by Brad Thor
Harvath shook his hand.
“I hope you and I can be friends,” the Pole said. “I think there’s much that we can do together.”
“I’d like that,” said Harvath. “Very much.”
“Then it’s settled. We’ll see each other back in D.C.”
Harvath nodded and watched as the aging intelligence officer walked down the red brick path to his waiting Town Car.
After Kopec climbed in and the vehicle had pulled out of the drive, Ryan came up behind him.
“How did it go?” she asked.
“Exactly as the Old Man predicted.”
She smiled, “Artur has no idea he’s Matterhorn, does he?”
“Nope,” said Harvath. “That’s the genius of the Old Man. As soon as he learned Kopec was a spy for the Russians, he began devising a way to exploit him. You and I just took it to the next level.”
“I played the part given me,” Ryan replied, downplaying her role. “You’re the one who took everything to the next level. Do you think he has any clue that there are no Gryphons in Europe? That even the upgrade kits were phony?”
Harvath couldn’t be sure. His whole plan had been to buy time; to knock the Russians off-balance and force them to reassess their attack. He had just needed long enough to figure out what the invasion would look like so NATO could put the right assets into the Baltics to stop it.
“Speaking of which,” she continued, “General Dynamics says we can keep the fake upgrade kit their R&D department built for us.”
He smiled. “It’ll look great in the conference room.”
“It’ll look better in your office.”
Harvath nodded and made a mental note to send them a special thank-you. Having something to prove the alleged existence of the kits, and thereby the missiles, was critical to his plan. The Russians didn’t have to buy it 100 percent. They just had to be worried that land-based cruise missiles, some possibly nuclear-tipped, might have been waiting for them if they tried to invade.
Looking out the living room’s large bay window toward the lake, Ryan saw Lara coming back from her walk. Nodding in her direction, she stated, “You two should spend some time together.”
“We will,” said Harvath, as he walked over to the sideboard and poured himself a bourbon. “Let’s finish up our business first.”
Ryan’s laptop, a stack of file folders, and myriad papers were strewn across the coffee table. “Welcome to my office,” she said, offering him a seat.
Harvath pulled out a chair and sat down. “Where should we start?”
“How about we start with why Barton didn’t fly back with the team.”
“He met a nice Polish girl, but it’ll never last. She’s too smart and has much better taste.”
Ryan’s smile broadened once more. “Jasinski turned out to be a good choice.”
“She was excellent,” said Harvath. “I’d work with her again in a heartbeat.”
“The Supreme Allied Commander had a lengthy debrief with her and the feeling’s mutual.”
“What are you hearing from the Baltics?”
“I’ve got good news,” Ryan replied, “and then I’ve got good news. Which do you want first?”
“How about we start with the good news?” he said, smiling.
“Nicholas knocked it out of the park. He publicly exposed every fake Twitter and Facebook account that the Russians, through their hacker group Fancy Bear, were using to stir up dissent. He also managed to insert an undercover-style journalism team into the Troll Factory with hidden cameras.
“All of the television stations in Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia are running specials exposing how the Russians were trying to weaken them from within.”
“His sleeves are short, but there’s always something up them.”
Ryan laughed and continued. “As you know, as soon as you dropped off Tretyakov, Vella went to work on him.”
“How has that been going?”
“Very well. He has been able to extract a lot of information about how they had planned to invade the Baltics.”
“Had planned?” asked Harvath. “Past tense?”
“The Russians have canceled their training exercise and are actively repositioning much of their military equipment out of the theater.”
“They know we have Tretyakov.”
“They know someone has him,” Ryan replied. “And that’s all that matters. Based on what we have passed along to SHAPE, NATO is already taking steps to shore up the weak points the Russians had planned to exploit in the Baltics.”
“That’s great news.”
Ryan agreed. “Yes it is. You and your team did a fantastic job. But before we celebrate, there’s a bookkeeping item we need to discuss.”
“What is it?”
“Chase and Sloane’s expense report from Belarus.”
“What about it?” Harvath asked, slowly remembering that this was a part of his job he really didn’t care for.
“They were supposed to pretend to steal the crates of alleged missile upgrade kits and then use the Old Man’s contact to smuggle them into Belarus.”
“Which they did.”
“Did you know that after dumping the bricks we used to weigh down the crates, they took all the smugglers out for champagne and steak dinners in Minsk?” she asked.
Harvath laughed. “I didn’t know that, but good for them. We should give them a bonus for initiative. That’s a valuable relationship we need to maintain.”
Ryan didn’t necessarily disagree. Faking the theft of the missile upgrade kits had been a key part of their strategy. Allowing the Russians to see the U.S. and Baltic Ambassadors in a heated exchange at the UN was also part of their plan.
It was all over now, though. The ends, as Chase had said back in Kaliningrad, had justified the means. Their assignment was to avert an Article 5—and by all accounts they had done that.
“There’s one other thing,” said Ryan, as she removed a sheet of paper and slid it across the table to him.
“What’s this?”
“The names of every cell leader across Europe in the People’s Revolutionary Front organization.”
“Tretyakov gave this up?” he asked.
“It came direct from the Solarium,” Ryan confirmed. “The list is yours if you want. Full expense account. No time limit.”
Harvath looked at the names and the list of European cities. Then he lifted his head looked out the window at Lara.
“I’ll take it,” he said.
Ryan was surprised. “You will?”
Pushing the list back across the table, he smiled and said, “No. Sloane and Chase should take it.
“Are you sure?”
“I’m positive,” he replied. Like it or not, he was the spymaster now. “Give them a limited expense account and three weeks to finish the job. It’s time to turn them loose and to see what they can do.”
“Does that mean you’re going to stick around?” asked Ryan.
“For a day or two,” he said with a wink, as he stood up from the table and walked out the door to be with Lara.
But outside, something was wrong. He could see it in her body language as he walked toward her. Before he even saw the shooters, he knew what had happened. Kopec had betrayed them.
“Run!” Lara screamed.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
* * *
I always start out the acknowledgments with a special thank-you to the most important people on my list—you, the readers. Thank you not only for reading and enjoying my novels, but most of all for the wonderful word of mouth. There is no greater honor you can pay a writer than to recommend one of his books.
I also want to thank the fabulous booksellers around the world who carry my novels and introduce new people to them every day. Yours is truly a noble profession, which allows all of us to share in the love of books.
One of my greatest honors is being able to spend time with the selfless men and women engaged in the worlds of espionage, counterterr
orism, special operations, law enforcement, and politics. Many of them provided assistance for this novel, and to them I am extremely grateful. Thank you.
My lifelong friend, Sean Fontaine, had no idea Spymaster would be dedicated to him. Thank you for everything over the years, Sean, but most important, thank you for your friendship and the fearless service you have rendered our country.
James Ryan, another dear friend, picked up the phone every time I called and always had answers for me. Thank you for your friendship, your patriotism, and the deep dives into many of the subjects in Spymaster.
I also want to thank Richard Grenell. Ric and I have been friends for many years, and his help with the novel is much appreciated. Thank you for your service, your patriotism, and your friendship.
On the first night of the Los Angeles riots, I stood on a rooftop there with a group of strangers, watching the city burn. Unbeknownst to me, I would be brought back together with one of those strangers two decades later. Robert O’Brien is an amazing patriot and an outstanding font of expertise in regard to military and foreign affairs. On the day I finished the manuscript for Spymaster, a pair of OSS cuff links appeared on my doorstep. I don’t know how he knew, but he knew. Thank you for your friendship and all of your help with Spymaster.
Chad Norberg is another longtime and extremely valued friend, whose dedication and service to the nation never cease to humble me. He is scary smart, very funny, and always available to lend a hand; I thank him for his years of friendship and the help he provided on Spymaster.
The incomparable Rita Cosby and my amazing Polish publisher, Sonia Draga, provided me with some very important on-the-ground insights into Poland. I am grateful to you both. Thank you.
Former National Security Agency analyst, and now journalist, John R. Schindler couldn’t have been more helpful when it came to information about the Baltic States, Russia, NATO, and hybrid/special warfare. His fearless assessments of the threats the West faces are must-reads. Thank you, John.
U.S. Navy SEALs Jack Carr (ret.) and Pete Scobell (ret.) were once again both available and incredibly helpful whenever I had questions. I thank you both for your service, your assistance, your patriotism, and your friendship.
The older I get, the better I am trying to become in all areas of my life. The key to accomplishing such a goal is to surround myself with the best possible people. Brian Williams is one of them. His example as a husband, father, and warrior serves as inspiration to me. I am honored to call him my friend and appreciate his help with the novel.
My good pal at Axon, Steve Tuttle, is always helpful and always available when I reach out to him—even on a Sunday. Thank you for your help, Steve, as well as your wonderful friendship over these many years.
Ulrika Nyberg and I became fast friends during my junior year of college when I lived overseas. I cannot thank her enough for all of her help on all things Swedish in this novel. Tack så mycket!
The character of the American Ambassador to the United Nations, Rebecca Strum, was named by a generous contributor at a fundraiser for an organization near and dear to my heart. Thank you for your generosity, and I hope you enjoy the character.
I am very proud to say that we have just signed a new, three-book contract with the wonderful people at Simon & Schuster. It is an honor, a privilege, and a lot of fun to work with all of them, especially the brilliant Carolyn Reidy. Thank you for all that you have done for me.
And speaking of doing things, I couldn’t do what I do, year after year, without my spectacular publisher and editor, Emily Bestler. You and your team at Emily Bestler Books are not only the best in the business, but you are also an absolute joy to work with. Thank you for your friendship, your professionalism, and all of your hard work!
At Pocket Books, I’d be lost without the fabulous Jen Long and Lisa Litwack. It is a pleasure to be working with you and I look forward to the many adventures ahead. Thank you!
The extraordinary David Brown is not only my publicist par excellence, but also one of the most wonderful people I know. David, I cannot thank you enough for all that you do for me.
In addition to David, I want to thank the phenomenal Cindi Berger and her fantastic team at PMK-BNC. You achieve great results by aligning yourself with great people. In the PR world, there are none better. Thank you.
It is a matter of immense pride to call myself a member of the Simon & Schuster family, and I want to thank everyone there, as well as a few who have recently begun exciting new chapters in their lives. Thank you to one of the all-time greats and publishing giants, Louise Burke; thank you to the dynamic and charming Michael Selleck, and to the wonderful Judith Curr.
Thank you to my good friend, the outstanding Gary Urda; thank you to another good friend, the fantastic John Hardy; and thank you to the marvelous Jonathan Karp.
The incredible Paula Amendolara, Adene Corns, Janice Fryer, Lisa Keim, Suzanne Donohue, Colin Shields, Chrissy Festa, and Paul Olsewski—as well as the marvelous Gregory Hruska, Mark Speer, and Stuart Smith. Thank you for every single thing you have done, and continue to do for me.
My gratitude extends to every single person at Simon & Schuster, especially the remarkable Lara Jones, Tasha Hilton, Irene Lipsky, and Michael Gorman.
A special shout-out goes to super-talented Albert Tang of the Atria/Emily Bestler Books Art Department and the awesome Al Madocs of the Atria/Emily Bestler Books Production Department, and many thanks to copy editor Sean Devlin. A novel is a work of art on so many levels. Thank you for the work you and your incredible artists did on Spymaster.
The Atria, Emily Bestler Books, and Pocket Books sales teams have knocked it out of the park again this year. You all are unbelievable, and I thank you for every single sale.
In addition to the rest of the terrific members of the Atria, Emily Bestler Books, and Pocket Books teams, I’d like to give my thanks to the exceptional Liz Perl, Saimah Haque, Sienna Farris, Whitney McNamara, and David Krivda for all their help over the past year. Thank you.
Audio books are booming, and I want to thank the entire Simon & Schuster audio division, especially the superhero team of Chris Lynch, Tom Spain, Sarah Lieberman, Desiree Vecchio, and Armand Schultz. I love working with you all. Thank you for everything.
I am never at a loss for words when it comes to describing my dynamite agent, Heide Lange of Sanford J. Greenburger Associates. I am so grateful for all that you have done for me. You have not only helped make my dreams come true, you have helped me exceed them. For that, I will be forever grateful. Thank you, Heide.
Heide’s stupendous team, including the wonderful Samantha Isman and Iwalani Kim, keep everything humming. My thanks to everyone at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates for another fabulous year!
Every day I am thankful for the friendship and professionalism of the astounding Yvonne Ralsky. Asking her to join my team was one of the smartest things I have ever done. Thank you for all things great and small, far too many to list here. My gratitude for you knows no bounds.
To my dear friend and the world’s absolute best entertainment attorney, Scott Schwimer, I say thank you for another incredible year. Your indefatigable efforts on my behalf are only outpaced by your love and friendship. I am honored to have you in my life.
I always save the absolute best for last. To my phenomenal family—thank you. Thank you for your love, your support, and all the things you gave up, or put on hold, so I could finish writing Spymaster. This book belongs to you. Without a single complaint, my gorgeous wife, Trish, kept all interruptions at bay, while my beautiful children found countless ways to keep everything on track and running smoothly. This truly is a “family” business, and I couldn’t do it without all of you. I love you more than words can say.
Don't miss any of #1 New York Times Bestselling author Brad Thor's ripped-from-the-headlines thrillers
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
* * *
BRAD THOR is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of eighteen thrillers, including Use of Force, The Last Patriot (nominated best thriller of the year by the International Thriller Writers Association), Blowback (recognized as one of the “Top 100 Killer Thrillers of All Time” by NPR), The Athena Project, Foreign Influence (one of Suspense Magazine’s best political thrillers of the year), and The Lions of Lucerne (“One of the best political thrillers ever” —Barnes & Noble). Follow Brad on Facebook at Facebook.com/BradThorOfficial and on Twitter @BradThor, and visit his website at BradThor.com.