"Oh?"
"There is always an unexpected complication," Krivi said. "There were members of the American Project at the embassy. They almost succeeded in stopping the attack."
In the past, the Project had created real trouble for the organization. The fact that there were now seven board members instead of nine was a direct result of their interference.
"They can't know anything," Gutenberg said.
"No. Even so, it would be unwise to ignore them."
"What action do you suggest?"
"Nothing at the moment. If we go after them now, it will only draw attention. Besides, it may not be necessary. If it becomes necessary we'll eliminate them."
"Perhaps Secretary Rao may prove useful in that respect," Gutenberg said.
For a few moments the men were quiet, watching the streets of Geneva pass by. They took the road along the Rhone. The city began to give way to the countryside. Gutenberg's chalet was several miles outside of the city limits.
Gutenberg broke the silence. "Rao still thinks you represent some Hindu society?"
Krivi nodded. "The Eye of Shiva," he said. "In Hindu mythology, Shiva's third eye has the power to shatter the unrighteous with divine fire. Rao is obsessed with the concept. He hopes for the return of a jewel stolen centuries ago that formed the eye of an idol. It fits his longing for revenge."
"Speaking of divine fire, have you approached him yet?"
"About the missiles? Not yet, but I am sure there won't be a problem. His hatred of Pakistan runs deep. He sees me as his benefactor. The drugs I've given him make him grateful to me. They also make him susceptible to ideas that fulfill his need for revenge."
"When do you plan to approach him?"
"I'm flying back to India tomorrow, after our meeting. One of Kamarov's subsidiaries in Mumbai makes the control systems and guidance modules for the Agni III missiles. He's bringing a card to the meeting programmed with the launch and targeting codes. It will be a simple matter for Rao to insert the card on site and launch. He'll think the missile is going to hit Islamabad."
"But it won't, will it?"
"No," Krivi said. "The target is Chengdu. The Bank of China has located the majority of their servers there, as well as their gold reserves. Destruction of the city will cripple China's financial system."
The car slowed for an ornate iron gate set in a high, stone wall. The gate swung open as they approached and they turned onto a curved drive paved with gray flagstones. The drive ended at a circular courtyard in front of an elegant 18th century chalet. The mansion sat on a spit of land jutting out into the River Rhone. A fountain in the courtyard rained a constant spray of water on laughing nymphs frolicking with Pan.
A crest carved in stone marked the wall above the entrance to the chalet. It showed a central, radiant eye against the background of a nine-pointed star. A Latin inscription encircled the eye in raised letters.
AETERNA EST ORDO NOVUS
For an observer who understood Latin, the meaning was clear.
THE NEW ORDER IS FOREVER
Both Krivi and Gutenberg wore identical gold rings that repeated the motif. A tall, blond woman waved at them from the open door of the chalet as they got out of the limousine.
"Marta is looking forward to your visit," Gutenberg said. "She had the chef prepare a special meal for us tonight."
"Are the others here yet?"
"Hugh de Guillame flew in this afternoon from Paris. Thorvaldson and Halifax arrived this morning. Mitchell's flight from Washington was delayed but he should get here later tonight. I'm afraid he'll miss dinner."
"Kamarov?"
"Delayed in Moscow. He should get here after dessert."
"It's been quite a while since we all met face to face," Krivi said. "I'm looking forward to it."
"I thought it best," Gutenberg said. "We're entering a critical phase of our plans. Being together in the same room brings out thinking you can't get in a teleconference."
"That's true," Krivi said. "I confess I'm not looking forward to Kamarov's bad digestion."
"That man releases enough gas to float the Hindenburg," Gutenberg said.
Krivi laughed. The two men went into the chateau.
CHAPTER 28
Four days after the attack on the embassy, the Project team assembled in Harker's office. Sunlight streaming through the windows couldn't dispel the feeling in the room. Ronnie had been transferred back to the states and was in the intensive care unit at Bethesda. His absence hung over all of them. Even the cat knew something was wrong. Burps kept going from room the room looking for him.
A folder with an intelligence update from NSA lay on Elizabeth's desk. It put a different spin on Manila. She looked at Selena and Ronnie and Nick and paused, searching for the right words.
"Ronnie getting hit is a blow to all of us but we have to stay focused. This isn't over yet. Before we're done we may get a chance for payback."
Nick looked as though he hadn't slept for a week. There were dark shadows under his eyes. His lips were compressed in a thin line.
"What kind of payback?" he said.
She tapped the folder on her desk. "NSA thinks the attack on the embassy was more than just an Abu Sayyaf operation. So do I."
"What do you mean, more?" Lamont asked.
"Abu Sayyaf had help from ISOK."
"You mean weapons?" Selena asked. "We already knew ISOK was giving them money."
"That's another issue. We'll talk about that later," Elizabeth said. "This report says it was ISOK behind the embassy seizure all along. They planned the attack, using Abu Sayyaf as a surrogate."
"What's the Intel that backs that up?" Lamont said.
"Three cell phone calls between Abdul Afridi, the leader of ISOK and Omar Madid, the terrorist who led the attack and shot the hostages."
Selena picked a bit of lint off her skirt. "That doesn't make sense. ISOK wants India out of Kashmir, that's their focus. Why attack our embassy in the Philippines?"
"Are they allied with Al Qaeda?" Lamont asked. "That might explain it."
Elizabeth said, "I don't think this has anything to do with Al Qaeda."
"What's Rice going to do?" Selena asked.
"He hasn't decided yet. I've never known him to be this angry. Ambassador Cathwaite was a personal friend of his. I talked with him yesterday. What complicates things is Pakistan."
"Pakistan?" Nick said. "How do they come into it?"
Elizabeth picked up her pen and set it down again. She was trying to break her habit of tapping it on the desktop.
"ISOK wouldn't attack us without permission from Islamabad. If they planned it, it means Pakistan has declared a covert war on us."
"Not much new about that," Lamont said. "They've been lying to us and helping our enemies for years."
"Yes, but we ignored it because we wanted access through their border with Afghanistan. This is different. Politically, it's a perfect storm. The media, Congress and everyone else wants to know who's responsible. Everyone is calling for retaliation. Suppose it gets out that Pakistan used a proxy to blow up our embassy and kill one of our ambassadors? It could trigger a war. If a war starts, it would end up involving the entire Muslim world."
"You said if it's true. That ISOK is behind the attack," Nick said. "Does that mean you have doubts?"
"Something about this doesn't feel right," Elizabeth said, "even though we know ISOK is in bed with Abu Sayyaf."
"So where does the doubt come in?" Lamont asked.
"Like Selena said, it doesn't make sense. Why would Pakistan tell ISOK to help Abu Sayyaf attack our embassy? It doesn't get them anything except trouble. It's a major incident that guarantees retaliation when we find out Islamabad is behind it."
"Abu Sayyaf wanted their prisoners released," Nick said. "It could be Pakistan has nothing to do with it."