by C. G. Cooper
Stokes pocketed the gun and rushed to the body. There was a pulse. Not much, but it was there. And when he bent down to examine the blood-crusted mouth, he saw a faint ghost of air on the winter night.
There was something familiar about the face. He couldn’t place it at first. Not until he searched the pockets and found the man’s identification. He knew in an instant that the face did not match the name. This face was one he’d studied the day before. A new man sent from Moscow. An unknown. A rookie.
“Damn,” he muttered to the night, not really knowing what to do. But he did. He did what he always did. The right thing.
He picked up the body, and its sagging weight, and went searching for the nearest doctor.
Chapter Forty-Nine
STOKES — CAMP DAVID, FREDERICK COUNTY, MARYLAND — PRESENT DAY
“There you have it. I told you as much as I remember, filled in with the details your father later provided. He was a decent man, your father. A man of honor. He knew who I was and yet didn’t turn me in to his people.”
Cal couldn’t figure that. It didn’t sound like his father. “Why didn’t he turn you in?”
The Russian president’s eyes twinkled. “I like to think that I charmed him. But more than likely he knew I might think favorably of him in the future.”
“And did you?”
A yawn now. “Who’s to say?” Yegorovich paused and chewed on that for a time, as if trying to wring some last-remaining dreg of nutrition out of the old memory. Then he perked up. “You may tell our mutual friend that this favor is lent free of charge. Now I must go, before our friend decides to feed me to whatever alphabet organization wants me this day.”
Cal knew this might be his only chance to ask the question that had been nagging him for years. And now, based on this short conversation, he really did hope for an answer.
“What you’ve done with your country, the people that disappear, the saber rattling—what’s it all for?”
The Russian smiled like he’d known the question was coming. “Do you think a country like mine, with a history of mass murder, corruption, and outright thievery from its people, would bow to a man less… persuasive? You are smarter than that, Mr. Stokes. Your father would understand. The picture is not always the depiction of the truth. Remember that.” He turned to go, his security detail folding in like a pod of vultures enveloping their prey. Yegorovich stopped and looked back. “I came to warn you. There is a man with very different memories of your father. He has come to find you. Please do not disappoint me by dying. It would make this such a waste of a trip.”
And then he was gone, leaving two questions burning in Cal’s mind.
First: What the hell did Yegorovich mean by that?
It was a relatively simple question when compared to the second one:
What was the connection to Dad?
Chapter Fifty
ZIMMER — CAMP DAVID, FREDERICK COUNTY, MARYLAND — PRESENT DAY
“You’re here,” Zimmer said, rising from his chair to shake Cal’s hand. The hand was offered, but nothing more. And he didn’t like the look in his friend’s eyes. “You’re angry because of the way we brought you here.”
“I’m not angry. I’m thinking.”
Zimmer pressed in. He’d had a crappy day, and he really needed his friend right now. “Look, Cal, the NSA and FBI have been all over me. I had to throw them a bone.”
“So that was NSA that broke into my company and kidnapped me in front of my people.”
“You have to trust me when I say I understand how it looks from your perspective, but you left me no choice.”
“I was under house arrest. If you wanted to talk to me, you could’ve come to see me. Or if you were too busy, Dunn could’ve flown me here.”
“I’ll apologize for the way it was done. But I won’t apologize for doing it.”
Cal took a heavy seat. “It doesn’t matter. I’m here now, so tell me why.”
If there was a reason stamped on Cal’s face, Zimmer couldn’t find it. He felt his blood pressure rising, not a rare occurrence given his station. “You’ve been on the run.”
“Because of you.”
So it was going to be that kind of talk.
“Cal, I think you’re aware enough to understand that this all started in the Philippines with Matthew Wilcox. You should’ve brought him in. Instead, you got in the way of not only myself, but your very own people—”
“Who you sent to do your dirty work...”
Zimmer felt his fist clench. “I sent them to save you, you selfish son of a bitch! When will you realize that this isn’t only about you? This is about keeping the country safe!”
Cal didn’t back down. In fact, he barely looked fazed and that razzed the president even more. “Matthew Wilcox is not our enemy.”
That set Zimmer back a step. He was talking to a crazy person.
“We’re talking about the same guy, right? The one who killed a bunch of high-ranking officials with your face plastered on so the world thought you were the assassin? The same psychopath who kidnapped you, made you kill people, and expected you to, what? Join him? Is that the Matthew Wilcox we’re talking about here?”
“Same guy.”
Zimmer needed a drink. No, not one drink. He needed a barrel of booze to handle Cal’s nonchalance. What made it worse was that there was obviously something Cal wasn’t saying. What had happened during his time with Wilcox? Brainwashing? Whose team was he on now?
“You need to tell me what happened,” Zimmer said. “Now.”
“I can’t.”
Any ounce of calm Zimmer had left vanished. “I’m the President of the United States! You will answer me, or I will have you in chains!”
“Fifth amendment violation.”
“Don’t pull that crap on me, Cal.”
“Wanna try it out for size, Mr. President? Wanna talk chains?”
Zimmer lunged and grabbed Cal’s throat. “You snot-nosed punk, do you have any idea what kind of shit you’ve gotten us in?”
The Marine stared right into his eyes, his face without any expression.
Horrified, Zimmer let go, grabbing the hand that had just choked his friend.
“Are you finished?” Cal asked.
Zimmer winced at the slight rasp. He’d done that. He’d let reality get away from him. Like being doused, the anger went away, replaced with a weariness that forced him into a seat.
“I’m finished. I’m done with all of it. Do what you want. I don’t care anymore. You’re not my responsibility.”
He’d wanted Cal to fight back. Why wasn’t he fighting back? Why was he the sane one now?
“You don’t mean that,” Cal said, adjusting the neck of his collar.
“Fuck you, Cal. You’ve lost the ability to know what I mean.” Zimmer exhaled, truly sick of it all. One day, a long time ago, he thought he could affect real change, that this office was important, that others would listen. Instead it felt like one frustration after another. Who in their right mind, knowing the challenges, would ever want to be president? Crazy people. That’s who.
“I need answers,” said Cal.
“You need answers? That’s rich.”
Cal got up from his chair and paced to the nearest window. “Tell me who the man was, the one who questioned me on the way here.”
“I have no idea who you mean.”
Cal turned to him. “What do you think happened?”
Zimmer shrugged. “I was told that they nabbed you and brought you straight here.”
Cal nodded, like he’d expected the answer. “Yeah, well, we made a stop. They kept me hooded. I can’t be sure, but I think he’s either part of the NSA or has contacts there. I’m sure I caught an accent. Eastern European maybe. I can’t be sure.”
The way Cal talked Zimmer knew better than to ask whether he was telling the truth. “I don’t know anything about him.”
“That’s pretty much what he said. The question is: How did he get around t
he usual safeguards? That’s some serious power.”
Zimmer went to the phone. “I’ll find out who did it.”
Cal’s hand got to the phone first. “Don’t make the call.”
“But you just said—”
“I know what I just said. And if I’m right about this, I doubt there’s a soul who will admit they know anything about this guy. Let me find out who he is. I’ve got my ways, if you would loosen the noose a bit.”
It was said with levity, but the comment brought the opposite response than Cal might’ve expected. The real reason he had Cal dragged to Camp David flared in his mind.
“I know what you did. Dunn told me.”
Now he had Cal’s attention. “What did he say?”
“You’ve been listening to everything.”
Cal looked like he was considering denying the fact. Dunn had given a full rundown. Somehow, impossibly, Cal had tapped every line, email, text, and message Zimmer had access to. Zimmer had the authority to arrest and possibly execute Cal for treason. Along with every accomplice who’d helped him do it.
Cal Stokes was an enemy of the state.
Chapter Fifty-One
ZIMMER — CAMP DAVID, FREDERICK COUNTY, MARYLAND — PRESENT DAY
“Why do you think I did that?” said Cal. “And when I say I, that’s what I mean. This was my doing and my doing alone.”
“You can’t tell me that you did this alone. You don’t have the computer chops. Neil and who knows who else helped you.”
Cal didn’t budge. “I did it. And I know how it must seem—”
“You spied on the President of the United States!”
Zimmer wanted an apology, maybe even some groveling. What he got was a shit-eating grin.
“I get it,” said Cal. “You’re the president.”
“Uh huh, and I’ll say it as many times as I damn well please.”
Cal spit out a laugh. “It sounds silly, you know. Like you’re king of the third person.”
Zimmer got himself under control, but just barely. “You took advantage of our relationship.”
Cal flared. “I was protecting you.”
“Protecting me? From what?”
“From yourself, Brandon! From the ego of the office. From the assholes that want to tear us apart!”
The ego part hurt. The last part pulled Zimmer’s interest, enough so that his blood pressure settled.
“Explain.”
Cal exhaled liked he didn’t have the time. “I can’t remember when, I’m sure we can look back through our logs if you want a time stamp, but at some point we noticed a change in the way messages were being relayed from you to us. To me it was nothing. To Neil and his team, it was a possible red flag. I repeat, possible. I had Neil do a little homework. Nothing illegal, and I won’t try to explain the details. Way above my tech savvy. What we found was what on the surface looked like a routine upgrade to every com system coming in and out of the White House, Air Force One, even your motorcade, was actually a very clever hack.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I couldn’t be sure. Would you have been happy knowing that we had to tap your system just to prove a hunch?”
“Well of course not.”
“There you go.” Cal’s face scrunched in thought. “Hold on. Did Dunn tell you how they found out?”
Zimmer remembered the interaction clearly. “He said it was a new kid. Huck something.”
“Huckleberry. I’ve met him. Smart kid. Even smarter if he broke my fail-safes. I was with him when they whisked me away like the Emperor of Japan.”
The president didn’t join in the chuckle. The shiver running up his spine wouldn’t allow it. “You said it was a hunch. How far did you go to prove it?”
Cal shrugged. “Not far. It was about when things blew up with Wilcox. I was on my whirlwind tour and the guys were too busy looking for me to follow the hunch.”
“But you kept it running.”
“Affirmative.”
It felt like a punchline was coming, or at least a revelation. “And what did you find?”
“I don’t know. We haven’t had access to the system since you sicced the wolves on us.”
Zimmer didn’t know whether to go with his initial reaction and send Cal to prison or high five him for his efforts. “Ballsy move,” he said instead.
“Or stupid. Seems like you’re in a better position to tag that one.”
“Let’s go with ballsy for now.” Zimmer paced to the wall and then back, thinking. If it was an inside job, there was no way to have his people investigate. That could tip off the culprit and they’d have to start over. It didn’t take long to come to the realization that once again he’d need to ask Cal for help. “Who do you think it was?”
“I think we should start with the mystery man I met earlier today.”
“And how do we find him?”
“You don’t do anything. You pretend like you’re still nine hells pissed at me.
“Easier than you think.”
“Fair enough. I’ll get some things going, but I’m gonna need a favor.”
Zimmer rubbed his forehead. “Christ, what now? A nuclear missile strike? A tête-à-tête with the North Koreans?”
Cal smiled, almost sheepishly. “A phone. They took mine back in Tennessee.”
Chapter Fifty-Two
LENA — LOCATION: UNKNOWN — PRESENT DAY
She rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet and it was impossible to stop. The anticipation was too much. There was an excited tingling in her fingers and toes. And when she heard the car crunching down the gravel path, she almost jumped out of her hiding spot.
No need to be stupid now, she told herself.
The car, a dark sedan crusted in mud, pulled to a stop and Lena took in a stuttering inhale of oxygen. The engine died and she waited for the interior light to flash on. The door opened. The light didn’t shine.
The form in the driver’s seat stepped out, face still obscured in the semi-darkness. A hand grasped the top of the door, looking as though the form was struggling to get its feet in proper position. Sure enough, it seemed like great effort for the man—it was a man for sure—to close the door and shuffle over to the front of the car.
Lena could just make out his silhouette now.
Her age left her as the unseen hand that guided her actions took over. Her tears ran freely, and the part of her that was broken, that thing stuck in a constant tumble back toward the pain of her childhood, cried out.
“Daddy!” she sobbed and ran to him.
When he looked up, she expected that same smile, that warm welcome she’d seen so many times in her dreams. What she saw instead made her trip over her own feet. The gazelle faltered, and she screamed at the twisted visage of a stranger gazing back at her.
Chapter Fifty-Three
LENA — LOCATION: UNKNOWN — PRESENT DAY
Half his face looked like a melted candle, drooping and miserable. But his eyes were there, and the other half was him.
It was him!
She overcame her shock and rushed forward once more. One arm reached wide with his opposite hand still holding onto the car.
“Little Rabbit,” he said when she tackled him, snuggling in close.
“Oh, Daddy.” She should’ve felt stupid calling him that. She was nearly 20-years-old. A woman. But she didn’t care. He was here and that was all that mattered. The gulf of space and time between them had finally closed. At least that’s how she saw it in the moment.
“I missed you so much,” she said, smelling the tobacco on his shirt and what might’ve been a wisp of cologne. Something new. Something she didn’t remember.
She clenched her teeth at the thought of it. She was supposed to be the one to buy him new colognes, cheesy ties, and hats that were cooler than his age.
“I’ve missed you, Little Rabbit.” She heard his voice catch, and that made her tears spill faster. “There were so many times I wanted to call you, to rea
ch out, and see if you were okay.”
Now wasn’t the time to ask why he hadn’t. She didn’t care. Not right now. All that mattered was they were together again.
Chapter Fifty-Four
BRIGGS — LOCATION: UNKNOWN — PRESENT DAY
A shave would be nice. Maybe a shower. There would be time for that later. For now, his body could take the smell, and besides, his companion didn’t seem to mind.
Liberty was lying beside him, as attentive and mindful as he was. Her eyes hadn’t left the scene they’d first encountered three days before.
They were as off the grid as they could get, and Daniel liked it that way. If it weren’t for Cal and the fact that their lives were taken up by the most important of tasks, he might’ve found a clean piece of wilderness and disappeared there. He knew friends who had, and sometimes he wondered about them.
But that was not his place. Not yet. No, his place was right here, right now. Staring at a wooden structure built by hand, but one that went for what was considered a fortune in this tiny country. The front door opened, and the building’s only occupant went about her daily routine. First she stretched, then she sat on the stoop, legs dangling, feet tickled by the stream running next to the hut. She sipped tea, and Daniel could see the occasional tendril of steam creeping over the rim of the earthen mug. There’d been no visitors except for the maid, who’d also delivered a bag full of groceries. The woman had thanked her in the maid’s native tongue. Not an easy feat. But languages came naturally to her, and Daniel knew it.
Liberty sniffed the air and Daniel wondered if she was thinking the same thing: what was the woman doing here, and what was she thinking about?
Chapter Fifty-Five
TRENT — COPENHAGEN — PRESENT DAY