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Back Balance of Power Save as PDF
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

The FBI had taught McCaskey that if an agent didn't bring superior firepower to a situation he should back off until he could muster that firepower. A standoff always favored the pursuer. Failure favored the pursued.

But with everything that was at stake, McCaskey couldn't take the chance of letting Amadori go.

McCaskey looked up and mustered his resolve. He listened to the general's limping footsteps. Amadori was approximately ten feet away. McCaskey would crouch and swing around, try to pin his legs to the wall, then grab his arm before he could fire.

Just then, McCaskey heard footsteps behind him. He turned and saw Father Norberto walking toward him. That wasn't all he saw. Above the music room, McCaskey noticed a red eye looking down from the ceiling.

It was a camera eye. And Amadori was wearing goggles-Remote Surveillance System goggles.

The footsteps stopped. McCaskey swore. He'd been too damn tired to think this through and now he was at a serious disadvantage. Amadori knew precisely where he was.

There was nothing to do but retreat. He turned and ran toward the door that led to the courtyard.

"What is it?" Father Norberto asked.

McCaskey motioned him back. The priest just stood there, confused.

"Jesus!" McCaskey cried in frustration. He didn't think Amadori would shoot a member of the clergy. But a Catholic priest would make the perfect hostage. No one would dare order an attack for fear of hitting the priest.

McCaskey had to get the priest out of here. Reaching Father Norberto, he put his arms around him and tried to move him toward the courtyard door. A moment later he heard a shot and felt a punch in his back and then everything went blindingly red.

FORTY-FIVE

Tuesday, 12:21 p.m.

Madrid, Spain

It was easy for Aideen to follow the trail of blood. The drops were so close together they overlapped in spots. Amadori was losing blood quickly. What she hadn't anticipated was that the general would be alone when she caught up to him. Alone and waiting for her.

Amadori fired once as Aideen came around the corner. She jumped back as soon as she saw him and the bullet whizzed by. There was silence after the echo of the gunshot died. Aideen stood there listening, trying to determine if Amadori moved. As she waited, she felt something pressed hard against the small of her back. She turned around and saw a man step the rest of the way from a doorway. It was the major general. He was holding a gun on her.

Aideen cursed under her breath. The officer was wearing his RSS goggles. He must have been tuned in to the cameras behind them and spotted her. They'd separated and now she'd been snared.

"Face front and raise your hands," he commanded in Spanish.

Aideen did. He relieved her of her gun.

"Who are you?" he asked.

Aideen didn't answer.