Rapp ascended the steps to the roar of the crowd and the angry one-eyed stare of the auctioneer. He told himself that his decision had been tactical-that this woman had guts, local knowledge, and no love for ISIS. But was that all of it? Or were the years starting to make him soft? Did he really believe she could help him or did he just not want to stand there and watch her burn?
When he closed to within a few feet, the men holding her let go. She didn’t try to escape but instead charged him, swinging red-painted nails toward Rapp’s damaged face. He grabbed her by the throat, stopping her with a violent jerk. She continued to fight, trying futilely to get to him as he increased the pressure around her neck. Finally, she blacked out and crumpled to the ground.
Rapp scooped her into a fireman’s carry and walked offstage, to the noisy approval of his audience.
CHAPTER 34
WALTER REED MEDICAL CENTER
BETHESDA, MARYLAND
U.S.A.
IRENE Kennedy pushed her reading glasses onto her head and looked at the walls of the hospital break room. The space had been swept for listening devices and she had her secure laptop, but there was still only so much she could do from Bethesda. As desirable as it was to stay close to Scott Coleman, she needed to get back to Langley.
A quiet knock sounded on the door and a moment later Mike Nash poked his head in. “You have a minute, Irene?”
Nash had recently turned forty, but there was little sign of it. The former Marine had been understandably angry when Mitch Rapp had ended his ops career. Since then, though, he’d come to terms with his new life and was performing admirably in his role as one of her top executives.
With no real need for physical speed or endurance anymore, he’d gained a fair amount of weight-every ounce of it muscle. The primary purpose of the new physique was to stabilize the damage his spine had suffered in an explosion in Afghanistan. It had the additional benefit of making him even more physically attractive, which, combined with his natural charm, made him quite popular on Capitol Hill. Even the most odious members of Congress never missed an opportunity to slap Nash on the back and get their photo taken with a bona fide American hero.
Increasingly, Kennedy found herself begging off political meetings and sending him in her place. As good as he’d been at ops, he was even better at handling the egos in Washington-an activity that she found more difficult every year.
“What news do we have on Mitch?” she asked.
“None,” he said, taking a seat directly across the table from her.
“What do you mean, none? We must-”
“I mean none. Winds across the region are kicking up and we lost the vehicle he was being transported in when visibility went to shit.”
“What about informants?”
“We’re afraid to use the few we have. We don’t want anyone asking questions about Eric Jesem. People might start paying too much attention to him.”
Kennedy took a deep breath to obscure her anger at the lack of progress. She’d already been too hard on Joe Maslick. He’d contacted the Agency in time for them to get surveillance in the air, but there had been nothing else he could do. Even her own ability to insinuate herself into Rapp’s plans was spotty. Particularly when he went completely insane and decided to go alone and injured into ISIS territory.
“What about the man who attacked Scott?”
“I have better news on that front,” Nash said, tapping the briefcase he’d placed on the floor next to him. “We’ve got some solid suspects and our people are working to flesh them out.”
His tone was typically upbeat but his face was etched deep with worry. While he and Rapp had suffered more than their share of conflict over the years, they were still close. And Scott Coleman was probably the best friend Nash had. Fortunately, she, too, had some good news.
“I’m told that Scott’s fighting off the infection.”
Nash’s eyebrows rose perceptibly, but he had learned over the years to be cautious with his optimism. “So… there’s a chance? He could make it?”
“Actually, he’s awake.”
Nash ran a hand over his mouth, wiping away the sweat that was glistening over his lip. “Can I see him?”
Kennedy stood. “I think that can be arranged. But we’ve been warned not to upset him. He’s extremely weak and very lucky to be alive.”
Nash bolted for the door, but then managed to stop long enough to hold it open for her. She had to admit that despite the fact that everything else was falling apart, being the bearer of good tidings was a real pleasure. It was an unusual role for someone in her position.
• • •
Nash stood a few feet from the glass, taking a moment to adjust to the reality of the man on the other side. Coleman was propped in his hospital bed with bandages covering most of his head and half his face. One of his arms contained multiple IV needles and the other was immobilized in an elaborate harness. His heavily bandaged leg was elevated in a sling and there was a drain tube inserted between his ribs.
His eyes were open, though. Fixed on a sunny window with a thousand-mile stare.
Finally, Nash gave his head a violent shake, squared his shoulders, and pushed through the door.
“How’s the taxpayer-funded vacation going?”
Coleman turned his head carefully, tracking Nash as he dropped into an overstuffed chair.
“It’s going okay, asshole.”
Kennedy entered and took the only other seat. “How are you, Scott?”
“You tell me.”
His voice sounded strange, something that could only partially be explained by the recent removal of his breathing tube. Beneath the hoarseness was a mix of emotions the former SEAL was normally immune to: anger, disappointment, embarrassment. Kennedy knew that he was questioning his abilities, telling himself that he’d let his team down. It was all complete nonsense, of course, but she’d learned that it was unavoidable nonsense in men like him.
“The doctors tell me it’s going to be a long, difficult process, but that you’re going to make a full recovery.”
Not really a lie, but a statement dressed up with a fair amount of positive spin.
“Did we get the nuke?”
“Yeah,” Nash said. “We even flew it back here and let Craig tear it apart. Got a lot of good intel.”
“Where’s Mitch?”
“He and Mas had to take the warhead back. The Pakistanis were getting their panties bunched up about us having it.”
They would say nothing about Rapp’s current status, the missing fissile material, or the other compromised nukes. Until Coleman was in far better condition, the message was that the operation had been a complete success.
“And the guy who did this to me?” he said, shifting his gaze back to the window.
“We don’t have to talk about that now, buddy. It can wait.”
“Do you know who he is?”
Nash glanced at Kennedy, who nodded subtly. If Coleman felt up to it, they needed his help.
“We’ve been spitballing a few ideas. You want to take a look?”
“Yeah,” came the expected reply.
“Do you remember his face?” Kennedy asked.
Coleman went deathly still for a moment. “I remember.”
Nash pulled a tablet from his briefcase, arranging the photos of nine men on screen before carrying it to his injured friend.
“You think it’s one of them?” Coleman asked.
“Maybe. There aren’t that many choices based on the description of…” Nash’s voice faltered for a moment. “You know. Of what happened.”
“You mean me getting my ass kicked like I was from the fucking typing pool?”
Nash let out a long breath. “No one blames you for this, Scott. Not me, not Mas, and most of all, not Mitch.”
Coleman wasn’t buying. “Maybe it would have been different if it had been you out there.”
“Yeah, I’d be dead. Look, Scott. I was a good soldier. But as much as I hate to say it out loud, I wasn’t as good as you. So let’s forget all this bullshit, okay?”