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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

King then turned her attention to Denny Carmichael. “Director Carmichael. Please listen. I have told the men out here that I think I can stop this from turning into a bloodbath. It’s not necessary for anyone to die. Please let me come in.”

“Ms. King, it might not surprise you to know certain classified information is being discussed in here. Since you don’t have a Top Secret security clearance, I can’t allow you to come in.”

“Does Murquin al-Kazaz have a Top Secret U.S. security clearance?”

Denny did not reply.

Catherine said, “You need me in there, Denny. I can make this better.”

Carmichael said, “It’s not really up to me. I’m not the one holding the submachine gun.”

Court just smiled. Carmichael was warning the JSOC boys about the defensive setup.

Catherine said, “Six. I know you want to protect the Agency, even after everything that has happened to you. You have my word there will be large amounts of the information I know that will never make it to print if you let me in that room to talk.”

“What information?”

“Do we have a deal?”

Court sighed. “You do know this is life-or-death in here, don’t you?”

“I do. It is my intention to save lives.”

“Mine, or his?” Carmichael asked.

“I don’t want anyone in there to die today, Mr. Carmichael.”

Court didn’t know what to do. He wanted to hear any intel he could get on this, but he fully expected JSOC to breach at some point, and then it wouldn’t be safe for King to be here in the line of fire.

She pressed. “Open the door, Six. You need to hear what I have to say.”

“If this is some kind of a trap, Denny dies first.”

“It’s no trap.”

Court opened the door to the hallway, then he crossed to the security office by the pneumatic doors. He positioned himself out of the line of fire, but he used the reflection from a hall mirror to keep his eyes on the doorway.

He tapped a button on the security controller on his wrist, then he readied his weapon. The pneumatic doors opened. Catherine King entered the hall with her hands raised. She wore warm-ups and tennis shoes. It looked to Court like she’d been called out of a yoga class to come here. Her hands were empty.

Court reclosed the pneumatic doors, then he approached her in the hallway. He turned her to the wall and frisked her quickly, finding nothing on her.

Turning her around, he led her back into the conference room. “Anything for a story, right?”

King forced a little smile. She looked nervous, but steadfast. She sat at the table with the others, and Court sat back down himself.

“So,” Court said, turning to King, “you have brought some news? Some way to resolve this crisis?”