So now the deal was on the table. All she had to do was go upstairs and fulfill her side of a civilized, adult transaction. All her years of experience, and his own calm assessment of the situation, suggested that Ponti would prove an adept, experienced lover. He would not be grudging or ungenerous. If the night went well and he was a regular visitor to the city, he might very well suggest a more regular arrangement. Her financial security would be assured, and with it Carver’s treatment. As these arrangements went, it would be as good as she could possibly expect.
And that was what made her realize that she simply could not go through with it. She couldn’t fool herself anymore. Even more important, she couldn’t save Carver on those terms. She tried to imagine what he would think if he knew what she was doing. Would he tell her to go ahead?
The question was no sooner asked than answered.
She left the bar, picked up her coat from the cloakroom, and walked from the hotel, feeling utterly deflated.
All her newfound confidence had disappeared, leaving her even more bereft than before. She had tried to determine her own future, and save the man she loved, but her efforts had been futile. Her defeat was absolute.
18
The years since Waylon McCabe’s fall from the sky had treated him well. His image had been transformed by his religious conversion. Gone were the accusations of brutal business practices, political corruption, and environmental vandalism. Now McCabe was hailed as a philanthropist, donor to a billion-dollar charitable endowment, and a man of profound religious principles. In the official report, compiled by Canada ’s Civil Aviation board, the crash had been classified as an accident. But McCabe didn’t believe that for one second. Someone had been out to get him, and they’d damn near succeeded.
If he had to put money on it, he’d bet it was that mechanic-LUNDIN was the name on his badge-coming into the airport lounge, practically begging him to get on that plane. He’d been up to Inuvik plenty of times, but he’d never seen that mechanic before. Probably never see him again, either, which was a pity.
He’d have liked to shake the man’s hand.
Recently, however, things had changed. Now he wasn’t feeling quite so charitable. A shadow had fallen over his life, casting him in a darkness that filled him with dread. Just thinking about it made his heart pound and his mind panic. He was glad of the distraction when he heard the knock on the door. By the time he opened it to greet Kurt Vermulen, McCabe was back in control, displaying no signs of unease, his usual, impregnable self once again.
He motioned Vermulen to sit down and poured him a whiskey. Then he served himself and relaxed into the chair opposite. As he sat, his trouser legs rode up to reveal the ornate leatherwork on his five-thousand-dollar custom-made black boots from Tex Robin of Abilene. His suit might come from some fancy tailor in New York City, but his boots were pure Texas.
“So, you think this al-Qaeda is a real threat?” McCabe asked, opening the conversation.
Vermulen nodded. “I think it constitutes a clear and present danger to the security of the United States and our allies, yes.”
McCabe had been born-again for five years now, but he had never stopped thinking like a businessman. He still saw the world in terms of transactions.
“So why don’t we sit down with them, figure out what they want, try to make a deal?” he asked.
“There is no deal to be made,” said Vermulen, with absolute certainty. “They aren’t interested in negotiations. You can’t reason with them, can’t appease them or change their minds. They know what they want and they won’t settle for anything less.”
“And that is…?”
Vermulen had the list hardwired: “The removal of all U.S. troops from Saudi soil, the destruction of Israel, the toppling of all Middle Eastern governments with friendly ties to the West, and the setting up of a global Muslim state governed by Muslim religious law. They call it the Caliphate.”
“These people must have a leader,” said McCabe. “Who is he, what’s he like?”
“They call him the Sheikh.” Vermulen swirled the whiskey in his glass, contemplating the patterns of light shining through it as he collected his thoughts.
“When I knew him, back in Peshawar, he was about thirty, still a young man. He had dark hair, a thick beard. He was tall and very slim-very rich, too, a sophisticated, educated guy, with relatives who are living, right now, right here in the States. But he dressed in simple robes and barely ate anything: A loaf of unleavened bread, some yogurt, and a handful of rice-that was like a feast. His people knew that if they were going hungry, so was he. He’s an inspirational orator, a natural commander, strong and fearless in combat. I mean, I believe he’s evil, all right, but I’ve got to tell you, this is one impressive individual.”
McCabe’s face gave nothing away. Inside, though, he was exultant. His instinct had been right: Vermulen was describing the Antichrist. The prophecies were coming true. A path was lighting up before him, a route to salvation and immortality.
“Let me get this straight,” he said. “This Sheikh has a personal army. He can bend people to his will, he wants to destroy the Jews, he hates Christianity, and he aims to see the rule of Allah across the world. Is that what you’re saying?”
“That would be a fair summary. You see, to a devout Muslim, the earth is divided in two. First, there’s the Muslim world, where they can pursue their religion in safety and follow Islamic law. They call that Dar al-Islam, which means the House of Peace. The rest of the world, that’s Dar al-Harb, the House of War. And the radical, fundamentalist Islamic scholars maintain that those who live in the House of War have no right to live. In fact, it’s a religious duty to kill them. And what they mean by that is, kill us, Americans.”
“But you’ve tried to warn people…”
“As much as I can. I speak to contacts in Washington, the people I do business with every day. I just lay out the evidence, Mr. McCabe. Try to persuade them to see things the way I do.”
“It ain’t workin’, though, is it, General? You’re tryin’ to make your case, but you don’t have enough to convince the jury.”
Vermulen grimaced. “Seems like it.”
McCabe gave a sympathetic shrug, drawing Vermulen in, painting himself as the ally he needed.
“Well, I guess that’s their problem, ’cause you sure convinced me. I can feel that war comin’, and I want to help you raise the alarm. But you’d better think about how you’re gonna make folks come around to your point of view. I mean, if you can’t find the evidence you need, you’re gonna have to go right ahead and create some. Wouldn’t be the first time. Johnson did it with the Gulf of Tonkin, draggin’ us into Vietnam. Hell, I’m old enough to remember when Roosevelt did it at Pearl Harbor.”
“I don’t think that was anything other than enemy action.”
“Whatever you say, General, but plenty of folks say otherwise. Fact remains, you need a Pearl Harbor of your own, somethin’ spectacular, a moment of revelation that’s gonna make the whole world sit up and focus on the threat we face.”
McCabe was focusing the entire weight of his personality on Vermulen, bringing to bear all the persuasive, almost seductive powers of negotiation acquired over a lifetime of buying low, selling high, and always coming out on the right side of the deal.
“You know, General, you’ve got me thinkin’-heck, you’ve inspired me. We’re gonna do somethin’ great, you an’ me, and I’ll tell you when it’s gonna happen: Easter Sunday, the day we celebrate the conquest of evil and death. If you’re lookin’ for a time to strike back at the Antichrist, go ahead and name me a better one.”