“I had nothing to do with it,” the voice countered. “Not directly.”
“You really expect me to believe that?” Bennett said. “You obviously know the players. You knew what they were planning. You knew how serious it was going to be. You knew when it was going to happen. You knew where it was going to happen. You knew how to track me down. And you gave me no time to warn anyone. In my book, that makes you part of the conspiracy to commit genocide.”
“I do know the people responsible,” the voice conceded. “And yes, I know what they’re capable of. But they have gone too far. This wasn’t what we had agreed to when I first signed on. What they’re planning is unimaginable. Millions will die. Tens of millions. Believe me, Mr. Bennett, these were merely the appetizers. You don’t want to taste the main course.”
“What is it?”
“Cooperate and I’ll tell you,” the voice said. “But not yet.”
“Why should I cooperate with you?” Bennett demanded. “You’ve just annihilated millions of people. Maybe more.”
“How many more do you want to see killed?” the voice asked.
“If you really want to stop the next attacks, then do it,” Bennett shot back. “Call the U.S. military. Tell them everything. But why get me involved? I’m out of the game. That’s not my world anymore, and you’ve killed everyone I know inside the American government.”
“Not all of them,” the voice said.
“All of them,” Bennett repeated.
“That’s not true, Mr. Bennett, and you know it. You know the new president. You’ve known him for years.”
Bennett immediately tensed. He spun around, scanning the faces in the crowded alleyway by his tent. Was someone watching him? Could this person know that he had just spoken to the president? How? It wasn’t possible. Was it?
“We were never close,” Bennett replied, trying not to lie but walking the line.
“Close enough for my purposes.”
“Which are what?” Bennett asked, his blood pressure rising. “You never answered my question. If you’re really serious, why didn’t you stop these attacks? And why don’t you stop the next ones? Why get me involved?”
“I couldn’t stop these attacks,” the voice insisted, betraying the first trace of emotion thus far. “And the truth is, I can’t stop the next ones either — not by myself, anyway. I need help, which is why I’m talking to you.”
The two were silent for a moment as each sized up the other.
“You believe I’m telling the truth?” the voice finally asked.
“I believe you knew the attacks were coming,” Bennett said cautiously. “Beyond that, the jury’s still out.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
“How do I know you’ll tell me the truth going forward?” Bennett asked.
“You don’t,” he was told. “You’ll have to trust me.”
“I don’t know that I can do that.”
“It’s your only hope to save millions of lives.”
“You’ve given me no proof you can deliver.”
“Look, Mr. Bennett,” the voice said sharply, “you’re either in or out. You’re in no position to negotiate.”
“I’m not trying to negotiate,” Bennett said. “But I need to know what I’m being asked to do and whether I can deliver.”
“If you couldn’t deliver, I wouldn’t waste my time calling you,” he was told.
“Then what do you need?” Bennett asked.
“Five million dollars and seventy-two hours of your life.”
“What? What are you talking about?”
“It’s very simple, Mr. Bennett,” the voice said. “I will e-mail you a Swiss bank account number. You will wire the money today. Then you’ll get on a plane to Bangkok. Alone. If the money clears and I’m convinced you’re alone, my people will meet you at the airport. They’ll bring you to me, and I’ll explain what I need you to do. If you’re not alone, or if I think you’re working with someone…”
“Then what?” Bennett asked.
“Then I’ll keep your money and people will die,” the voice said.
Bennett was incredulous. “You want me to pay for the privilege of risking my life to help you?”
“Mr. Bennett, five million dollars is a small price to pay to save the lives of fifty million; is it not?”
Bennett gasped. Fifty million people? It seemed unimaginable. Or it would have, before all this.
“Pay me the five million and I’ll tell you everything I know,” the voice said.
“If it’s so urgent, why not just tell me now?” Bennett asked.
“We will do this my way, or we won’t do it at all. Look, I will give you everything — a list of everyone involved, what their motives are, where they are based, and what their plans are. But I’m not going to do it over the phone. You and your wife must meet with me face-to-face. You come to Bangkok. My people will find you. They will bring you both to me. And then we will talk. That’s it. That’s the deal. It’s not open for discussion. It’s a simple proposition, Mr. Bennett: save the world or suffer the consequences. Are you in or out?”
Bennett took a deep breath. “There’s been a slight complication since you last called,” he said cautiously.
There was a long pause at the other end of the line.
“What kind of complication?” the voice asked.
“I got a call from the president.”
“Which one?”
“The president of the United States.”
“Oaks?” the voice asked, clearly caught off guard.
“Yes,” Bennett said, trying to figure out how to explain this without making a bad situation worse.
“Why? What did he want?” the voice demanded.
“He’s trying to rebuild his government, and he wants my help.”
“I thought you were out of the game,” the voice said. “You just said so.”
“I had been.”
“But now?”
“Everything’s changed — you changed it,” Bennett said. “I’m supposed to leave in two hours for the U.S. to meet with the president.”
“Where?”
“I have no idea.”
“How are you getting there?” the voice asked. “All flights in and out of the U.S. have been canceled.”
“I don’t know — it’s being arranged,” Bennett said. “That’s all I can say. But look, if you really want to help stop these attacks, forget the money. Tell me what you know. I can talk to the president. I can persuade him to take action. Maybe I could get a deal for you as well. Immunity from prosecution. Witness protection. What do you say?”
The voice laughed. “Forget it, Mr. Bennett. Now I want fifty million.”
“What?” Bennett asked. “Why?”
“Fifty million dollars, Bennett, wired to my account today,” the voice replied. “And you and Erin on a plane to Bangkok — or you get nothing.”
36
For almost a full minute, Bennett said nothing.
“I will talk to the president about the money,” he said at last. “I doubt he will give you that much. But Bangkok isn’t going to happen.”
“I told you, Bennett, this isn’t a negotiation. You and Erin are coming to Bangkok, and that’s final.”
“I’m not coming to Bangkok,” Bennett repeated. “Neither is Erin. It’s out of the question.”
“Are you insane?” the voice shot back. “Do you understand what’s going to happen if you two don’t come?”
“We can’t,” Bennett said firmly. He explained that he had an ailing wife, a baby on the way, a nation in mourning, and a president who had asked for his help. “I’ll do my best to get you the money, but only if you e-mail me everything you know. If you’re really sorry about what’s happened, if you’re really serious about saving lives, then that’s it. That’s the deal. I’m sorry. It’s the best I can do.”