Angels Fallen (29 page)

Washington hardbal
l
—
j
ust the way she liked it. 

Eye contact with her husband in the visitor’s section provided some sense of reassurance via his boyish smile. She mustered a slight nod in response.

“Ladies and gentlemen of the worldwide press,” she began. “I would like to thank-you all for attending my impromptu news conference.”  She looked about the room, amazed at the full turnout on only an hour’s notice before continuing. “I don’t want to keep you from enjoying the rest of this beautiful day.  As I stand here today, it is with a heavy heart that I disclose certain facts to you.  Facts so sensational that the governments of both Russia and the United States will ardently deny what I am about to tell you.” 

She removed a small pair of wire rimmed reading glasses from her jacket pocket before referring to a single sheet of handwritten notes before continuing: “In September of 2012, I had the privilege to meet with General Alexander Lebed, the onetime head of the Russian Department of Defense.
I will not bore you with the details, but it was during a low point in our meeting that General Lebed excused himself from the table, motioning for me to follow suit. Once out of earshot, he proceeded to inform me of something that his Government would ardently deny, and will still deny to this day.

In disgust, the congresswoman absently
pushed aside her notes, the words already burned into her memory. She cast a nervous glance towards her husband. He smiled in return. She wondered if she were doing the right thing. She turned to the assembled reporters only to be greeted by their bored expressions.

That would soon change
.

She continued. “The General realized the life-threatening position he faced, openly discussing a subject that only nine people were even aware of.  It was then that he spoke the words that have haunted me each and every night since our meeting; ‘
Russian authorities cannot account for dozens of portable nuclear weapons that were once in the Soviet arsenal, and now thought to be lost somewhere in the United States of America.’
”

The audience gasped.

Reporters anxiously called their editors, begging for airtime. In their ever-changing world, a new top story was crowned.

In the visitors’ gallery, Lawrence Trevers
, straightened his United States Capitol Police officer’s uniform, only minutes removed from its original owner. He moved easily among the tourists as he searched for just the right position to accomplish his mission. His high and tight haircut, lean body, and quick, darting eye movements betrayed that his true identity lay somewhere else, another employer.

Originally instructed to be in position
before
the congresswoman’s speech, a traffic jam in DuPont Circle put an end to that notion.

She had their undivided attention,
of this she was sure. “After our impromptu meeting,” the Congresswoman continued, “I waited until the initial shock wore off before approaching Defense Minister Pavel Sergeivich for confirmation.  I simply wanted him to state that my source was misinformed.  His silence confirmed my worst fears. 

Minister Sergeivich went on to inform me that
such devices existed, and that yes
, they are indeed missing in the United States.” 

The room came alive once more, reporters camera’s snapping
picture after picture of the Congresswoman.  The news media cursed at the absence of a television crew. 

Who could have known?

Trevers circled to the rear of
the visiting crowd. Satisfied no one was watching hi
m
—
he screwed a bulbous silencer into the tip of his 9mm before placing it back into his jacket pocket.

No one took notice as he maneuvered into shooting position, looking perfectly normal to anyone who glanced in his direction.

The congresswoman continued.
“Minister Sergeivich said he would never officially restate his comments.  He considered his comments strictl
y
—
off the record
.  Within two weeks of my discussions with Minister Sergeivich, he was killed in an apparent burglary to his home. The FSB, the KGB’s heir apparent, are considered the prime suspects in his death.  As for General Lebed, an assassin’s bullet found him while attending a veteran’s reunion. The same crooked fingers pointing to the FSB.”

She paused once more, the stress of the past several weeks
evidently weighing on her. “I thank-you for your time,” she said. “That is all I have to say right now. More statements will be forthcoming over the next several days.”

As the Congresswoman walked from the podium, reporters shouted questions at breakneck speed, searching for additional details, only to have her casually wave them off.

Crossing before the Senate Master at Arms chair, a red dot suddenly appeared on her forehead. 

The bullet had clearly hit its target.

O
n September 13
th
, 2012
, Russian officials issued a statement denying they had fielded such weapons, and denounced the powerful ex-congresswoman for causing potential hysteria.

On September 14
th
2012
, highly placed United States officials admitted to the Government Accounting Office that the Soviet Union had indeed placed nuclear devices in the United States. They also went on to state that all of the weapons had been accounted for and dismantled by the end of 2002
.

Someone was lying
………………