by Clancy, Tom
Friday carefully disassembled and packed a rifle. He took along two boxes of shells. Because he was going to Islamabad with diplomatic credentials, his luggage would not be checked.
Showing up Op-Center was important. But as Friday had demonstrated in Baku and elsewhere, outperforming a rival was not the only way to bring them down.
Whoever this man Mike Rodgers was, he would learn that the hard way.
Novels by Tom Clancy
THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER
RED STORM RISING
PATRIOT GAMES
THE CARDINAL OF THE KREMLIN
CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER
THE SUM OF ALL FEARS
WITHOUT REMORSE
DEBT OF HONOR
EXECUTIVE ORDERS
RAINBOW SIX
SSN: STRATEGIES OF SUBMARINE WARFARE
Created by Tom Clancy and Steve Pieczenik
TOM CLANCY’S OP-CENTER
TOM CLANCY’S OP-CENTER: MIRROR IMAGE
TOM CLANCY’S OP-CENTER: GAMES OF STATE
TOM CLANCY’S OP-CENTER: ACTS OF WAR
TOM CLANCY’ S OP-CENTER: BALANCE OF POWER
TOM CLANCY’S OP-CENTER: STATE OF SIEGE
TOM CLANCY’S OP-CENTER: DIVIDE AND CONQUER
TOM CLANCY’ NET FORCE
TOM CLANCY’S NET FORCE: HIDDEN AGENDAS
TOM CLANCY’S NET FORCE: NIGHT MOVES
Created by Tom Clancy and Martin Greenberg
TOM CLANCY’S POWER PLAYS: POLITIKA
TOM CLANCY’S POWER PLAYS: RUTHLESS.COM
TOM CLANCY’S POWER PLAYS: SHADOW WATCH
Nonfiction
SUBMARINE: A GUIDED TOUR INSIDE A NUCLEAR WARSHIP
ARMORED CAV: A GUIDED TOUR OF AN ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
FIGHTER WING: A GUIDED TOUR OF AN AIR FORCE COMBAT WING
MARINE: A GUIDED TOUR OF A MARINE EXPEDITIONARY UNIT
AIRBORNE: A GUIDED TOUR OF AN AIRBORNE TASK FORCE
CARRIER: A GUIDED TOUR OF AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER
INTO THE STORM: A STUDY IN COMMAND
(written with General Fred Franks)
EVERY MAN A TIGER
(written with General Charles Horner)
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Acknowledgements
ONE - Washington, D. C. Wednesday, 5:56 A.M.
TWO - Srinagar, India Wednesday, 3:51 P.M.
THREE - Washington, D.C. Wednesday, 6:32 A.M.
FOUR - Kargil, Kashmir Wednesday, 4:11 P.M.
FIVE - Washington, D.C. Wednesday, 7:00 A.M.
SIX - Srinagar, India Wednesday, 4:22 P.M.
SEVEN - Washington, D.C. Wednesday, 7:10 A.M.
EIGHT - Srinagar, India Wednesday, 4:41 P.M.
NINE - Srinagar, India Wednesday, 4:55 P.M.
TEN - Siachin Base 3, Kashmir Wednesday, 5:42 P.M.
ELEVEN - Washington, D.C. Wednesday, 8:21 A.M.
TWELVE - C-130 Cabin Wednesday, 10:13 A.M.
THIRTEEN - Srinagar, Kashmir Wednesday, 6:59 P.M.
FOURTEEN - Kargil, Kashmir Wednesday, 7:00 P.M.
FIFTEEN - Washington, D.C. Wednesday, 10:51 A.M.
SIXTEEN - Siachin Base 2E, Kashmir Wednesday, 9:02 P.M.
SEVENTEEN - Srinagar, Kashmir Wednesday, 10:00 P.M.
EIGHTEEN - Alconbury, Great Britain Wednesday, 7:10 P.M.
NINETEEN - Kargil, Kashmir Thursday, 6:45 A.M.
TWENTY - Washington, D.C. Wednesday, 8:17 P.M.
TWENTY-ONE - Siachin Base 2E, Kashmir Thursday, 7:01 A.M.
TWENTY-TWO - Washington, D.C. Wednesday, 9:36 P.M.
TWENTY-THREE - Kargil, Kashmir Thursday, 7:43 A.M.
TWENTY-FOUR - Siachin Base 3, Kashmir Thursday, 9:16 A.M.
TWENTY-FIVE - Washington, D.C. Wednesday, 11:45 P.M.
TWENTY-SIX - Washington, D.C. Thursday, 1:12 A.M.
TWENTY-SEVEN - Kargil, Kashmir Thursday, 12:01 P.M.
TWENTY-EIGHT - Washington, D.C. Thursday, 4:02 A.M.
TWENTY-NINE - New Delhi, India Thursday, 2:06 P.M.
THIRTY - Ankara, Turkey Thursday, 11:47 A.M.
THIRTY-ONE - Jaudar, Kashmir Thursday, 3:33 P.M.
THIRTY-TWO - Washington, D.C. Thursday, 6:25 A.M.
THIRTY-THREE - Mt. Kanzalwan Thursday, 4:16 P.M.
THIRTY-FOUR - Washington, D.C. Thursday, 6:51 A.M.
THIRTY-FIVE - The Great Himalaya Range Thursday, 4:19 P.M.
THIRTY-SIX - The Great Himalaya Range Thursday, 4:42 P.M.
THIRTY-SEVEN - The Great Himalaya Range Thursday, 4:46 P.M.
THIRTY-EIGHT - Washington, D.C. Thursday, 7:24 A.M.
THIRTY-NINE - The Mangala Valley Thursday, 5:30 P.M.
FORTY - The Great Himalaya Range Thursday, 5:41 P.M.
FORTY-ONE - Washington, D.C. Thursday, 8:30 A.M.
FORTY-TWO - The Great Himalaya Range Thursday, 6:42 P.M.
FORTY-THREE - The Great Himalaya Range Thursday, 6:57 P.M.
FORTY-FOUR - Washington, D.C. Thursday, 10:30 A.M.
FORTY-FIVE - The Siachin Glacier Thursday, 9:11 P.M.
FORTY-SIX - Washington, D.C. Thursday, 12:00 P.M.
FORTY-SEVEN - The Siachin Glacier Thursday, 10:57 P.M.
FORTY-EIGHT - Washington, D.C. Thursday, 1:28 P.M.
FORTY-NINE - Washington, D.C. Thursday, 1:36 P.M.
FIFTY - The Siachin Glacier Thursday, 11:40 P.M.
FIFTY-ONE - The Himachal Peaks Thursday, 11:41 P.M.
FIFTY-TWO - The Siachin Glacier Friday, 12:00 A.M.
FIFTY-THREE - The Siachin Glacier Friday, 12:53 A.M.
FIFTY-FOUR - The Siachin Glacier Friday, 12:55 A.M.
FIFTY-FIVE - Washington, D.C. Thursday, 4:30 P.M.
FIFTY-SIX - The Siachin Glacier Friday, 2:07 A.M.
FIFTY-SEVEN - Washington, D.C. Thursday, 5:00 P.M.
FIFTY-EIGHT - The Siachin Glacier Friday, 2:35 A.M.
FIFTY-NINE - The Siachin Glacier Friday, 2:42 A.M.
SIXTY - The Siachin Glacier Friday, 2:51 A.M.
SIXTY-ONE - Siachin Base 3, Kashmir Friday, 3:22 A.M.
SIXTY-TWO - The Siachin Glacier Friday, 3:23 A.M.
SIXTY-THREE - The Siachin Glacier Friday, 3:25 A.M.
SIXTY-FOUR - The Siachin Glacier Friday, 3:27 A.M.
SIXTY-FIVE - Washington, D.C. Thursday, 6:21 P.M.
SIXTY-SIX - Washington, D.C. Thursday, 6:24 P.M.
SIXTY-SEVEN - The Siachin Glacier Friday, 4:00 A.M.
SIXTY-EIGHT - The Siachin Glacier Friday, 4:07 A.M.
SIXTY-NINE - The Himachal Peaks Friday, 4:12 A.M.
SEVENTY - Washington, D.C. Tuesday, 7:10 A.M.
THE BESTSELLING NOVELS OF Tom Clancy
THE BEAR AND THE DRAGON
President Jack Ryan faces a world crisis unlike any he has ever known . . .
“INTOXICATING . . . A JUGGERNAUT.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
RAINBOW SIX
Clancy’s shocking story of international terrorism—closer to reality than any government would care to admit . . .
“GRIPPING . . . BOLT-ACTION MAYHEM.”
—People
EXECUTIVE ORDERS
Jack Ryan has always been a soldier. Now he’s giving the orders.
“AN ENORMOUS, ACTION-PACKED, HEAT-SEEKING MISSILE OF A TOM CLANCY NOVEL.”
—The Seattle Times
DEBT OF HONOR
It begins with the murder of an American woman in the back streets of Tokyo. It ends in war . . .
“A SHOCKER CLIMAX SO PLAUSIBLE YOU’LL WONDER WHY IT HASN’T YET HAPPENED!”
—Entertainment Weekly
NOVELS BY TOM CLANCY
The Hunt for Red October
Red Storm Rising
Patriot Games
The Cardinal of the Kremlin
Clear and Present Danger
The Sum of All Fears
Without Remorse
Debt of Honor
Executive Orders
Rain
bow Six
The Bear and the Dragon
Red Rabbit
The Teeth of the Tiger
SSN: Strategies of Submarine Warfare
NONFICTION
Submarine: A Guided Tour Inside a Nuclear Warship
Armored Cav: A Guided Tour of an Armored Cavalry Regiment
Fighter Wing: A Guided Tour of an Air Force Combat Wing
Marine: A Guided Tour of a Marine Expeditionary Unit
Airborne: A Guided Tour of an Airborne Task Force
Carrier: A Guided Tour of an Aircraft Carrier
Special Forces: A Guided Tour of U.S. Army Special Forces
Into the Storm: A Study in Command
(written with General Fred Franks, Jr., Ret.)
Every Man a Tiger
(written with General Charles Homer, Ret.)
Shadow Warriors: Inside the Special Forces
(written with General Carl Stiner, Ret., and Tony Koltz)
CREATED BY TOM CLANCY
Splinter Cell
CREATED BY TOM CLANCY AND STEVE PIECZENIK
Tom Clancy’s Op-Center
Tom Clancy’s Op-Center: Mirror Image
Tom Clancy’s Op-Center: Games of State
Tom Clancy’s Op-Center: Acts of War
Tom Clancy’s Op-Center: Balance of Power
Tom Clancy’s Op-Center: State of Siege
Tom Clancy’s Op-Center: Divide and Conquer
Tom Clancy’s Op-Center: Line of Control
Tom Clancy’s Op-Center: Mission of Honor
Tom Clancy’s Op-Center: Sea of Fire
Tom Clancy’s Op-Center: Call to Treason
Tom Clancy’s Net Force
Tom Clancy’s Net Force: Hidden Agendas
Tom Clancy’s Net Force: Night Moves
Tom Clancy’s Net Force: Breaking Point
Tom Clancy’s Net Force: Point of Impact
Tom Clancy’s Net Force: CyberNation
Tom Clancy’s Net Force: State of War
Tom Clancy’s Net Force: Changing of the Guard
Tom Clancy’s Net Force: Springboard
CREATED BY TOM CLANCY AND MARTIN GREENBERG
Tom Clancy’s Power Plays: Politika
Tom Clancy’s Power Plays: ruthless.com
Tom Clancy’s Power Plays: Shadow Watch
Tom Clancy’s Power Plays: Bio-Strike
Tom Clancy’s Power Plays: Cold War
Tom Clancy’s Power Plays: Cutting Edge
Tom Clancy’s Power Plays: Zero Hour
Tom Clancy’s Power Plays: Wild Card
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
TOM CLANCY’ S OP-CENTER: LINE OF CONTROL
A Berkley Book / published by arrangement with Jack Ryan Limited Partnership and S & R Literary, Inc.
PRINTING HISTORY
Berkley edition / June 2001
Copyright © 2001 by Jack Ryan Limited Partnership and S & R Literary, Inc.
OP-CENTER™ is a trademark of Jack Ryan Limited Partnership and S & R Literary, Inc.
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Acknowledgments
We would like to acknowledge the assistance of Martin H. Greenberg, Larry Segriff, Robert Youdelman, Esq., Tom Mallon, Esq., and the wonderful people at Penguin Putnam Inc., including Phyllis Grann, David Shanks, and Tom Colgan. As always, we would like to thank Robert Gottlieb, without whom this book would never have been conceived. But most important, it is for you, our readers, to determine how successful our collective endeavor has been.
—Tom Clancy and Steve Pieczenik
PROLOGUE
Siachin Base 3, Kashmir Wednesday, 5:42 A.M.
Major Dev Puri could not sleep. He had not yet gotten used to the flimsy cots the Indian army used in the field. Or the thin air in the mountains. Or the quiet. Outside his former barracks in Udhampur there were always the sounds of trucks and automobiles, of soldiers and activity. Here, the quiet reminded him of a hospital. Or a morgue.
Instead, he put on his olive green uniform and red turban. Puri left his tent and walked over to the front-line trenches. There, he looked out as the rich morning sun rose behind him. He watched as a brilliant orange glow crept through the valley and settled slowly across the flat, deserted demilitarized zone. It was the flimsiest of barriers in the most dangerous place on earth.
Here in the Himalayan foothills of Kashmir, human life was always in jeopardy. It was routinely threatened by the extreme weather conditions and rugged terrain. In the warmer, lower elevations it was at risk whenever one failed to spot a lethal king cobra or naja naja, the Indian cobra, hiding in the underbrush. It was endangered whenever one was an instant too late swatting a disease-carrying mosquito or venomous brown widow spider in time. Life was in even greater peril a few miles to the north, on the brutal Siachin Glacier. There was barely enough air to support life on the steep, blinding-white hills. Avalanches and subzero temperatures were a daily danger to foot patrols.
Yet the natural hazards were not what made this the most dangerous spot on the planet. All of those dangers were nothing compared to how humans threatened each other here. Those threats were not dependent on the time of day or the season of the year. They were constant, every minute of every hour of every day for nearly the past sixty years.
Puri stood on an aluminum ladder in a trench with corrugated tin walls. Directly in front of him were five-foot-high sandbags protected by razor wire strung tightly above them from iron posts. To the right, about thirty feet away, was a small sentry post, a wooden shelter erected behind the sandbags. There was hemp netting on top with camouflage greenery overhead. To the right, forty feet away, was another watch post.
One hundred and twenty yards in front of him, due west, was a nearly identical Pakistan trench.
With deliberate slownes
s, the officer removed a pouch of ghutka, chewable tobacco, from his pants pocket. Sudden moves were discouraged out here where they might be noticed and misinterpreted as reaching for a weapon. He unfolded the packet and pushed a small wad in his cheek. Soldiers were encouraged not to smoke, since a lighted cigarette could give away the position of a scout or patrol.
As Puri chewed the tobacco he watched squadrons of black flies begin their own morning patrol. They were searching for fecal matter left by red squirrels, goatlike markhors, and other herbivores that woke and fed before dawn. It was early winter now. Puri had heard that in the summer the insects were so thick they seemed like clouds of smoke drifting low over the rocks and scrub.
The major wondered if he would be alive to see them. During some weeks thousands of men on both sides were killed. That was inevitable with more than one million fanatic soldiers facing one another across an extremely narrow, two-hundred-mile-long “line of control.” Major Puri could see some of those soldiers now, across the sandy stretch between the trenches. Their mouths were covered with black muslin scarves to protect them against the westward-blowing winds. But the eyes in their wind-burned faces blazed with hatred that had been sparked back in the eighth century. That was when Hindus and Muslims first clashed in this region. The ancient farmers and merchants took up arms and fought about trade routes, land and water rights, and ideology. The struggle became even more fierce in 1947 when Great Britain abandoned its empire on the subcontinent. The British gave the rival Hindus and Muslims the nations of India and Pakistan to call their own. That partition also gave India control over the Muslim-dominated region of Kashmir. Since that time the Pakistans have regarded the Indians as an occupying force in Kashmir. Warfare has been almost constant as the two sides struggled over what became the symbolic heart of the conflict.