There was no way of knowing what would come next, but it was a safe bet in Graham’s mind that the jihad was far from being over. Very far from being over.
CIA HEADQUARTERS
“It’s not over, Mr. President,” McGarvey said. He and Adkins were having a teleconference with the president and Dennis Berndt, his national security adviser, in the Oval Office.
“But bin Laden is dead,” the president said. “The DNA from the blood you brought back is a match.”
“Yes, sir.”
“The problem we’re faced with now is how to handle the news,” Berndt cautioned. “There could be a tremendous backlash throughout the entire Muslim world if we announced that bin Laden is dead.”
“What do you think, Mac?” the president asked.
“I’m not a politician, it’s one of the reasons I made such a lousy DCI, but like I said it’s not over, and won’t be until we can find a political solution.”
“Like getting out of Saudi Arabia, or pulling our support from Israel?” the president asked, a touch of edginess in his voice.
McGarvey shrugged. “That might help, Mr. President, but I doubt it. The only way al-Quaida is going to be reigned in is for countries like Saudi Arabia and Pakistan and Syria and Iran to withdraw their support. Once they stop their funding, and close down the training bases, al-Quaida will feel the squeeze. But even more than that, we need to make sure they’ve got nobody to recruit.”
Berndt chuckled. “How do you propose we do that?”
“That’s your job,” McGarvey said. “But you might start with education.”
“Reforming their school systems is just not possible,” the president said.
“Not theirs, Mr. President, ours,” McGarvey said. “Half the people in our own country couldn’t have found Afghanistan or Iraq on a map until we invaded, and they were all over the news.”
“More than half,” Berndt said.
“Almost every ambassador we send out can’t speak the language of the country they’ve been assigned to. And damn few of them have the slightest idea of the cultures they’re expected to deal with on a rational basis.”
“You don’t know what you’re asking,” the president said.
“No, sir, you’re probably right.”
CHEVY CHASE
It was late and the safe house was finally quiet after Otto and Louise had gone home, and Todd and Liz had left with the baby. McGarvey stood at the open patio door looking out at the night. It was warm and humid, though not as bad as Karachi. And the Washington suburbs certainly smelled better.
Katy had stayed up here with him until he was finished with his debriefings. Lieutenant Commander Weiss turned out to be nothing more than a guy who had inherited a small fortune from an aunt. He was only guilty of being an asshole. Which left someone at Guantanamo who was on al-Quaida’s payroll. The FBI was working with the ONI on the problem, and it would only be a matter of time before they caught the bastard.
Two days ago, Gloria had come out to the Farm where McGarvey had been going through the three scenarios—the Panama Canal, the York River, and the M. A. Jinnah Centre—as a training exercise. She was being reassigned to the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City and wanted to say goodbye. They had gone for a walk through the woods by the river, the morning bright and beautiful.
“I just wanted to say goodbye, and thanks for everything you did for me,” she said. “McCann wanted to stick me on the Cuban desk.”
“You would have done a good job there,” McGarvey said. He wasn’t sure how he felt about her. She was a beautiful woman, bright, well trained, not a complainer, but there was something about her that he couldn’t quite put his finger on. She had a chip on her shoulder, and she had a desperate need to prove herself, but he had worked with people like that before. It was something else.
“I’m a field officer,” she said. “It’s all I ever wanted to do.” She turned away for a moment, and when she looked back, her eyes were bright. “I love you, and that will never change. I just wanted you to know that I won’t make trouble for you. It’s my problem, not yours.”
There was nothing to say.
She reached over and kissed him lightly on the cheek. “Goodbye,” she said.
“Penny for your thoughts,” Katy said behind him.
McGarvey turned. “I didn’t hear you coming.” He drew her close. “I was thinking about Gloria Ibenez. She’s on her way to Mexico City.”
“She’s in love with you.”
“Yeah,” McGarvey said.
Katy smiled and gave her husband a squeeze. “Can’t fault the girl’s taste,” she said. “What’s she going to do down there?”
“I don’t know. I’m out of the loop now. I’m retired, remember?”
Katy laughed. “Yeah, right,” she said. “Just give me long enough to finally get settled in our new house. Deal?”
“Deal,” McGarvey promised, and he kissed her.
If We had prescribed for them: Lay down your lives or go forth from your homes: they would not have done it except a few of them; yet if they had done what they are exhorted to do, it would surely have been better for them … . We would then bestow upon them a great reward from Ourselves … . Whoever so obeys Allah and the Messenger shall be among those upon whom Allah has bestowed His favors.
THE QUR’AN, Al-Nisa, 4:67–71
If they turn back [from Allah], seize them and kill them wherever you find them … .
THE QUR’AN, Al-Nisa, 4:89–92
My apologies to the men and women serving at U.S. Navy Base Guantanamo Bay, and especially Camp Delta—fact is, I made some deliberate errors in the layout of the facility, especially the security arrangements. I did not want to make this a blueprint for escape.
FICTION BY DAVID HAGBERG
WRITING AS DAVID HAGBERG
Twister
The Capsule
Last Come the Children
Heartland
Heroes
Without Honor*
Countdown*
Crossfire*
Critical Mass*
Desert Fire
High Flight*
Assassin*
White House*
Joshua’s Hammer*
Eden’s Gate
The Kill Zone*
By Dawn’s Early Light
Soldier of God*
*Kirk McGarvey novels
WRITING AS SEAN FLANNERY
The Kremlin Conspiracy
Eagles Fly
The Trinity Factor
The Hollow Men
False Prophets
Broken Idols
Gulag
Moscow Crossing
The Zebra Network
Crossed Swords
Counterstrike
Moving Targets
Winner Take All
Achilles’ Heel
This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this novel are either fictitious or are used fictitiously.
ALLAH’S SCORPION
Copyright © 2006 by David Hagberg
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form.
A Forge Book
Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC
175 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10010
www.tor-forge.com
Forge® is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC.
eISBN 9781429918213
First eBook Edition : December 2011
ISBN-13: 978-0-765-30623-4
ISBN-10: 0-765-30623-9
First Edition: January 2007
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