BooksBarbecue
Back The Neighborhood
Chapters (59)
  1. Part I Reconnaissance
  2. Chapter One
  3. Chapter Two
  4. Chapter Three
  5. Part II Incursion
  6. Chapter Four
  7. Chapter Five
  8. Chapter Six
  9. Chapter Seven
  10. Chapter Eight
  11. Chapter Nine
  12. Chapter Ten
  13. Part III Under Siege
  14. Chapter Eleven
  15. Chapter Twelve
  16. Chapter Thirteen
  17. Part IV Course Correction
  18. Chapter Fourteen
  19. Part V Balance of Power
  20. Chapter Fifteen
  21. Chapter Sixteen
  22. Chapter Seventeen
  23. Chapter Eighteen
  24. Chapter Nineteen
  25. Chapter Twenty
  26. Chapter Twenty-One
  27. Chapter Twenty-Two
  28. Chapter Twenty-Three
  29. Chapter Twenty-Four
  30. Chapter Twenty-Five
  31. Chapter Twenty-Six
  32. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  33. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  34. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  35. Part VI Spy versus Spy
  36. Chapter Thirty
  37. Chapter Thirty-One
  38. Chapter Thirty-Two
  39. Chapter Thirty-Three
  40. Part VII Winds of War and Flame
  41. Chapter Thirty-Four
  42. Chapter Thirty-Five
  43. Chapter Thirty-Six
  44. Chapter Thirty-Seven
  45. Chapter Thirty-Eight
  46. Chapter Thirty-Nine
  47. Chapter Forty
  48. Chapter Forty-One
  49. Part VIII Strong to the Finish
  50. Chapter Forty-Two
  51. Chapter Forty-Three
  52. Part IX Spy Games
  53. Chapter Forty-Four
  54. Chapter Forty-Five
  55. Chapter Forty-Six
  56. Part X What Goes Around
  57. Chapter Forty-Seven
  58. Chapter Forty-Eight
  59. About the Author

“To ask you to come back as the deputy director of the National Clandestine Service. The executives who planned this operation didn’t think it through all the way. I can’t have people I can’t trust. The ones involved with this fiasco are either in the process of being fired or have been moved into positions where they can’t do damage like this again. But you? You, Zack Chambers, I absolutely believe I can always trust you to do the right thing, even if it’s to tell me I’m wrong. I read what happened in Malta, and I believe you were the only one who tried to do what was right, and the agency let you down by leaving you to the wolves. That is a wrong I want to try and right, if you’ll let me,” Matt said, and waited for Zack’s response.

The naked truth lay bare before him. The agency the man in his house was responsible for had royally screwed up, and they—no, just him; I think this is his idea—wanted him to try to fix it, or at least to fix the culture that had fostered it. At his core, Zack was still a patriot, but he had his doubts. He had two beautiful children and an amazing wife. He made a significantly healthy living with plenty left over for his kids’ college and their retirement. Are you really willing to trade all of it in for them?

“I can’t give you an answer right now, as I’m sure you figured before you walked in the door. But I have a problem of my own, and maybe you can help me with it,” Zack said. Matt looked visibly puzzled, but he said, “Go ahead.”

“Did you ever wonder why my brother was here that night? Why he got here so quickly?” If Zack were going to trust Matt Jamieson, what he was about to propose would test that trust.

“Actually, no. You told the police and the FBI that you two were supposed to go running in the morning and that you couldn’t sleep. You texted him to let him know, even though it was the middle of the night, to come early if he wanted. He said that when all communications went down, he thought something might be wrong, which is when he decided to come over to check on you, which is how he ended up here and in the fight.”

Zack grinned. “It’s a pretty good story if I say so myself. Believable, honest, partially true. But no. That’s not why he was here.”

“Tell me,” Matt said, a serious interest having replaced his puzzlement.

“I assume you know what I do as a software programmer who contracts with DOD?”