A few miles down the road, one of the SUVs gained on him, just a few car lengths behind now. The windshield was tinted as well, so Jack couldn’t tell how many were in the vehicle. He glanced at his dash display. He had nearly a full tank of gas; he’d filled the car yesterday. Of course, they probably had full tanks as well, and those Tahoes could hold a lot more than his MKZ. It would come down to fuel efficiency, but Jack didn’t want to take any chances. He’d just have to lose his pursuers.
The second Tahoe sped up and fell into place behind its twin. They both inched closer to Jack’s Lincoln. Jack accelerated again. A mile or two up ahead they’d go through the town of Accokeek, and he had a chance to turn onto 228 and head east, where he could hook up with 301, then go west on 218 back to Interstate 95. From there he could head north back to Langley, back to the devil’s lair.
Going nearly eighty, the exit for 228 approached quickly. It was a left turn with a traffic light. At least a dozen cars were stopped, waiting to turn. For a moment, Jack thought about continuing straight on 210, but it led to nothing but miles of residential sprawl. There would be nowhere to hide, nowhere to disappear. He had to turn; 228 was his only option. He slowed and checked his mirror. The lead SUV aligned itself directly behind him. He had to do something now. If he stopped for the traffic light, armed men would exit the vehicles and make a public display the government would later deny any involvement in. If he continued straight, he’d head right into a trap.
There was only one other option. Still going fifty, he quickly surveyed the area for marked police cars and, not finding any, yanked the steering wheel to the left and crossed the median into oncoming traffic. Horns blared; tires squealed. Jack hit the brakes, turned right to avoid a van, then accelerated again, crossed both lanes of 210 northbound and hit the ramp going the wrong way at forty miles per hour. He took to the shoulder as more horns wailed and traffic swerved out of his way. Once off the ramp safely and on 228, still heading the wrong way, Jack steered his Lincoln to the shoulder, crossed the grassy median that separated eastbound from westbound traffic.
As the car settled into a comfortable speed, Jack checked his mirrors. There was no sign of the black SUVs. He’d lost them. He then noticed how severely his hands trembled and how heavy his heart beat. When he was younger and a field agent, he’d been in a few car chases, but that had been years ago. His adrenaline was used to desk work now, not life-threatening encounters.
Breathing deeply, he decided to head north on 301 rather than south. His pursuers would be expecting him to go south and double back to DC. He’d go north, find a new car, and disappear.
TWENTY-SEVEN
• • •
When Murphy left the room and closed the door, Jed turned to Karen. He needed her input on this; he needed to know where she stood. “Well? What do you think?”
Karen lowered her eyes and stared at her hands. She remained quiet for a few long seconds. Finally she looked up at Jed. “I don’t like this, Jedidiah, but I think you should do it.”
“Why?”
Karen placed her hand over his. “Your country needs you.”
“This country will always need men like me. It doesn’t justify killing the vice president.”
“He’s a traitor,” Karen said. “You heard what he said, what he’s planning. It came from his own mouth.”
“People thought Lincoln was a traitor, that he was going to ruin the country, take it places the forefathers never intended for it to go. What if someone would have assassinated him before the Civil War?”
Karen stared at Jed with serious eyes. “Was Lincoln anything remotely like Hitler?”
She was right, of course. The comparison was nothing short of preposterous.
“Did Lincoln want to control the population? Did he scheme and kill to get into power?” She let her words resonate for a moment. “If what Mr. Murphy says is true, then Connelly is evil and is intent on causing havoc, even committing murder, treason, and worse. The plans he has for this country will make America unrecognizable. There will be another civil war. Millions will die. The nation will be ruined.”
“You sound like Murphy now.”
“Maybe because he’s telling the truth.” She put her other hand on Jed’s and squeezed gently. “Jedidiah, I don’t like this. You know I’d rather run away and live in obscurity the rest of our lives. We tried that. They found us. Maybe this is God’s way of telling you he has something bigger for you. You can’t run from him. Maybe you’re part of his big plan.”
Only Jed didn’t feel like part of any plan, especially not part of God’s plan. Where was God in this place, in this dungeon? Where was God when Lilly was taken from Jed? Where was God in all the scheming, all the lies, the manipulation? “Why me? Why can’t he use someone else? Why can’t he just leave us alone?”
Karen briefly put her hand to Jed’s face and gently turned it toward her. There was something about her eyes, something in them that both troubled him and forced him to listen to her. The last time he saw that look was in the woods behind Roger Abernathy’s cabin, when they were fighting for their lives. “This is what you were born for, Jedidiah. I’m sure of that. All of history hangs in the balance. Connelly needs to be stopped.”
The full impact of what Karen suggested, what the conversation pointed toward, hit him at once and he gasped. “Murphy wants me to kill Connelly.”
“It’s the only way to stop him at this point.”
“But it’s murder.”
“Is it? If he’s planning to assassinate, commit treason, and be the catalyst to millions dying, is it murder or preemptive self-defense?”
“But he hasn’t committed any crime yet, has he?”
“Jedidiah,” Karen said, “conspiring against the president is a crime. Mr. Murphy has proof he’s done that.”
“Then have him arrested. Let the court decide if he’s guilty. Who am I to play judge and jury?”
Karen gave him a doubting look. “Really? Has a president or vice president ever been arrested while in office, ever been convicted of a crime and done jail time? Do you think they never break the law? Of course they do, but they’re immune to the consequences. At worst, Connelly would be impeached and asked to resign, but that wouldn’t stop him from conspiring.” She removed her hands from his and placed them in her lap again. “His plans are certain. They’re already in motion. He won’t stop now.”
This time Jed was quiet. His heart wanted to believe what he’d seen, what Murphy had said, what Karen had attempted to convince him of, but his mind screamed against it. It seemed like the right thing to do, like the only prudent thing to do, but it felt wrong.
Karen touched his hand again. “Jedidiah, regardless of how we both feel about this, there is one other thing.”
Lilly. He knew she was going to say it.
“They have Lilly. You can’t refuse this assignment.”
Now it was Jed’s turn to hold Karen’s hand. “I know.”
• • •
Andrew Murphy entered his office, closed the door, and placed both hands on the desk. He bowed his head and shut his eyes, drew in a deep breath. He’d done his best to convince Patrick. He’d used every tool he could to manipulate the man, but that was all he could do. Patrick’s mind was too strong to seize complete control of. He could persuade, he could manipulate, but he could not control.
Except in one area. He knew Patrick’s one loyalty was to his family. And Andrew held the man’s weak spot. Lilly. She was a cute kid. Intelligent. Insightful.
Andrew slapped his palms against the desk. Things had gotten out of control. Connelly had gotten out of control. He needed to be stopped. Andrew had entertained the thought of having one of his men take out the veep, but it was too risky. He couldn’t have any strings attached to him. If they were, one tug would lead to another and the fabric would begin to unravel. Eventually that loose string would lead back to him. And that was unacceptable.
He needed Patrick because of the man’s abili
ty and because he was invisible and expendable. Outside the CIA and Centralia, the world thought the man was dead. He was a ghost. He was the perfect candidate for the assignment.
So he needed to play the game carefully, push hard enough to bend the man, but not make him snap.
Andrew righted himself and smoothed his hair against his head. He withdrew a handkerchief from his pocket and mopped the sweat from his brow and the back of his neck. It was time to visit Lilly.
• • •
The door to the room opened and Mr. Murphy entered. He looked serious; his eyes were heavy and his mouth drooped at the corners. He closed the door and stood next to it, rubbed his hand over his cheek, then his chin. There was something about the way he looked, the way he moved, that made Lilly uneasy.
“Lilly,” he said, “I want to apologize to you. I need to say I’m sorry.”
“For what Dr. Dragov did?”
“Exactly. I never wanted that to happen. That was never part of the plan. Dr. Dragov can get a little carried away at times, and he did that without my permission. I’m sorry.”
Lilly looked him directly in the eyes. “I forgive you. And Dr. Dragov too.”
Mr. Murphy nodded. “Are you okay?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Now, it’s time to go.”
“Go?”
“We’re moving you. You’re going to go on a little trip. Are you up for that?”
She wasn’t but didn’t think voicing her true feelings would honestly do any good. “Where are we going?”
Mr. Murphy turned the corners of his mouth up into a little smile. “We’ll let you know once we get there. Have you ever been to the beach, though?”
“I think I was there when I was a baby, but I don’t remember it.”
“Well, you’ll remember it this time.” He moved toward her, hands in his pockets.
Lilly recoiled a little and hoped Mr. Murphy hadn’t noticed. She didn’t want him to see any fear in her. “Are you going to put me to sleep again?”
“You didn’t like that, did you?”
“Not really.”
“I’ll see what I can do, okay?”
She paused. “Can I see my mom and dad before we go?”
Mr. Murphy sat on the end of her bed. “Well, here’s the deal. Your dad has something very important to do. He’s a soldier, right?”
“Right. He was in the Army.”
“Yes, he was. Your dad was a hero. A real hero. Even a superhero of sorts. Like Captain America. And now America needs him again. We need a hero, and your dad, well, he needs to be focused. We can’t have him worried about you or your mom while he’s trying to save the country, right?”
Lilly sensed Mr. Murphy was not telling her the whole truth, but she had no other option than to go along with what he said. “I guess.”
He patted her leg. “Good girl. We need you to cooperate. Your dad is under a great amount of pressure, and he needs to be sharp and remain sharp. Be strong for him. He wants to see you, too, of course, so we’re letting him, but we can’t have him distracted. You understand, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“I knew you would. You’re a smart girl, Lilly.”
Lilly didn’t respond to his flattery. It was insincere and manipulative; he couldn’t hide that.
“Now, I have a question for you and I need your best answer. Are you game?”
She shrugged. “Sure.”
“Total honesty, okay?”
Again, “Sure.”
“How do you do it?”
The question caught Lilly by surprise and she looked at Mr. Murphy, searching for further explanation in the expression of his face. “How do I do what?”
“How do you ignore the pain of the electricity? The milliamps that were pushed through you were enough to paralyze a grown man.”
His question was simple; the answer was not so simple. “God held me tight and took the pain for me.” It was the best she could do to explain it to him.
Mr. Murphy frowned. “God, huh?”
She nodded. “God. He takes the pain for me. I didn’t feel anything except a buzzing, like having a bunch of bees in your pocket.”
“Bees.”
Mr. Murphy stood and took a few steps away from the bed. He crossed his arms and watched Lilly from the corner of his eye. “So is there anything else God helps you do?”
“Lots of things.”
“Like what?”
“Like not be afraid, although sometimes I am.”
“Are you afraid now?”
When Mr. Murphy had first entered the room, she had been, but she wasn’t anymore. “No.”
Mr. Murphy put his hand to his mouth as if in deep thought. “‘But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.’ Is that what you’re talking about?”
She was surprised he had quoted the Bible. “Yes.”
He smiled, but it was more devilish than angelic. “So can you perform any other miracles?”
He was mocking her—she knew that but was undaunted by it. “I don’t know.”
Mr. Murphy walked back to the door. “Lilly, you’ll see your dad soon; then we’ll have to leave. And if you’re a good girl, we won’t put you to sleep, okay?”
“Thank you,” she said. “I would like that.”
“Good.” He opened the door but stood in the doorway for a moment. Finally he turned to her as if he was about to say something but only winked at her and left the room, closing the door slowly behind him.
• • •
Jed was escorted to another room, same size, same concrete walls, floor, and ceiling. But this room consisted of not only a table and chair set but a sofa as well. On the sofa sat Lilly, alone, hands folded on her lap. The guard left the room and closed the door behind him.
When Lilly saw Jed, she leaped from the sofa and ran to him, threw herself into his arms. “Daddy!”
Jed hugged her tight and lifted her off the floor. “Baby girl, you’re okay.” She smelled clean and didn’t seem to have lost any weight. At least they were taking care of her. “I’ve missed you so much.”
The two hugged for a long time before Jed finally lowered Lilly to the floor and unwrapped his arms from around her. He knelt before her and pushed hair out of her face, wiped her tears with his thumbs. “Are you okay?”
Lilly nodded. “I miss you and Mom.”
“I know, baby. I know. I’m so sorry about all this.” Now the tears pushed on the backs of Jed’s eyes. It was his fault his dear daughter was in this place. If he’d been more careful, more cautious, he could have prevented this from ever happening.
“No, Daddy, don’t think this is your fault.” As usual, Lilly knew exactly what Jed was thinking. “God is even in this place.”
“I know he is.”
“Do you?”
She saw right through him, saw the doubts, the fears, the questions. He couldn’t hide anything from her. He couldn’t look her in the eyes. “Actually, I’m not sure.”
Lilly lifted her hand and placed it on Jed’s cheek. Her touch was so gentle, so soft, the touch of an angel. “It’s okay, Daddy. I’ve wondered sometimes too. And God doesn’t mind us asking him questions.”
“But we don’t always get answers, do we?”
“Sometimes. But usually not.”
“That’s what I’m struggling with.”
“But that’s how God does it. He lets us ask until we’re all out of questions, and then we just trust him.”
Jed hugged her again. She always said exactly what he needed to hear.
“Are they taking care of you?” Jed asked.
“They have good food here,” Lilly said. “And my bed is pretty comfortable. But I miss you and Mom. When can we go home?”
Tears pooled in Jed’s eyes again. “Soon.”
Lilly looked around the room until her eyes rested on a tiny camera in one of the corners at the ceiling. She glanced at Jed, then at the camera, then fixed her eyes on Jed again. “Mr.
Murphy told me you have to do something. He said you’re like a superhero. Like Captain America.”
Murphy had lied to Lilly. Or at least withheld most of the truth. And he was using her to make the decision easier for Jed. If he could look like a hero in the eyes of his daughter . . . “A superhero, huh? And Captain America at that. Wow, he was always my favorite. Those are big shoes to fill.” He touched the tip of her nose. “But I don’t have a cool shield made out of vibranium like he has.”
She glanced quickly at the camera again. “What do they want you to do?”
“You know—” he touched the tip of her nose—“superheroes aren’t always told what their mission is until it’s time to act. That’s part of being a superhero. You have to be ready for anything.”
She knew he was lying; he could see it in her eyes. But he also knew that she’d know why he lied. The camera. Every move they made was being watched; every word they spoke was being listened to. She smiled at him and touched his face. “God will be with you no matter what it is.”
Her faith was so simple yet complete. Immovable. “I know.” And he believed it this time . . . because she believed it.
“When will I see you again?”
He had no idea. “Soon, baby girl. Soon. Okay?”
She nodded and smiled, but it couldn’t hide the sadness in her eyes. She might have had the faith of an army, but her emotions were still those of a child. But the sadness that Jed found in her eyes was not a childlike sadness. Its depth reached to her soul. She knew something was wrong, really wrong. She saw the turmoil in Jed’s own soul, the sorrow there, the helplessness. She was sad, not for herself, but for him. For his battle, his plight, his recurring nightmare. And Jed nearly buckled under the weight of guilt, seeing his little girl try to heft her father’s burdens. He couldn’t let her take these problems on herself. They required much stronger shoulders.
“I love you, Daddy.” Lilly fell into Jed’s arms again and hugged him tight.
The door to the room opened, and the guard entered silently and stood by the opening.
“I love you, too, baby girl. More than anything. And, Lilly . . .”
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