“Berenelov is at his villa in the country. He didn’t go with Deniken.”
“You think he’s a target?” Abram asked.
“If Kulagin intends to move against Deniken then Berenelov has to be neutralized,” Yuri said softly.
“I don’t like the way you said neutralized,” Abram said.
“I don’t either so we need to move but we have to do it very cautiously,” Yuri said.
“When?” Pavel asked.
“Tonight.”
“How?” Abram asked.
“I have your instructions written down. We can’t leave Moscow together. We’ll meet up again out of the city and proceed to the target,” Yuri said.
“See you tonight,” Pavel said as he and Abram left the office. When they were gone Yuri cleaned his .38. He preferred it to a larger gun for the simplicity and ease of concealment. He packed a small duffel bag then sat down and wrote a note to his wife explaining why he wouldn’t be coming home again. He gave it to Catherine with instructions to deliver it to his wife if he should be killed. He then told her good-bye and left.
CHAPTER TWO
The White House in Washington D.C. is home to the President and his/her family. It was completed in 1800 and has been the residence of the President from John Adams until today. George Washington selected the site for the White House but never actually lived there. It has undergone many additions and restorations over the years and today it covers 55,000 square feet with 132 rooms including 35 bathrooms, 412 doors, 147 windows, 28 fireplaces, 8 staircases and 3 elevators. It covers 18 acres and is 70 feet high, 170 wide and 85 feet deep. Inside on a daily basis is a flurry of activity as dozens of White House staffers work feverishly for the President. On this day there is rapid movement and a hundred things are being done to prepare for the President’s trip to The Ukraine.
“Ma’am, we have everything you asked for packed and ready to go,” Bonnie Fletcher said out of breath as she spoke with President Lexington in the Oval Office. She’d been on the run since six am making sure everything was perfect for the trip.
“That’s fine, Bonnie, but you need to relax, it’s just a trip abroad. It’s not that big a deal.”
“Ma’am, this is a crucial meeting between Russia and the United States. It is a big deal.”
“If you say so.”
“Ma’am…”
“Bonnie, I get it. It’s important but I’m not one to get flustered over things.”
“Yes, Ma’am.” Bonnie was the President’s personal assistant. It was Bonnie who saw that the President was ready for meetings, ready for lunch, ready to meet with congressional people and finally ready for bed. Bonnie’s residence was in the White House. She’d been an aide to the President when she was Governor of Maine. Ellen had brought her along to Washington because quite frankly she’d be lost without Bonnie.
“Madam President, we have a problem,” Kent Bridger said as he stuck his head into the Oval Office. He was the press secretary and was responsible for projecting the right image for the public to see and hear.
“What is it, Kent?” She said not looking up from her desk where she was reading something.
“Senator Miles wants to ride on Air Force One.”
“Well, he can’t. He was told months ago that his place was on the second plane with the baggage.”
“He won’t be happy.”
“He’s never happy, all he does is whine about one thing or another.”
“I’ll tell him, Ma’am.” Kent started to leave.
“Kent, tell him nicely and praise him for his service. He likes to be petted as much as my Boston terrier.” Kent smiled.
“Yes, Ma’am.”
“Ma’am, can I interrupt?” Appointments secretary Carmen Hernandez asked as she poked her head into the office.
“There’s nothing to interrupt, Carmen, come on in and have a seat.”
“You have a visitor.” Ellen cringed because she thought she knew who it was.
“Who?”
“Valerie Jensen.”
“Oh, God, not again. She does know that this is my office and not hers.”
“I hope so, Ma’am.”
“Send her in,” Ellen said with a sigh.”
“You can see the President now, Madam Speaker.” Valerie Jensen was the Speak of the House and thus had a very powerful position in the government. She projected herself as all powerful and that was her way. She was a self-appointed megalomaniac and didn’t care who knew it.
“Hello, Madam President,” Valerie said as she strutted into the room. She was fifty and had worked her way up to Speaker after twenty-four years in the house. She was ruthless, ambitious, an egomaniac and the wrong person to alienate. Ellen didn’t like her… no one liked her but they respected her power. Ellen, Valerie and Charley Miles were all Republicans but they didn’t see eye to eye on much of anything.
“Come in, Valerie.” There was a professional courtesy that they showed each other but nothing approaching friendship or even mutual respect.
“I read the itinerary.”
“And,” Ellen said as she waited for Valerie’s latest complaint.
“Where am I on the program?”
“An interested visitor.”
“Why am I not giving a speech?”
“Because it’s a meeting between the two chief executives.”
“But surely my position of power in the congress merits some recognition.”
“And we recognize you every day, Valerie, for your service and dedication.”
“Cut the crap, Ellen, we all know how you got here.”
“Yes, we do, Valerie, as you never tire of reminding me and the rest of the country.” Ellen had been the running mate of Amos Clark. He was a Republican Senator from Indiana, a hard-core conservative. He needed a balance and he chose the progressive governor of Maine, Ellen Lexington. They barely saw one another during the campaign as there was a mutual distrust. After the election they saw less of each other. She was invited to one state dinner during the two plus years she was vice-president and she was never in the Oval Office while Amos Clark was President. He died of a heart attack after two years and one month in office. Suddenly the one term governor from Maine was President. Not surprisingly, the press dubbed her “Her Accidency.”
“Just reminding you.”
“As you do frequently.”
“Yes, because I think the U.S. should be represented by someone with experience, a track record of success and a series of election victories on their own.”
“I see, well, that’s quite a clever argument but I am the President. However, it happened I am the chief executive and you are not so, no you won’t give a speech,” Ellen pronounced and Valerie stood up fuming.
“You’ll regret this.”
“I have no doubt but the issue is settled. You’ll be glad to know that you can still ride on Air Force One if you like.”
“Good at least there’ll be someone on board who deserves to be there.”
“Good-bye, Valerie.” The Speaker left in a hurry and Ellen sat down at her desk.
“Trent would like a word, Ma’am,” Carmen said. Trent Wilson was the head of the White House Secret Service detail.
“Send him in, Carmen.”
“Ma’am, I don’t like the arrangements at the meeting in Kerch. There are too many people around and we won’t have a large enough presence. I don’t trust your security to foreign protection.”
“We’re limited to the number of secret service people we can bring. That was part of the agreement.”
“I know that Ma’am, but I’m worried. There are renegade elements in Russia and we’re just across the border and to add to it, the feeling in the Eastern Ukraine is very pro-Russian.”