Cochran had acknowledged Girdler’s logic, but he wasn’t nearly as confident. Who could understand the motivations of a killer? So the general’s confirmation that Nick was okay was an enormous relief, marking the first time the president had stopped holding his figurative breath since the ordeal had begun.
Still, he couldn’t believe it was possible to have a week this horrendous. Four days had passed since he had received Bostic’s farewell message and there was still no sign of the man. And now this. What else could go wrong? Had they been having too much luck recently? Was this some sort of cosmic balancing of the scales?
“How were you able to get Nick on the phone?” asked Siegel.
“He called me,” replied Girdler. “And he threw a few surprises at me I’d have never seen coming.”
“You mean surprises like someone getting the drop on a mind reader?” said the president irritably.
“No,” said Girdler. “I mean surprises like Victor returning from the grave.”
Both the president and admiral stared at him like he was crazy.
“You were able to actually verify this for yourself?” asked Siegel.
“No. I didn’t see him or hear him. Nick told me he was still alive.”
“So you don’t have proof,” said the president.
Girdler looked confused. “I don’t,” he admitted. “But I have no reason to doubt Nick. Why would he lie to me?”
Cochran doubted he had, but he wasn’t willing to rule it out. After all, Bostic had seemed dependable too—right up until the time he wasn’t. Had Bostic disappeared because he felt betrayed, or had his ESP brought mental instability? The chances that ESP had driven both Bostic and Hall mad in the same week were remote, but he had to bring it up.
“I’m not saying he lied,” said the president. “What I am saying is that Nick has a lot going on in that brain of his. We’ve always had to face the possibility that he might lose his mind someday.”
“He sounded as sane as ever,” said Girdler. “And his explanation of how Victor is still alive makes perfect sense.”
He went on to explain how they had been deceived.
Siegel nodded when he had finished. “It does add up,” he said. “Victor did order his son to do nothing but troubleshoot, and it makes sense that Lucas might have seen our fingerprints on the implants. And there’s another thing,” he added, “the way Nick and Megan were captured. Only someone as talented as Victor could pull off an op like that. An op so clever we still have no idea how it was done.” He paused and stared at Girdler. “Or has Mike learned anything more?”
The general shook his head. “Nothing. They veered from their normal route for no apparent reason. They didn’t contact anyone at headquarters to explain their actions. They drove to a lone building and entered. Four were killed and two taken. Their vehicle, which they call the Cockroach, was left parked near the entrance, all four doors still open, as though they were in such a rush they couldn’t spare the time to shut them. But why? Nessie didn’t detect anything coming at them that should have been cause for alarm. We still have no explanation for any of their behavior.”
“So Nick didn’t shed any light on it during your conversation?” asked Siegel.
“No. He said he didn’t have much time, so we stuck to the purpose of his call.”
“Which was?” said Cochran.
“He told me that Victor had forced him to contact me. That Victor is pissed off about how we used him, put bugs inside his head. With pissed off being a major understatement. He wants us punished. So he captured Nick and Megan. How he knew where they were and how he captured them, again, is anybody’s guess. But the bottom line is that Nick says he’ll kill them both if we don’t come to where he’s holding them.”
“Who’s we?” said the president.
“Me, Mike, Drew, and Alex.”
“So the remaining members of the core team from Utah,” noted Siegel, “except for Heather. Why do you think she wasn’t included?”
“I have no idea,” said Girdler. “I asked Nick about that and he claimed to have no idea either. He said Victor told him who needed to show up, and it was up to him to figure out how to get us there.”
“So Nick was lying,” said Siegel, “at least about not knowing why Heather was excluded. How could a mind reader not know?”
“I agree,” said Cochran. “There is more here than meets the eye.”
“You’re almost certainly right,” said Girdler. “Nick has a reason for everything he does in these situations. He told me our call was private, but there’s no way Victor wasn’t listening in. Any lies he tells are for the benefit of Victor, I’m sure.”
“I assume you tried to trace the call and got nowhere,” said Siegel.
“Yes. As expected.”
Bob Siegel scowled and shook his head. “The entire premise of this is ridiculous,” he complained. “Why would you ever deliver yourselves on a platter? So instead of killing two people, he gets to kill six?”
“Nick claims that if we show, Victor will make us suffer. Greatly. Mostly me and Mike. He’ll bring us close to death, but not all the way. And he won’t do anything we won’t eventually recover from. If we surrender, everyone gets to live. If we don’t, he kills Megan and Nick.”
“I’m not buying it,” said the president. “Who’d believe he’d go to all the trouble just to hurt you? If he releases you, you live to go after him another day. Who wounds an animal and then turns his back on it?”
“I agree,” said Girdler. “But Nick says he read his mind and he’s certain he’s telling the truth. That it’s a dominance play. Victor wants us to know just who it is who turned the tables and had us in the palm of his hand. He wants to beat us physically, and let us live to remember the beating for all of our remaining days, and who delivered it. We all know Victor’s reputation for integrity is golden, despite being a thief and murderer, so I’d tend to trust his assurances even without Nick to vouch for him.”
“And you believe Nick is being totally straight with you?” asked the president.
“No. The call was voice only, and his voice was as strained as I’ve ever heard it. He’s hiding something. But again, he must have known Victor was listening.”
“So he wouldn’t be able to tell you if this was part of a grand plan,” said Siegel.
“Exactly. Again, this is Nick Hall we’re talking about. No one is smarter or more resourceful. If he wants us to do this, that’s good enough for me.”
“And you know where he is?” said Cochran.
Girdler nodded. “Closer than you’d ever guess,” he replied. “Southern Utah. In Dixie National Forest.”
The president’s eyes narrowed. “If he’s right here in the States, why can’t we mount an op to go after him?”
“We’d have no chance of success,” said Girdler simply. “Victor knows this is a possibility. Hall told us it was a waste of time to even consider a strike. Unless we’re willing to write Nick and Megan off. Victor has bodyguards and a sophisticated sensor array. No way we could get through it without him knowing it.” He sighed. “Ironically, the only man on Earth who could get through the array is Nick himself.”
Not the only man, thought Cochran. This would be the perfect op for Craig Bostic and his team. Send a mind reader to save a mind reader. If only he knew where to find him.
“So Victor wants us to come unarmed,” continued Girdler, “in a civilian helo. We’ll give him the transponder signature so we won’t trigger any alarms or defenses. We fly in, land in a specified clearing, and surrender. If we try to cross him, veer a few yards off course, or his sensors pick up any signs that we have weapons on board, he kills Nick and Megan, and us if he can.”
“He’s bluffing,” said the president. “If he kills them, he has no more leverage. After that, his sensors won’t do him any good—we won’t care if he knows we’re coming. We’ll send in whatever force it takes to end him.”
Girdler shook his head. “I think he’d sti
ll get away,” he said. “Suppose he’s lying about everything and is just luring us there to kill us. In that case, you and Bob know where he is and will try to take him out. But even if he honors his word and lets us ultimately walk, he knows the same thing will happen once we get clear. So either way he knows we’ll be coming at him full force, and he won’t have any hostages to stop us. Which means he isn’t troubled by this certainty. Knowing him, he has his tunnels and stealth tech and sleight of hand all lined up. He’s ready to play the shell game with us. And we can count on him not being under whichever shell we lift.”
“I agree with Justin,” said Admiral Siegel. “He managed to draw Nick and his crew to a building in the middle of nowhere and then out of their protected vehicle. Then he casually picked off four special forces commandos on protective detail. This isn’t the kind of man who’s going to screw up his exit strategy. And although he’s a wanted murderer, we can hardly send a battalion after him on American soil. And we aren’t about to risk setting a National Forest ablaze. He knows that.”
“That’s not to say we still can’t have forces standing by,” said Girdler.
“Even that has its share of complexities,” said the president. “I can have ground forces ready to go in, but given the target is in Utah, a lot of uncomfortable questions will be asked—and will need to be answered.”
“Believe me, I understand,” said Girdler. “You’re the commander-in-chief, but we aren’t in a dictatorship. Putting armed forces on high alert will require disclosures we aren’t prepared to make. Especially since it’s so unlikely they’ll be necessary. Like I said, if we decide to go forward, either we’ll be dead very soon or Victor will eventually release us. Either way, having the entire might of the country ready to go in at a moment’s notice won’t change a thing.”
“I’ll alert some key people to be ready to hear from me if something totally unexpected happens,” said Cochran, “without telling them anything. It will require some deft political skills and a lot of lying. Given these circumstances, though, it could take more than an hour to get meaningful ground forces there if you signaled the need. The good news is that I should still be able to get air power over the site within five or ten minutes.”
Girdler winced. “I’m not sure air power is a great idea,” he said. “Victor is known for his exceptional defenses, and has the capability to shoot down aircraft. If we lose one of these on an op over Utah, Mr. President, your enemies in Congress will sink their teeth in and won’t let go until they have answers, until THT becomes better known than McDonald’s.”
“I agree,” said Siegel. “After what happened over USD stadium, the nation already thinks you’re a reckless cowboy.”
Girdler stared intently at the president. “I think your idea of thinking through what strings you would pull, what cover story you would tell, is a good one,” he said. “Without tipping anyone off or setting anything in motion. But if military support is needed, I’d rule out using air power and missiles completely.” He frowned. “Again, it’s very unlikely it will matter. Either we’re dead or we’re alive. It’s a binary event.”
“Sounds like you’ve already made a decision,” said the president.
“It’s not one that can wait,” said Girdler. “We have to be there at five exactly. If we’re more than five minutes off either way, Nick and Megan die.”
Cochran frowned, and looked to be in almost physical pain. “So your final recommendation is to deliver yourselves to this murderer?”
“Yes,” said Girdler stoically. “I wish there was another way.”
“How do we know Victor didn’t kill Nick the moment he got off the phone?” asked the president.
“I insisted we get proof of life before we land,” replied the general. “Nick told me Victor had anticipated this request. If we call ten minutes before five, we’ll have our proof. Nick said the second he was off the call with me, Victor planned to administer a knockout drug. He’ll use another to revive Nick just in time for us to confirm he’s alive and unharmed.”
“So he’s unconscious right now?” asked the president. “Even as we speak?”
“Almost certainly,” said Girdler.
“Did he tell you why Victor was putting him out?” asked Siegel.
“Yes, because he respects Nick’s capabilities. He’s heard the rumors about what he’s been able to accomplish. The Academy Awards. Stopping the attack on USD, which Nazry mounted using Victor’s own technology. He knows better than to underestimate Nick, and he’s cautious by nature.”
“Smart,” said Siegel. “Even Nick can’t turn the tables when he’s out cold.”
“And instead of having almost four hours to come up with a plan,” said Cochran, “he’ll only have ten minutes.”
“Unfortunately, yes,” said Girdler. “Victor never misses a trick.”
“But you were able to outsmart him,” noted Siegel.
“I got lucky,” said the general modestly.
“So you fly over there,” said the president, “Victor rouses Nick just before five, and you get proof of life.” He paused for a moment in thought. “Then you land, Victor beats the shit out of the lot of you, and then he eventually lets you all leave—after he’s proven his point. Is that what you’re telling me?”
“If everyone is telling the truth, yes,” replied the general.
“It stinks to high heaven,” said Cochran. “More than stinks. It reeks.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” said Girdler. “But I have faith in Nick. He knows what he’s doing. I spoke with Alex, Mike, and Drew before I got on this call. All four of us are willing to go along.”
“Knowing that being beaten nearly to death is the best-case scenario,” said Cochran.
“No. Counting on Nick to come through like he always does.”
“And you’ll just surrender and play it straight?” asked the president.
“That’s right,” said Girdler. “Nick says if we try anything, Victor will know it, and his kid glove treatment of us will end. At that point, all bets will be off. So all we can do is go in unarmed, keep our eyes and ears open, and wait for an opportunity to arise.”
“If anyone can spot an opportunity and make the most out of it, Justin, it’s you,” said Siegel.
“Thank you, Admiral,” replied Girdler. “But Nick being Nick, I’d be absolutely shocked if something absolutely shocking doesn’t happen.”
The general nodded slowly, his face intense. “And when it does, we’ll be ready.”
57
Browning was almost shaking from excitement as the president ended the videoconference with Justin Girdler. He had been using his implants to eavesdrop, so he had viewed the meeting in his mind’s eye as though he were in the room with them.
It was hard to believe things were aligning this perfectly, even for him. But they were. It was the ultimate sign. Fate.
What he had overheard made it more clear than ever before that he was on the right course, that he shouldn’t deviate a millimeter. Whatever power drove the universe was really showing off this time.
He had desperately wanted to find Victor. For a number of reasons.
And now the man had been practically delivered into his lap. He was right next door. Browning, from his temporary base in Colorado, was as close to Victor as Girdler was. It couldn’t just be a coincidence
Browning had also wanted to clear the playing field of possible threats, and THT was at the top of this list. Now all of the key players were about to leave the protection of their headquarters and weaponry and gather in one place, like fish in a barrel.
And Nick Hall, the only rival other than Craig Bostic who might even slow him down, would be out like a light. Helpless.
He couldn’t have diagrammed it any better.
A tear came to his eye. He was the chosen one. There could be no doubt. The universe had provided for him once again, bigger than ever.
This was his chance, and there was no time to waste.
; To say he was about to take out two birds with one stone was an understatement.
He was about to take out an entire flock.
PART 8
Troy Browning
58
Browning almost drooled as he contemplated his upcoming reunion with the man named Victor.
He handpicked four mercenaries for the mission, selecting among dozens by reading their minds to find those who had killed the most often, the most efficiently, and the most stealthily. He then handpicked eight others for a follow-up mission, his second wave.
He made sure one of the four with him could fly a helicopter, a skill he planned to learn as soon as he had time. The mercs were outfitted with bulletproof vests, earpieces, and mics, and while Browning was unarmed and traveling light, his four companions seemed to have entire armories attached to their bodies, packed as tightly as parachutes. While they were dressed like commandos—belts, rucksacks, heavy body armor, and forest camo from head to toe—he was dressed casually, wearing his standard body armor that was all but undetectable.
Two of the men brought shoulder-fired missile launchers, with heat-seeking munitions, which is all they would need to annihilate Girdler’s ride and the men inside. Since Victor had insisted they come in a civilian helo, they would have about as much ability to evade these missiles as would a baby carriage.
Hopefully the missile launchers wouldn’t be needed, but in studying Victor he had learned from the best. It always paid to have backup plans for your backup plans.
He had no idea how many men Victor had on site, but he was confident four men would be more than enough for the job—as long as he was there to guide them.
He had listened to Craig Bostic report to Admiral Siegel after taking out a man named Osmani, so he knew exactly how to proceed. Along with video and sensor arrays, which had become commonplace around protected sites, Bostic had also faced human deterrents. He had chosen to pick off the two guards patrolling the grounds by drawing each into an ambush, one by one.
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