Ghosts of War (27 page)

I
nside the Oval Office, President Hannister had started to become comfortable behind the old Resolute desk. Kurt saw that he was coming to terms with the fact that others could provide advice, but
he
was the man in charge. The one who ultimately made decisions. Kurt was pleased, because he'd seen “decision by committee” in the past, and it was never pretty.

Holding a CIA cable, Hannister said, “So is this independent confirmation of what Simon is up to?”

Kerry Bostwick said, “No, sir. It's not independent. It's from the same source as before, but it
is
additional information confirming the original reporting.”

Working with Kerry, the director of the CIA and an Oversight Council member, Kurt had “laundered” Pike's report through CIA channels to allow it to be presented to members of the national security team who had no knowledge of Taskforce activities. As a result, President Hannister had become confused, believing it was a second report from a different source.

Hannister finally connected the dots and said, “When did this come in?”

“About six hours ago.”

General Durham said, “Can I see it?”

Hannister handed him the cable, a redacted transcript of a recording between two men.

General Durham said, “What's this mean?”

Kerry said, “We have a source who believes the tensions in Europe are being deliberately stoked, and that these men are trying to start a war. The source believes that President Warren's plane was brought down by someone outside the Russian government specifically to create a war between NATO and Russia. The subject, for reasons unknown, wants Putin gone, and believes a war will do it, but he's growing impatient, and there are significant indicators that another attack is on the way. One that will guarantee a NATO response against Russia.”

“Who's this ‘source'? A Russian?”

“I'm not going to discuss sources and methods.”

“Well, no offense, but the CIA wasn't exactly Johnny-on-the-spot for the whole Crimean takeover. Putin played you then, and he's playing you now.”

“General, the source isn't Russian, and his reporting comes with high confidence.”

“When and where is this supposed attack going to occur?”

“We don't know. We're working on it.”

—

Aaron was blasting down a back road, driving dangerously fast for the conditions, headed toward the next stop the train was going to make. His decision to drive had proven correct, as he continually ignored the GPS, using his own knowledge of the roads. We didn't have a lot of time to beat the train to the stop, and if I'd have been forced to rely on the GPS, we never would have made it.

Then again, if it had been Shoshana in the vehicle and Aaron on the train, we might not need to be speeding at all. But that was all hindsight, and doing me no good now.

Initially just following as backup for surveillance in case Mikhail left early, Jennifer's call had changed everything. I was boarding at the next available stop, and I was ready to kill.

I refused to think about what I might find, concentrating on the mechanics of clearing the train. Focusing on what we, as a three-man team, could accomplish with a single firearm, which, given the skills of the men in the van, was still significant. In the end, it didn't matter what we found. I'd already designated Mikhail and his men as a DOA force for this mission, and whatever damage was onboard wouldn't alter that.

I was going to kill him. Along with anyone who tried to stop us.

I looked at our constantly recalculating GPS and saw we were about three kilometers out, four minutes ahead of the train. With only a three-minute stop, we were cutting it close, but I thought we'd make it.

I kept flipping my knife open and closed, and Knuckles said, “Never cleared a linear target with only a blade before.”

I said, “We'll have weapons soon enough. After the first contact.”

He saw the bloodlust in my eyes and grimly nodded.

Aaron said, “About one minute out,” and then, strangely, my cell
phone began vibrating. I looked at the screen and saw an international number.
Mikhail
. Clearly, Jennifer had given my number to him. I didn't want to think what that had required. I focused on one thing: Vengeance.

Knuckles said, “Who is it?”

“I don't know. Probably Mikhail.”

The phone buzzed again, and he said, “You going to answer it?”

I flicked my blade open again and said, “I think I'll wait to talk to him in person.”

Knuckles said, “You'll get that chance, but answering can only give us intelligence. You'd be giving us an edge.”

As usual, he was right. I did so, putting the phone to my ear and hearing nothing but a giant rushing sound. I narrowed my eyes and said, “Hello?”

I heard someone shouting about Shoshana. I put a finger in my other ear, having a hard time hearing. I said, “Let me speak to her.”

Through the wind, I thought I heard, “You are, idiot.”

I said, “Shoshana?”

“You are speaking to Shoshana.”

“I can't hear you.”

“I'm on top of a train.”

“Top of a train?”

“Why do you keep repeating everything I say? Are you drunk?”

I looked at Knuckles, amazed. He mouthed,
what?
Into the phone, I said, “I fucking can't hear you. Who is this?”

“It's the damn Pumpkin King.”

I heard
Pumpkin King
come through the phone loud and clear, and relief flooded through me like a patient hearing a doctor say the test had come back negative.

G
eneral Durham said, “So your ‘source'
thinks
an attack is going to occur, but has no idea where or when?” He turned to President Hannister and said, “Sir, even if it's true, it doesn't alter our need for preparation. If anything, it means we should redouble our efforts. Instead of a game of brinksmanship, it's now just a race to be first to the punch.”

Hannister nodded reluctantly, saying, “What do the Joint Chiefs recommend?”

“Full-on support for NATO. We don't want to trigger anything, but we have to be prepared. The NATO response force is a single brigade, and it's run by Spain now. Nothing against them, but we are the eight hundred–pound gorilla. We need to take charge.”

“But didn't we agree to the response force rotation? How are we going to run in and assume command? It's
their
continent.”

Durham said, “Sir, we front most of NATO's costs. This isn't a time to pretend that our allies' feelings are worth more than the outcome we seek.”

Tired beyond belief, Hannister rubbed his eyes and said, “Can anyone else in this room give me a response that doesn't involve pissing off everyone we know?”

Oglethorpe said, “Sir, the enemy gets a vote, and Putin may not wait. Hell, look at it this way: If this supposed attack occurs, and it's a big enough spark, we're going to war whether we want to or not, because
NATO
will. We need to manage that, and doing so requires a commitment of forces. Stake in the game.”

Hannister nodded and said, “But if I escalate, forcing him to do the same, we both drive to a resolution neither one of us wants.”

General Durham said, “Sir,
he's
the one who's escalating! I don't want to go to war, either, but I also don't want to fight from a position of weakness.”

“What if he's escalating because he's got someone on his side yelling at him like you're yelling at me?”

General Durham snorted and said, “Sir, you have two brigades in Putin's fire sack right now. He's moved two armored divisions and an artillery brigade into range across the border. If he wants to destroy them without warning, he can. And that will be on your head.”

Hannister was incredulous. “Did you just accuse me of putting lives in danger, after you accused me of cowardice for not doing so? Do you think I'm too stupid to see what you're doing? Why did the artillery and armor move to the border?”

Oglethorpe tried to defuse the situation, but only got as far as “Sir” before Hannister cut him off with a glare.

They waited in silence for a moment, then General Durham said, “I'm not sure what you're asking me, sir.”

“I'm asking for your assessment as to why Russia has now moved two armored divisions and an artillery brigade to the border with Ukraine.”

“Sir, it's obvious why. Because of our airborne operation for Air Force One.”

Hannister said, “At least you understand cause and effect. Fine. Pull them out. Get them back, right now. Defuse the situation.”

Oglethorpe said, “Sir, they aren't finished with the body and document recovery. That'll take another couple of days. They need the time to scrub the wreckage for anything of intelligence value. Pulling out now will send a horrible signal.”

General Durham said, “Showing weakness is not the way to go here. The Marine armored battalion is en route right now, traveling
overland. They'll be there soon and provide the protection our men need.”

“Or they will provide the excuse for Russia to finally unleash its forces. Maybe we won't have to wait for another instigating attack. Maybe you'll do it all by yourself.”

Kurt wasn't sure which way he leaned on the discussion, then he heard words he never would have expected from the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. General Durham got political.

“Sir, have you seen the news? The population is screaming for vengeance. You
must
show strength.”

Dennis McFadden, President Warren's chief of staff, and thus President Hannister's by default, said, “Sir, that's true. All the polling shows that the public wants a forceful response.”

Durham continued, saying, “You have two brigades within range of both Russian artillery and armor.
You
put them there. Now you need to back them up.”

Enraged, Hannister drew up and said, “
You
demanded that, and now you want to force my hand.”

General Durham said, “Sir, I recommend. You execute. I agree with the decision, but I only recommend, like I'm doing now.”

The room grew quiet. Kurt was embarrassed to say he wore the same uniform as General Durham, wondering how on earth he'd reached the highest military position in the United States arsenal. He was disgusted at the political display with lives on the line, and wanted to interject, but could not. He needn't have worried, because there was a greater leadership in the room. One no one expected to rise to the occasion.

Hannister locked eyes with the general and said, “Okay, then, we know where we both stand. Remember those words. You
recommend
. I execute.”

And then a mild-mannered economist, forced into a situation beyond his asking, began to take control. General Durham looked at the
secretary of defense, wanting backup, but not getting it. He turned to Hannister and said, “Sir, I told you I was hired by the president for my unvarnished opinion. President
Warren
.”

Hannister said, “Warren's dead. I'm not sure that's sunk in for you. I'm making the decisions from now on.”

Standing at attention like a cadet at West Point, General Durham nodded his head, finally backing down, but Hannister wasn't finished. “Right now, my decision is that you get the hell out of my office.”

General Durham looked like he'd been slapped. Hannister said, “Go.”

Durham left, along with most of the air in the room. Hannister said, “We're done here. The armor package holds up. Don't make it look like we changed our minds. Just hold them up in Kiev for a day until we can figure this out.”

He looked around the room, sizing up who was left. He said, “Mark, Kurt, Kerry, and Palmer, stay behind. The rest of you, good night.”

After the room had cleared, leaving only Oversight Council members, Kurt finally spoke. “Sir, this isn't the way to run a crisis. We can't have the divisions. We'll need rapid responses and consensus based on trust.”

Hannister leaned back and said, “Yes. I think I just engendered that.”

Mark Oglethorpe said, “Sir, General Durham
is
your senior military advisor.”

“Then tell him to advise instead of manipulate. He's about to be shitcanned. Jesus, he actually brought up polling.”

At a loss to defend the man, Mark said, “Yes, sir.”

Hannister turned to Kurt and said, “What's the update?”

“Sir, Pike was planning on taking out both men as soon as his team arrived, but they split up right after the transcript was made. Simon went to Vienna and Mikhail is taking a train to an unknown location.”

“So you're tracking Simon?”

“No, sir. The team made the call to track Mikhail. Simon presented complications that would lead to compromise with the team.”

“Can't we do both? Can't we send someone to Vienna?”

Kurt considered, then said, “Yes, sir, that's actually a good idea, but let's do it aboveboard. We don't have a handle on where he'll end up, but if I could recommend, I'd get the FBI LEGATT at the embassy rolling. Simon is on our Ten Most Wanted list. Get HRT over there and let the FBI start working it with their contacts. Arrest him in conjunction with the Austrians. Even if they don't get him, it might create enough pressure to disrupt what he's doing.”

To Palmer, Hannister said, “Get it done.”

Palmer nodded and Hannister said, “Tell me that Pike can stop this attack. I can prevent us from doing something unforgivably stupid, but that's about it.”

“Sir, Pike's working the problem, but there are no guarantees. He's got very little to go on. He's currently tracking the man who's conducting the meeting. Still no idea why or what that meeting is about, but it's tied to the attack.”

“Tell him from me, the president of the United States, that the fate of Europe may depend on his success.”

Kurt smiled and said, “Not sure that'll have an effect. No offense, but the last time Pike dealt with you, you had him arrested.”

Hannister pinched the bridge of his nose as if he were warding off a migraine. He said, “Well, tell him we all change perspectives once we change jobs.”

He removed his hand from his face and said, “Wait a minute. I have a better idea: Tell him I'll arrest him again if he fails. Pissing that guy off seems to bring out his best.”

The tension in the room finally broke with the Council members' chuckling. Kurt stood to leave, saying, “You might be right on that.”