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Chapters (88)
  1. Titles by Mark Greaney
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright
  4. Dedication
  5. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  6. CONTENTS
  7. Epigraph
  8. CHARACTERS
  9. PROLOGUE
  10. 1
  11. 2
  12. 3
  13. 4
  14. 5
  15. 6
  16. 7
  17. 8
  18. 9
  19. 10
  20. 11
  21. 12
  22. 13
  23. 14
  24. 15
  25. 16
  26. 17
  27. 18
  28. 19
  29. 20
  30. 21
  31. 22
  32. 23
  33. 24
  34. 25
  35. 26
  36. 27
  37. 28
  38. 29
  39. 30
  40. 31
  41. 32
  42. 33
  43. 34
  44. 35
  45. 36
  46. 37
  47. 38
  48. 39
  49. 40
  50. 41
  51. 42
  52. 43
  53. 44
  54. 45
  55. 46
  56. 47
  57. 48
  58. 49
  59. 50
  60. 51
  61. 52
  62. 53
  63. 54
  64. 55
  65. 56
  66. 57
  67. 58
  68. 59
  69. 60
  70. 61
  71. 62
  72. 63
  73. 64
  74. 65
  75. 66
  76. 67
  77. 68
  78. 69
  79. 70
  80. 71
  81. 72
  82. 73
  83. 74
  84. 75
  85. 76
  86. 77
  87. 78
  88. EPILOGUE

“Why?” Hanley quickly put a hand up in the air. “Why not tell me and call up Ground Branch assets?” He sat up straighter in his chair and raised a finger. “I get it. You are using me as bait.”

Carmichael grinned like a cornered dog showing his teeth. “He’ll try to make contact with you. You know he will.”

“Meaning . . . you think he’ll try to kill me.”

Carmichael did not respond for a moment. Finally he picked up the report again. “You’ll be safe.”

“Despite your best attempts to keep me out of the loop, Gentry has made other arrangements. Now I am involved, whether you like it or not. I know what’s going on here, and I know you are doing your best to keep this whole thing under wraps. For the sake of the Agency I hope you do keep a lid on it. If U.S. military forces go loud on the streets of Washington, D.C., some really curious folks are going to want to know why.”

Carmichael replied, “I am well aware of that.” He drummed his fingers on the table now. “I suppose some support from Ground Branch wouldn’t hurt. Why don’t you task a few elements to my Violator Working Group? We can involve them in the hunt, wrap this up even faster.”

Matt Hanley shook his head with a laugh. “You’ve got some brass balls, Denny. Trying to suck me into your debacle in the making so I’ll be invested in the outcome? No thank you.”

“I will remind you that I am your superior. Your men are, ultimately, mine to do with as I see fit.”

Hanley stood. “Can’t argue with you there. My guys are at your disposal.” He started to turn for the door. Then he stopped himself and turned back. “Of course, I can always drop by the director’s office. On something this big, you don’t mind if I check with him just to make sure everything is squared away.”

Carmichael’s jaw flexed. “On second thought, maybe SAD should sit this one out. I’m sure your operational tempo is keeping your forces busy.”

“As a bee,” said Hanley.

It was quiet now as two men who neither trusted nor liked each other squared off. Finally Carmichael looked back down to his paperwork and said, “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a lot of work on my desk.”

The meeting was over but, to the surprise of the senior executives, Chris Travers spoke up. “Sorry. Can I ask a question, sir?”

Carmichael looked up, annoyed. “What is it?”