around.”
“Unless they die under mysterious circumstances,” McGarvey said. “Maybe they’ll hang themselves in their cells.” He shook his head. It was worse than he expected. “Christ.”
“Todd’s funeral is the day after tomorrow at Arlington. You’ll be allowed to attend, of course, but before and afterward you’ll be kept in custody.”
“What am I being charged with?”
“Treason,” Whittaker said, solemnly. “And that comes from the Justice Department.”
McGarvey almost laughed.
“I’m told that President Haynes tried to hold you back; he even warned you. More than once. And he liked you. The new president does not.” Whittaker shook his head. “Sorry, Mac, it’s out of my hands.”
“Are we talking about North Korea?” McGarvey asked. Last year a high-ranking Chinese intelligence officer had been assassinated, apparently by North Korean police in Pyongyang. China was threatening to attack, and Kim Jong Il was promising to launch three of his twelve nuclear weapons on Beijing, Seoul, and Tokyo. Millions of people would have died.
In desperation a North Korean intelligence officer had been smuggled into the U.S. where he’d come to ask for McGarvey’s help proving that North Korea didn’t order the assassination. And McGarvey had done just that, despite warnings from the White House not to get involved.
Whittaker nodded. “You made a lot of enemies.”
“I stopped a war.”
“That’s up to the diplomats. It was felt at the time, and still is, that had you not interfered, our position in the region would have been strengthened.”
“They were willing to risk a nuclear war for the sake of points?”
“Some of the president’s advisers made a case for it.”
McGarvey nodded after a long moment. “At least I’ll get my day in court.”
“
In camera
with no jury because of the sensitive nature of the material.”
“What about Katy and Liz?”
“They’re safe at the Farm,” Whittaker said.
“Safe from who, Dave,” McGarvey shot back. “Todd’s killers were blown up, and the guys who killed Givens and his family are in jail. Who’s left?”
Whittaker sidestepped the question. It was clear that he was extremely uncomfortable. He was doing his duty; he didn’t have to like it. “Otto and his wife have disappeared; nobody knows where they are.”
Somewhere in or near Washington, McGarvey guessed. With his laptop and a secure access to the web. Otto would want to stick around in case Mac needed help.
“Did you bring someone from housekeeping with you?” McGarvey asked, his anger rising. “Do you want to take me back in cuffs and shackles?”
Whittaker almost stepped back. “No,” he said.
“They’ll never prove treason against me, and you know it. In the meantime we still have a problem that’s somehow connected between Mexico City and Pyongyang.”
“The material on the disk we found in Todd’s car was simply too fantastic to believe. You saw it; you can’t tell me that you put any validity to what Givens was claiming.”
“It wasn’t the disk Givens gave my son-in-law.”
“That would admit a conspiracy—”
“Right,” McGarvey said, but suddenly he was tired, and he didn’t give a damn. All he wanted now was to get back to Washington forTodd’s funeral, to be with Katy and their daughter, Liz, and with their granddaughter, Audie.
It was obvious that Whittaker felt essentially the same; he, too, was tired of this assignment, which probably seemed to him to be a waste of time.
“If it’s any consolation, the Company will do everything within its power to defend you. I’m behind you, and so is most of the senior staff.”
McGarvey nodded. “What does Carleton think about my chances?” Carleton Patterson was the CIA’s general counsel and had held that position for at least ten years. His was always a reasoned opinion.
Whittaker shook his head. “Not good.”
Left unsaid was that this was a hell of a way to end a distinguished
“Unless they die under mysterious circumstances,” McGarvey said. “Maybe they’ll hang themselves in their cells.” He shook his head. It was worse than he expected. “Christ.”
“Todd’s funeral is the day after tomorrow at Arlington. You’ll be allowed to attend, of course, but before and afterward you’ll be kept in custody.”
“What am I being charged with?”
“Treason,” Whittaker said, solemnly. “And that comes from the Justice Department.”
McGarvey almost laughed.
“I’m told that President Haynes tried to hold you back; he even warned you. More than once. And he liked you. The new president does not.” Whittaker shook his head. “Sorry, Mac, it’s out of my hands.”
“Are we talking about North Korea?” McGarvey asked. Last year a high-ranking Chinese intelligence officer had been assassinated, apparently by North Korean police in Pyongyang. China was threatening to attack, and Kim Jong Il was promising to launch three of his twelve nuclear weapons on Beijing, Seoul, and Tokyo. Millions of people would have died.
In desperation a North Korean intelligence officer had been smuggled into the U.S. where he’d come to ask for McGarvey’s help proving that North Korea didn’t order the assassination. And McGarvey had done just that, despite warnings from the White House not to get involved.
Whittaker nodded. “You made a lot of enemies.”
“I stopped a war.”
“That’s up to the diplomats. It was felt at the time, and still is, that had you not interfered, our position in the region would have been strengthened.”
“They were willing to risk a nuclear war for the sake of points?”
“Some of the president’s advisers made a case for it.”
McGarvey nodded after a long moment. “At least I’ll get my day in court.”
“
In camera
with no jury because of the sensitive nature of the material.”
“What about Katy and Liz?”
“They’re safe at the Farm,” Whittaker said.
“Safe from who, Dave,” McGarvey shot back. “Todd’s killers were blown up, and the guys who killed Givens and his family are in jail. Who’s left?”
Whittaker sidestepped the question. It was clear that he was extremely uncomfortable. He was doing his duty; he didn’t have to like it. “Otto and his wife have disappeared; nobody knows where they are.”
Somewhere in or near Washington, McGarvey guessed. With his laptop and a secure access to the web. Otto would want to stick around in case Mac needed help.
“Did you bring someone from housekeeping with you?” McGarvey asked, his anger rising. “Do you want to take me back in cuffs and shackles?”
Whittaker almost stepped back. “No,” he said.
“They’ll never prove treason against me, and you know it. In the meantime we still have a problem that’s somehow connected between Mexico City and Pyongyang.”
“The material on the disk we found in Todd’s car was simply too fantastic to believe. You saw it; you can’t tell me that you put any validity to what Givens was claiming.”
“It wasn’t the disk Givens gave my son-in-law.”
“That would admit a conspiracy—”
“Right,” McGarvey said, but suddenly he was tired, and he didn’t give a damn. All he wanted now was to get back to Washington forTodd’s funeral, to be with Katy and their daughter, Liz, and with their granddaughter, Audie.
It was obvious that Whittaker felt essentially the same; he, too, was tired of this assignment, which probably seemed to him to be a waste of time.
“If it’s any consolation, the Company will do everything within its power to defend you. I’m behind you, and so is most of the senior staff.”
McGarvey nodded. “What does Carleton think about my chances?” Carleton Patterson was the CIA’s general counsel and had held that position for at least ten years. His was always a reasoned opinion.
Whittaker shook his head. “Not good.”
Left unsaid was that this was a hell of a way to end a distinguished
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