American Assassin

by Vince Flynn

  “We call this the sky box … not anymore really, but during the height of the war we would sit up here and watch it all unfold.”

  Rapp turned around to find Rob Ridley sipping on a bright red can of Coke. “Sky box?”

  Ridley approached the edge of the balcony, pointed toward the ocean to the north, and then drew his hand south. “See that big, ugly scar that runs from the north to the south?”

  “Yeah.”

  “That’s the famous Green Line. We’d sit up here and watch them fight, like a football game. That’s why we called it the sky box.”

  Rapp pointed to the stack of U.S. Army crates. “Looks like you guys did more than watch.”

  “That shit is more for self-defense, although I saw some badass snipers roll through here. That’s the unwritten story about this little war … the snipers. They did most of the damage. We found that they were getting a little close.” Hurley pointed up at the overhang. “They started sending rounds in here on a daily basis. We put up sandbags, and then after one of our guys got killed, we put in a request for a couple of those badasses from Fort Bragg. Two of them showed up five days later.” Ridley pointed at the map on the wall. “They put that thing together. In six days they had thirty-one recorded kills, and that pretty much solved the problem. Kinda like bringing in an exterminator.” Ridley laughed and then added, “That’s classified, so don’t go around telling that story to just anyone.”

  “How long have we had a presence up here?”

  “You’d have to ask Stan that question. I was still in the Marine Corps when they blew our barracks up.” Ridley pointed to the south. “Right over there. I showed up in ’88. That was when we started rotating sniper teams through here. They loved it. In fact this is where the D Boys battle-tested the first Barrett .50 cal. He shot a guy just over seven thousand feet away.”

  “That’s more than a mile.”

  “One-point-three and some change.” Hurley looked off toward the Green Line. “Strange breed, those snipers. Pretty quiet lot … kept to themselves for the most part, but that night they got shitfaced and naked. I guess seven thousand feet is a pretty rare club. At any rate I think we’ve been up here since ’85.”

  “I thought we pulled out,” Rapp said.

  “Langley never pulls out … or at least rarely. Shit, this little outpost is what stopped this thing from being a complete disaster. We knew everything Damascus was up to. We helped blow up supply convoys, target the occasional asshole who wandered too far away from his home turf. We even taught these guys how to use indirect fire and the other side knew we were here, too. That’s why they sent those snipers after us.”

  “So this is where you’re based?” Rapp asked, thinking it didn’t make a lot of sense.

  “No.” Ridley shook his head. “Not for over a year. Things are too quiet around here now.”

  “So what exactly do you do for Langley?”

  “I’m kind of here and there. I guess you could call me a floater.”

  Rapp had no idea what that meant and got the distinct impression that Ridley wasn’t going to enlighten him any further. Rapp let out a yawn. His nights and days were upside-down. After their mad dash from the apartment, Ridley had filled in some of the blanks. The problem was that beyond the obvious fact that Hurley and Richards had been picked up, Ridley had very few details. Rapp had pressed him hard, wanting to know what Langley was doing to find them. Ridley had to admit not much of anything. Langley was sending a small six-man SOG team, and they were actively trying to collect any intel that would aid in a rescue.

  Ridley worked his sources well past midnight, but every single one of them seemed to have conflicting information. Finally at 4:00 A.M. he sent Rapp to bed and told him to get some rest. He assured Rapp he’d been through more than a few of these abductions, and they tended to progress slowly, especially for the first few days. Rapp had a hard time falling asleep. He couldn’t stop himself from imagining what Hurley and Richards were going through. As part of his training, he’d spent two days tied to a chair. Guys would come in randomly and smack him around. They even gave him some low-voltage shocks from a small engine battery. There was nothing remotely enjoyable about the experience, and Hurley had cautioned them that it paled in comparison to what they would go through at the hands of a sadist or a skilled interrogator. Finally, around sunrise, he had dozed off.

  “Listen, I know what you’re going through.”

  Rapp gave him a sideways glance. Ridley was a few inches shorter and a decade or so older. Rapp couldn’t quite figure out if he was an optimist or a pessimist. He seemed to kind of float back and forth between the two.

  “I’ve known Stan for six years. I’d do anything to try to save the guy. But we need to get some good intel before we can even consider lifting a finger.”

  Back in training, if someone had asked him to lay down his life to save Stan Hurley, he would have laughed at him, but now he wasn’t so sure. “Any idea where they are?”

  Ridley pointed east. “The other side of the big ugly scar. Indian country.”

  “You ever go over there?”

  Ridley gave him a nervous laugh. “I try not to.”

  “So you’ve been?”

  “Occasionally. It’s nowhere near as bad as it was back when the shit was really flying.” He searched Rapp’s face, wondering what he was thinking. “It’s still a nasty place for a stranger like you, kid.”

  Rapp nodded even though he really wasn’t listening. “So it wouldn’t be such a good idea to wander over there and start asking questions.”

  “That would be about the dumbest thing you could do, kid.” Ridley could see the upstart wasn’t listening to him. He reached out and grabbed his arm. “I’ve been to that little lake house down in southern Virginia. I’ve seen the way Stan takes badasses and grinds them up and spits out little pussies, so I’m guessing if you made it through his selection process you’ve got some serious skills. Am I right?”

  Rapp looked at Ridley’s grip until he released his arm. “What’s your point?”

  “I don’t care how good you are. Going over to Indian country on your own is a suicide mission. We’ll end up looking for three of you instead of two.”

  “Well … I’m not good at sitting around, so somebody better come up with a plan and come up with it quick.”

  The triple beep, beep, beep of a car horn caught their attention and they both looked to the base of the hill, where a three-car convoy had just pulled up to the roadblock.

  “Finally,” Ridley said.

  “Who is it?”

  “A local who knows more about this hellhole than anyone.”

  CHAPTER 55

  MOSCOW, RUSSIA

  SHVETS anxiously checked his watch. They’d been in there for more than an hour, and each passing tick of the clock only added to his apprehension. For starters, he didn’t like sitting in the waiting room of Director Primakov’s office on the top floor of SVR headquarters. Any trip to these lofty heights would test a man’s nerves, but considering the events of the past few days, Shvets worried that he might be leaving the building in shackles. He doubted that Primakov knew about the missing money, or the other mistakes that were piling up. The SVR was an entrenched organization with thousands of operations, and Ivanov was regarded as a daring man who knew when to be ruthless and when to smile, and in the years between Stalin’s violent mood swings and the collapse of the CCCP, that would have been more than enough. Now, he wasn’t so sure.

  This was a brave new world. The money grab was in full swing. Oligarchs were popping up and riding the wave of decentralization, but not without problems. The peasants were growing dissatisfied with what they saw as unbridled greed and corruption, and the one thing every Muscovite feared more than even a tyrant like Stalin was the rage of the mob. The mob was like some ancient god who needed regular sacrifices. The men in charge knew that, and in order to satisfy that mob and keep it from bubbling over into the streets, they would look for a few bodie
s to throw them. One or two public executions would go a long way toward calming the hordes.

  It was Shvets’s plan. After he’d forced some real food into Ivanov’s gullet the previous afternoon, he began to sketch out their strategy. It would be centered on Primakov’s distrust of Islamic Jihad and its sister organizations. The missing funds would be laid at their feet, along with the assassination of the banker. As Ivanov’s devious brain began to work, he hit upon the idea of blaming them for Hamdi Sharif’s murder as well. Shvets wasn’t so sure. He was from the new generation. Ivanov was from the old, whose motto was, If you are going to lie, lie big.

  The tricky part was this agent they were offering up. They had confirmed through one of their sources inside the CIA that Mark Cummins did in fact exist and that he had worked in Moscow before being stationed in Damascus. If Ivanov could deliver someone like that, Primakov might be willing to forget the missing funds. The only problem was coming up with the money to pay off the Palestinians. Ivanov would have to convince Primakov to give him the funds necessary to complete the transaction.

  And then this morning Sayyed called and things became infinitely more interesting. He explained that he was now in possession of two more Americans, who had been sent to try to buy the release of Agent Cummins. One of the men was nothing more than an underling, but the other was the catch of a lifetime. When pressed, Sayyed refused to give details, saying he would only discuss the matter in person, when they arrived in Beirut. Still, there was no mention of Dorfman and the missing money.

  Sayyed’s continued silence over the missing funds had caused Ivanov to rethink the issue. What if Islamic Jihad and Fatah no longer feared him? What if they thought Russia too disorganized to care? There had been plenty of heated feuds between the various Palestinian factions over the years, and Sayyed was the man who had profited the most by peddling arms to all sides. What if that thug Mughniyah had decided to take what he wanted? Kill Dorfman, take all the money, solidify his position, and thumb his nose at Ivanov?

  That thought had caused Ivanov to reach for the vodka, but Shvets had stopped him. He was scheduled to meet with Primakov in less than an hour, and he needed to be sober. The problem had become clear to Shvets as well. Why else would Sayyed stay quiet over the missing funds? If his money was gone as well, he would be demanding answers. The only logical reason for his silence was that they had taken the money and they were daring Ivanov to bring it up.

  Ivanov had to assume they had every last shred of damning information that Dorfman had kept. All of the various accounts, and how Ivanov had bilked his own government out of millions on the arms shipments by playing the middleman with Sayyed. That information alone could sink him. Ivanov’s hands were tied, at least for now. That was how Shvets had counseled him. Go along with this ruse. Go to Beirut and look the liars in their eyes, and then ask them where the money had gone. Bring a show of force that will make them think twice about stealing from you.

  Ivanov liked the idea. As he walked into Primakov’s office he turned and told Shvets to wait outside. Shvets knew his boss too well to think he was anything other than a duplicitous snake. As he nervously checked his watch, the minutes ticking by, he figured out what Ivanov was up to. He was in there right now, blaming him for the missing funds. He’d probably already ordered someone to begin creating a false trail between him and Dorfman. That way, when it really did blow up, Ivanov could step back and blame his inept deputy Shvets. Shvets didn’t know if he was more upset with Ivanov or with himself for not seeing it sooner. He should have left him in bed and gone to Primakov and taken his chances.

  When the door finally opened, Ivanov appeared with a stoic look on his face. He never broke stride as he headed for the elevator. As he walked past his deputy he snapped his fingers for him to follow. Shvets hopped to his feet and buttoned his jacket, hustling to catch up.

  Once in the elevator, Shvets asked, “Well?”

  “It was good. He understands what must be done.”

  Shvets started to ask another question, but Ivanov shook his head in a very curt way that told him this was not the place to talk. When they entered Ivanov’s office less than a minute later, the director of Directorate S went straight for the vodka. Shvets did not try to stop him this time. It was approaching midafternoon, and he took it as a victory that he’d kept him sober this long. He waited for his boss to consume a few ounces.

  When Ivanov looked relaxed enough, Shvets asked, “What did he say?”

  Ivanov yanked at his tie. “He sees things our way. He knows the true character of those Palestinian carpet monkeys.”

  Shvets was used to his boss uttering racist slurs, so he paid them little attention. He also knew that his boss was paranoid enough in general, but especially today. He was worried his office was bugged. “So what is the plan?”

  “We leave in the morning.”

  “Alone?” Shvets asked, honestly scared.

  “No.” Ivanov had a huge grin. “The director has been quite generous. He is sending along some Spetsnaz. One of the crack Vympel units.”

  Shvets wasn’t sure if that was good or bad news. The Vympel units specialized in assassination and sabotage, among other things. “Why a Vympel unit?”

  “Because he’s sending us with cash.”

  “How much?”

  Ivanov smiled and held up five fingers.

  “Really?” Shvets’s surprise was evident on his face.

  “Don’t be so shocked. I have no doubt it will be counterfeit. Probably being printed as we speak.”

  Shvets had heard rumors about the old KGB printing presses that could turn out francs, deutsche marks, pounds, and dollars on demand. “Will they be able to tell?”

  “If the Americans can’t tell, how will the Palestinians be able to tell?”

  Shvets wasn’t so sure but he went along with it.

  “Don’t look so nervous.” Ivanov came over and put an arm around Shvets’s shoulders. “I told him how useful you have been to me. I have no doubt that when we return with these mystery Americans you will be given a nice promotion.”

  Shvets smiled, even though he didn’t feel like it. The truth was, there was probably a better than even chance that he’d be given a dirty, dank cell.

  CHAPTER 56

  BEIRUT, LEBANON

  ACCORDING to Ridley, it was very poor spycraft to meet a source at a safe house, but for this particular source they made exceptions. The reason was fairly straightforward. The source owned the house. Levon Petrosian had the complexion of someone who was born further north, but had lived long enough in the sun-baked city that his skin was deeply lined and had taken on the appearance of a permanent sunburn. His white hair had receded almost to the midpoint of his head, and he was a good fifty pounds overweight. He entered the house out of breath, a cigarette dangling from his lips, his four bodyguards moving in tandem, two in front and two behind. The bodyguards were young, big, and fit. Two looked like locals and two had Petrosian’s northern complexion.

  Petrosian walked over to Ridley, grabbed him by the shoulders, and kissed the American on both cheeks, and then, refusing to let go, he stared into Ridley’s eyes and spoke to him. His face didn’t so much as twitch. His eyes didn’t blink. Only his lips moved. After the intense one-sided exchange, the Armenian gave Ridley one more hug and then his eyes lifted and settled on Rapp. He released Ridley and asked, “is this the one?”

  Ridley nodded.

  Petrosian sized Rapp up and then announced, “I must shake your hand.”

  The man spoke perfect English, but with one of those clipped heavy Russian accents. Rapp couldn’t come up with a single good reason why this man would want to shake his hand, but he stuck his right hand out as a polite reflex.

  In a voice only the two of them could hear he said, “I have hated that Turkish pig Hamdi Sharif for almost twenty years. I want to thank you for putting a bullet in his black heart. When I heard he was dead I wept tears of joy.”

  Rapp’s own heart bega
n to beat a little faster. How in hell did this man know he had killed Sharif? Rapp tilted his head to the left to so he could get a look at Ridley. The man shrugged his shoulders as if to say he was sorry. So much for secrecy.

  “I am very sorry about Bill.”

  Rapp had to remind himself that to these people, Stan Hurley was Bill Sherman. “Thank you. Have you found any information that may help us?”

  He winced as if disappointed in himself. “I’m not sure if it will help, but maybe. I confirmed that it was the police that picked our friend up in front of his hotel this morning. In fact it was the police chief, that pig Gabir Haddad.”

  “Haddad is not a bad man,” Ridley said for Rapp’s benefit. “Just extremely corrupt. He works with us sometimes.”

  “He works with anyone if they have enough money,” Petrosian said.

  “Levon, anything to drink?”

  “No, thank you. My stomach is upset today.”

  “So this Haddad,” Rapp said, “who gave him the order?”

  “I am fairly certain it was your friends from Islamic Jihad, but I will know more later. I am having dinner with Haddad this evening.”

  “His idea or yours?” Ridley asked.

  “His … He is afraid he has offended me, which he has, of course. He knows he cannot simply come into my neighborhood and grab my friends. It would have been nice if you had told me Bill was coming. All of this could have been avoided.”

  “I know … I already told you I was sorry. He was planning on seeing you today. He didn’t want word getting out that he was back.”

  “And how did that work out for him?”

  “I know … but just be careful with Haddad. We can’t afford to lose you.”