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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

When Irene Kennedy’s image came on, Nash returned his attention to the rutted dirt road ahead. He’d already seen the video more than thirty times. Generated by one of Cook’s people, the computer-generated masterpiece was indistinguishable from the real thing. Nash had known Kennedy for years and even after repeated, detailed viewings couldn’t find a single flaw. If he hadn’t been involved in its creation, he would have never even thought to question its authenticity. Deep fake videos were an incredible, terrifying technology that would soon change the world.

On-screen, Kennedy’s doppelgänger was telling Rapp that she had flown to Uganda to meet with him personally. That she suspected betrayal at the highest levels of government and needed to talk to him face-to-face about what she’d discovered. In closing, the counterfeit image told him that Nash wasn’t aware of the meeting, but that he should attend and could be trusted. The video then faded into a map showing her supposed location. Rapp studied it for a moment before turning to him.

“When we get to pavement, turn right.”

48

“IT’S going to be a pretty serious party,” Mike Nash said. “The barn’ll be decorated. Top-notch caterer. Kegs. Wine brought in from a boutique producer in Napa. You and the guys should fly back for it. Not every day you get to attend your own wake.”

Rapp managed a vague smile. “Since it sounds like I’m paying for it, maybe we will.”

They fell silent again and Nash returned his attention to the moonlit farmland beyond their headlights. They were an hour and a half into what would be a fairly long drive. While Claudia had run him around quite a bit, he was pretty sure the mountains where he’d met Rapp were part of the Rwenzori range in the southwestern part of Uganda. Their fictitious rendezvous with Kennedy was located more in the middle of the country. Based on the map he’d committed to memory, Nash guessed they had another six hours in the car.

And then that was it. In less time than it took him to drive to his place in Hilton Head, all this would be over.

A quiet ping sounded, and Rapp dug a phone from his pocket. At first it seemed surprising that it would be powered up, but upon further consideration it was to be expected. Rapp believed he was soon to be face-to-face with Irene Kennedy and he’d want to have the latest information for that meeting. Nash concentrated on his peripheral vision, but Rapp held the phone in a way that he couldn’t see the screen.

“Anything interesting?” he finally felt compelled to ask as Rapp returned the text.

“No,” was the simple answer.