by Brad Thor
“We seem to be a bit lost,” replied Hoyt. “Is this the road to Sea World?”
As the sentry smirked, Harvath leaned across his friend and, using the front name for the Agency’s air transport unit, said, “We’ve got a perishable cargo delivery for Polar Air.”
The sentry nodded and, stepping back inside the guardhouse, raised the gate and lowered the bollards.
Thanking the guards, Hoyt smiled and drove forward. Thirty yards inside the base they were greeted by a tall man with short, dark hair in blue jeans and a TAD Gear jacket. “You must be Norseman,” he said, using Harvath’s call sign as Harvath rolled down his window. “My name is Jude.”
Harvath smiled, “Nice call sign. The patron saint of lost causes. Well, it just so happens that I have someone who is a follower of a very major lost cause here with me.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
Harvath pointed at Hoyt and said, “He thinks the Dolphins are definitely going to go to the Super Bowl this year.”
The man in the blue jeans didn’t laugh. “Where’s the other guy?”
“Oh, that guy,” replied Harvath. “We’ve got him wrapped up in a rug in the back.”
Opening the rear passenger door, Jude hopped in and said, “Hang a left at the first road and keep going until I tell you to stop.”
“Are we going to see Shamu?” asked Hoyt, who loved to fuck with humorless intel people. When Jude didn’t respond, Hoyt put the Land Cruiser in gear and started driving.
Jude led them to a dark aircraft hangar where several men in blue jeans helped unload Mustafa Khan from the back of the SUV.
“Don’t forget to read him his Miranda rights,” yelled Hoyt. When Jude didn’t respond, he added, “On second thought, fuck it. Who cares, right?”
Harvath put his hand on Hoyt’s shoulder and he drove the car out of the hangar and made his way across the tarmac and over to the Craig Joint-Theater Hospital.
Parking the Land Cruiser, he and Harvath pulled out the enormous Igloo cooler that had been spray-painted on the side with a red cross and the words, Rush: Human Blood Plasma.
As he was less than thirty miles north of Kabul, Hoyt had already been to see Gallagher multiple times since he had been admitted and knew exactly how to get to his room.
As he entered, he identified the other soldiers in the room and said, “Fell out of a jeep. Fell off a ladder changing a lightbulb. Slipped taking a piss. And our own Baba G, who apparently broke off his dick jerking off.”
A chorus of “Fuck you!” erupted in the room, complete with multiple middle-finger salutes.
“I’m sorry,” responded Hoyt defiantly. “We only brought beer for warriors.”
Once again the “Fuck you” chorus rose until Hoyt waved his arms to calm the men down. “Okay, okay,” he admitted. “This isn’t exactly the paper-cut ward. There may be one or two warriors sucking up some easy medical leave within these four walls, but as I’m not a guy to point fingers, I ain’t saying nothing.”
Harvath bumped Hoyt out of the way and introduced himself around the room, meeting three Army Rangers and a Green Beret.
He blamed not having come to the hospital earlier on having to mop up after Gallagher and killing another forty-plus Taliban, which roused cheers throughout the room.
“Tom, I think all of these men deserve a beer,” said Harvath, upon which Hoyt flipped open the lid of the cooler and delivered cold beer to everyone.
Baba G smiled. “How’s your back feeling?” he asked.
“Not great,” replied Harvath.
“You still taking those Motrin even though I warned you to be careful?”
“I’ve upped it,” said Harvath, holding up his bottle of beer. “Vitamin M and vitamin B.”
Gallagher pulled a plastic bag from beneath the pillow propping him up and said, “I had one of the nurses pick this up in PX for you.”
“I should have guessed,” said Harvath as he pulled a PEZ dispenser with a Marine Corps drill instructor’s head out of the bag.
“Now, while you’re frying your liver and kidneys you can think of me.”
Harvath laughed and opened his beer. “To a successful mission,” he said as he raised his bottle.
There was a television on in the corner running a story about President Alden’s resignation and the swearing in of the VP as the new commander in chief. One of the Army Rangers raised his beer and said, “To the United States of America.”
With that, all of the men in the room raised their bottles and in unison said, “To the United States of America.”
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This part of the book is where I get to thank all of the people who make it possible. At the top of my list are you, my wonderful readers. Thank you for your letters, emails, participation on the BradThor.com forum, your appearances at my signings, choosing my novels for your book clubs, and for turning so many of your family, friends, and co-workers on to my work. Nothing builds a successful author like good word of mouth and you all have been incredibly generous to me. Thank you.
The next V.I.P. group I want to thank are the fabulous booksellers who have been supporting me since my very first book. From Peoria to Paris and San Antonio to São Paolo, whether you are a national chain, an independent, an online retailer, a warehouse club, or any other type of bookseller, please know that you have my deepest appreciation for everything that you have done and continue to do for me.
My literary agent par excellence, Heide Lange, of Sanford J. Greenburger Associates, Inc., is hands-down the best agent on the planet. An author could not hope to have a more dedicated, principled, and enthusiastic powerhouse in his camp than Heide. Thank you, Heide, for all that you do for me.
I have called Simon & Schuster’s Atria and Pocket Books home since my very first novel. There’s a reason for that. They are not only the best people in the publishing business, they have become like family to me. My deep gratitude goes to the brilliant men and women in the Atria / Pocket sales staff, the Pocket / Atria art and production departments, and the Simon & Schuster Audio family. Thanks as well go to Lisa Keim and Michael Selleck, as well as Laura Stern, Sarah Branham, Mellony Torres, and Irene Lipsky.
My editor, Emily Bestler, is the type of editor whom authors dream of someday working with. I have been fortunate enough to have been with her since my very first novel. Not only is Emily brilliant and incredibly talented, but she is funny as hell and keeps me laughing so hard that it can be easy to forget that what we do is called work. Thank you, Emily.
Carolyn Reidy, Louise Burke, and Judith Curr are the titans who captain the S&S, Pocket, and Atria ships. Thank you for your ongoing support, wisdom, and, most of all, friendship. It is truly a joy to be working with all of you.
David Brown, or “Conan the Publicist,” as I like to refer to him, is the best P.R. person I have ever met, and I appreciate him more than I think he will ever know. Thank you for everything, David.
I also want to thank Jennifer Linnan, Alex Cannon, and the rest of the fabulous team at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates for all that they do for me all year long.
Now for my thanks to the people so intimately involved with the writing of this novel.
This novel would not have happened if not for the man it is dedicated to, James Ryan (not his real name). If you want to know whether or not our country has real-life Scot Harvaths out there in the field, away from the flagpole, taking the fight to our enemies, the answer is yes. Do we need more of them? Do they need to be better equipped and better funded? Do they need better leadership? Do they need better management? Do they need more respect and less red tape and bureaucracy? Do we need to better trust them to slip off into the dark of night to do the jobs which so desperately need to be done? Yes, yes, and yes ad infinitum.
I chose the Orwell quote at the beginning of this novel as my way of honoring James Ryan for how invaluable he has been to me throughout the writing process. I chose to dedicate the novel to him, though, because of how invaluab
le he has been to this nation. I have a love and admiration for this American patriot that I will never be able to fully express, as there is so much of who he is and what he does that cannot be spoken of. Suffice it to say that he personifies American exceptionalism and that never in my life have I been more honored than the first time he called me friend.
Once again, my very good friend and patriot Scott F. Hill, PhD, was a key sounding board and wellspring of creativity in writing this novel. Whenever I have a new idea for a novel, he is the first person I turn to. The example he continues to set as a selfless American and one of the best friends a person could have is a daily reminder to me of the good mankind is able to achieve in this world. Thank you for all of your help and thank you for everything you continue to do in service of our great nation.
I round out the literary triumvirate so crucial to this novel with my dear friend and patriot Rodney Cox. Rodney’s tactical expertise, excellent sense of humor, and deep military experience in Afghanistan were key resources I drew upon repeatedly throughout the writing process. Thank you for everything, including equipping me for my trip to Afghanistan and for making sure we continue to turn out the world’s most formidable warriors. We’re looking forward to seeing you and Steph real soon.
My family and I also owe a special debt of gratitude to Tim Lynch and Walter Gaffney. You gentlemen know what you did for me, and I am deeply grateful. Thank you.
I also want to thank my friend Glenn Beck. Congratulations on your success and thank you for everything you, Kevin, Chris, Stu, Dan, and everyone else have done for me. Nice guys do finish first, and you and your team have proven it.
I also want to thank the key group of warriors who not only influenced and assisted in the writing of this novel, but are also very good friends: Chuck “Eagle Eye” Fretwell, Steven Bronson, Jeff Chudwin, Shawn Dyball, Thomas Foreman, Frank Gallagher, Rob Hobart, Steve Hoffa, Carl Hospedales, Cynthia Longo, Ronald Moore, Chad Norberg, Gary Penrith, Rob Pincus, the real Roper 6-9, Jonathan Sanchez, and Mitch Shore—as well as all the people out there who asked that they not be named in this book, for their own safety. Thank you for all you do for us. Stay safe.
For their invaluable assistance I am also indebted to Chief A. M. Jacocks, Jr.—Virginia Beach Police Department, Captain Edwin Ecker—East Hampton Town Police Department, Michael Foreman—Point Blank Solutions, Steve Tuttle—TASER International, the National Executive Institute Associates (NEIA), the Major Cities Chiefs (MCC), the Major County Sheriff’s Association (MCSA), author Kathy Reichs, Jason Kohlmeyer, Esq., Stephanie Dickerson, Tom and Geri Whowell, and John Giduck (who provided several key back office elements for my trip to Afghanistan).
In Washington, D.C., I continue to be grateful for the assistance of my friends Patrick Doak and David Vennett.
Friends Richard and Anne Levy always do the voodoo that they do so well with the assistance of a beguiling young woman known from Kolkata to Kowloon simply as Alice. Thank you for everything. We’ll see you in Munich.
Thank you to all the members of BradThor.com forum, a.k.a. the Thorum. There are too many of you to thank by name, but please know that I appreciate you all so much and love conversing with you online every day.
My attorney, Scottie Schwimer, continues to amaze with his magical powers in Hollywood. In a town where beauty is only skin-deep, Scottie’s beauty and talent go right to the bone. Thank you for all you do for me, my friend.
Finally, none of this would be possible without my gorgeous wife, Trish. I cannot count the nights and weekends she backed me up at home so I could stay in my office and get this novel completed. For those of you who want to know the secret to a happy marriage, marry someone kinder, smarter, funnier, and more patient than you are. You will never regret it. I know I haven’t. . . .
Thank you, my love.
I’ll be back next year with an all-new Scot Harvath adventure. In the meantime, I highly recommend reading the authors of the International Thriller Writers Association. Visit their website at www.ThrillerWriters.org.
ATRIA BOOKS
A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
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New York, NY 10020
www.SimonandSchuster.com
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2009 by Brad Thor
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information, address Atria Books Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.
First Atria Books paperback edition June 2010
ATRIA BOOKS and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
The Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau can bring authors to your live event. For more information or to book an event, contact the Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau at 1-866-248-3049 or visit our website at www.simonspeakers.com.
Cover art and design by Alan Dingman
ISBN 978-1-4165-8658-6
ISBN 978-1-4165-8674-6 (ebook)
From The Lions of Lucerne to Foreign Influence, Brad Thor’s Scot Harvath series delivers “high voltage entertainment reminiscent of Robert Ludlum” (Library Journal). While keeping readers riveted with heart-pounding suspense, the #1 New York Times bestselling author is also “changing the scope of the espionage novel in today’s world” (Tampa Tribune).
Praise for
FOREIGN INFLUENCE
Named One of the Best Political Thrillers of 2010 by Suspense Magazine
“Frightening, illuminating, and entertaining. … If you’re not hyperventilating once you’ve reached the last page, then you weren’t paying attention.”
—Bookreporter.com
“Intrigue, adventure, and adrenaline-rushing action. …”
—New American Truth
“Pulse-pounding.”
—International Thriller Writers, Inc.
THE APOSTLE
“Blasts off like a guided missile and never slows down. … Brad Thor rocks!”
—Tess Gerritsen, New York Times bestselling author of Ice Cold
“An out-of-the-ballpark homerun. You won’t want to put it down.”
—Blackwater Tactical Weekly
“Powerful and convincing. … A breathtaking, edge-of-your-seat experience.”
—National Terror Alert.com
Foreign Influence is also available from Simon & Schuster Audio
More acclaim for Brad Thor’s bestsellers featuring Scot Harvath, “the perfect all-American hero for the post—September 11th world (Nelson DeMille)
THE LAST PATRIOT
“A thriller to die for.”
—Glenn Beck
“As close to a perfect thriller as you’ll ever find. … Brilliantly plotted and ingeniously conceived.”
—Providence Journal-Bulletin (RI)
“Wow, this guy can write.”
—The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
THE FIRST COMMANDMENT
“An intelligent, sizzling adventure full of international intrigue.”
—Wilmington Morning Star (NC)
“An adrenaline-charged thriller. … Brad Thor knows how to excite the senses.”
—Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author of The Emperor’s Tomb
TAKEDOWN
“[Like] the TV show 24 and other high-octane thrillers, Takedown is crisp and cinematic, with … gun-blazing, gut-busting action.”
—The Tennessean
“Enthralling. … A smart, explosive work that details events about to happen outside your front door.”
—Bookreporter.com
“Exciting … frightening. … [A] masterpiece.”
—Midwest Book Review
BLOWBACK
One of NPR’s top 100 “Killer Thrillers” of all ti
me!
“Haunting, high-voltage. … One of the best thriller writers in the business.”
—Ottawa Citizen
“An incredible international thriller. … Riveting and superior.”
—Brunei Press Syndicate
STATE OF THE UNION
“Frighteningly real.”
—Ottawa Citizen
“[A] blistering, testosterone-fueled espionage thriller.”
—Publishers Weekly
PATH OF THE ASSASSIN
“Brad Thor is as current as tomorrow’s headlines.”
—Dan Brown
“The action is relentless, the pacing sublime.”
—Ottawa Citizen
THE LIONS OF LUCERNE
“Fast-paced, scarily authentic—I just couldn’t put it down.”
—Vince Flynn
“A hot read for a winter night. … Bottom line: Lions roars.”
—People
For Mark and Ellen LaRue,
two of the most dedicated patriots I know—
Thank you for everything you do for our
great nation.
He who does not punish evil commands it to be done.
—Leonardo DaVinci
PROLOGUE
INNER MONGOLIA
The strategic military outpost was such a closely guarded secret it didn’t even have a name, only a number—site 243.
It sat in a rugged, windswept valley far away from cities and centers of industry. Its architecture was minimalist; a cross between a high-end refugee camp and a low-rent university. Tents, trailers, and a handful of cheap concrete buildings made up its “campus.” The only outward signs of modernity were the Pizza Hut, Burger King, and Subway mobile restaurant trailers which made up the outpost’s “food court.”
It was just after three a.m. when the attack began. Lightweight Predator SRAW missile systems took out the fortified entry control point along with the watchtowers. Mortar rounds blanketed the campus, obliterating key infrastructure and force protection targets. When the heavily armed assault teams breached the perimeter, the outpost was in complete chaos.
