Clancy, Tom - Ballance of Power
Page 33
to tear down Amadori as payback for Martha
Mackall-even though it was someone else who had
planned and carried out her murder. It was
all part of the same inhuman tableau.
Eventually, though, it would all be over. Amadori
would be dead or Spain would be Amadori's-in which
case it was the world's problem and not his. Then Hood
would leave here and go home to nothing. Nothing but a few
private satisfactions, some awful regrets, and the
prospect of more of the same for as long as he stayed
at Op-Center.
That wasn't enough.
He would never get Sharon to see things his way. But
as he sat there, his mind fuzzy and his emotions
clear, he had to admit that he was no longer sure his
way was right. Was it better to have big professional
challenges and the respect of Mike Rodgers? Or
was it better to have a less demanding job, one that left
him time to enjoy the love of his wife and children and the
small satisfactions they could all share?
Why should I have to choose?
he asked himself. But he knew the answer to that.
Because the price of being one of the power elite in any
field was time and industry. If he wanted his
family back he was going to have to take back some of
those things. He was going to have to join a university or
a bank or a think tank-something that left him time for
violin recitals and baseball games and
snuggling in front of the boob tube.
Hood raised his head and turned back to his corn
BALANCE OF POWER 339
puter. And as he waited for news from Spain, he
typed:
Mr. President:
I herewith resign the office of Director of
OpCenter.
Sincerely, Paul Hood
THIRTY-THREE
Tuesday, 10:32 a.m. Madrid, Spain
When Maria finally reached the corridor outside the
Hall of the Halberdiers, she was no longer able
to proceed cautiously. The room was located toward
the near end of the long hallway. The corridor was
crowded with groups of soldiers, who were methodically
searching the palace rooms. She had no doubt that
they were looking for her.
It had been relatively easy getting this far.
There were a number of interconnected rooms along the
way and she'd been able to stay out of the corridor. The
only stop she'd made was to try to telephone
Luis to brief him. But the palace phones had
been disconnected and she didn't want to risk
trying to get a radio from one of the
communications officers.
Swallowing her pain, she marched ahead quickly,
purposefully. Her arms swung stiffly at her
sides, her cap was pulled low, and her eyes peered
straight ahead.
Look official,
she kept reminding herself.
Maria believed that in most cases an infiltration
should be done quietly. The rules were enter in the
dark, don't make noise, and blend in with the
shadows. In the present situation she wouldn't be able
to sneak
BALANCE OF POWER 341
through. The only approach to take was to act as though
she belonged. Unfortunately, while there were women in
the Spanish army, none of them were assigned to combat
units. And as far as Maria could tell, none of them
were here. Which is why she jogged toward the Hall of the
Halberdiers. The cap hid her hair and the tunic
hid her arms and chest. All she wanted to do was
to get back to the room. If she could get inside,
she had a plan that might get her through to the throne
room.
If she ran too fast, Maria knew that she'd
attract attention. If she ran too
slowly, she was afraid that someone would stop her and
ask why she wasn't with her unit. Her heart
seemed to be pounding in all directions at once.
Her body ached from the beating and she was frightened for
Spain. But the danger and hurt and most of all the
responsibility made her feel alive. These
moments were like the instant before pulling a parachute
ripcord or stepping onstage. They were hyperintense
and unlike anything else in life.
A few heads turned to look at her but she was gone
before anyone had a chance to see her face.
As Maria was about to turn into the doorway of the Hall
of the Halberdiers, a familiar figure strode out,
nearly colliding with her. It was the captain who had
had her beaten. The officer stopped and glowered at
Maria as she saluted and sidled past him. She
tried to hide her face with the salute and didn't
look up. All she needed was a few more seconds.
Maria saw Juan and Ferdinand ahead. They were
sitting cross-legged along the near side of the
crowd, looking down. The number of prisoners had
thinned
342 OP-CENTER
somewhat since she was last here. The prisoners were also
more restless. That was probably a result of
concern over where the others had been taken and the fact that
the ranks of guards also had thinned. Maria assumed
the soldiers were out looking for her. None of the guards
in the room looked at her as she made her way
toward the two Ramirez
familia
members.
"Wait!" the captain's voice broke loud and
hard from the doorway behind her.
Juan and Ferdinand looked up. Maria continued
walking toward them.
"I said
you!"
the captain bellowed into the room.
caret Sergeant!
Stop where you are!"
Maria was about twenty paces from Juan. She
wasn't going to make it before she had to deal with the
captain. She swore silently and continued walking
toward Juan. The prisoner was looking directly
at her. It was frustrating that the captain may have
recognized her but Juan didn't. The door to the
throne room was about forty feet straight ahead, through
the crowd. There were still guards on either side of the
door. They were looking at her now, too.
She had to get there and she wouldn't be able to do it
alone.
"Sir, I have a report for the general," she said
angrily without stopping or turning.
Right now, seconds mattered. She needed to get
closer to Juan. She also wanted him to hear her
voice and know who she was. The captain would know who
she was too, for certain, but there was no way of
avoiding that.
"It
is
you!" the captain roared when Maria spoke. "Stop
at once and raise your arms!"
BALANCE OF POWER 343
Maria slowed but she didn't stop. She needed to be
in front of Juan.
"I said stop!"
the captain cried.
Maria reached the edge of the crowd. She stopped.
"Now," the captain said, "raise your arms slowly
with your hands out. If you make any sudden motions you
&nbs
p; will be shot," the captain said.
The young woman did as she'd been told. She
watched Juan's eyes as they widened with surprised
recognition. The soldiers stationed around the
room still hadn't gone for their own weapons. She
only had a few moments before they would be ordered to do
so.
"You," the captain barked. "Corporal."
One of the noncommissioned officers standing beside the throne
room door came to attention. "Sir?"
"Take her weapon!" the captain ordered.
"Yes, sir!"
"My-my legs," Maria said. She stopped in
front of Juan and started to wobble. "May I sit
down?"
"Stand where you are!" the captain snarled.
"But they were hurt when I was beaten-was
His
'Silencio!""
he yelled.
Maria trembled for a moment more. The soldier had
entered the crowd of prisoners on the opposite
side and was making his way toward her. She couldn't
wait any longer. She didn't think they would shoot
her here, especially if she were down. That might start
a riot. Moaning loudly, she dropped to her
knees and fell forward against Juan.
"Get up!" the captain yelled.
Maria attempted to rise. As she
pretended to strug-
344 OP-CENTER
gle back to her feet, she drew the guns from her
waistband. 'She shoved them into Juan's hand.
He took them clandestinely. Ferdinand had leaned
over to help Maria. Juan slid a gun under his
bent knee.
"Amadori's in the throne room," Maria whispered
as hands helped her to her knees.
"We'll never make it-was Juan whispered back.
"We must!" she hissed. "We're dead anyway!"
Just then, the guard finished making his way through the
crowd. He bent over Maria and yanked her up by the
collar. She grunted as she stood and then pretended
to stumble to one side. As soon as she was out of the way,
Juan raised his gun, pointed at the soldier's
thigh, and fired. The guard shrieked and staggered
backward on a spray of blood. His gun
dropped to the floor and one of the prisoners snatched
it up. Regaining her balance, Maria unholstered
her own weapon and turned toward the captain.
But the captain had already drawn his own weapon. He
fired two rounds, one of which struck Maria in the
left side. She twisted in pain and her own shot
went wide. She landed on the man who had
picked up the gun. Her hat tumbled off and her
hair spilled out.
Juan rose as Maria fell. His
"to Asesino!""
Juan shouted. "Assassin!"
Before he could fire, a bullet struck him in the
left shoulder. He twisted as he fell, his arms
flying outward. His gun went spinning along the
floor toward the hallway. The captain picked it
up as he stalked toward them. The man who had
fired, the other soldier standing guard at the throne
room, came forward.
BALANCE OF POWER 345
"Stay at your post!" the captain yelled. The
crowd of prisoners began to murmur loudly and the
guards unholstered their weapons. Suddenly, the
throne room door opened. General Amadori's
personal aide. Major General Antonio
Aguirre, stepped out. He was holding a 9mm
automatic, which looked only slightly less
intimidating than his scowl. The tall, lean,
broad shouldered man took a moment to look around the
room.
"Is there a problem. Captain Infiesta?" he
asked. "No, sir," the captain
replied. "Not any longer." "Who is he?"
Aguirre asked, pointing the gun toward the man
he'd shot.
He pointed to Maria. "Her accomplice," he
said. Aguirre's dark eyes settled on the
woman. "Who is she?"
"I believe she's a spy," the captain informed
him. Maria stood unsteadily. "I am not... a
spy. Major General,"" she insisted. She was
clutching her side just below her ribs and leaning into the
wound. It was bloody and it throbbed hotly. "I am
Maria Comeja from Interpol. I came here with
information for the general. Instead of listening to me, this man
had me beaten." She raised a hand weakly and
gestured toward the captain.
"I will listen to you," said the major general.
"Talk."
"No," Maria said. "Not here-was "Here and now,"
Aguirre said curtly. Maria shut her eyes for a
moment. "I'm dizzy," she said truthfully. "Can
I sit down somewhere?" "Certainly," Aguirre
said. His scowl remained
346 OP-CENTER
fixed. " "Captain-take her and her
accomplice outside. Let her talk and
then conclude your business with her."
"Yes, sir," the captain said.
Maria turned. "Sir!" she shouted and started
limping through the crowd, toward the major general. She
was still thinking that if she could get into the throne room there
might be something she could do-
She felt herself yanked back by the hair.
"You'll come outside as you've been ordered," the
captain said as he tugged her from the crowd.
Maria was too weak to argue. She stumbled and nearly
fell as she was pulled toward the hallway door.
"Bring him as well," the captain commanded, pointing
to Juan.
Two of the guards came forward and grabbed Juan under
the armpits. The Ramirezstami7bba member
grimaced with pain as they hoisted him to his feet and
dragged him forward.
Behind them, the major general returned quietly to the
throne room. He shut the door.
The click of the latch was the only sound in the
otherwise silent hall. To Maria it was a noise
as loud as the closing of a tomb door. It not only
marked the end of her efforts to get inside the throne
room, very possibly it marked the end of Spain itself.
She was angry at herself for having blown the
mission. For having gotten so damn close and
screwing up.
The captain turned Maria around. Still holding her
by the hair, he walked her toward the door. She
went painfully, each step sending a lance of pain up
her left side from heel to jaw.
BALANCE OF POWER 347
"What-what are you going to do?" Maria demanded.
"We're going to take you outside to see what you
know."
" "Why outside?"'" Maria asked.
The captain didn't answer, and that in itself was an
answer. They were being taken outside because that was where the
plain, unadorned walls were.
The walls which condemned prisoners were put against to be
shot.
THIRTY-FOUR
Tuesday, 10:46 a.m. Madrid, Spain
As soon as he heard gunshots inside the
palace, Colonel August casually removed his
cellular phone from his deep pants pocket. He
punched in Luis's office number but kept his
face turned toward the warm sun as
it crept over
the buildings-soaking it up like any young vacationer.
Behind him, except for Private
Pupshaw, the other Strikers were pretending to study a
tour book. Pupshaw was down the street, tying his
shoe on the fender of a car. One of the aglets at the
end of his shoelace contained a highly compressed
irritant agent, primarily
Chloroacetophenone-a mild but smoky form of tear
gas. The other aglet contained a tiny heating coil
that was activated when removed from the shoelace. It
would cause the gas to be released two minutes after
being placed inside the other aglet.
"This is Slugger," August said. "We've just
heard from three of the players in the stadium." That
meant he'd heard three shots in the palace.
"Sound like they're pretty close to the spot where we
want to go."
"Could be our teammate warming things up," Luis
said. The line was quiet for a moment. Then Luis
came
BALANCE OF POWER 349
back on. "Coach says to go to second base and
put on your uniforms. He'll call the upper
deck to see what they know."
Second base was the dungeon directly below the
Hall of Tapestries. The upper deck was the
spotters.
"Excellent," August said. "We're on our
way." He turned the phone from ring to vibrate and
returned it to his pocket. He told the other
Strikers to follow him and then he raised his arm for
Pupshaw to see. August crossed his second and
third fingers.
The young private extended two crossed fingers and
waved back. The two crossed fingers meant to put
the aglets together.
August led his team quickly toward the sewer on the
northwest corner of the Plaza de Oriente. They
had videotaped the manhole cover when they'd first
arrived and studied the playback as they stood around.
Corporal Prementine and Privates David
George and Jason Scott had their Walkman
headsets in hand, ready to slide into the holes in the
cover and lift it up. The headsets were actually
made of titanium and would be able to handle the weight
of the iron lid.
August put his arm around Sondra DeVonne as
though she were his traveling companion. The two laughed
as they walked. But when August looked at her he
was actually looking past her at the traffic. It was
virtually nonexistent due to all the military
activity in the area. When Sondra
looked at August she was keeping an eye on
pedestrians. Like the streets, the sidewalks were
relatively deserted.