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Back Enemy at the Gates Save as PDF
Chapters (57)
  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  4. PROLOGUE
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. EPILOGUE
  55. More from the Authors
  56. ABOUT THE AUTHORS
  57. Novels by Vince Flynn

“So, they flushed him out of his compound and then took him at his hangar where the situation would be more controllable,” the First Lady said. She seemed almost purposefully monotone. No concern. No surprise. All the gains she’d made in feigning humanity suddenly melted away. To the point that it seemed almost intentional. A subtle message so that she could measure his reaction?

“That’s our take on it as well, ma’am.”

“What about David Chism?” the president asked.

“Our assumption is that he was on the chopper with Ward.”

Nash looked on numbly as the Cooks pondered what they’d heard. Finally, the president spoke. “Then it sounds like we’re playing a waiting game. I assume the FBI will be contacting Ward’s people to handle any potential ransom negotiations?”

“Yes, sir.”

“And we’re coordinating with the Ugandans to see if there’s any way of finding him.”

Nash nodded.

“We appreciate the briefing,” the president said, standing. He took Nash’s hand and held it in a crushing grip, looking straight at him with an intensity he normally softened. “And we appreciate everything you’ve done for us since I took office. I know it’s been a difficult transition. Now, what about your friends? Mitch, Scott Coleman, and the others. Were they at that camp?”

Nash’s mouth suddenly went dry enough that it was hard to get the words out. “We believe so, sir.”

“I’m sorry, Mike,” Catherine interjected. “But we need to stay positive. They probably escaped into the jungle, right? They’re the best in the world and no one’s been able to kill them yet. We’ll set up a conference call between you, the secretary of state, and the Ugandan president for later this morning. He should be able to help us determine what happened and coordinate a search if necessary.”

“Thank you, ma’am, but I think it would be more appropriate if you had the secretary of state coordinate with Irene. Not me.”

The First Lady shrugged noncommittally. “Whatever you prefer.”

29

SOUTHWESTERN UGANDA

RAPP toweled off and walked from the bathroom to the cabin’s living area. It encompassed about five hundred square feet, with a rattan ceiling, hanging woodstove, and stylish African furniture. Through the open windows, he could see the ubiquitous emerald mountains stretching to the horizon. It was hard to ignore the peaceful beauty of the place. Having said that, it was also hard to ignore that it was an illusion. The calm before the storm. Or, more accurately, the calm between the endless series of storms that had been battering him for the last twenty years.