Michaels released his grip and stepped down from the podium. The gaggle of journalists present shouted questions at him, questions that demanded an answer. He wanted to stop and defend himself. To Michaels, this was a vicious attempt at a political takedown, directed by someone with inside knowledge of what he was doing. If he were in any other position, he would’ve been afraid of being exposed. But as president, he knew he could swing the full weight of the law to his side and eviscerate the people behind this virtual coup.
“How’d I do?” Michaels asked Kriegel after rejoining behind the closed doors of the Oval Office.
“You really sold it,” Kriegel said.
Michaels narrowed his eyes. “What was there to sell? I was only sharing the truth. This wasn’t some spin job.”
“You can bullshit the American people, but you can’t bullshit me. I know what’s going on.”
“What’s going on is someone is trying to prematurely end my place in office through nefarious means. I don’t have time to ward off every whisper of treason that appears in The Post or The Times or The Tribune. These claims are patently false, designed to cast me in the poorest of light among the American people.”
“So, that phone call really was cobbled together by someone? I heard what you said for myself when you answered. I was standing right there. Please tell me you weren’t simply fooled by the caller. Please tell me you were discussing anything else but what it sounded like you were talking about.”
Michaels pounded his fist on his desk.
“I swear to God, David, if you keep this up, you might be looking for a new job before I will.”
“As much as I like this job, it isn’t everything to me. What’s more important is that I know everything I’m getting myself into. At least tell me the truth so I can make my own decisions about whether I want to stay or go.”
“Perhaps you should stop asking questions and do your job. Find out who’s trying to make a run at me, and let’s cut them off at the knees so you and I won’t have to worry.”
Kriegel nodded. “You really think this is a political opponent?”
“Why wouldn’t it be? Probably one of those super pacs from the coal industry. They will do anything to hold onto their fleeting power.”
Kriegel nervously clicked his pen. “What if it’s someone else trying to take you down for other reasons?”
“What do you mean?”
“What if this has nothing to do with politics per se and everything to do with getting you out of office?”
“Aren’t those things two in the same?”
“Yes, but suppose someone who has a strong reason to see you gone used this moment as a diversion. What if it’s someone you would never even consider right now?”
Michaels leaned back in his chair and spun around to face the window. He stared pensively outside for a moment before responding.
“There’s only one person who would not only have the resources to pull this off but would also have the gall to make a run at me.”
“And who would that be?”
“The one and only Brady Hawk.”
CHAPTER 14
Brighton, England
ALEX SLAMMED HER LAPTOP closed and stood up abruptly, knocking her chair backward with a kick. She growled as she paced around her kitchen. Despite her hatred for Michaels, she begrudgingly had to admit that he put on quite a show during the press conference, deflecting and redirecting the accusations that hadn’t even had time to rise to the top of trending subjects on social media. Michaels was a master at getting out in front of public relations nightmares—and she loathed him for it.
“The Teflon Man,” she muttered. “Is there anything that will ever stick to you?”
With Michaels swatting down her plan with a press conference, he endured no more than a few hours of scrutiny before the entire narrative was turned on its head. Instead of journalists getting their hands dirty and digging into why Michaels would be engaged in such a conversation in the first place—real or contrived—every reporter from New York to L.A. would be doing the president’s dirty work for him. All political rivals would have their closets opened, where past sins would be paraded out into the open. Those reports would likely dominate the media’s offering to the public in the coming days, while Michaels reaps the benefit of appearing like a victim. Alex had underestimated the president’s political genius once again.
She dialed Mallory’s number.
“I thought I might be hearing from you,” Mallory said once she answered the phone.
“I swear he’s made of Teflon,” Alex said. “I’m going to have to wait four more years to get my life back, if I can stay hidden that long. Meanwhile, he continues his mission of ruining the country all for his personal gain.”
“That’s kind of what most presidents do these days. It’s not like he’s all that unique in that department.”
“Well, I’m tired of it. This is absolutely ridiculous. He made a mockery of the press today with that stunt he pulled. Now all of a sudden he’s the victim of some politically-minded attack, distracting the American people from what they really need to know about their leader.”
“I’m sure something will come out soon enough.”
“But what? And when? It’ll probably be too late. In a few weeks, voters will hit the reset button with him and give him another four years. I don’t see that changing unless something drastic occurs.”
“Hmmm,” Mallory said before a long pregnant pause.
“What is it?”
“Just promise me you won’t do anything rash, will you? I don’t want to have to testify against you if called.”
Alex chuckled. “I wouldn’t give him the pleasure of stooping to his level. I’m going to stay above the fray. I just don’t know what to do to bring him down.”
“From a political perspective, I don’t think there’s much you can do. He has insulated himself well. Now, I’m not advocating any of this, but if you really want to put a dent in his political aspirations, you need to force him into a corner so he makes a mistake. And then you need to be there to document it in a way that he can’t spin it against you.”
“I’ve tried that before, believe me. But he always manages to somehow pull his Houdini act and vanish when it comes time to suffer the consequences.”
“Then you need to do a better job of it. Put his back against the wall and push. He’s still human. He’ll cave at some point. But you’re probably not going to be able to do that on your own. You’re going to need some help.”
“Are you volunteering?” Alex asked.
Mallory sighed. “Not in the least. I work at the NSA, remember? But I will be rooting for you to bring the truth to light. Good luck.”
Alex hung up and circled the kitchen several times before adding the living room to her route.
Think, Alex. Think. There has to be some way.
When an idea finally struck her, she rushed over to her computer and opened it up. Pounding on the keyboard, she hacked into several offshore bank accounts in search of a name.
Less than an hour later, she’d found what she was looking for.
“There you are,” she said with a wry smile. “And my, what a large number. We’ll have to do something about that, won’t we.”
CHAPTER 15
Muscat, Oman
THE GUARD AT THE GATE flinched when he saw Hawk. With his hands held in the air in a posture of surrender, Hawk eyed the guard closely, studying his neck. A large red mark on the man’s neck served as a reminder of Hawk’s siege from just a few days earlier. The guard’s nostrils flared as he glanced at Hawk before calling the main office.
“I’m not here to hurt anybody,” Hawk said.
The man exited the guardhouse and shoved Hawk in his back, pushing him toward the offices.
“Is that really necessary?” Hawk asked.
“Was it really necessary to storm this compound and shoot a bunch of fellow former soldiers?”
“Sometimes when
you’re auditioning for a job—”
“That was no audition,” the guard said. “That was an assault, and you know it. But I’ve heard all about you, Mr. Pearl.”
“Good things, I hope.”
“Just shut up and walk. I don’t really want to hear the sound of your voice.”
“Don’t be so quick to judge,” Hawk said. “We’re on the same team now. We’re gonna be working together.”
“Working together, my ass.”
“That’s what the scuttlebutt around the water cooler is.”
“You better hope that Ackerman isn’t planning on paying you back.”
Hawk shook his head and kept walking until they reached the office entrance. The guard nodded toward the door, and Hawk opened it before receiving one final jab in the back from the guard’s rifle.
“Do you treat all your fellow co-workers like this?” Hawk asked as he stumbled forward.
“Only the ones who shoot me in the neck. Now sit down and wait for Mr. Ackerman.”
Hawk settled into a chair as instructed and watched the guard march back to his post, kicking rocks along the way.
“That one’s got a temper on him, doesn’t he?” Hawk quipped to the man sitting behind the receptionist’s desk.
“Can’t say that I blame him for how he feels.”
“You should be on my side,” Hawk said. “I didn’t even shoot you.”
The man ignored Hawk’s comment.
“Let me see if Mr. Ackerman is available.”
He then picked up the phone and dialed a number. “He’ll be down in just a moment.”
Less than a minute later, Ackerman galloped down the steps and clasped his hands together upon seeing Hawk.
“Chuck, I told you we’d find something for you to do here,” Ackerman said.
“You didn’t have to try and kill me to see if I was suited for the position,” Hawk countered.
“Oh, yes, I did. That’s kind of a rite of passage around here. Or more like a sign that you have what it takes.”
“For those who don’t have what it takes?”
“We help usher them into retirement sooner, if you catch my drift.”
Hawk nodded. “It’s a brutal business you run.”
“It’s a brutal world out there. And our clients expect to be kept safe. We can’t very well do that with subpar guards, can we?”
“I suppose not,” Hawk said.
“Say, Chuck, why don’t you join me upstairs in my office so we can finish going over the details of your assignment?”
Hawk followed Ackerman up the steps and into his office where the two men settled into plush chairs in a seating area in the corner of the room.
“These chairs are far more comfortable than anything you’ll find out in the field,” Hawk said as he squeezed the arms. “You’re going to make your men soft by sitting in these things.”
“I’m anything but soft on the people who are seated in front of me, no matter how cushy the chairs are,” Ackerman said.
“So, let’s get down to business,” Hawk said, rubbing his hands together and leaning forward. “Ray tells me that you’ve got a pretty big job for me.”
“Did he tell you the pay?”
Hawk nodded. “That’s a hefty payout. Kind of hard to turn down.”
“That was what I was hoping for anyway. So, now that I’ve got you here, I need to fill you in on all the details.”
“Please do.”
“In two days from now, you’re going to Khabas, a small port city in the northern tip of Oman where you’ll handle an exchange for me.”
“What type of exchange?”
Ackerman pursed his lips and turned to look pensively out of the window before refocusing his gaze on Hawk.
“It’s probably best that you didn’t know, at least for your own sake,” Ackerman said.
“Plausible deniability?” Hawk asked.
“Something like that. It’s just a simple exchange. You’ll have some cargo that they’ll want to inspect. You allow them to check it out. They will give you the money and it’s over. They’ll haul off anything they want to keep and load it onto their boat and you’ll never see one another again. It’s that easy.”
“Doesn’t sound too difficult. But do you really need someone of my caliber to handle such a simple operation?”
“I can’t have any of my guys getting fingered for this if something were to go awry,” Ackerman said. “I usually hire independent contractors like yourself to take care of these transactions. It’s better for everyone involved. You get a big payday and—”
“And you avoid getting tied to a potential scandal in case everything goes sideways.”
“That’s the idea. However, you won’t be alone. I’ll be sending a small team of men to help provide you with cover in case they attempt to get away without paying or if they decide to harm you in any way.”
“That’s comforting,” Hawk said.
“That’s the gig—take it or leave it. But I don’t think you’re in a position to leave it, are you? If you’re stealing from your friends, you might not want to pass up this offer, the likes of which you may never see again.”
“I think I can handle this. Who will I be meeting with at the exchange?” Hawk asked.
“You don’t need to worry about that right now,” Ackerman said. “One of their representatives from the organization will be there to guide you through the whole thing. Names aren’t so important.”
“I know, I know. The whole the-less-you-know deal.”
“Exactly. So are you on board now?”
“A hundred percent.”
“Now one more thing before you leave,” Ackerman said.
“What is it?”
“You’ll know who these guys are when you see them, but no hero stuff, okay? Make the exchange and get out. If you do that, everything will be fine. No need to upset the apple cart, understand?”
Hawk nodded. “Got it.”
“Good. Now, let’s get you downstairs to fill out some paperwork so you can get paid. Half up front, half upon completion.”
An hour later, Hawk walked across the compound and exited the grounds. The guard sneered at Hawk as he left. He had agreed to work for Ackerman, but he felt there was something else at play, something he just couldn’t put his finger on—and he didn’t have much time to figure it out.
CHAPTER 16
Nuremburg, Germany
SINCE MICHAELS’ INTENTIONS became clear regarding the Firestorm team, J.D. Blunt had spent his time roaming about Europe at various hideouts. Relying on his ability to remain hidden in plain sight, he rented expensive villas that would’ve presented a challenge to conquer for even the best operatives the U.S. possessed. He’d only come out of hiding to discuss some issues with Alex, choosing a secluded lifestyle for the purposes of self-preservation.
But Blunt received a message from General Van Fortner that forced him to venture out again into public, albeit in a private place.
Blunt eased into his seat in a back corner of the Zwei Sinn restaurant, one of his favorites in Nuremburg. Located less than an hour from where he was staying, the dining establishment was somewhat close to Fortner, who was serving a stint at the U.S. Army base in Hohenfels. Fortner had been adamant that their conversation needed to be had in person, if anything for protection against Michaels.
Blunt enjoyed a glass of wine while waiting for Fortner. The pair had developed a closer bond in recent years due to the challenging climate foisted upon them by Michaels’ administration. Looking out for one another was imperative for surviving in that environment.
Fortner arrived five minutes late and apologized for his tardiness.
“I owe you more than you know,” Blunt said. “If it weren’t for you, I’d probably be buried somewhere in an unmarked grave by this point. I’m happy to wait five minutes for you.”
“You’re too kind, J.D.”
“Just being honest. I am very sincere in my gratitude for how you’
ve helped the Firestorm team.”
“I’m hoping that I can be of help again tonight,” Fortner said.
“So, that’s what this is about?”
“It’s not a big message, but it’s one I needed to deliver because I feel like something is going on that you might want to know about. I just couldn’t risk sending this electronically. I’m sure it would’ve been intercepted by someone.”
“That was wise,” Blunt said before taking a long pull on his glass.
“Well, what I’m about to tell you is highly classified, so please use the utmost discretion when discussing this with any members of your team.”
“We have a protocol in place to handle sensitive matters, so you don’t need to worry about that.”
“All right. Since that’s out of the way, here’s what you need to know. A group of Rangers have been deployed to the northern tip of Oman, just outside Khasab. Now, from the intel I’ve read in the past, that area is a secret rendezvous point for Al Hasib. It’s where they handle the majority of their weapons deals.”
“Sounds interesting,” Blunt said. “What’s this have to do with my team?”
“In the briefing I read, they are going not to obliterate Al Hasib but to arrest an American operative who’s been on the lam for nearly a year. I didn’t have access to the full document, but from what I read it sounded a lot like Hawk.”
“You think someone is trying to set him up right now?”
Fortner nodded. “Michaels is desperate to prove he’s going to be the candidate who keeps Americans the most secure. If he can bring home a supposed traitor trying to deal weapons to Al Hasib just a few weeks before the election, that’s a huge political win for him.”
“Are you sure it isn’t some other mercenary? I mean, why Hawk?”
“Former Navy Seal who is highly trained and labeled as very dangerous. Who does that sound like to you?”
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