“The terrorists have declared war on us,” she said. “They’ve attacked our cities, killed our citizens, and tried to disrupt the continuity of our government.”

“So what should be done to them?”

“They should be dealt with harshly.”

“And what does that mean?”

“Men in black. Special forces. A Hellfire missile fired from a plane without a pilot.”

“And what about a man who gives them money? Is he guilty, too? And if so, to what degree?”

“I suppose it depends on whether he knew what the money would be used for.”

“And if he knew damned well what it would be used for?”

“Then he’s as guilty as the man who flew the plane into the building.”

“Would you feel comfortable—indeed justified—in operating against such an individual?”

“I offered to help you five years ago,” she said contentiously. “You told me I wasn’t qualified. You told me I wasn’t suited for this sort of work. And now you want my help?”

Carter appeared unmoved by her protest. Sarah felt a sudden empathy for his wife.

“You offered to help us, and we treated you shabbily. I’m afraid that’s what we do best. I suppose I could go on about how we were wrong. Perhaps I might try to soothe your feelings with an insincere apology. But frankly, Miss Bancroft, there isn’t time.” His voice contained an edge that had been absent before. “So I suppose what I need now is a straight answer. Do you still feel like helping us? Do you want to fight the terrorists, or would you prefer to go on with your life and hope it never happens again?”

“Fight?” she asked. “I’m sure you can find people better suited for that than me.”

“There are different ways to fight them, Sarah.”

She hesitated. Carter filled the sudden silence by engaging in a prolonged study of his own hands. He wasn’t the kind of man who asked things twice. In that regard he was very much like her father. “Yes,” she said finally. “I’d be willing.”

“And what if it involved working with an intelligence service other than the Central Intelligence Agency?” he asked, as though discussing an abstract theory. “An intelligence service that is closely allied with us in this fight against the Islamic terrorists?”

“And who might that be?”

Carter was good at evading questions. He proved it again now.