AllFreeNovel
Share Us
In the dim shadows of the bookcase-lined office are a pair of couches and coffee tables, plus lots of framed photos of the general in his military career and his subsequent career in the Agency. Lots of grip-and-grin photos with past Secretaries of State and Defense, along with current ones of Senate and House leaders, none of whom Ernest would trust to run a frat-party weekend.
The pacing stops.
“But I trust you, Ernest. I rely on you…the president, when I was selected, he told me of changes he wanted to make within this division. Hard choices and hard decisions have to be made. But I’ve always counted on your judgment, to protect…the Agency and its interests.”
Ernest nods. Perhaps his boss doesn’t know it yet, but Ernest knows he’s already won.
“Are you sure this must be done?”
“Yes, sir,” Ernest says. “She and this British soldier are acting without authorization, going against a restricted target.”
One more pace that ends at a midway point, then Rooney is done and sits down at his desk.
“All right, then,” his boss says. “To smoke someone…it means a lot, doesn’t it?”
Ernest says, “It means the field operative is no longer in our employ. There are no records of her being here. Her telephone and Internet access are removed. All of our stations around the world are ordered not to respond to her, nor to assist her. It’s as if she never existed as part of the Agency.”
Rooney picks up a pen, scribbles on a notepad. “It will happen before the end of the day, then, Ernest.”
“Thank you, sir,” Ernest says, rising from his chair. “It will be for the best. Trust me.”
“But what you just said…you indicated Cornwall and this British soldier, they are going up against a restricted target. Explain.”
“We have preliminary intelligence that this British soldier is on his own, going after one of our assets.”
“Have you informed your MI6 counterpart?”
Ernest thinks,I’m trying, but the limey SOB won’t answer my calls.
“That’s currently in the process, sir,” he says.
Rooney looks tired. “Who is this asset?”
“His code name isBROKER.He’s a quiet, behind-the-scenes man who has performed many services for us. It seems like this rogue SAS soldier has a personal vendetta against him, and that he’s persuaded Cornwall to go along.”
Rooney says, “But wouldn’t it make sensenotto smoke Cornwall, so we can track her movements?”
“That would be too much of a risk, sir,” says Ernest. “Cornwall and the Brit may have already killed our asset. Better to remove all trace of her having worked for the Agency.”
Rooney nods and asks, “What’s the asset’s real name?”
“Rashad Hussain,” Ernest says.
Chapter18
AFTER Ikick Jeremy’s tired and injured legs out from underneath him, he falls flat on his back on the jagged and torn rocks. I’m sure he cries out or curses me, but I’m too busy to hear him. Three militants, terrorists, jihadists—whatever, three bad guys with AK-47s—are bolting around a large boulder about two meters up the trail, and with Jeremy on the ground I get a clear shot.
POP POP POP.
My first three-round burst hits the lead gunmen right in the chest. He falls back, almost toppling his near mate, but that second man swivels and with one hand sends a burst of AK-47 fire at me, which misses me but hits a nearby rock berm, chipping off an impressive amount of stone splinters.
I fire off another three-round burst, catching him in the shoulder and head, and he spins and drops.
The third guy is one cool customer. Instead of praying and spraying, holding out the automatic rifle in both hands and emptying the magazine in one long burst, he drops to one knee, brings up his AK-47, and gives himself a second or two to take proper aim at his target, i.e., me.
But I’m faster and squeeze the trigger on my MP5.
Nothing happens.
