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Chapters (83)
  1. Cover
  2. ALSO BY TOM CLANCY
  3. PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
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  83. What’s next onyour reading list?

“Yeah, for sure.” Having once lost his place on the team before winning it back, Jack worried he could lose it again. He hoped this white-side assignment wasn’t the first gentle shove out the Campus door.

Hendley tore off another piece of his blueberry muffin. “I understand that an analytical assignment in Singapore isn’t a shoot-’em-up. I can only imagine the adrenaline rush that kind of thing must be.”

“It’s not just that. It’s about playing my part on the team.”

“Which team? You work for Hendley Associates and The Campus. We’re all one big team. You have different roles to play on both sides of the company because you have more than one talent. Not everyone in The Campus can do what you do.”

“Thanks.”

“But there’s a bigger picture here I don’t think you’re seeing. Do you know the old proverb ‘For want of a nail’?”

Jack remembered it vaguely. He recited it once while at St. Matthew’s Academy. “‘For want of a nail the shoe was lost, for want of a shoe the horse was lost, and for want of a horse the rider was lost.’”

Hendley held up a finger. “Ah! And for want of the rider, the battle was lost, and then the kingdom was lost. Sometimes you get to swing the sword in battle, but sometimes you’re just mucking the stalls—God knows I did enough of that back on the farm. But they’re all important parts to play, and we must each play them. Jack, I need you to play this part for Rhodes.”

Jack felt Hendley was still hiding something. He didn’t want to let Hendley down, but he didn’t want to let the operators of The Campus down, either. He was torn.

“Jack, you know you’ve earned everyone’s respect around here, especially The Campus. You always show up to do the job, no matter what is asked of you. I’m asking you to see that this is your job, too.”

Hendley stood, scraping his chair against the tiled floor. “Take an hour and think about it and let me know your decision.”

“I don’t need the hour, Gerry. Of course I’ll do it.”

Hendley smiled broadly. “Great. Trust me, it’ll be more fun than you know. And it’s a good chance for you to get to know Paul. He can be a hard egg to crack, but he’s a good man.”

More like a soft-boiled egg, Jack thought. But Gerry Hendley didn’t make suggestions lightly.

Hendley turned around and caught someone’s eye across the room. In a moment he was over at another table, joking and glad-handing like he was running for county commissioner.