Alexei sipped his vodka. The first thing was to make sure the president learned of Volkov's recklessness. It required a careful approach.
Orlov was well aware of the rivalry between the directors of the two services and encouraged it. It was important he didn't think Alexei was simply undercutting his rival. Volkov would try to make it look as though what he'd tried to do in Egypt was something Alexei should have done instead. He would say his agent had been killed in heroic service to the Motherland.
Orlov likes heroes. I can't do anything about that. But heroic deaths for no purpose are not what he wants to hear about.
Alexei needed to discredit Volkov's decision to go after the Americans. He had to plant doubt about Volkov's competence and at the same time sow a seed of suspicion.
There hadn't been enough time for Orlov to achieve complete control since the coup that had brought him to power. The military and the oligarchs could still remove him if they wished. As long as the oligarchs prospered and as long as Orlov kept the generals happy, his position was secure.
The history of Russia was an endless narrative of plots, conspiracy and murder. The times were modern, but the Russian penchant for treachery was the same as it had been when the country was ruled by Ivan the Terrible. Power in Russia went hand-in-hand with suspicion and paranoia. If Orlov suspected Volkov was plotting to set himself up as a rival for the presidential chair, it wouldn't be long before the FSB director ceased to be a problem.
Alexei took a drink. He could use what he knew about Volkov's private behaviors to go after him. Or it might be better to let Orlov's paranoia reach the conclusion Alexei wanted.
He knew how to plant the thought. It was no secret Volkov favored reestablishing the old KGB. One intelligence and security service. One director in charge of everything. Alexei understood Volkov's ambition well because he wanted the same thing, with himself as director. Supposedly the breakup of the KGB had been a move to increase efficiency. In reality, the purpose was to prevent any one man from having too much power.
Alexei would show Orlov that Volkov's adventure in Egypt was less of a patriotic effort than it was an intelligence blunder founded on ambition. He would plant the seed of suspicion that would lead to his rival's destruction.
It was a game that could have only one winner.
Alexei poured himself another drink.
CHAPTER 28
Elizabeth's day started with another blast from the tabloids about her so-called affair with Hood. She wasn't in the best of moods. The team had assembled in her office.
"What were you thinking?" Elizabeth said. "I had to call in a hell of a favor to get that sub tasked to you. You're lucky she was in the area."
"I didn't have a choice, Director. They had Selena and were about to disappear. I yelled, one of them drew on me, I shot him. What else was I supposed to do?"
Elizabeth's pen beat a tattoo on her desk.
"The Egyptians are pissed."
"What else is new?" Ronnie said. "They're always pissed, like everybody else over there."
Elizabeth gave him one of her looks. This one said you'd better keep quiet.
"I've used up my last chips with the Pentagon," she said. "The president wants to know why one of our submarines had to be diverted. What do you think I should tell him, Nick?"
"Tell him the truth. We were looking for a new energy source with implications for national security. The Russians didn't want us to find it and sent people to stop us. They called the shots, not us. Just don't tell him about Atlantis. That might be more information than he needs to know at this point."
The pen stopped tapping.
"Really? You don't think I should tell the president about Atlantis? That this energy source may or may not be nothing more than a legend? That we want to go looking for records that may or may not exist under thousands of feet of water? Why wouldn't I want to tell him that?"
The tips of Elizabeth's ears were turning red, a danger sign. Nick said nothing.
"Nothing more to say?"
"No."
"I didn't think so."
"It's more than a legend," Selena said.
Harker turned to her. "This better be good."
"I have pictures of the inscriptions in the Egyptian Temple. I polished up the translation during the flight home. Atlantis isn't a myth. Now that we have an idea where to look, we can pinpoint it exactly. There must still be ruins. They'll show up on a scan of the ocean floor."
Elizabeth took a deep breath, making an effort to calm herself.
"How deep?"
"It depends on where it is. The average depth of the Atlantic is about 11,000 feet but there are plenty of places where it's a lot shallower."
"How are we supposed to get to it once we know where it is? The Navy isn't going to loan me one of their research vessels. Not after sending the sub."
"We don't need the Navy," Selena said. "We can search for the stone without them. If we find what we're looking for, the Pentagon will give you a submarine and anything else you want. You'll have lots of new chips to play with."
"What do you mean?"
Selena told Elizabeth about her friend with the deep-sea exploration gear.
"I already talked with him," she said. "He's off the coast of Egypt right now, exploring the ruins of Heracleion. He's willing to work with us."
Elizabeth was getting angry again. "Do I need to remind you this mission is classified?"
"I didn't tell him what we we're looking for. Only enough to get him interested. As far as that goes, he used to be a SEAL, an intelligence officer. He has to have a high security clearance. It shouldn't be hard to read him in on a limited basis."
"I suppose you have an idea about how I'm supposed to pay for this?"
"You don't have to. I will."
Elizabeth looked at her in surprise. "Why would you do that?"
"Because I can. Because if I didn't do it, I'd regret it for the rest of my life."
"I can't permit you to do that."
"You're not giving me much of a choice."
"What do you mean?"
"If you don't give me permission, I'll resign and do it on my own."
"You can't be serious."
Selena looked at her, her expression set.
Oh, shit, Nick thought.
CHAPTER 29
Vladimir Orlov sat at his official desk in the Kremlin Senate building, reading reports. Generals Vysotsky and Volkov stood in front of the desk, waiting. Minutes dragged by as Orlov continued turning pages. Finally, he looked up at them.
"General Volkov. You are aware of the current negotiations with Egypt."
"Yes, Mister President."
Orlov's voice was calm, without emotion. It was in moments like this that you didn't want to be the object of his attention. Vysotsky's outer appearance was impassive. Inside, he was grinning.
"The sale of those arms is a matter of highest priority. Negotiations are now in serious jeopardy because of your actions. Please explain yourself."
"Yes, Mister President. The Americans are looking for something they learned about from one of our senior researchers, a traitor. I sent operatives to observe them and obtain as much information as possible. Lieutenant Arshavin died defending the Motherland. Major Rostov escaped."
"So you say in your report. It would have been easier if the traitor had not died under your interrogation. Did you discover whether or not the Americans found what they are searching for?"
Volkov looked uncomfortable. "Not yet. But…"
Orlov held up his hand. Volkov stopped talking.
"Four agents dead in the last week and you still do not know what the Americans are doing. It seems General Vysotsky has had better luck than you."