“No, it’s more like ‘preemptive action according to the latest rules of engagement.’ But it sounds like you’re looking for group of mercenaries. You’ll need to look in Soldier of Fortune for ‘those’ kinds of guys,” Chip snarled, becoming concerned about Steven’s judgment.
“I don’t want ‘those’ kinds of guys. I want the very best America has to offer. I want them to only be used when no other choice is available. They’ll only be used if the corporation is directly implicated for an attack or for the purpose of defending America. And then, only when the intelligence warrants and the threats are deemed credible and imminent.”
“Who gets to decide what’s credible and imminent?” Chip asked.
“You do, if you take the job.”
Chip raised an eyebrow as he looked at his glass. “It’s going to take a lot of money to pull this off. Not just a few million but probably a constant infusion of cash running into the billions, maybe hundreds of billions. Plus, you have the whole intelligence thing to deal with. How do you think you’re going to get the inside scoop on the bad guys when the government can’t seem to do it?” Chip asked, without emotion.
“It isn’t the lack of capability that stops our government from finding these guys and acting. You know as well as I do it’s the lack of political will. We have laws and executive orders that people like you have to work under and the politicians hide behind. Plus, there is the whole political correctness issue and the corruption in Washington that plays into it, as well.
“Half of the laws are bought and paid for with money from special interests. I’m willing to bet many of those interests are foreign, and in the case of our security laws, many of those interests involve protecting the terrorists and the countries that support them. They are doing their damnedest to bring us down from the inside because they know no one country, or no dozen countries, can stand against us militarily,” Steven stated with firm resolve. “The Japanese decided they could never invade America because there would be a gun behind every blade of grass. That’s why the U.N. is fighting tooth and nail to try and undermine our Second Amendment through the liberal elite and the politicians. Hell, they’ve been trying to do that for at least five decades and Starks is bringing it up yet again.”
“I wouldn’t say we could battle the planet and win, buddy. We’d be hard pressed to beat any forces aligned with Russia or China or the two of them together,” Chip interjected, Steven shrugged and continued.
“But as a corporation working from a favorable foreign location, we don’t have to pay any attention to those laws or the political windbags in Washington. We have only our moral compass to guide us, forgetting about the politically correct crap. That’s why I want you to head up the security division. I have every confidence that you will do everything in your power—which will be considerably more than you have now, by the way—to stop the attacks against our corporations and our country. You can even hunt down those responsible for previous attacks against America, returning them to the U.S. for court trials, or turn them over to foreign governments or simply make them disappear. It doesn’t matter what you do as long as they are no longer a threat.” Steven’s voice was filled with passion.
“Now it sounds like I’d be heading up a bounty hunting party,” Chip stated unemotionally as he looked at the fire.
“Well, yes, you could think of it as bounty hunting, but I’d prefer to think of it as protecting my family, friends, business and my country. I won’t apologize for that. If I could do the job, Chip, I wouldn’t have asked. But I’m a computer geek. I barely know which end of a gun the bullets come out of, let alone how to fight hand-to-hand. I’ve never had to kill a man, although I would have tried if I could have got my hands on the guys who attacked us in California. It was sheer luck we that survived— well, that, your expertise and the courage of the S.W.A.T. officers that stopped them.
“Did you know I gave each S.W.A.T. officer two million dollars and paid all their medical expenses? To the families of the officers that died, I paid all the funeral expenses, and I gave their families two million dollars each. Plus each of the officer’s children will receive a full ride college scholarship to whatever college they choose. No, you wouldn’t know that, because I didn’t tell you or anyone else not directly involved until now. I had to fight like hell to keep them from publishing anything about it.
“I’m tired of reading about it continuing to happen to other people all over the world and not being able to do anything about it. If you’ll help, I can do something. If you won’t help, can you recommend someone I can trust? Maybe someone like your son?”
“I didn’t say no, but I didn’t say yes, either. I’m going to have to think about it. David’s star is rising fast. He’ll make his general stars before he’s thirty-five. He’s got a solid career ahead of him, and he is very strait-laced like his mother was; and you know how by-the-book she was. Besides, what you’re proposing isn’t exactly legal. So the reason that you think of me so highly for this position is causing me to pause and wonder just what you really think of me. Do I really seem like a man who would turn his back on his country?” Chip took a small gulp of his drink, peering over the rim at Steven before continuing.
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m tired of it, too! I didn’t sign up to defend my country by asking for the other guy’s forgiveness or to take orders from the U.N. I don’t want to see any more good, innocent people killed by fanatics who think they’re going to change the world by killing a hundred school kids or by flying planes into skyscrapers. I also don’t want to lead a handful of good men into a Third World shithole prison or in front of a firing squad for committing crimes on foreign soil without anyone to fall back on.”
“Chip, have you ever sent volunteers on black ops missions where, if they fail, no one would be coming for them? Where they had to sink or swim on their own?” Steven asked.
“You know I have, and I didn’t like it much.”
“Well, your team will be all volunteers. You don’t have to sugarcoat a thing for them. We will do everything we can to help them if they’re caught. But in some cases, it might not be very much. They won’t be asked to do anything within the United States. Every action will be on foreign soil. We will provide the best training and equipment that money can buy, and if something is needed but not available, we’ll develop what you need. No expense will be spared,” Steven stated with finality.
“What happens when they get killed?” Chip asked.
“Yes, we’ve thought about that,” Steven replied, quietly.
“And?”
“If and when it happens, I think we need to retrieve the body for burial, if possible.”
“Damn straight we will if I’m in charge!” Chip cut in, raising his voice slightly for effect. “This won’t be some popfart in the programming pool who got a paper cut. This is a life and death situation. You better understand that before you go asking anyone to get too involved. Whereas it may sound patriotic and romantic, it ain’t. It’s downright fricking dangerous to your health. Not to mention illegal as hell. Did I already mention that? You’d better tell them that, too. What about medical help? Or are you expecting us to ask the local yak herder for a band aid?” Chip’s face was getting deep red with anger—more at the situation that flashed before his eyes than Steven. After all, Steven was a good man, maybe a little misguided, but a good man.
“Easy, big guy,” Steven tried to calm things down a bit, “of course we will provide top notch medical help. I’m hoping that we can get military medics to sign on, as well. We’ll also expect you to explain the whole picture to the volunteers. We’ll expect each volunteer to take psychological tests to determine mental fitness and to sign loyalty oaths, swearing them to secrecy.” Seeing Chip about to interrupt again, Steven raised his hand cutting him off.
“As far as funerals go, I would think with the top secret nature of the operation, we’d have to bury them either at sea or cremate them. That way, we avoid future disinter
ment and discovery of the real cause of death. In the case of cremation, we could send the remains home to relatives for their closure, and we’d send a large check stating it was insurance proceeds. If they get hurt and aren’t able to continue working for us, we’ll also provide an even larger check, ensuring they have a reasonable shot at a normal life. They wouldn’t ever have to work again or wonder how they will feed themselves or cover their medical expenses.”
Steven and Chip sat quietly for a few minutes until Chip broke the silence. “Sounds like you’ve given this a great deal of thought, but there are probably a dozen more things you haven’t thought about—any one of which could get everyone killed or expose the operation and put you in jail…” Chip’s voice trailed off as he poured more Jack in his glass and took a big swallow.
“That’s where you and your team come in. I’m not a soldier. I’m a businessman. I’m good at business and can definitely think through most of the things, but I don’t know what a soldier knows,” Steven conceded.
“How do you think you’ll keep this under the government radar? You think you can operate a worldwide intelligence service, an armed fighting force, and take offensive actions without someone getting wind? They’ll close you down so fast it’ll make your head spin. No one likes private armies or conspiratorial cabals, and that’s what you’re talking about building here. It doesn’t matter how much money you have; if you cross the powers that be, they will come gunning for you. They don’t care if you’re right or wrong. They’ll come because you are a threat to their power,” Chip bluntly explained the real world politics involved with Steven’s proposal.
“Think about that statement, Chip,” Steven quickly interjected. “How many rebel armies are running around the world right now? How many crime organizations are functioning around the world? What corporations already have such a force? How many can you name off the top of your head, right now, outside of the States? What about here in the States? They’re here, too,” Steven paused for effect.
“What’s your point?” Chip groused.
“We use words like warlords, mafia, gangsters, drug lords, militias, vigilantes and corporate security to describe them. Your team would be called ‘corporate security,’ by the way. This corporate security team will be by far the best-funded and the best-paid in the world. Besides, don’t you think that I can hide the activities of my security staff at least as well the criminals do? I wrote the programming that helps the government search for and catch these guys, remember? The NSA has thousands of files on this very thing that never get acted on. Not to mention the stuff collected by the FBI, CIA, DOD, JOD, ISD, Naval Intelligence, Military Intelligence, and the black ops performed by all of them.”
“If you do this, you will be a criminal,” Chip stated flatly. He needed to be sure that Steven fully understood what he was suggesting.
“Not a patriot?” Steven asked, then continued without waiting for Chip to respond. “Don’t worry about the secrecy. I know that inside and out. And don’t worry about the intelligence. I’m better at it than the NSA and the CIA, combined. If the government has it, we’ll have it—actually more,” Steven stated emphatically.
“I don’t want to know how that’s even possible. I was the Marine Corps Commandant, and I still am Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. I’m under oath to protect my country, and it sounds like you’re trying to mess with it,” Chip snarled.
“I’m not messing with anyone other than the foreign clowns that are trying to destroy my family, my country and my way of life. I wrote the programs that every American intelligence agency and every other smart country uses to search for the information. Can’t I just turn on my own computer and program? The intelligence is just sitting out there in cyberspace, waiting to be accessed. Of course I can. There’s nothing illegal about it. It’s not like I’ll sell it to America’s enemies. I’m for America, not against it,” Steven stated.
“I’ve heard that line before. Mostly from guys who sold America down the tubes for cash or that personal high of putting something over on their boss or whatever,” Chip scoffed, dismissing Steven’s claims of higher moral authority.
“Once again, I wrote the programs, remember?” Steven retorted. “I have had, and still have, access to the most sensitive secrets this country holds. Besides, I have never used, and never will use my knowledge against my country. Just don’t confuse politicians with the country, is all. Besides, what is some foreign power going to offer me? Are they going to offer me money? Please! I make more than most of them combined. Are they going to offer me power? I’ve got more than I can wield now. Besides, with power comes responsibility, and I really don’t need any more of that. Think about it.”
“They’ll use your children,” Chip flatly replied, not taking his eyes from the fireplace. His comment caused a silence to fall over both men as the thought played out in their minds. Chip thought this was the underlying reason that Steven was trying to build his private army. Terrorists had tried to kill him and his family a few years ago in California. That was the reason he had moved here to Virginia. In California, the lifestyle had been quite relaxed with only a few guards and a nanny, which made the attack that much easier to perpetrate. Here in Virginia, even the kids have their own guard detail. They go with them to school, to play with other kids, even if they go somewhere with mom and dad. The fact that Quantico, and the FBI’s hostage rescue team, were only twenty minutes away had also played a factor in choosing Virginia as the new home site.
Steven finally spoke up. “I know they will. That’s why I have depended on you so far and will continue to, as long as you’re willing.” Steven hesitated for a brief second and then continued. “I’m no different than any other family man. I’ll give everything I have to protect my family. I’ll do whatever I need to do in order to protect them, so they can’t be used against me. Will you help me?”
“What does Mary think?” Chip asked, without answering Steven’s question.
“I haven’t told her anything other than I’m going to offer you the job as Security Chief. She recommended that I make it the type of offer that you couldn’t refuse, so money is no object. She’d think I was being paranoid if she knew the rest of it. With all this security in place, she’d have a hard time believing anyone would attempt to kill us again. Especially considering what happened to the last group that tried.”
“Are you paranoid?” Chip asked, straight forward.
Steven hesitated a moment then said, “Yes, a little, I suppose. I’ve had two executives in South America kidnapped for ransom. I paid, of course, but only one was returned alive. Stuff like that is a way of life down there. The kidnapping of executives and/or their families happens all the time, all over the world. It’s a case of ‘the haves’ versus ‘the have nots.’ Several of the kidnappings in Europe last year, for example, have been traced back to competing corporations. They were timed to affect negotiations over one thing or another. That’s no way to do business.”
“You’d better run this whole thing by Mary then, and we’ll talk again. If she’s for it, then I’ll have to look more seriously at it myself.” Chip skillfully sidestepped the issue, without making any commitment. He was learning from the politicos, after all.
A light rapping on the door ended their bull session as Mary peeked inside the room. “Are you boys ever going to stop talking? It’s after midnight, and I’d like to see my husband tonight before he jets off somewhere again tomorrow, if that’s all right with you, Chip,” she smiled.
“Lucky man,” Chip chirped as he took the last swig of his drink. “I was just leaving, Mary. If he doesn’t come home often enough, I’m always just down the road, you know,” he said flirtatiously.
“Hey, now, I’m only going for two days. I get to address the IMF at the International Monetary Fund Manager’s Conference. They want my opinion on whether Starks’ latest stimulus package will do what he claims it will. Then I’ll be back, ready to wait on my lady hand and foot,” Steven chirped as h
e and Chip rose.
“Oh, please, if you didn’t travel so much, I’d have to get a job where I could. You are always underfoot when you’re at home. I need my own time. Chip, you’re welcome, as always, to stay in one of the guest rooms,” Mary offered.
“So will it?” Chip asked, addressing Steven’s comment about what was now an annual political appropriations package of pork belly spending, covertly referred to as the stimulus package.
“There is not a chance in hell. It won’t do anything more than steal more money from the American taxpayer just as every other stimulus package has. If the stimulus packages had done even half of what the politicians claim they would do, we’d have been in the throws of an economic upturn for the last ten years, and that hasn’t happened,” Steven explained.
“Oh, sorry, Mary. Thank you, but I’ve got a busy schedule tomorrow, and I really need to be going. I hadn’t realized just how late it was.” With that Chip placed his empty glass on the end table and started moving towards the door. “Steven, I’ll let you know about that idea of yours, but you need to do what I said, and then we’ll talk,” he stated, hoping that Steven would never share his idea with Mary. Then he stepped through the door into the hall.
“I will. Just don’t take too long, okay?” Steven called after him.
“Sure. I’ll find my own way out,” Chip replied as he headed towards the front door and the long drive home.
CHAPTER SIX
Holiday shifts were the absolute best as far as John was concerned, and he couldn’t wait for the last supervisor to leave. Once that happened, he’d catch a quick forty winks and then watch football until his eyes crossed. His wife complained every year that all he did during the Thanksgiving holiday was watch football. So last year, he had reminded her that he also slept on the couch and ate leftover turkey sandwiches. That had started a whole new argument that lasted until after the Super Bowl. This year, he had a plan, and it was pure genius. He’d volunteered to work a twenty-four hour shift, rather than spend this Thanksgiving holiday getting ragged on by his wife’s cabbage-headed brothers and sisters. As far as he could tell, their holiday tradition was to come over and help their sister harp on his less-than-stellar features.
Reprisal!- The Eagle Rises Page 7