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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

Darrell McCaskey was lying on his side halfway down the corridor. He was facing Amadori and holding the gun Aideen had kicked into the corridor.

Father Norberto looked in as well. He didn't understand. There was no blood, yet he'd seen the general shoot this man in the back.

Amadori began to turn the priest around. But McCaskey didn't give the general a chance to maneuver Father Norberto between them. And he didn't fire to wound the general. He put two quick shots into Amadori's temple.

The general was dead before he reached the ground.

FORTY-SEVEN

Tuesday, 12:35 p.m.

Madrid, Spain

"You took one of the bulletproof vests," Aideen said as she ran toward McCaskey.

"Never travel without it," McCaskey said. He winced as she helped him to his feet. "I put it on before I came here. After he shot me-I figured I'd lie low and wait for something like this."

"Glad I didn't just kick out the goggles," Aideen said.

Ferdinand ran past them to the priest. Father Norberto was standing just inside the doorway, staring down at the body of General Amadori. He knelt and began to say a prayer over the dead man.

"Father, he doesn't deserve your blessing," Ferdinand said. "Come. We must go."

Norberto finished praying. Only when he made the sign of the cross over the general did he rise. He looked at Ferdinand. "Where are we going?"

"Away," Ferdinand said. "The soldiers-"

"He's right. Father," Aideen said. "We don't know what they're going to do. But we should be somewhere else when they do it."

McCaskey held onto Aideen's shoulder while he drew several painful breaths. "We've also got to let the boss know what's going on as soon as possible," he said. "Where's the team?"

"They encountered some resistance after the flushout," she said. "They withdrew."

"Can you get to them?"

Aideen nodded. "Can you walk?"

"Yes, but I'm not going with you," McCaskey said. "I can't leave María."

"Darrell, you heard what Amadori said," Aideen declared. "More soldiers are on the way."

"I know," McCaskey said. He smiled faintly. "All the more reason I can't leave her."

"He won't be alone," Father Norberto told her. "I'll stay with him."

Aideen regarded them both through her mask. "There isn't time to argue. I'll get the word out. You three take care."

McCaskey thanked her. As she turned and ran toward the grand staircase, McCaskey hobbled toward the priest.

"I'm sorry about this," he said in English, pointing to Amadori's body. "It was necessary."

Norberto said nothing.

Ferdinand put his gun in his waistband. "I'm going to look for my friend Juan," he said. He regarded McCaskey. "Thank you, sir, for ridding Spain of this would-be caudillo."

McCaskey wasn't exactly sure what Ferdinand had said, but he got the gist of it. "ĄDe Nada!" he said. "You're welcome."

Father Norberto suddenly put his hand around Ferdinand's neck. He squeezed hard.

"Padre?" Ferdinand said, confused.