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Back Game of Snipers Save as PDF
Chapters (74)
  1. Cover
  2. TITLES BY STEPHEN HUNTER
  3. Dedication
  4. Epigraph
  5. PART 1
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. PART 2
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. PART 3
  34. 27
  35. 28
  36. 29
  37. 30
  38. 31
  39. 32
  40. 33
  41. 34
  42. 35
  43. 36
  44. 37
  45. 38
  46. 39
  47. 40
  48. 41
  49. 42
  50. 43
  51. 44
  52. 45
  53. 46
  54. PART 4
  55. 47
  56. 48
  57. 49
  58. 50
  59. 51
  60. 52
  61. 53
  62. 54
  63. 55
  64. 56
  65. 57
  66. 58
  67. 59
  68. 60
  69. PART 5
  70. 61
  71. 62
  72. Acknowledgments
  73. About the Author
  74. What’s next onyour reading list?

Snap!

60

Zombieland, the sixth floor

Nick was back from the big meeting, and all waited for his account and direction. He’d worn his best suit, blue with banker’s pinstripes, peaked lapel, white shirt, red ancient madder tie, black Alden Long Wings. He looked like a Washington power player.

“Good news, bad news,” he said. “Anybody want to pick the order?”

Nobody did. Maybe the game wasn’t appropriate for them, as they were tired from the hours spent on The Problem, and eager to move on, and had no need for Nick’s charm, though on many other occasions they’d appreciated it.

“Boss,” said Chandler finally, “whatever.”

“Okay, nobody cares,” said Nick. “So I’ll start with the good. And it’s really good.”

He paused, smiled.

“Congratulations to you all, and I suppose to me too. At the top levels, they are extremely pleased and extremely eager. They believe your work represents a major victory over the threat of jihad in the West and the opportunity for a major victory. Not only have we saved a life and prevented the political and cultural chaos that would ensue from a terrorist event against a high-value target, they see a chance to be proactive and turn it into a major advantage. Even as I speak, that response is being organized. There’s just enough time to set the trap, and the people involved are talented and skilled enough to bring it off.”

“We ought to be on the Acela for New York right now,” said Neill. “I’m packed, and I’ve told my wife—hmm, what was her name? Wendy? Susie? Something like that—anyway, I’ve told her we’re going.”

“Neill, we’ve all worked long hours and gone without spousal visitations,” said Nick, “but the point is taken: you want it done fast so you can get back to normalcy. Me too. But that brings me to the bad news.”

He paused. “We’ve been fired.”

He let it sink in.

“I don’t see this as an insult, a gesture of contempt, a reaffirmation of the principle that no good deed goes unpunished. It’s not ‘Thank you very much, but what have you done for me lately?’ It’s simply the way the system works, and I should have prepared you better for it.”

“Is it politics?” Swagger asked.

“Well, I’d rather not speculate on meaning,” said Nick.

“Does this kind of shit happen in Israel?” Swagger asked Mr. Gold.

“Never. Except every day. And twice on most.”