Countdown km-2

by David Hagberg

  “From what I understand he came out of it okay, Mr. President. “Good.

  That’s very good. We’re going to need him”

  The president made it obvious that he was switching off the recording equipment in his desk. No one in the room missed the significance of his action. Admiral O’Malley had come over from the Joint Chiefs with the report on the “Incident” as they were calling it, and everyone had had a chance to read it. “That’s it, then” Secretary of State James Baldwin said, looking up over the tops of his reading glasses. “A first-class job on McGarvey’s part”

  “It’s Baranov, of course” the president said.

  “We can’t know that for sure” Baldwin replied. He looked to Roland Murphy for support, but the DCI shook his head. “I can’t agree. It’s him all right”

  “None of those bodies carried any ID that would link them to the KGB”

  “Of course not”

  “In fact there was nothing aboard that ship that in any way linked them to the Soviet Union”

  “Aside from the fact they used Soviet-made weapons” Admiral O’Malley said. “Readily available on the open market” Baldwin replied sharply.

  He looked this time to National Security Agency Director Sterling Miller for support. “Your people came up with no communications intercepts, nothing that would indicate an operation of this magnitude was being directed out of Moscow”

  “Nothing” Murphy leaned forward on the couch. “You don’t seem to understand, Jim, that this was a Baranov operation. The normal lines of communication between Moscow and the KGB’s field stations would not have been used”

  “Then there’s no proof linking the Soviets to this … Murphy shrugged.

  “We may never have positive identification of their bodies, and Kurshin’s wasn’t found But some of them were certainly the submarine drivers. The others brought the Stephos out to the rendezvous. The Tomahawk missile was on board. Its serial number matched the one aboard the Indianapolis. I don’t think you can possibly argue that they didn’t hijack the sub, kill the crew, steal the missile, and scuttle the boat.

  You can’t deny that. “I’m not denying anything, General, except for the fact we have no hard facts. Nothing that would stand up in a court of law. Nothing that the president could use to take to Gorbachev. There simply isn’t that kind of hard proof here.

  Kurshin was a fanatic, that’s all. He managed to put together a crew who, as incredible as it still seems to me, managed to get away with this. Or very nearly managed to. But there is nothing concrete linking that act of piracy and international terrorism with Moscow”

  “He’s right” General Acheson agreed. “But it doesn’t alter the fact that we all know damned well that Baranov, with or without the consent of the Politburo, engineered this thing. “So what do we do about it, Donald” Baldwin asked. “Exactly what is it you are suggesting” Acheson started to reply, but the president held him off. “We’ll get to that in just a minute, Jim. First we have two other aspects of this situation to consider” No one said a thing but they all knew what was coming. “The first, of course, is the Israelis. The cat’s out of the bag, so to speak. The Soviets know that they have battleready nuclear weapons. They won’t let that go. It’s going to put Peres in a very difficult situation”

  “All they have to do is hold tight and keep their mouths shut” Baldwin said. “Do you think they’ll do that”

  “If they’re smart” Baldwin said softly. “We can bring certain pressures to bear”

  “I’m not so sure it would work this time”

  “It damned well better, Mr. President, lest another can of worms is opened over there. “For instance”

  “The Soviets have a very good case for introducing nuclear weapons to the region, for instance. For another instance, Peres might finally listen to his military advisers and make a preemptive strike somewhere.

  Just to show their muscle”

  “Do you actually think that’s possible” the president asked. “I do.

  They’ll take whatever steps are necessary to protect their current advantage” A small glint of triumph crossed the president’s eyes.

  “Which brings us to the second consideration. Valentin Iller Baranov”

  “Kurshin was his man, Mr. President” Murphy said. “There’s no doubt about it”

  “Nor do I feel that Baranov will give up so easily. He’s a tenacious bastard” “Gorbachev will take care of him” Baldwin said. “I think it’s gone beyond that, Jim” the president replied thoughtfully. “From what I’ve read he’s consolidated his power over the past couple of years, ever since he brought Powers down”

  “Something like that could not happen again, Mr. President” Murphy said with a tight jaw. Donald Suthland Powers had been one of the best directors of central intelligence that the Agency had ever known.

  Baranov had ruined him, and in the end had been at least the indirect cause of his death. “Don’t be so sure” the president said ominously.

  “What are you suggesting, Mr. President” Baldwin said, a dangerous edge in his voice. The president’s eyes never left Murphy. “Is he still in East Berlin”

  “Yes, Mr. President, through the weekend. Unless of course he reacts to the news that his latest operation has failed, and he runs back to Moscow. That’s possible”

  “Is it possible, General, to reactivate McGarvey”

  “I won’t hear of this, Mr. President” Baldwin blurted. “With all respect, sir, we cannot sink to that level” “Is it possible” the president asked. “Yes it is”

  “What would his chances be”

  “This time, not very good. Baranov will know, or guess, that McGarvey is coming for him”

  “Because of Dr. Abbott”

  “Yes, and because of the Powers thing. McGarvey, as you know, was involved”

  “WHAT about Dr. Abbott” Baldwin asked. “She was kidnapped from her hotel in West Berlin” Murphy explained. “We have good reason to suspect that it was Baranov’s people who took her. “Why? What use can she be to him, especially now”

  “Bait” Murphy said. “For whom, for what”

  “McGarvey. He and Dr. Abbott … apparently have a thing for each other”

  “Good Lord” Baldwin said. He turned again to the president. “Mr. President, if you mean to send McGarvey into East Germany to assassinate Baranov, then you will have my resignation as Secretary of State immediately”

  “I won’t accept it, Jim” the president said. “But I am sending McGarvey across. To rescue Dr. Abbott. We cannot simply abandon her”

  “He’s an assassin”

  “Yes, he is”

  “And Baranov, if Roland is correct, is waiting for him. Expecting him to come across”

  “That’s true as well” the president said. “Can he pull it off, General”

  “I honestly don’t know, Mr. President. But I suspect that if anyone can do it, he can. He’s motivated” Baldwin was shaking his head angrily.

  “If it gets back to us, it could topple your administration”

  “Well, it’s my administration, Jim. And it’s a risk I’m willing to take, this time”

  The 8200-ton Leahy-class guided missile cruiser stood off about twenty miles to the west of the MV Stephos. The sun. was just coming up over the eastern horizon. McGarvey squinted his eyes against the glare as the Sikorsky MH-53E Sea Dragon minesweeper helicopter came in low and slow.

  From where he stood on the after bridge deck with Executive Officer Tom Nielson, he could see the Tomahawk missile in its sling fifty feet beneath the belly of the chopper. Nielson, a tall lanky man with bright red hair and freckles, smiled grimly. “That’s that” he said. He glanced over at McGarvey. “Hell of a job you did out there, Sir” McGarvey nodded, but he didn’t take his eyes off the incoming helicopter. “Any word on the Indianapolis and her crew yet”

  “No, sir. The Pigeon won’t be sending down the DSRV until later this morning. But it doesn’t look good”<
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  “No” McGarvey mumbled. None of it had looked good from the beginning.

  It had been a blood bath from start to finish. The carnage aboard the Stephos was hard to comprehend. Kurshin’s Russian crews had done their jobs, and their reward was a bullet in the brain. There will be no witnesses, Baranov had undoubtedly told Kurshin. And that’s exactly what had happened. Ainslie had been killed outright, most of his skull destroyed, and when they had gotten to Potok, half of his left arm blown away; Newman was dead and they had had to pry his body away from the Israeli’s iron-hard grip. Potok had been brought here to the Worden where the ship’s doctor had stabilized his condition and had patched up his arm as best he could under the circumstances. As soon as the Tomahawk was safely aboard he would be flown up to Tel Aviv. The comms speaker blared. “Mr. Nielson, is Mr. McGarvey with you, sir”

  “Aye, aye”

  Nielson said, keying the comms. “Admiral Delugio is on the radiotelephone, he would like to speak with Mr. McGarvey. Afterward, the captain would like you both in the wardroom”

  “We’re on our way” The Sea Dragon hovered over the landing pad at the stern, and the loading crews were guiding the Tomahawk onto a mobile cradle. There was only a light swell running, and the crews were expert, so the transfer went smoothly. When the missile was finally down, McGarvey went with Nielson into the bridge, where one of the ratings handed him the telephone. “Kirk McGarvey, is that you” Delugio shouted.

  “Yes, sir”

  “The Navy wants to thank you. Admiral O’Malley sends his personal thanks”

  “Too little too late, Admiral” McGarvey said. He didn’t feel much like celebrating. He wanted only to go to bed and sleep for a week, get roaring drunk, and fetch Lorraine Abbott from West Berlin-not necessarily in that order. “But you stopped the bastards, McGarvey”

  “Yes, sir” McGarvey replied. “Was there anything else”

  Delugio hesitated for a beat. “Not from this end. But I have an urgent message for you from your boss. You’re to meet with Trotter ASAP. “There on Crete”

  “Negative. He’s gone to Athens. He said you’d know where.

  We’ll get you there this morning via Tel Aviv. The Israelis want to talk to you first.

  How’s Major Potok”

  “I haven’t talked to him since he came out of the operating room. But I’m told he’ll live”

  “Listen up, McGarvey” Delugio said, a note of caution in his voice now.

  “As I’ve already said, you did a hell of a fine job for us out there.

  But you’re going to have to watch what you say to the Israelis. They’re going to want to know a lot more than you’re authorized to tell them.

  That comes from the top, the very top. I hope I’ve made myself clear”

  “Don’t worry, Admiral, your secrets are safe with me. Besides, I don’t know anything”

  “I’m sorry, Mcgarveydelugio said after another beat. “I take my orders too. II “Yeah” McGarvey said, and he hung up the telephone. He stood there for a long moment, looking through the forward windows toward the long bow of the ship. Time to get out now, he thought. But the job wasn’t finished. Trotter was waiting for him. There was very little mystery about what he would say. “Sir” Nielson said. McGarvey looked up.

  “Right” he said. He followed the executive officer below to officers’ territory. There was a lot of activity aboard the ship. The Navy SEAL unit that Admiral Delugio had sent out was back from the Stephos, and Marine guards, sidearms at their hips, seemed to be everywhere.

  Nielson knocked once on the wardroom door and then they went in.

  Lieutenant Commander Bruce Mcdonald was seated at the highly polished mahogany table with the Worden’s missile officer, Lieutenant Sam Nakajimathey both looked up. “Did you speak with Admiral Delugio)”

  Mcdonald asked. He was a sharp, compact man with thinning, ashbrown hair. “just now” McGarvey said, taking a seat across the table from him.

  “How is Major Potok doing”

  “Just fine. In fact, better than we expected he would. He’s awake now and he’s asking for you. We’ll be flying both of you to Tel Aviv as soon as the Tomahawk is secured belowdecks

  “What about the Stephos” they’re taking

  “The Israeli Navy has taken her under tow

  “Ib her up to their Kishon Naval Base at Haifa” Mcdonald said. “And we owe you another debt of gratitude. The SEALS found and disarmed the Labun gas cylinder, as well as the explosives. it would have made quite a mess had they gone off” He shook his head. “Your Russian was some s(noia bitch”

  “Yes, he was” McGarvey said. “This is probably no time to tell you this, Mr. McGarvey” Lieutenant Nakajima said. “But you were damned lucky you pulled out the right wires. The only right wires had you grabbed the bundle a half an inch to the left, the missile would have exploded.

  it was the self-destruct circuitry”

  “I didn’t have much of a choice”

  “Well, sir, you’ve got balls” Nakajima shook his head there was nothing to say’are you hungry? Do you want something to eat before you go”

  Mcdonald asked. McGarvey shook his head. “All right, then” the captain said, getting to his feet. He stuck out his hand. McGarvey got up and shook it. i’ll add my personal thanks, McGarvey, you did great”

  “That’s what they’re paying me for, Captain. Thanks for your hospitality”

  “I’ll take you down to Major Potok in sick bay now, sir” Nielson said.

  “We’ll have you out of here within twenty minutes” Mcdonald said. “Good luck” Below and farther aft, McGarvey was shown into Potok’s room. The Israeli’s left arm was in a cast from the shoulder down, and he looked pale and very drawn. But he was dressed and sitting up on the edge of his cot. The Navy doctor with him was checking his eyes with a tiny light. When he was finished he straightened up and turned to McGarvey.

  “I’ve given Major Potok a stimulant that should keep him mobile for another few hours. But no longer. When he crashes he damned well better be in a medical facility”

  “I’ll see to it. Thanks, Doctor” McGarvey said. The doctor glanced down again at Potok, and then he and Nielsen withdrew from the room. “How do you feel, Lev” McGarvey asked. “Like dreck, but at least I’m feeling”

  Potok said. His voice was weak. “They’re moving you by chopper to Tel Aviv in the next few minutes. Apparently I’m to go with you. But you have to know from the start, Lev, that I’m not going to be able to tell your people very much more than they already know. “We don’t want much from you, Kirk. But we have something to say to you. Something … something very important. We owe you”

  “But not now” McGarvey asked. “No.

  Not here. In Tel Aviv. There is a man who wishes to speak to you”

  “Who”

  “I can’t give you his name. Not yet. But what he has to say is critical.

  Believe me”

  “I do” McGarvey said.

  GROSSER MUGGEISEE

  The uncertain dawn came cool and gray. Lorraine Abbott stood at the window of her secondfloor room looking down at the driveway. She was in East Germany, near a lake. She knew at least that much, as well as the fact that something had happened overnight.

  Something that was causing her Russian captors some consternation. It was Kirk, she thought, and the certainty gave her a small measure of comfort. A black Mercedes sedan had pulled up and two bulky men had gotten out. They were standing below now speaking with the short, heavily built man who had identified himself as Baranov. From what she could gauge of their actions, they seemed to be happy. They had received some good news, and her spirits sank again. She turned away from the window. Her room was large and extremely well furnished, with a spacious, pleasant bathroom. Since her kidnapping and hasty trip across the border in the trunk of a car, she had been forced to remain here.

  She had not been mistreated; her meals came regularly and were very good. But she had not bee
n given a radio or television, nor had she been allowed any reading material. Most of the time she had spent with her ear to the wall or door, listening to what was going on in the rest of the house, or watching from the window. Baranov had spoken to her only once, when they had first brought her here. He had merely introduced himself and promised that no harm would come to her. But in that brief exchange she had been struck with the man’s charisma. He exuded a raw, but controlled, power. His eyes, she had decided, had the capability of looking inside of her. The experience had been chilling. In the bathroom she splashed some cold water on her face, and then looked into her own eyes. They were clear, although she was frightened. Eventually they would have to let her go. Eventually they would have to take her back to West Berlin. Her major fear at the moment was that her release wouldn’t come soon enough to stop Kirk from coming here first.

  Now that she had met Baranov, and seen something of his tion-she had spotted at least three guards outside organiza — she didn’t think Kirk would have much of a chance against them.

  Back at the window, she looked down at the driveway. The Mercedes was still there, but the men were nowhere in sight. She was craning her head to see toward the side of the house when the lock at her door clicked.

  She turned as the door opened and Baranov entered the room, a gentle, almost wistful smile on his features, wrinkling the corners of his deep-set eyes. She thought he looked like the typical picture of a Russian peasant. Except for his power, which no peasant had. “Good morning, Dr. Abbott, I’m happy to see that you’re up. It’s us early risers who do best in the world, don’t you agree”

  Baranov’s voice was soft and cultured, his English gently British in its intonations. “When are you going to release me” Lorraine demanded.

  “Very soon now” Baranov said. “Your breakfast should be up in a minute or so. I thought I’d take this time to have a little chat with you. It seems a friend of ours will be showing up here soon” Lorraine’s blood ran cold. “Who is that” she managed to ask, though her voice sounded shaky in her own ears. “Kirk McGarvey, of course. He and I are very old friends. We go way back together. But of course I’m sure he told you this”