by Tom Clancy
“Second, your prisoners will be treated in full accordance with international convention, and also the stern and admirable laws of hospitality which are part of your Islamic faith. Your prisoners will be returned as soon as you deliver to the United States the living bodies of every single person who had a role in preparing and delivering those weapons to our country, and those behind the attack on my daughter. On that there will be no compromise.
“Third, we will give your country a week to comply with this requirement. If you do not, then America will declare and wage unlimited war. You have seen what we can do, what we have done. I assure you that, if we have to, we can do more still. The choice is yours to make. Choose wisely.
“Finally, and I say this to all nations who may wish us ill, the United States of America will not tolerate attacks on our country, our possessions, or our citizens. From this day forward, whoever executes or orders such an attack, no matter who you are, no matter where you might hide, no matter how long it may take, we will come for you. I have sworn an oath before God to execute my duties as President. That I will do. To those who wish to be our friends, you will find no more faithful friend than we. To those who would be our enemies, remember that we can be faithful at that, too.
“My fellow Americans, it has been a hard time for us, for some of our allies, and for our enemies as well. We have defeated aggression. We have punished the person most guilty for the cruel deaths in our land, and we will have a reckoning also with those who followed his orders, but for the rest, let us now recall the words of President Abraham Lincoln:
“ ‘With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds ... to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves, and with all nations.’
“Thank you, and good day.”
EPILOGUE:
PRESS ROOM
“... AND FINALLY, I AM SUBMITTING to the Senate the name of Dr. Pierre Alexandre to fill the post of Surgeon General. Dr. Alexandre, after a distinguished career in the United States Army Medical Corps, then joined the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine as an associate professor in the area of infectious disease. He was very helpful to me during the Ebola outbreak. Dr. Alexandre is a brilliant clinician and researcher who will initiate and oversee several new programs, including basic research in rare infectious diseases, and will also head up a new federal oversight commission to coordinate AIDS research. This will not be bureaucratic,” the President said, “there’s enough of that. The idea here is to set up a new system by which physicians and other research scientists can more easily exchange research data. It is my hope that the Senate will see quickly to confirmation of his appointment.
“That concludes my opening statement.” Jack pointed. “Yes, Helen?”
“Mr. President, your opening remarks on China—”
“I thought I made that clear. We have had private discussions with the Republic of China and concluded that the restoration of full diplomatic relations is in the best interests of both our countries. It is not the policy of the United States to discourage countries with freely elected governments. The Republic of China is such a country, and merits our full respect and recognition.”
“But what will mainland China think of this?”
“What they think is their affair. We are both sovereign nations. So is Taiwan, and it’s time we stopped pretending otherwise.”
“Does this have anything to do with the shoot-down of the airliner?”
“That matter is still under investigation. Next?” Ryan pointed.
“Mr. President, the new Iranian provisional government is reportedly seeking to establish full diplomatic relations with our country. Will we entertain that request?”
“Yes, we certainly will,” Jack replied. “If there’s a better way to turn an enemy into a friend than by open discussion and trade, I don’t know what it is. They have been very cooperative, and we still have an embassy building there, but I suppose we’ll have to change the lock on the front door.” There was general laughter. “Yes, Tom. Nice tan, by the way. Welcome home.”
“Mr. President, thank you. Regarding the destruction of the germ-warfare lab outside Tehran, the only journalists who ever got in there were those two Russians that their embassy drafted for the purpose. How can we be sure—”
“Tom, the Russian experts who supervised the neutralization of the facility were indeed experts. We have video of their procedures from the reporters, and both I and my consultants on this matter are fully satisfied. Ed?”
“Mr. President, the prisoner exchange is now concluded. How will we respond to Iranian and Iraqi requests for credit?”
“Secretaries Adler and Winston will be flying to London next week to discuss this with representatives of both governments.”
“Sir, a follow-up, will this mean preferential prices for imported oil, and if so, for how long?”
“Ed, those are subjects for negotiation, but I suppose they will offer us something in return for the credit approval they desire. The exact details will have to be worked out, and we have two very good men to handle that for us.”
“What about good women?” a female reporter asked.
“We have a lot of those around, Denise, including yourself. In case you haven’t heard, Special Agent Andrea Price”—POTUS gestured toward the door at his right—“has accepted a proposal of marriage. It will be a mixed marriage, however, as her fiancé, Inspector Patrick O’Day, is a special agent in the FBI. I wish them the very best, even if it means I may need a new bodyguard. Yes, Barry,” he said, pointing to the senior CNN reporter. “So the big question that nobody has asked yet today, Mr. President—”
Ryan held up his hand. “There is so much—so many things yet to be done just to get the government fully functional again after all we’ve been through—”
“Sir, we’re not going to let you off the hook.”
A smile. A sigh. A nod. A surrender. “The answer to your question, Barry, is, yes, I will.”
“Thank you, Mr. President.”
It is now the moment when by common consent we pause to
become conscious of our national life and to rejoice in it, to
recall what our country has done for each of us, and to ask
ourselves what we can do for our country in return.
OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES, JR.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Epigraph
CHAPTER 1 - MEMO
CHAPTER 2 - SADDLING UP
CHAPTER 3 - GNOMES AND GUNS
CHAPTER 4 - AAR
CHAPTER 5 - RAMIFICATIONS
CHAPTER 6 - TRUE BELIEVERS
CHAPTER 7 - FINANCE
CHAPTER 8 - COVERAGE
CHAPTER 9 - STALKERS
CHAPTER 10 - DIGGERS
CHAPTER 11 - INFRASTRUCTURE
CHAPTER 12 - WILD CARDS
CHAPTER 13 - AMUSEMENT
CHAPTER 14 - SWORD OF THE LEGION
CHAPTER 15 - WHITE HATS
CHAPTER 16 - DISCOVERY
CHAPTER 17 - BUSHES
CHAPTER 18 - LOOKS
CHAPTER 19 - SEARCHING
CHAPTER 20 - CONTACTS
CHAPTER 21 - STAGES
CHAPTER 22 - COUNTERMEASURES
CHAPTER 23 - OVERWATCH
CHAPTER 24 - CUSTOMS
CHAPTER 25 - SUNRISE
CHAPTER 26 - CONCLUSIONS
CHAPTER 27 - TRANSFER AGENTS
CHAPTER 28 - BROAD DAYLIGHT
CHAPTER 29 - RECOVERY
CHAPTER 30 - VISTAS
CHAPTER 31 - MOVEMENT
CHAPTER 32 - BLOOD WORK
CHAPTER 33 - THE GAMES BEGIN
CHAPTER 34 - THE GAMES CONTINUE
CHAPTER 35 - MARATHON
CHAPTER 36 - FLIGHTS OF NECESSITY
CH
APTER 37 - DYING FLAME
CHAPTER 38 - NATURE RESORT
CHAPTER 39 - HARMONY
EPILOGUE
John Clark is used to doing the CIA’s dirty work. Now he’s taking on the world . . . Rainbow Six
Number-one bestselling author Tom Clancy goes beyond anything he has done before in Rainbow Six. It is his most shocking story to date—and closer to reality than any government would care to admit . . .
At its heart is ex-Navy SEAL John Clark, now the newly named head of Rainbow, an international task force dedicated to combating terrorism. In a trial by fire, Clark is confronted with a violent chain of seemingly separate international incidents. But there is no way to predict the real threat: a group of terrorists like none the world has ever encountered, a band of men and women so extreme that their success could literally mean the end of life on earth as we know it . . .
“ACTION-PACKED . . . chock-full of munitions experts, sharpshooters and all-around daredevils . . . meticulously researched and carefully plotted.”—The New York Times Book Review
“ATTENTION ON DECK! Ex-Navy SEAL John Clark and his son-in-law Domingo “Ding” Chavez, who locked and loaded in previous Clancy blockbusters Clear and Present Danger and Without Remorse, are back in action, defending freedom and playing fast and loose, as always, with any rules that get in the way . . . a gripping plot . . . bolt-action mayhem.”—People
“CLANCY IS A NATURAL STORYTELLER . . . Rainbow Six shows how much [he] has improved his character development. He still provides the thrills. But we also identify with Clark and his Rainbow colleagues.”—USA Today
“MR. CLANCY IS IN HIS ELEMENT. His description of special-forces operations is as exciting as anything a reader will find . . . When the door blows open and the shooting starts, nobody does it better.”—The Dallas Morning News
“[A] FAST-PACED, RETRO-CLANCY TALE . . . A leaner, meaner novel that allows Clancy’s undeniable story-telling talents to come to the fore.”—The Cleveland Plain Dealer
“THE PACE RARELY SLACKENS in this well-crafted, very readable thriller . . . a terrific yarn.”
—The San Francisco Examiner
“A RIPPING READ . . . a strong premise and world-class action sequences . . . All of Clancy’s fans . . . will revel in the writer’s continued mastery at action writing; Rainbow’s engagements . . . are immensely suspenseful, breathtaking combos of expertly detailed combat and primal emotion.”
—Publishers Weekly
“VINTAGE CLANCY.”—San Antonio Express-News
“RAINBOW SIX MOVES FAST AND FURIOUSLY AND KEEPS YOU IN SUSPENSE FROM BEGINNING TO END.”—Bookpage
“ONCE I GOT INTO RAINBOW SIX, I COULDN’T PUT IT DOWN . . . As always, Clancy tells a dandy story. His fans will storm the bookstores to snatch up Rainbow Six, and they will get their money’s worth . . . splendid technical detail and expert pacing.”—St. Louis Post-Dispatch
“I PRONOUNCE MYSELF A BORN-AGAIN CLANCY FAN . . . taut, well-constructed and eminently readable . . . Clancy manages to keep things moving. Heck, the book starts with a hijacking and things only get more interesting.”
—Lexington Herald-Leader
“EXPLOSIVE.”—Kirkus Reviews
The Bestselling Novels of
Tom Clancy
The Bear and the Dragon
A clash of world powers. President Jack Ryan’s trial by fire.
“HEART-STOPPING ACTION . . . CLANCY STILL REIGNS.”
—The Washington Post
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
The Hunt for Red October
The smash bestseller that launched Clancy’s career—the incredible search for a Soviet defector and the nuclear submarine he commands . . .
“BREATHLESSLY EXCITING.”—The Washington Post
Red Storm Rising
The ultimate scenario for World War III—the final battle for global control . . .
“THE ULTIMATE WAR GAME . . . BRILLIANT.”
—Newsweek
Patriot Games
CIA analyst Jack Ryan stops an assassination—and incurs the wrath of Irish terrorists . . .
“A HIGH PITCH OF EXCITEMENT.”
—The Wall Street Journal
The Cardinal of the Kremlin
The superpowers race for the ultimate Star Wars missile defense system . . .
“CARDINAL EXCITES, ILLUMINATES . . . A REAL PAGE-TURNER.”—Los Angeles Daily News
Clear and Present Danger
The killing of three U.S. officials in Colombia ignites the American government’s explosive, and top secret, response . . .
“A CRACKLING GOOD YARN.”—The Washington Post
The Sum of All Fears
The disappearance of an Israeli nuclear weapon threatens the balance of power in the Middle East—and around the world . . .
“CLANCY AT HIS BEST . . . NOT TO BE MISSED.”
—The Dallas Morning News
Without Remorse
The Clancy epic fans have been waiting for. His code name is Mr. Clark. And his work for the CIA is brilliant, cold-blooded, and efficient . . . but who is he really?
“HIGHLY ENTERTAINING.”—The Wall Street Journal
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
The Bear and the Dragon
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’s Op-Center: Line of Control
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
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
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)
Every Man a Tiger (written with General Charles Horner)
This is a work of fiction. The events described here are imaginary; the
settings and characters are fictitious and not intended to represent
specific places or living persons.
RAINBOW SIX
A Berkley Book / published by arrangement with
the author
PRINTING HISTORY
G. P. Putnam’s Sons edition / August 1998
Berkley edition / September 1999
&nb
sp; All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1998 by Rubicon, Inc.
Photograph of the author by John Earle.
This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part,
by mimeograph or any other means, without permission.
For information address: The Berkley Publishing Group,
a division of Penguin Putnam Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
The Penguin Putnam Inc. World Wide Web site address is
http://www.penguinputnam.com
eISBN : 978-1-101-00229-2
BERKLEY®
Berkley Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group,