The Devil's Playground

by Michael Reagan

Rob was still an idealist.

  "Governor, somehow you have to get to across to the President that U.S-Sino relations are more important than ever, not only as a means of avoiding conflicts, but more importantly to help establish a new and improved world economic order," Rob said passionately.

  Thomas looked at his friend. If he were a Republican, he would have made sure that Parker understood just what was happening but he knew Steve well; this would form the basis of his challenge for the Presidency.

  "What would you do?" Thomas asked Rob.

  "Ask them to join the TPP make them full trading partners," Rob answered immediately.

  "But they will never submit to its rules that require them to make industry reform, promote labor standards, and protect intellectual property rights and internet freedoms," Steve answered.

  Thomas looked at his friend again. He had that look on his face that told him he did have a plan but wasn't going to share it with Rob despite him being a Deputy Director of the CIA.

  "But rest assured I will do my best, Mr. Ashley," Steve answered before changing the subject to matters of family and the close shave with death that the three men had just had in Japan.

  The staged firm handshake of Hong and Hayashi was played out in front of cameras of the world's media with a tired looking President Daniel Parker and Governor of California Steve Krivets on either side of the two gentleman as they stood outside the ivy-covered Elizabethan manor.

  Out of camera shot, by the side of Rob and Thomas, stood O.

  "My President and our people are most grateful to the both of you for all your efforts," He said with emotion all over his face.

  "It is the right thing to do," replied Rob on their collective behalf.

  O smiled and acknowledged the comment with a bow of his head. If they were in private he would have hugged them both but the world's media was watching so the role of a statesman prevailed. He looked at them for a moment. He sincerely hoped with what was about to happen that they would survive the events of the night. If not he will ensure their role in Humble Servant was never forgotten.

  "Come gentleman, history awaits us!" he said while gesturing to follow the three leaders walking into the manor with his hand.

  As he walked in behind them his assistant handed him the ten-year-old burner phone. The same style of phone he had once used all those years ago in Pyongyang and intended to use to change the world order forever.

  Being the host for the evening Thomas, or rather Amanda, his longstanding personal assistant, had selected the menu and wines for the evenings. A menu that included a farmhouse terrine with piccalilli, slow cooked Herdwick Lamb with celery leaf dumplings, rosemary jus and a desert of Cinnamon doughnuts, passion fruit ice cream with chocolate sauce on the side, and a selection of wines that included a vintage Bollinger "Vielles Vignes Francaises" and a superb 2004 Corton Charlemagne. Yet despite the chefs who had proudly cooked their nation's respective leader's portions, the mood around the table had been a tense affair. So much so, by the end of the dinner Thomas was rather relieved it was over so they could all move to the study for a less formal wave of introductions.

  It was Steve who was the first to break the ice by finally introducing the President who was standing with Hayashi at his side to Thomas.

  "Sir Thomas, I want to thank you for your efforts," Parker said firmly taking his hand.

  "You're welcome, Mr. President," Thomas said, eyeing up the man. "But it was Rob Ashley who made sure this happened," Thomas continued, ever the diplomat.

  "I will second that, he saved my life on that street," Hayashi added.

  "Hell, where is Rob?" asked the President looking around the room, quickly finding him engaged in a conversation with O, the Korean President and Mike Dunross.

  The Chief of Staff, spotting the beckoning of the President, gently nudged Rob by the arm. Rob turned around. "Rob, come here and bring President Hong and Vice President O with you!" he ordered.

  The Japanese Security Police Officer tapped his eyepiece.

  "Takauji," the codename for their operation came over his comms. Without a second thought, the young man in his late twenties promptly pulled out his Glock pistol, took aim, and shot the Secret Service Officer positioned to his side in the head. His colleague, who was the Head of the Prime Minister of Japan's detail, shot his own counterpart of Parker's detail by his side, also in the head.

  "Gun!" shouted the Korean security protective officer in Korean as she immediately sprang into action, drawing her weapon, releasing a shot, and moving at speed towards Hong's position.

  Suddenly loud gunfire erupted around the house and the estate.

  Rob didn't hesitate either during that moment. His brain immediately kicked into action and he moved to put himself in harm's way of POTUS.

  Just as he reached him and pushed him to the floor, positioning his body over the flattened man, an action in itself that was no easy feat considering the President's size, the second Korean Security officer fired two shots in quick succession at one of the Japanese officers pushing him backwards as the bullet hit him dead square in the face.

  At the same time, the doors to the study flew open, drawing the attention of those in the room and the second Japanese assassin. More shots were fired again in quick succession. The first round came from the Head of Hayashi's detail turned assassin, the second round from a Secret Service officer first through the door. They hit each other at virtually the same time.

  Rob looked around him and made a quick assessment. He then spoke to the Korean Security Officer who was pointing her weapon at him on the ground just as the Special Agent Valentine entered the room with his weapon drawn.

  "IDENTITY YOURSELF," ordered Valentine with wild eyes pointing his P228 sidearm at Rob as he quickly advanced at him.

  "IDAHO 781," Rob said with a sense of calm considering the situation.

  "IDAHO 781 Confirmed. He's a Deputy Director of the CIA," came the voice over Valentine's comms.

  "NOBODY MOVE," Valentine ordered to the others in the room. In most circumstances he would have the President out of the room and on his way to safety, unfortunately at this precise moment the whole house was a kill zone with reports of Japanese Protection Officers fighting the Secret Service and the Koreans coming over his comms.

  Rob helped the President quickly to his feet.

  "Agent identify yourself," ordered Rob.

  "ICEBERG 201," Valentine spat and reverting to the training manual they would from now on only use their call signs to identify friend from foe.

  "THIS OUTRAGEOUS, HAYASHI!" began Hong pointing his finger at the Japanese Prime Minister.

  "Shut up, Hong," O ordered, who, like Rob, was a picture of calmness.

  Valentine turned towards POTUS.

  "Sir, we need to move you to the Safe Room," he ordered just as another agent came over the comms warning him that they were now under assault outside the building.

  "What about the others?" asked POTUS referring to his, Hayashi's and the Koreans' support staff in the room.

  "My concern is for your safety not the others in this room," answered Valentine.

  Mikhail entered the discussion.

  "As it's in the cellar, you'll need to move room by room to get there. There are only three of you left if you include Mr. Ashley, Special Agent Valentine"

  "He's right ICEBERG," stated Rob.

  "Give Sir Thomas and Mr. Pschenicnikov a call sign; I can vouch for their abilities," ordered Rob.

  "That's against procedure IDAHO," Valentine said just as another of his men crackled over the wire that two more agents were down.

  "Fine I will make easy for you," answered Rob not in the mood for an argument. "I, Robin Ashley, Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, am hereby making Sir Thomas Courtney, Mikhail Pschenicnikov, and any men that they designate as deputies of the CIA. Call signs are NOBLE."

  Left with a decreasing circle of options, Valentine reluctantly agreed as he started to tell th
e agents outside what the plan was and add anybody who identified themselves as NOBLE to the friend list.

  "Special Agent Valentine," interrupted the President as Mikhail, Thomas, and Rob picked up the weapons from the dead agents on the floor.

  "Sir," Valentine said.

  "Prime Minister Hayashi, President Hong, and Vice President O are coming with us. That is an order," he said also in no mood for a discussion as well.

  With a plan quickly formulated, Mike Dunross and Steve, who had insisted that they come with them to act a shield, took the front with Thomas at the rear and O alongside him. The two Presidents plus the Prime Minister who were in the middle, with agents on either side and in front of them consisting of Valentine, the Korean lead agent, Rob, and Mikhail advanced out into the hallway of the house with their pistols outstretched in a defensive manner.

  There were dead bodies all over the place including sadly some of the house's staff. Anger wrapped itself around Thomas's mind but he quickly refocused it. There would be time for mourning later.

  "WILDCAT, DYNASTY, NIGHTSHADE, AND SHOGUN ARE MOVING TO SMOKEPOINT," said Valentine over the radio.

  "ROGER, ICEBERG WE WILL COME TO YOU," came the collective voices over the crackle of machine gun fire that could be heard around the estate. Hayashi tried to say something but the President stopped him by grabbing his arm while Hong just gave him a look that could kill.

  "CONTACT," cried Valentine as small arms fire ripped in their general direction.

  "GRENADE!" shouted one of the young Secret Service Agents on