THE 13: STAND BOOK TWO

by ROBBIE CHEUVRONT

  Walker thought for a moment. “You know what? You’re right.”

  “You’re dang right, I’m right!”

  “No, I mean, you’re right. The American people love you, Calvin. You’re the most beloved president since Lincoln. And none of them know that you’ve regained consciousness—that you’re completely fine. Maybe it’s time we showed them. Maybe it’s time we bring you out. You could tell the American people, with me, that Nolan is going to lead this country into a war we won’t come back from.”

  Grant lowered his head. “I can’t do that. It’s not my place.”

  “What do you mean? I don’t understand. I mean, think about it. With you standing beside me, telling the nation the truth…”

  “You remember when I gave my speech at the Capitol?”

  Walker did. That was the day Grant was shot. “Yes.”

  “You remember I froze, right before I had a chance to tell the people that God had told me to call the nation to repentance? I just stepped away from the microphones and stared at them?”

  “Yes, but what does that have anything to do with anything? Now’s your chance.”

  “No.” Grant lowered his eyes. “I didn’t step away from the microphones because I was afraid to tell them. I was fully ready to tell them. I stepped away because God told me to.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  Grant drew in a long breath and let it out again. “I never told you. I never told anyone—except Jon Keene, Megan Taylor, and Boz Hamilton—the morning I called them to my office. But the Prophet had been sending me warnings for months. I—I wanted to believe him. On some level I did believe him. But I rationalized it, saying to myself that I couldn’t just call the nation to repentance. People would think I’d lost my mind. I decided I would use the power of office to influence people through policy. But the warnings kept coming. And I knew deep within my heart the Prophet was who he said he was. But I also felt the need to investigate him as well. I needed to be sure he wasn’t just a terrorist trying to threaten our nation. By the time I had let all of that go and chose to believe that he actually was sent by God, it was too late. On the steps of the Capitol, when I pulled away, I did so because…” Grant covered his face with his hands and began to weep.

  Walker reached over and placed his hand on Grant’s arm. “Calvin, it’s okay. It’s not your fault.”

  Grant composed himself after a few seconds and continued, “I pulled away because I heard God say to me, ‘I love you, Calvin, but you should’ve trusted Me. You will not call the people to repentance now. That time has passed.’ ”

  Walker felt the air go completely out of him. He’d had no idea. He realized that Calvin had probably been dealing with this burden from the moment he woke up from his coma. He felt a deep sorrow for his friend. He knew Calvin must be tormented by this. “Calvin, look at me.”

  Grant picked his head up and looked to him.

  “You are one of the most godly men I’ve ever known. Before—when I was just pretending to be a believer, thinking that I had everything worked out—I used to look at you with disdain. Your walk with God was like a bitter poison in my mouth. Every time I saw you, it reminded me of what I wasn’t. And I held you in contempt for it. But you need to know the only reason I’m here right now—where I am spiritually—is because of you. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the last few months…it’s that our God is a God of numerous second chances. So don’t you beat yourself up because you think you failed God.”

  Grant looked at him and gave a half laugh. “You’re right. You definitely aren’t the same person you used to be. And my heart is full of joy for that. Thank you for your encouragement. What you said is true. And I’m not beating myself up over it. I know very well that God does not hold that against me.”

  Walker was confused. “Then what?”

  “It just saddens me that I missed the opportunity. I don’t feel condemnation for what I did. I just regret the fact that I did it. And that’s why I can’t do what you’re asking. God told me. The time for me to call the nation to repentance has passed. That charge falls to you now. I will pray for you. I have been praying for you. Both Tess and I have, nonstop. But you need to be the one to fight this fight. So go do it.”

  Walker sighed. He heard what Calvin was saying, but he still didn’t buy it. He felt deep within his soul that Calvin was wrong about this. But he would respect his wishes. For now. Because something was beginning to stir in him. The birthing of an idea was beginning to take shape somewhere in the recesses of his mind.

  Grant looked at him curiously. “Gray, are you all right?”

  Grant’s voice brought him back. “What? Yeah. I’m fine.”

  “So you’re ready to face Nolan? To put him in his place?”

  There it was again. That sudden fleeting thought. He needed some time to flesh this out. God was stirring something in his mind. “Not yet. But I’m working on it.”

  “Good,” Grant said. “Go get him.”

  Walker shook Grant’s hand and turned to leave. “Tell Tess sorry I couldn’t stay for the coffee.” Suddenly he felt something like a prompting. He knew in a moment that God had instructed him to say something else. He looked back at Grant. “Hey, Calvin.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Promise me something.”

  “Yeah? What’s that?”

  “The next time God tells you to do something, don’t wait.”

  Grant laughed halfheartedly. “Don’t worry. I won’t.”

  Walker turned around and walked out of the room. He smiled and said to himself, “I’m going to remember you said that.”

  CHAPTER 51

  McLean, Virginia

  It had been three days since Keene and Boz had removed SECNAV from his home. Boz had stayed upstairs, in the house, the whole time, while Keene had set up camp in the basement. It was a finished basement, complete with a guest room and bath, so it was easy for Keene to be down there. But the reality of it was, if Sokolov was watching the place, trying to plan her move, it wasn’t working. Keene had a pretty good idea why.

  “We don’t even know if she’s here yet,” Boz argued. “We don’t need to change the plan yet. Just give it time.”

  “We’re running out of time, Boz. Nolan’s out there getting his face in front of every camera available. Walker’s got his back to the wall. Congress is demanding he make Nolan the vice president. The whole country’s coming apart at the seams.”

  Keene knew he was frustrating Boz. But he also knew he was right on this. As long as they stayed holed up in this house, Sokolov wasn’t coming anywhere near. “Look, I’ve sat on houses for days before without moving. You know why?”

  “Why?”

  “Because it was too quiet. The routine wasn’t right. I knew they were waiting for me.”

  “I don’t know, man. Maybe.” Boz threw his hands up. “So what do you want to do?”

  “It’s not what I want to do. But I don’t think we have a choice.”

  “Okay. Let’s hear it.”

  “SECNAV has a routine. Just like anyone else. Sokolov is going to know that he has to leave every morning and come home at night. And if he’s not doing that, she’ll get suspicious. And she won’t come. But if she sees SECNAV coming and going, like normal, she’ll watch that for a day or two. And then, when she’s comfortable with his movements, she’ll come for him.”

  “Here?”

  “Yes. I still think she’ll come here. The only place he really goes is from here to the White House. It’d be too risky to try and take him somewhere in between. Too many variables. No, she’ll want to do it here. But she won’t come unless she’s sure he’s alone, and it’ll more than likely be at night.”

  “What do you mean? More than likely?”

  “Well, if it were me, my preference would be to be here waiting for him when he got home. But this neighborhood is too busy. I wouldn’t risk showing up here during the day or evening. People in these kinds of neighborhoods are n
osy. And they typically know each other’s comings and goings. Sykes is pretty high profile. So someone just showing up at his house—not in a uniform, not in a government vehicle with armed security—is going to cause suspicion. I would wait and make sure he was home. Then I’d watch the place. And then at about three in the morning, I’d come.”

  Boz gave him a sour look. “I hate it when you’re right.”

  Normally, Keene would reciprocate with a smart-aleck comment. But in this case, he agreed. “Me, too. At least this time, anyway.”

  “Okay, then, so how do you want to do this?”

  “We can’t use you as a decoy. Inside the house, you could pass for him. But if he has to be seen coming and going, I’m afraid it’s going to have to be him.”

  “We’ll still need someone inside the house,” Boz said. “We can’t just leave him in here alone.”

  “I agree. You could stay in the house, here in the basement. I can follow him to and from the house. Once he’s inside, you can give me the okay. I’ll take up watch at night.”

  “You can’t cover the whole house by yourself. And that’s going to make for a long night, you keeping watch by yourself all night.”

  “Won’t be the first time. Besides, we have Artie’s little perimeter monitor. If anyone comes within a hundred yards of that place, you’ll know. We can keep these cell phones on an open line. If anything happens we’ll already be on with each other.”

  Boz sighed. “It’s not the prettiest idea I’ve ever heard, but it’s solid.”

  “It’s our best chance at getting her,” Keene said.

  Boz handed Keene a sat-phone. “I guess you better call Jennings.”

  Keene took the phone and dialed the number. Boz quickly reached back over and took it from him. He hit the Speaker button and then handed it back to Keene as it was ringing.

  “What’d you do that for?”

  Boz laughed. “I want to hear Jennings when you tell him what you want to do.”

  The phone rang a couple more times before Jennings finally answered.

  “This is Jennings.”

  “It’s Keene.”

  “Everything all right?”

  “Not exactly.”

  “What do you mean, not exactly?”

  “We’re not getting any bites. I think we’re going to have to change bait.”

  CHAPTER 52

  Washington, DC

  Alex Smith was back in Washington. And for a place that she really disliked, it seemed she found herself here too often. But then again, she thought, gotta go where the money is. She parked the car while Farid went inside to pay for their room.

  The Wardman Park Marriott was one of her favorite hotels in all of DC. It was a massive structure located in a quiet area of town. It had subway access within feet of the property. The shops and restaurants nearby were exceptional. And the most important thing: she had at least twelve different escape routes at any given time, depending on the situation and need.

  She met Farid inside the lobby and waited for him to finish at the front desk. A few minutes later, they were headed to their room. They had only brought a small bag each, so getting to the room was easy.

  Once inside the room, Alex set her bag on the small table and unzipped it. She pulled out her PK380 and a Glock 30, a subcompact .45 caliber. She lifted her pants leg and strapped the PK just above her ankle. Then she removed her carry holster from her bag and fitted it inside her pants, on her side. She checked the magazine for the Glock, saw that it was good, slammed it home, and slid the Glock inside her waistband.

  “Okay,” she said. “All set.”

  Farid sat on the bed. “So you want me to just sit here and wait for you?”

  She thought about it for a moment. “No. Actually, I’d like you to come with me. It’s easier to blend in as a couple.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “We are going to go play follow the leader.”

  Farid looked at her curiously. “I don’t think I understand.”

  “SECNAV, Bob Sykes.”

  “Sec—what?”

  “Secretary of the navy. We are going to go follow him around. I need to see his routine. And unfortunately, I don’t have a lot of time to figure it out. I might have to improvise.”

  “Improvise? Why?”

  “Pemberton wants him gone. Like two days ago. The governor’s making huge waves, and Walker is being pressured on all sides to nominate Nolan for VP. But even if Walker does give in, Sykes still runs the military. It doesn’t matter if Nolan gets Walker out of the way. Sykes will never follow orders to strike against the Chinese as long as Jennings is around. But if Sykes is out of the picture, Pemberton says Irving can step back in and take over the military. Once that happens, Walker and Nolan are a moot point.”

  “And do you think that will work?”

  “Honestly? No. I think Kevin Jennings is more of a threat. That man has more influence than Pemberton knows. I would guess that he could keep Irving from moving the military. But I’m not paying the bill. So Sykes it is.” She checked her gear one more time. “Okay. Let’s go see where the SECNAV lives.”

  Keene sat in the corner of the Oval Office while Jennings, Walker, and Sykes sat deep in conversation. He had left Boz at Sykes’s house and told Jennings he’d meet them there. Jennings was none too happy at Keene’s suggestion that they go ahead and let SECNAV move around like normal. But in the end, he, too, knew Keene was right. Now it was just a matter of telling the others. That’s why they were here now. Jennings was laying out how they would move from this point on. Keene was thinking about Megan when he heard his name.

  “Jon, what do you think?”

  “I’m sorry. What do I think about what?”

  Jennings motioned for him to come join them. “I was saying, I don’t think it’s smart for President Walker to be out on the street confronting the media right now.”

  Walker jumped in. “I told you already. I’ve spoken with Calvin. He agrees. This is what needs to be done. I need to get out there and start making some noise of my own. You said so yourself, Jon. Bob, here, is more than likely Sokolov’s target. Not me.”

  Walker was putting him in a tough place. “Yes, sir. I do believe Sykes is the logical target. But Sokolov is an opportunist. If you make yourself a target, she could very well shift gears. I don’t think it’s smart for you to be just putting yourself out there.”

  Walker stood up. “This is not up for discussion, gentlemen. The decision has been made. I will be leaving the White House this afternoon. I’ve already called the major networks and offered myself to them for interviews.”

  Keene had a bad feeling about this. “At least let us send someone with you.”

  Walker looked at him like he were an idiot. “I will have my detail with me at all times.”

  Keene didn’t care. He knew a lot of great Secret Service agents. But they weren’t trained like he was. And there was only one of him. He couldn’t be two places at one time.

  “And I’m sure they’re fine men,” Jennings jumped in. “But I’d feel better if one of my men were with you. What about Boz?”

  Keene shot his boss a cross look. “Uh-uh. I need Boz in SECNAV’s house.”

  Jennings gave him the same look back. “And I need to keep the president alive!”

  “He’s right, Jon.” It was Sykes. “President Walker is the priority.”

  Keene was fuming now. “Kevin, can I talk you for a second? Alone?”

  Jennings stepped away with him outside the office. When the door closed behind them, Keene lit in. “You know as well as I do that Sokolov’s coming after SECNAV. Pulling Boz out of that house is a mistake. We need him in there. He’s the only one who can pass for Sykes inside that house. And she has to see him moving around in there.”

  “Maybe so, but that still doesn’t change the fact that Walker’s going to be exposed. If I didn’t agree with you about Sykes, I would put you on Walker. But I do agree with you. So I’m allowing you
to stay with him. But I’m not about to let the president go walking down Pennsylvania Avenue, out in the open, without someone I personally trust. End of discussion!” Jennings opened the door and walked back inside.

  Keene was furious. Without Boz inside the house, the chances of protecting Sykes decreased significantly. He couldn’t be inside the house because he needed to be outside, monitoring the perimeter. If Sokolov somehow made it into the house without tripping the sensors, it would be too late by the time he got inside.

  Regardless, he was going to need to figure something out. Jennings wasn’t going to budge. He knew that. He opened the door to the office and went back inside. When he did, he noticed that Jennings and Sykes were gathering their things to leave. Jennings was on the phone.

  “That’s right. Fox News,” Jennings said into the phone. “Okay. Just get there as quickly as you can. The president has agreed not to leave for the next interview until you get there.” Jennings hung up.

  “Boz?” Keene asked.

  “Yes,” Jennings said. Then to Walker, “He’ll meet you at the station.”

  Walker stepped in between them. “I’m still on your side here, Jon. But you know how stubborn your boss is.”

  Jennings ignored the jab from the president. “Let’s go.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “My place. Remember, Sykes has been with me for the last three days. He needs to get his stuff if he’s going back to his house this evening.”

  Keene didn’t say anything, but instead, violently jerked his jacket off the back of the chair it had been sitting on—making sure Jennings saw it. He turned and left the room.

  CHAPTER 53

  Before coming to DC, Alex Smith had made some calls. She had been out of commission for four months and had no idea what she was walking into. She still had some contacts in town. They were able to catch her up to speed on how things were operating in the capital city. She found out, among other things, that Walker had moved Jennings’s and Sykes’s offices into the White House. With the potential of the peace status turning on a dime, and communications still sketchy, Walker wanted his top advisers within an arm’s reach.