“The only thing these men say yes to is sound economic policy,” Michaels said calmly. “They aren’t in anyone’s pocket. They aren’t here because they agree with my overall economic policy. They serve at my pleasure because they’re the best at what they do. You and I may disagree over how effective their track record is in averting crisis and navigating through new challenges, but I wouldn’t have them advising me if I didn’t believe they had our country’s best interest at heart.”
Michaels scanned the audience of reporters once more as their hands shot up haphazardly around the room and shouting recommenced. The faces turned, all eager to learn about the president’s response to the Supreme Court’s apparent attempt to overturn an act put into law by Congress more than 100 years prior. All Michaels saw were narrowed eyes and a press corps ready to pounce.
“Mr. President,” one reporter shouted loudly over the crowd, “is there any truth to a secret meeting you held recently with a select group of Supreme Court justices at the Library of Congress?”
That was Michaels’ cue to leave.
“No more questions. Good day,” he said.
He exited to the left and didn’t breathe until he was a few steps down the hall and out of sight. Pulling out a pocket square, he mopped his brow and held up his hand, signaling his Secret Service detail to stop. Michaels rested against the wall and took a deep breath before resuming his march back toward his office.
He needed an update on Justice Williams.
CHAPTER 16
Great Falls, Virginia
HAWK EYED JUSTICE CAMILLE WILLIAMS through his binoculars in preparation for making a dash across her sprawling property. The 15 acres she inherited along with an 8,000-square-foot mansion from her late husband Harold Wannamaker wasn’t easily accessible to any would-be intruders. A 10-foot stone wall enclosed the property and created a formidable perimeter. The only portion of the land that wasn’t walled in was the backside, which abutted a manageable cliff overlooking a roiling portion of the Potomac River.
“Do you see any guards?” Alex asked. “I can’t see any on the thermal imaging cameras I’m using.”
“From what I’ve observed, Williams only has a pair of guards and they’re both in the front of the property.”
“And that cliff didn’t give you any problems?” Samuels asked.
“Piece of cake,” Hawk said, pressing his eyes against his binoculars once more. “I see her in her study reading a book.”
“Be careful, Hawk,” Alex said. “If this goes sideways, you’re going to be lucky to get out alive. Her security guards are former military who served several tours in Iraq.”
Hawk shoved his binoculars into his backpack. “If I can keep the justice quiet enough to explain myself, everything will be just fine.”
He scanned the grounds once more before striking off toward Williams’ house.
“Bet you ten bucks Hawk gets attacked by some dogs,” Samuels said.
Hawk stopped near a tree and adjusted his ear piece. “I can hear everything you’re saying, Samuels. Nice to know you’re rooting for me.”
“Who says I’m not rooting for you?” Samuels asked. “Besides, what’s wrong with me hoping for a little more action on this assignment?”
“Your bark is definitely more ferocious than your bite,” Hawk fired back.
Alex chuckled.
“Whose side are you on anyway?” Samuels said. “Hawk’s or your brother’s?”
“I’m on the side of getting this job done without incident,” she snapped.
“Roger that,” Hawk said before he continued his stealthy approach to the house.
Once Hawk reached the house, he inched along with his back to the wall. He froze when he heard heavy footfalls nearing the door.
“Guys, did either of you pick up a third person in the house?” Hawk asked.
“Nope,” Alex said. “Just the two guards and Justice Williams. No, wait.”
She paused. Hawk didn’t need to wait for her reply to know they’d missed something. The screen door creaked as it swung open and out stumbled another security agent. At 6 foot 6 with the physique of a power lifter, he was an intimidating wrench thrown into Hawk’s plan. Hawk wasn’t used to facing larger men, but he knew his only advantage was surprise.
Hawk kicked the man in the back of his knees, forcing him to the ground. Without waiting for him to fall, Hawk pistol whipped the man, knocking him out with two successive blows.
“I won’t have long now,” Hawk said, pausing before the entrance. “Are you two positive only Justice Williams remains in the house?”
“I’d stake my life on it,” Samuels said.
“Good,” Hawk said. “At least I’ll have something to look forward to if I’m able to survive this mess.”
“Just stay focused,” Alex said. “Second floor, back right corner of the house for the study.”
“Roger that,” Hawk said before quietly opening the door.
He slipped inside and crept up the stairs toward Williams’ study. As he reached the door, one of the boards creaked rather loudly beneath his step.
“Thomas? Is that you?” Williams called.
Hawk took a deep breath and peered around the corner. Still seated with her back to the door, Williams’ head barely poked above the back of her chair.
“I’m afraid not,” Hawk said as he strode into the room.
Williams turned around frantically. “Who are you? And how did you get in here?”
Hawk continued moving slowly toward her until she brandished a gun. He raised his hands in the air and took a step backward.
“I’m not the one you need to be worried about,” Hawk said. “I’m here to warn you that your life might be in danger.”
She glared at him. “Who are you? One of Michaels’ thugs? You can tell him I won’t be intimidated.”
“No,” Hawk said as he eyed her weapon. “I’m here to warn you about what Michaels might do to you.”
“To me? If he’s going to do anything, he’s going to threaten my family. Now tell me who you are before I fill you full of lead.”
“My name is Brady Hawk and I’m a former Navy Seal. I care about this country and I care about what happens if Michaels gets his way with the case you’ll be hearing tomorrow. I want to make sure that you make it there alive.”
“Protect my children or my grandkids,” she said, lowering her gun. “That bastard is more likely to use them against me.”
“No, he needs your vote. And if he thinks you’re not going to vote his way, he will eliminate you and appoint someone who will do what he wants.”
She sighed and waved dismissively at Hawk. “And then what? The bench will have a split verdict and nothing will happen.”
“And if one of the other judges recuses himself?”
Williams chuckled again. “And who would do that, not to mention why?”
“Justice Scarborough stands to profit greatly if the one world currency becomes a reality in the U.S.,” Hawk said. “Rumor has it that his family’s bank, which hasn’t been allowed to participate on the Federal Reserve’s committee, would be tapped to help lead the currency exchange here.”
“But I know him,” Williams snapped. “He’s an honorable man and would never do anything like that.”
Hawk shrugged. “Perhaps not, but once Michaels’ minions spread that information around to the press, he’d have to recuse himself, leaving Michaels with a 4-3 decision in his favor to overturn the Federal Reserve Act of 1913. And guess who will then be leading our country through this transitional time period?
“Damn him,” Williams said.
“You’ve just got to make sure you stay alive so you can oppose him—if that’s what you intend to do.”
“Our founding fathers are rolling over in their graves right now,” she said. “If I step outside on my back porch, I might even be able to hear George Washington spinning all the way from here.”
In the next instant, the sound of shattering gl
ass filled the room. Hawk instinctively dove toward Williams, covering her up by placing his arm around her. A second shot tore through the remaining glass.
“That was just a warning shot,” Hawk said, his face pressed against the floor. “If they wanted you dead, you’d be dead right now.”
“Why not just kill me?” she asked, her lips quivering.
“It’s far more convenient for you to just vote the way he wants you to without creating a conspiracy or a congressional investigation. But if push comes to shove, he’ll forge ahead and deal with the fallout later.”
Alex’s voice squawked in Hawk’s earpiece.
“Who’s that?” Williams asked, cutting her eyes toward the cord.
“A friend,” Hawk said to Williams. “Where is he, Alex?”
“The target is heading toward the water,” Alex said.
“And the guards?”
“He tranqed them both,” Samuels said.
“How did you guys miss him?” Hawk asked, leaping to his feet and racing toward the back.
“I-I don’t know,” Alex said. “I don’t know how he slipped onto the screen without me seeing him.”
“Don’t let me get surprised like that again,” Hawk said as he sprinted toward the back of the property. “Now, where is he?”
“He appears to be scaling the wall down to the water,” Samuels said. “Maybe thirty meters northeast of your position.”
“Roger that.”
Hawk reached the edge of the craggy cliff just in time to see the rope loosened and pulled down.
“I’m going after him,” Hawk said.
“Come on, Hawk,” Alex pleaded. “That’s not a good idea. It’s dark and he’s got the advantage.”
“The moon is bright and calling this thing a cliff is a generous description. Just follow me.”
Hawk proceeded to scramble down the rocks. In less than a minute, he was standing along the shore, searching for the gunman. Hawk noticed the man look back over his shoulder before he dashed farther upstream. Without hesitating, Hawk went after the man.
Hawk’s pursuit lasted less than thirty seconds, halted by the crack of a rifle. The man staggered to the ground, collapsing face first into the water. Immediately, Hawk took cover and waited for a few moments before saying anything.
“What just happened, Hawk?” Alex asked. “Why’d you stop moving?”
“Someone just shot our gunman and I’m hiding.”
“Just leave him there,” Samuels said. “Wait until it’s safe and come back to the house. I’m sure Justice Williams will appreciate what you did.”
“But I didn’t do anything. We need to find out who that was so we can tie Michaels to all of this,” Hawk said. “It might be another way we could take him down.”
“Do you think anyone is going to believe that story?” Samuels asked. “It’ll be dismissed before the story gains any traction.”
“When did you get all negative on us?” Alex asked. “This isn’t like you.”
“I’m just concerned, that’s all.”
Hawk sighed. “It’s been a few minutes. I’m gonna go take a look now.”
Hawk’s attempts to discover the man’s identity ended sharply when a warning shot whistled off a nearby rock. Slipping back behind a boulder, Hawk reconsidered.
“Maybe you’re right, Samuels,” Hawk said. “It’s obvious someone doesn’t want me inspecting the body.”
“Better get back here,” Alex said. “You’ll have some more explaining to do if you don’t.”
“You’re right,” Hawk said. “This isn’t ever going to end, is it?”
“I’m afraid not,” Alex said. “At least, not until you finish this.”
“Easier said than done.”
Hawk crouched low as he eased his way toward the back of Williams’ house. He glanced over his shoulder a final time, waiting until there was a moment of cloud cover from the moon. After climbing up the rocks, he reached the back of Williams’ grounds. Alex greeted his arrival loudly with a warning.
“The police just arrived,” Alex said. “Better skip that explanation for now and sneak out of there before the place is crawling with cops.”
“Roger that,” Hawk said.
He crept to the woods surrounding the justice’s house and eased back to the main road where he reunited with Alex and Samuels in their van.
“You all right?” Alex asked.
Hawk shook his head. “I thought Michaels was unhinged before, but that was nothing. We’ve got our work cut out for us if we’re going to stop him this time.”
“Any regrets over saving his life?” Alex asked.
Hawk nodded. “I’m regretting it more and more with each passing second.”
CHAPTER 17
Portree, Isle of Skye
Scotland
BLUNT TUNED IN to an international cable news channel and watched as political and legal pundits broke down proceedings in the U.S. Supreme Court earlier that day. He grunted as one of the British commentators explained how the forthcoming ruling could help the U.S. maintain its prominence globally. While Blunt had been around long enough to know television experts often got it wrong, he winced when several of the panel members broke into giddy laughter. He knew exactly what they were thinking—the Supreme Court was going to disband the Federal Reserve Act of 1913.
I’d like to wipe that smug smile off your face, son.
Blunt considered hurling his glass at the screen before deciding against it.
“I’ve covered this particular Supreme Court bench enough to know what they are thinking based on their mannerisms and their questions,” Dr. Titus Wellman, one of the panel members said from a television studio in Washington, D.C. “And I can promise you right now that they are weighing the consequences of ruling that the Federal Reserve Act was unconstitutional. Who will handle all the duties that will be relegated when this announcement is made? What about setting interest rates? What governing body will do that now? It’s going to be a mess logistically for a while, but I can assure you this is the way the court was leaning after watching the judges’ body language and line of questioning.”
The show’s host, a sophisticated brunette named Darcy Barrow, furrowed her brow and cocked her head to one side.
“Dr. Wellman, was there any indication that perhaps one judge’s vote may swing the ruling and uphold the Federal Reserve Act?” she asked as she looked directly into the camera.
Wellman chuckled and shook his head.
“Not a chance,” he said.
“Not even Justice Williams? I know several other legal experts seem to believe she might side with those in favor of upholding the century-old piece of legislation.”
“Based on what I witnessed today, she’s in President Michaels’ pocket.”
“Thank you for your time, Dr. Wellman,” she said. “We look forward to your report tomorrow when the U.S. Supreme Court issues their ruling in this all-important emergency hearing.”
“Thank you, Darcy.”
Blunt clenched his fists before letting out a frustrated scream. Without any nearby neighbors, he felt comfortable in getting out his aggression in the privacy of his cottage overlooking the water. He turned off the television and struggled to stand up.
The Firestorm team hadn’t checked in since the previous night to update him on what happened at Justice Williams’ house. Based on that conversation, Blunt was convinced that Williams would do the right thing. After pondering the situation for a few more minutes, he concluded that maybe she still would. Tipping her hand too early wouldn’t be in her best interest if Michaels had put her in his crosshairs. Blunt met Williams on several occasions in formal settings at Washington galas and benefits. He found her to be delightful and kind as a person, yet direct and fair as a judge. In short, Blunt didn’t figure her to be the kind of judge who would cave with a little bit of pressure. Yet, he had to acknowledge that anyone would cave with the right kind of pressure.
Then he had a thought.
I need to tell Hawk.
He hobbled across the room toward his phone. Despite his latest setback, Blunt felt as good as he had since his surgery and wondered if he might be able to run again soon.
Blunt reached the table and placed his palms on top of it, bracing himself. Drawing in a deep breath, he reached for the phone only to feel a strong hand grab his wrist that prevented him from making the call.
“What the—” Blunt asked aloud.
He turned around to see what was happening, but he didn’t get a good look at his captor before Blunt suffered a swift blow to the side of his head, rendering him unconscious.
CHAPTER 18
Washington, D.C.
HAWK SAT IN HIS CAR parked at the bottom of a deck, awaiting Big Earv. While Hawk appreciated the recently rekindled friendship, he still held everyone suspect. He’d grown accustomed to the constant state of suspicion, though he wished he didn’t have to live his life that way. But serving his country required sacrifices, sacrifices that Hawk willfully chose. Even so, Big Earv would’ve been the last person Hawk would’ve suspected, which was precisely why he felt more guarded around the secret service agent.
Big Earv pushed his way through the door, casting a looming silhouette. He paused for a beat and looked to his left and right. Satisfied that he wasn’t being observed, he strode toward Hawk’s car and climbed in.
“Sorry to have to meet you like this,” Hawk said as he shook hands with Big Earv. “I’d prefer to do this in a bar over a couple of bottles of beer.”
“That was another lifetime ago for both of us,” Big Earv said. “Maybe we’ll be able to do it again one day, but not now.”
“I know. Just wishful thinking.”
“I’m assuming this wasn’t a social call. So, what can I help you with?”
Hawk pulled out The Washington Post and folded it back to one section before pointing at one of the articles. He handed the paper to Big Earv.
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