The Devil's Playground

by Michael Reagan

  Ever the politician's wife, Jessica responded as she kissed their daughter.

  "You get this right we will be shoo in for the nomination, Hon," she said referring to the Democratic Party Presidential Nomination. Steve looked dead straight at his wife. He nodded but didn't say anything. In most circumstances a serious candidate never went up against a standing President looking for a second term but his wife's analysis was sound-Parker was there for taking, he concluded whilst already working on his stump speech highlights.

  The hardest conversation Thomas had was with the Mayor as he spoke him in the Russian Consulate located on 1-2-2, Nishi-Midorigaoka, Toyonaka-shi, Osaka-fu in its secure room.

  "For my support I will expect Krivets to acknowledge Russia's right to provide security provision in Turkmenistan," the Mayor had opened before continuing with the rest of his demands for allowing Lavrov to act as peace broker alongside the Governor of California.

  Thomas listened carefully. As expected, the man was laying out a hard bargain. Once the Mayor finished, Thomas played Devil's advocate with him.

  "You need to give Parker a win he can put his hat on, so to speak, Vladimir Vladimirovich."

  "We give the big wins to your friend when he stands for the Democratic nomination," the Mayor said, referring to Krivets before continuing with "Parker holds," he paused. "How do say, Fama?"

  "A weak hand," Thomas responded glumly.

  "That is correct," agreed the Mayor. "But I acknowledge your views. So I will appear to support the continuing presence of U.S. troops in Korea but in return I want Demand Security for our natural resources exports to Europe."

  "You're talking about a whole policy shift for him. He will never agree to that, Vladimir Vladimirovich," Thomas countered.

  The Mayor went silent on him for a moment. Thomas feared that his peace plan was about to fail at the first hurdle.

  "I know he won't," Putin countered. "But it's not the point, Fama-as you say he needs a win!"

  "I don't understand?" queried Thomas.

  The Mayor chuckled and then explained what he really wanted.

  "Our aim is for Russia to control non-Russian and natural gas flow to Europe is it not?" He asked, lecturing Thomas who taking the hint answered with a yes. "So in return for Russia's assistance what I really want is the Americans to allow the SADGAZ bid to build and operate the new pipeline that will carry the Iranian, Afghanistan, and the Persian Gulf's natural gas through Turkmenistan instead of through the proposed U.S. backed Turkey pipeline," he said.

  Thomas's brain clicked into action. "The entire operation in Turkmenistan is a cover," he concluded. "He intends to hold a gun to Europe's head," Thomas thought as he chewed on the information that one of his old rivals from the bad old days of the nineties was about to become his partner again under the stewardship of the Mayor.

  "I understand, Sir," Thomas responded glumly.

  "Good. I will leave you to put your personal touch on the business elements," he ordered firmly, handing Thomas the poisoned chalice. "Now let's turn to your 'friend' Katamaya," the Mayor said, changing the subject. "Tell him that we will make him Russia's new exclusive partner in Japan for all her State Entities and they will give him the exclusive supply contract to Japan that is the same fixed rate equal to that of China and Korea for a period of fifteen years."

  Thomas knew straight away economically that was a hell of good deal for both parties.

  "And we will use the CORETEXAS joint venture agreement he has already put into place as the contracting party," the Mayor continued. "That should give your friend Parker the 'win' he seeks economically," he added.

  "We are rewarding Dowling?" Thomas replied bitterly.

  "Your personal disagreement with Dowling is of no consequence to the interests of Mother Russia," said the Mayor, reprimanding Thomas.

  Thomas fought back the bile in his mouth. "What was using assassination attempt on me to affect a regime change in Turkmenistan if it wasn't that then!" he thought but nevertheless wisely kept his council.

  "That will still require O's approval," Thomas instead countered, knowing that such an offer did indeed give Parker something to lay his hat on and it was likely O would be happy with the deal as it guaranteed his National Agency fixed income for the next fifteen years.

  "Tell him it is the price of peace," countered the Mayor in no mood to be diverted from his path and shutting down the conversation.

  Thomas acknowledged the instruction with a simple "I understand." He then went through the other parts of the multi-faceted peace plan that the Mayor would be expected give up in exchange for supporting Krivets, the U.S. advocate in Beijing. Something Rob, Mikhail, and he had cobbled together in the restaurant the night before. A package consisting of ending the bickering over the ABM systems (Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems), agreeing to work on a new policy for Syria and Iraq, and the ban on adoption of children from Russia by American families being lifted. Each one pretty worthless in the scheme of things but nevertheless a useful media spin to make it seem that Parker had made a new friend in Putin.

  "That sounds acceptable," responded the Mayor.

  The Mayor then asked him whom from the Iron Triangle would he use to be their chosen instrument politically.

  "I have no idea at the moment," Thomas answered truthfully.

  The Mayor went silent for a few seconds then said, "Whoever it is, the Prime Minister will consider him a traitor. From what Sergey Viktorovich tells me, from the conversations he has had with him over the last few days he sounds like a miniature version of Tojo from 1930s." The Mayor was referring to Lavrov and the Imperialist and expansionist Prime Minister of pre-war Japan. "You will be a marked man," he concluded. "I will instruct Alexei Nikolai to send you a team from Zaslon for your protection," he said, referring to the Head of the SVR.

  Thomas thanked the Mayor again, as he wasn't going to turn down a Special Forces Unit providing backup to Mikhail and him in a hostile country.

  "Who is acting as Parker's conduit?"

  "Robin Ashley," Thomas answered quickly.

  "Excellent. He is a good man and knows the SADGAZ deal well," he said with authority.

  It was Thomas's turn to finally offer a wry smile after forty-five minutes of essentially a one-way conversation with the Mayor.

  "He still has no idea Rob is CIA!" Thomas surmised, finding the thought amusing.

  Rob chuckled when Thomas outlined the Mayor's terms to him.

  "Vadim Tirom will think all his Christmases have all come early!" he said, referring to the Moldovan Russian who was the owner of SADGAZ.

  "He has no idea, does he?" Rob suddenly asked Thomas.

  "What? That you work for the Agency?" Thomas queried in return guessing what Rob was talking about. "None whatsoever," he acknowledged with a smile putting his hand on his shoulder affectionately.

  "I never asked you why you have never told him?" asked Rob.

  Thomas looked at his friend for a moment.

  "The line between good and evil is drawn, not between nations or parties, but through every human heart," Thomas said without hesitation as a way of an explanation.

  "Dostoevsky," Rob said, knowing straight away whom Thomas was quoting.

  "Like you said, men like us have a duty to use our influence to protect the world." Thomas added, "That is why I have not shared with him who you really work for."

  Rob looked at him for moment.

  "You sure it's not one of Dostoevsky's other quotes?" he asked.

  "Which one is that?" asked Mikhail joining in the conversation.

  "People really do like seeing their best friends humiliated; a large part of the friendship is based on humiliation; and that is an old truth, well known to all intelligent people."

  Mikhail released a loud belly laugh. Thomas gave a wry smile.

  "The Mayor is no friend of mine!" he then said dismissively. "Now take the bloody phone and call your President!" he ordered, handling him the CODEX phone on the
table shaking his head and ignoring the continuing laughter and taunting of Mikhail who agreed one hundred percent with Rob's assessment.

  "Rob is too clever for his own good. It will get him killed one day," Thomas thought.

  The President listened to the outline of Rob Ashley on the squawk box with Dunross and Ali in his private office in the POEC.

  The deal he was about to make would change the map of Asia forever. It weighed heavily on his mind. Nevertheless the political animal in Parker recognized it was a good one in the circumstances. Better even than he had expected and certainly less punitive than he would have demanded in the same position. He wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

  "Mike, who's bidding on the Iranian pipeline?" he asked Dunross.

  "Mitch Beaufort."

  "Shit, he's been one of our biggest donors!" Parker answered. With the loss of Dowling's money that would result from him having to do his duty he was now about to lose another potential source of money that he would need for his reelection.

  The voice the other end picked on the mood straight away.

  "Litchfield will ensure that his friends cover any loss of funds, Mr. President," said Rob.

  "That's a lot of change not to mention a potentially a hot potato," countered Dunross referring to the press potentially finding out that a bunch of Russian oligarchs were financing the President's reelection and the fallout that would no doubt follow if they did.

  The President though was only interested in the here and now. He looked at Ali for a second and could tell by the look on the loyal public servant's