CENTCOM to see General Naylor, I’m sure it will come to you, Mr. Secretary. Call me the minute Naylor has McNab’s request for retirement in hand.”
Clemens McCarthy bent over the table, slid the photographs together, stacked them neatly together, and handed them to Mulligan, who returned them to the envelope and then handed the envelope to Secretary Beiderman.
President Clendennen didn’t seem to notice when Beiderman left the room.
[FOUR]
Office of the Commander in Chief
United States Central Command
MacDill Air Force Base
Tampa, Florida
1245 17 April 2007
Colonel J. D. Brewer pushed open the door and formally announced, “General Naylor, the secretary of Defense.”
Naylor was out of his chair and on the way to the door before Beiderman was halfway through it.
Beiderman offered his hand.
“Mr. Secretary, I’m a little uncomfortable not having been at the field . . .”
