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Chapters (53)
  1. BALANCE OF POWER
  2. Acknowledgments
  3. About The Creators
  4. ONE
  5. TWO
  6. THREE
  7. FOUR
  8. FIVE
  9. SIX
  10. SEVEN
  11. EIGHT
  12. NINE
  13. TEN
  14. ELEVEN
  15. TWELVE
  16. THIRTEEN
  17. FOURTEEN
  18. FIFTEEN
  19. SIXTEEN
  20. SEVENTEEN
  21. EIGHTEEN
  22. NINETEEN
  23. TWENTY
  24. TWENTY-ONE
  25. TWENTY-TWO
  26. TWENTY-THREE
  27. TWENTY-FOUR
  28. TWENTY-FIVE
  29. TWENTY-SIX
  30. TWENTY-SEVEN
  31. TWENTY-EIGHT
  32. TWENTY-NINE
  33. THIRTY
  34. THIRTY-ONE
  35. THIRTY-TWO
  36. THIRTY-THREE
  37. THIRTY-FOUR
  38. THIRTY-FIVE
  39. THIRTY-SIX
  40. THIRTY-SEVEN
  41. THIRTY-EIGHT
  42. THIRTY-NINE
  43. FORTY
  44. FORTY-ONE
  45. FORTY-TWO
  46. FORTY-THREE
  47. FORTY-FOUR
  48. FORTY-FIVE
  49. FORTY-SIX
  50. FORTY-SEVEN
  51. FORTY-EIGHT
  52. FORTY-NINE
  53. FIFTY

"True," Rodgers said. "But even if the Strikers were at the palace, there's nothing they can do. They can't choose a game plan without knowing exactly where he is. Besides, if Amadori isn't there we may be sending them off in the wrong direction."

Hood looked at the high-resolution photograph of the troops in the courtyard. There were at least two hundred of them, broken into small groups. The soldiers looked as though they were drilling-perhaps to defend the compound, perhaps to serve as firing squads. In any case, it reminded Hood of the pictures he'd seen of Saddam Hussein's Republican Guards drilling in front of his residence before Desert Storm. Muscle flexing.

Amadori had to be there.

"Mike," Hood said, "we're responsible for María being in on this. She's got no backup. I can't have that."

Rodgers was silent for a moment. "I don't disagree. But we've been over these photographs and we're going through floor plans of the palace now. Getting in there isn't going to be easy."

"They don't have to go in," Hood said. "I just want some firepower in the area. Darrell can be in touch with them through Ishi Honda."

"That's right," Rodgers said. "But the mission is still Amadori and we don't know for sure that he's there. We haven't been able to pick up any ELINT yet. It'll be another hour or so before we can start getting that."

Hood was not getting impatient with Rodgers. The general was doing exactly what he was supposed to be doing. Pointing out options and possible pitfalls.

"If Amadori's somewhere else we'll pull Striker off," Hood said. "And who knows? Maybe the son of a bitch will decide to show himself and save us the trouble of going in."

Rodgers exhaled audibly. "That's not likely, Paul. But I'll tell Brett to move out. I also want to remind you that, while we brought María into this, she acted without orders," Rodgers said. "She put herself in this situation. And not for our benefit, but for the benefit of her country. I will not be in favor of risking team lives to evacuate her."

"Noted," Hood said. "And thanks."

Rodgers clicked off and Hood hung up. He dumped the photos from the monitor and turned off the desk lamp. He shut his eyes.

It made no sense; none at all. Clinging to a job that by its very nature left you alone, cut off from your family and often cut off from subordinates. Maybe that's why he felt drawn to María's situation. She was alone too.

No, Hood wouldn't forget the mission. And he wouldn't forget what Mike Rodgers had been too respectful to point out: that the Strikers had lives and loved ones, just like María.

But Hood also couldn't forget Martha Mackall. And he'd be damned if he did nothing while another unarmed colleague faced danger in the bloody streets of Madrid.

TWENTY-EIGHT

Tuesday, 8:36 a.m.

Madrid, Spain