“Thanks,” Hood said.
Ann’s eyes held him for a long moment. “I’m sorry for what you and your family are going through, Paul. But you’ve done an amazing job here, and I’m glad you’re back.”
“It’s good to be back,” Paul admitted. “I think that frustrated me more than anything else.”
“What did?” she asked.
“Not being able to finish the work I started,” he said. “It may sound corny, but the teamwork of exceptional men and women built this nation. Op-Center is a part of that tradition. We have a great team here doing important work, and I hated leaving that.”
Ann continued to look at him. She seemed to want to say something more but didn’t. She stepped back from the desk.
“Well, I’ve got to get to work on the press release,” she said. “Do you want me to say anything about the situation with Sharon?”
“No,” Hood said. “If anyone wants to know, tell them. Otherwise, just say I had a change of heart.”
“That’s going to make you sound wishy-washy,” she said.
“What the Washington Post thinks isn’t going to affect my job performance,” he said.
“Maybe not now,” Ann said. “But it might if you ever decide to run for public office again.”
Hood looked at her. “Good point,” he said.
“Why don’t we tell them that the president asked you to return?” she said.
“Because he didn’t,” Hood said.
“You two had a private meeting when you came back from New York,” she said. “He won’t deny asking you to return. It shows loyalty on his part. Everyone benefits.”
“But it isn’t true,” Hood said.
“Then let’s just say this,” Ann said. “After meeting with the president, you decided to reconsider your resignation. That’s true.”
“You really want to get the president in there.”
“Whenever I can,” Ann said. “It gives us weight.”
“Weight?” Hood said. “You mean suction.”
Excuse me?”
“Nick Grillo said that the word-de-jour is suction.”
“Actually, that’s not quite right,” Ann informed him. “Weight is when someone has credibility. Suction is when they have considerable influence. There’s a difference.”
“I see,” Hood said. They smiled at each other. Hood looked away. “I’d better get to work,” he said. “There’s a lot of catching up to do.”
“I’m sure,” Ann said. “I’ll e-mail you a copy of the press release before it goes out.”
“Thanks again,” Hood said. “For everything.”
“Sure.” Ann hesitated. She looked at Hood for a long moment more and then left.
Hood turned to the computer monitor on his right. He did not want to watch Ann go. Ann Farris was a beautiful, intelligent, very sexual woman. For the five years they had known each other, they had flirted, she more openly than he. Now that Hood was going to be single, he felt uneasy about continuing the game. There was no longer someone between them. Flirting no longer felt like a game.
But Hood did not have time to think about that now. There was a lot to do. He had to review the daily briefings that had gone to Mike Rodgers during the past week, which included intelligence data collected from around the world as well as ongoing covert operations. He also had to look at reports from the rest of the staff and have a glance at the schedule for the upcoming week before he went to see the First Lady. He noticed that Rodgers was going to be interviewing the final candidates to replace Martha Mackall, the political liaison who had been assassinated in Spain, as well as candidates for the new post of economic adviser. With more and more nations linked together financially—“Siamese megatuplets” was how Lowell Coffey had put it — poli — tics was becoming a troublesome sideshow to the force that really drove the world.
Hood decided to let Mike make those hires. Not only had he started the process, but Hood was going to be too busy with everything else. But with all that was going on, one thing remained true.
Paul Hood loved this work, this place.
It was good to be back.
EIGHT
Azerbaijan is a nation in flux.
Because of political conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, twenty percent of the country — mostly in the southwest, along the borders with Armenia and Iran — are occupied by rebel forces. Though a cease-fire has been observed since 1994, firefights occur with some regularity. Privately, diplomats fear that the self-proclaimed Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh will become the next Kosovo. Protests, often violent, erupt in Baku and other cities without warning. Some of them pertain to politics, others to general unrest. Since the breakup of the Soviet Union, there has been an extreme shortage of staples such as medical supplies, produce, and new technology. Cash — preferably U.S. dollars — is the only form of exchange recognized in most areas of the country, including the capital.
The United States has managed to openly support the legitimate government of Azerbaijan without alienating the powerful insurgent forces. Loans have been granted to Baku, while goods have been sold directly to “the people”—primarily the rebels. In the event of widespread revolt, the United States wants to have open lines of communication on both sides.
Maintaining that balance is the primary task of the small American embassy. Since March 1993, the fifteen employees and ten marine guards have operated from a small stone building at 83 Azadlig Prospect. In the back of that building, in a windowless, wood-paneled room, is the Department of News Services. Unlike the small press department, which issues news releases and arranges for interviews and photo ops with U.S. congress-men, senators, and other government leaders, officially the job of the DNS is to collect news clippings from around Russia and keep them on file for reference.
Officially.
In fact, the DNS is staffed by one CIA operative who gathers intelligence from around the nation. Most of the information comes from electronic surveillance that is conducted both from the office via satellite and from vans. Some of it comes from personnel who are paid to watch, listen to, and photograph government officials — sometimes in compromising situations. Some of those situations are also arranged by the DNS.
Because he was hurt, David Battat did not want to attempt returning to Moscow. Instead, he made his way to the embassy on foot. He was taken to see Deputy Ambassador Dorothy Williamson, who brought in Senior Researcher Tom Moore. Williamson was a large woman with curly black hair. Battat guessed her to be about forty. Moore was a lean giant in his thirties with a long, gaunt face and a lugubrious expression. If Battat had to be stranded in Baku, his expression would be gloomy as well.
Williamson’s aide was a smart veteran named Ron Friday. He was the only one who gave Battat an encouraging smile. Battat appreciated that.
While Battat gave Moore a quick rundown on what had happened, Williamson had the Marine medic take a look at Battat’s wounds. There was swelling in his throat and traces of blood in his saliva, though the damage did not appear to be serious. When the medic was finished with him, Battat was taken to the DNS room. He was given privacy while he called Moscow. He spoke to Pat Thomas, the assistant director of public information at the embassy. Thomas was also an OTR — off the record — field director for the CIA. That meant there was no record of him at agency headquarters. His reports were delivered directly to Washington in the diplomatic pouch.
Thomas did not take the news well. If Battat had succeeded in identifying the Harpooner, Thomas would have been a hero. Instead, he would have to explain to his counterpart in Baku and his superior in Washington how they had managed to blow the relatively simple job of surveillance.