it’s worth anything, I’m sorry that we had to drag you back into this. I know you went to Afghanistan to get away from it all.”
“I went to Afghanistan to get back to doing what I do best.”
“From the little I heard about how you acted under fire, you might want to reconsider what that is.”
“I did what anyone would do.”
“Not everyone would carry a wounded soldier through a hail of gunfire at considerable risk to himself. They give medals for that kind of thing.”
“I don’t want a medal.”
“I know you don’t. I couldn’t give you one anyway. But so you know, Dr. Ransom, the man you led us to, Abdul Haq, was a first-class sonofabitch. We’d been trying to get at him for months without any luck. Drones. Informants. Rewards. Nothing worked. Then we got word he was sick and we saw our way in. You happened to be in that neck of the woods. You didn’t leave us much choice.”
“So that’s how it goes? I don’t get a say in the matter.”
“No, Dr. Ransom. Sometimes you don’t. Ain’t life a pile of shit?”
“And Hamid?”
“Hamid signed up. He grew up in Kabul, then emigrated to San Francisco. He joined the army to do some good for his country.”
“And that’s when you stepped in?”
“He possessed a unique skill set that was very much in demand. Hamid wanted us as badly as we wanted him. Afghanistan is a safer place without Mr. Abdul Haq.”
Jonathan put the mug to his lips and drank down the warm, sweet tea. He thought of Hamid dropping from his grasp. It might as easily have been him. “You know, I’ve been wondering about something. How was it that you guys found me all that time ago?”
“Even if I knew, I couldn’t tell you.”
“Of course you know,” said Jonathan. “A guy like you knows everything.”
“Don’t count on it.”
Jonathan stifled a nasty rebuke. “And Emma? How’d you get your hooks into her?”
“I can’t tell you that either. ‘Need to know,’ Dr. Ransom. It’s the first rule of the game.”
“Do you know where she is?”
“Like I said, I can’t discuss your wife’s past or present.” Connor paused and set down his coffee. “At least,
not yet.”
Jonathan felt something shift in the room, a change in the dynamic between them. If he weren’t mistaken, an offer had been made. “What does that mean?”
“It means I came to talk to you about helping us.”
“You mean Division?”
Connor nodded.
“You’re serious? You want me to work for you?”
“We think you have certain skills that can—”
“No,” said Jonathan.
“Just hear me out.”
“Absolutely not. I’m finished. Done. Over.”
“I’ve come an awfully long way—”
“Well, that’s awfully tough shit.” Jonathan shoved himself away from the table, knocking his chair over as he stood. “Now you can get in your plane and fly an awfully long way back. Goodbye.”
“Please, Dr. Ransom, I understand you’re upset. Just give me a—”
“I said I’m finished.”
Connor stared at Jonathan. “Fair enough,” he said. “It goes without saying that none of what happened in Tora Bora can ever be repeated.The intel boys aboard ship will give you some papers to sign. When you’re done, tell them where you want to go. They’ll make it happen. Ticket, passport, whatever you need. I’ve been authorized to pay you for your work. I’ve got a check for fourteen thousand dollars made out in your name. That’s two months’ hazardous duty pay at major’s rank.”
“Keep it,” said Jonathan.
“It’s yours. You earned it. If you want to give it to charity, that’s your business.”
Connor set an envelope on the table, then gathered up his papers and replaced them in his briefcase. Jonathan noticed that he hadn’t written a word. It was a show, just like the lousy suit, the scuffed-up shoes, and the Joe Sixpack delivery. He was the voice of America.
Connor stumbled as he rose to his feet and extended an uncertain hand for balance. Jonathan
“I went to Afghanistan to get back to doing what I do best.”
“From the little I heard about how you acted under fire, you might want to reconsider what that is.”
“I did what anyone would do.”
“Not everyone would carry a wounded soldier through a hail of gunfire at considerable risk to himself. They give medals for that kind of thing.”
“I don’t want a medal.”
“I know you don’t. I couldn’t give you one anyway. But so you know, Dr. Ransom, the man you led us to, Abdul Haq, was a first-class sonofabitch. We’d been trying to get at him for months without any luck. Drones. Informants. Rewards. Nothing worked. Then we got word he was sick and we saw our way in. You happened to be in that neck of the woods. You didn’t leave us much choice.”
“So that’s how it goes? I don’t get a say in the matter.”
“No, Dr. Ransom. Sometimes you don’t. Ain’t life a pile of shit?”
“And Hamid?”
“Hamid signed up. He grew up in Kabul, then emigrated to San Francisco. He joined the army to do some good for his country.”
“And that’s when you stepped in?”
“He possessed a unique skill set that was very much in demand. Hamid wanted us as badly as we wanted him. Afghanistan is a safer place without Mr. Abdul Haq.”
Jonathan put the mug to his lips and drank down the warm, sweet tea. He thought of Hamid dropping from his grasp. It might as easily have been him. “You know, I’ve been wondering about something. How was it that you guys found me all that time ago?”
“Even if I knew, I couldn’t tell you.”
“Of course you know,” said Jonathan. “A guy like you knows everything.”
“Don’t count on it.”
Jonathan stifled a nasty rebuke. “And Emma? How’d you get your hooks into her?”
“I can’t tell you that either. ‘Need to know,’ Dr. Ransom. It’s the first rule of the game.”
“Do you know where she is?”
“Like I said, I can’t discuss your wife’s past or present.” Connor paused and set down his coffee. “At least,
not yet.”
Jonathan felt something shift in the room, a change in the dynamic between them. If he weren’t mistaken, an offer had been made. “What does that mean?”
“It means I came to talk to you about helping us.”
“You mean Division?”
Connor nodded.
“You’re serious? You want me to work for you?”
“We think you have certain skills that can—”
“No,” said Jonathan.
“Just hear me out.”
“Absolutely not. I’m finished. Done. Over.”
“I’ve come an awfully long way—”
“Well, that’s awfully tough shit.” Jonathan shoved himself away from the table, knocking his chair over as he stood. “Now you can get in your plane and fly an awfully long way back. Goodbye.”
“Please, Dr. Ransom, I understand you’re upset. Just give me a—”
“I said I’m finished.”
Connor stared at Jonathan. “Fair enough,” he said. “It goes without saying that none of what happened in Tora Bora can ever be repeated.The intel boys aboard ship will give you some papers to sign. When you’re done, tell them where you want to go. They’ll make it happen. Ticket, passport, whatever you need. I’ve been authorized to pay you for your work. I’ve got a check for fourteen thousand dollars made out in your name. That’s two months’ hazardous duty pay at major’s rank.”
“Keep it,” said Jonathan.
“It’s yours. You earned it. If you want to give it to charity, that’s your business.”
Connor set an envelope on the table, then gathered up his papers and replaced them in his briefcase. Jonathan noticed that he hadn’t written a word. It was a show, just like the lousy suit, the scuffed-up shoes, and the Joe Sixpack delivery. He was the voice of America.
Connor stumbled as he rose to his feet and extended an uncertain hand for balance. Jonathan
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