from the operation because of the batteries. But McGarvey had one implanted in his side because what was good enough for his field officers was good enough for him. And despite his promises to Kathleen, and to himself, he knew deep in his soul exactly who and what he was. He was not ready to retire from the field for good, and probably never would be. It was like a narcotic, intelligence work; or, according to a number of good men who had gone before him, like a religion. You had to take it on faith that what you were doing was good and right. Once you went down that path there was no turning back. At least that's how he'd felt then; he wasn't as sure now.
"How is it over there?" Otto asked.
"Dark," McGarvey replied. "Anything new on the shooters?"
"They showed up in Havana, just like Rudolph thought they would, but then they disappeared, like you predicted. Chances are they're already on their way back. The big question, kimo sabe, is where is back!" Otto hesitated a moment. "But there's another problem coming your way."
"The Carl Vinson?" "Correctamundo. The battle group is already in the Gulf of Oman, though nobody is admitting it to us. Could be they're planning an end run." "Not until I'm out of here," McGarvey said, wondering if he really believed that himself. "Take it to Murphy, I want my back covered."
"Will do," Otto said. "But there is some good news in all this. Liz went back to Paris and started making a lot of noise, so Dick had Dave Whittaker pull her back here. They put her down in Ops."
"She's not cleared for Meteor."
Otto chuckled, happily. "She's the boss's daughter, you can't keep anything secret from her."
There was no use fighting the inevitable, McGarvey told himself. And there was nothing he could do about it now. "Okay, keep an eye on her."
"Dick Yemm is on it. "After Alien and his family, nobody is taking any chances around here." Again Otto hesitated. "Oh, and Mac, congratulations."
"For what?"
"You know," Otto said playfully. "I think it's great, that's all. Just super, ya know." He meant Mac and Katy getting back together.
"Thanks," McGarvey said, but he didn't know if he meant that either. He'd always managed to keep his family and personal life in a separate, very secure compartment when he was in the field. Looking across the dark city toward the even darker, bleak mountains, he was sorry that his secret place had been reopened. He suddenly felt very vulnerable, and very much alone out here.
"Watch yourself, Mac."
"Right," McGarvey said. "You too."
CHAPTER SEVEN
Out of Kabul
McGarvey had been on the go for two days, catching only snatches of sleep here and there, mostly on airplanes, but he didn't feel too bad yet. It was a few minutes after midnight when "be stubbed out his cigarette in the overflowing ashtray. He'd been sitting in the darkness by the window looking down at the deserted street since he'd gotten off the phone with Otto, trying to clear his mind of his family.
A dark blue Volkswagen van appeared around the corner a block away, drove directly to the hotel and pulled into the driveway, disappearing under the overhang. From his position he could not see if anyone was getting out and coming into the hotel. But after a minute when the van did not drive off, he turned away from the window, switched on the bedside light, and put on his bush jacket.
He slipped the safety chain off and opened the door. The elevator was on its way up. His bag was repacked and sitting on the bed with the laptop computer. He pulled the chair away from the window, placed it in the circle of light and sat down, crossing his legs. The first few seconds of encounters like these were always the most dangerous because no one knew what to expect. He was offering them no surprises; sitting in plain view, his hands resting on the arms of the chair, his door open. No threat, no menace, no confrontation here.
The hotel was very quiet. He could hear the elevator
arrive and the shuffling of several
"How is it over there?" Otto asked.
"Dark," McGarvey replied. "Anything new on the shooters?"
"They showed up in Havana, just like Rudolph thought they would, but then they disappeared, like you predicted. Chances are they're already on their way back. The big question, kimo sabe, is where is back!" Otto hesitated a moment. "But there's another problem coming your way."
"The Carl Vinson?" "Correctamundo. The battle group is already in the Gulf of Oman, though nobody is admitting it to us. Could be they're planning an end run." "Not until I'm out of here," McGarvey said, wondering if he really believed that himself. "Take it to Murphy, I want my back covered."
"Will do," Otto said. "But there is some good news in all this. Liz went back to Paris and started making a lot of noise, so Dick had Dave Whittaker pull her back here. They put her down in Ops."
"She's not cleared for Meteor."
Otto chuckled, happily. "She's the boss's daughter, you can't keep anything secret from her."
There was no use fighting the inevitable, McGarvey told himself. And there was nothing he could do about it now. "Okay, keep an eye on her."
"Dick Yemm is on it. "After Alien and his family, nobody is taking any chances around here." Again Otto hesitated. "Oh, and Mac, congratulations."
"For what?"
"You know," Otto said playfully. "I think it's great, that's all. Just super, ya know." He meant Mac and Katy getting back together.
"Thanks," McGarvey said, but he didn't know if he meant that either. He'd always managed to keep his family and personal life in a separate, very secure compartment when he was in the field. Looking across the dark city toward the even darker, bleak mountains, he was sorry that his secret place had been reopened. He suddenly felt very vulnerable, and very much alone out here.
"Watch yourself, Mac."
"Right," McGarvey said. "You too."
CHAPTER SEVEN
Out of Kabul
McGarvey had been on the go for two days, catching only snatches of sleep here and there, mostly on airplanes, but he didn't feel too bad yet. It was a few minutes after midnight when "be stubbed out his cigarette in the overflowing ashtray. He'd been sitting in the darkness by the window looking down at the deserted street since he'd gotten off the phone with Otto, trying to clear his mind of his family.
A dark blue Volkswagen van appeared around the corner a block away, drove directly to the hotel and pulled into the driveway, disappearing under the overhang. From his position he could not see if anyone was getting out and coming into the hotel. But after a minute when the van did not drive off, he turned away from the window, switched on the bedside light, and put on his bush jacket.
He slipped the safety chain off and opened the door. The elevator was on its way up. His bag was repacked and sitting on the bed with the laptop computer. He pulled the chair away from the window, placed it in the circle of light and sat down, crossing his legs. The first few seconds of encounters like these were always the most dangerous because no one knew what to expect. He was offering them no surprises; sitting in plain view, his hands resting on the arms of the chair, his door open. No threat, no menace, no confrontation here.
The hotel was very quiet. He could hear the elevator
arrive and the shuffling of several
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