“Don’t, Sam.”
“Why not?”
“It’s too personal. I can’t carry that kind of baggage into a decision that involves our nation’s policy on… on…”
“On what?” Fisk said, turning to face Merrick. “Exactly which policy are you referring to? Is it our policy allowing foreigners to kill our civilians for political purposes? Or is it our policy involving innocent lives destroyed because we have to wait until there’s enough evidence to guarantee a conviction? I am sick and tired of surveilling terrorists who we know are plotting violent acts inside of our borders. Borders that are open to a myriad of criminals to play in our backyard, with our tools, and with our personal rights guaranteed by the Constitution. By the time we have the legal right to make an arrest, blood’s been spilled and alibis have been perfected for a jury of their peers.” Fisk pointed at the large picture. “I’m not only doing this for you, I’m doing this for him. He doesn’t have a voice anymore and I’m speaking for him.”
Merrick sighed. He approached the Secretary of State and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Sam, don’t risk your career over this.”
“I’d gladly give up my career for this cause. It’s time you took this personally too. Otherwise, just have those pollsters run the damn country. What the heck do we need you for?”
Merrick and Fisk faced Paul Merrick’s image together. Lieutenant Merrick seemed to be looking down smiling eerily at them. The president began to reach for his brother, then pulled back. He took a deep breath. “Sometimes, Sam, I look up at this thing and think, ‘There he is.’ It’s so lifelike, so real. I can’t believe he’s not here anymore.”
Fisk looked squarely into Merrick’s eyes. “All you need to do is say ‘go.’ One word and I’ll set this thing in motion.”
Merrick considered what his friend was protecting him from. The CIA? Covert operations?
“John?”
Merrick stared up at the soldier framed on the wall above him and became lost in his brother’s gaze. “Let me think about it, Sam.”
Fisk nodded. “Okay, but don’t take too long.”
“Sam, I don’t even know what—”
“Stop,” Fisk interrupted. “You’re going to have to trust me. It’s all on me, not you. I just need a command. I won’t do it without one.”
When Merrick finally wrestled his gaze away from his brother, Fisk was already leaving, closing the door behind him.
Merrick found his brother’s putter and returned his hands to the proper position on the grip, his fingers melding into the grooves his brother left behind. He stood over a golf ball with his brother’s face in his mind. “I don’t know, Paul,” he said out loud. “What would you do?”
He stroked the golf ball and watched it hit the leg of his desk square-on with a tiny thud. “Bull’s eye.”
Nick Bracco was parked over a quarter of a mile away from a suspected KSF hideout. The building was in an area of the city that featured crowded residential streets and row houses that lined the narrow passages like giant dominos. Nick had been holding binoculars to his eyes for so long his arms ached. The afternoon was beginning to wane and so were his hopes of discovering anything of value from the stakeout.
Matt sat next to him fingering a stack of documents on his lap. “So, do you think the president knows about Sal’s little proposition?”
“What do you think?” Nick said, his left eye beginning to tear up.
“He’ll make the call, but the trail will end at Fisk’s desk.”
“That’s about right.”
“What did Fisk think about it?”
“I’m sure he thought I was more than a little goofy.”
“Oh, so then he’s spoken with Dr. Morgan.”
“Very funny.” Nick put the binoculars on his lap and rubbed his eyes. “Give me those files again.”
Matt handed him four manila folders with the word “classified” stamped across the top. Nick examined the files for the third time in the past three hours. “It’s incredible. How could all four of these guys get student visas? For crying out loud, Nihad Tansu is pushing forty.”
“Can’t blame Homeland Security; most of these guys had never been outside of Turkey before. They’re not your traditional international terrorists.”
Nick flipped the files back to Matt and began another stint with the binoculars. “One more hour. That’s all I’m giving this lead.”
“It could be worse. We could be digging through KSF garbage cans like Tolliver.”
Nick saw a red sedan slowly making its way down the street toward him. Nick didn’t recognize the male driver. The man seemed to be searching for an address.
Matt said, “All of this overtime is putting a real crimp in my social life.”
“Crimp?”
“Yeah, you know, it’s crimping my style.”
“You mean cramp. It’s cramping your style.”
“That too.”
Nick watched as the sedan stopped in front of the KSF safe house. He was clutching the binoculars with a death grip and Matt must have noticed the tension.
“What do you see?” Matt asked.
“A car stopped in the street in front of the house and the driver seems to be looking for spectators.”
Matt squinted with futility. “What’s he look like?”
“Male, dark hair, mustache, blue collared shirt.”
“Anyone we know?”
“No.”
Nick noticed the driver staring intently toward the house. Nick switched his view to the front door and saw four dark-haired men exit the house and head toward the car. The last one hesitated and looked around before he got in.
“They’re leaving. Get down,” Nick said as the sedan began to move.
The two men slumped below the dashboard. As soon as Nick heard the car pass, he peeked into his side-view mirror and nabbed the license plate. He recited the number out loud and Matt called it in.
When Matt finished the call to the office, he stared at Nick, who had a sudden urge to examine the magazine of his pistol.
“What are you doing?” Matt asked.
“Just checking out the equipment.”
“I mean, why aren’t you following those guys?”
Nick snapped his holster shut and opened his car door. “Let’s go see what we can find out.”
Matt beamed, as he jumped out of the car and fell into step next to Nick. “Finally my partner has moved to the dark side.”
“Relax, all we’re going to do is talk with some neighbors.”
“Maybe we could knock on the door and see if anyone’s home?”
“And lose the element of surprise?”
“The element of surprise is overrated. It pales in comparison to old-fashioned bullying and intimidation. Maybe they’ll think twice before they get bomb-happy.”
Nick found himself following Matt up the steps to the KSF safe house. Before he could object, Matt rang the doorbell. Nick winced, placing a hand on his holster for comfort.
They waited for a few minutes and several more rings before Matt played with the doorknob.
“What are you doing?” Nick asked.
“I’m seeing if they need a carpet cleaning.”
To Nick’s surprise, the doorknob turned enough to hear a click and they looked at each other. “Don’t,” Nick said.
“Why not.”
“First of all, it’s against the law.”
“C’mon, Nick, do you think there’s any way we’re going to get these guys without bending the rules a bit?”
Nick shook his head. “Don’t do it, Matt. Besides, anything you find in there will be inadmissible in court and permanently protected from any further searches.”
“Not if we leave unnoticed.”