Black Harvest

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Elizabeth studied an elegant card engraved with the crest of the Russian embassy.

The card had arrived that morning. A note was written on the back in black ink.

Yakov was SVR's chief resident in Washington. He wanted a meeting. It didn't surprise her that SVR knew who she was. What surprised her was that they wanted to talk. Communication between US intelligence agencies and SVR was non-existent. Yakov knew she wouldn't refuse.

Yakov had been seconded from Department S. He would never arrange a meeting without direct orders from his boss, General Vysotsky.

The early April afternoon was sunny and 60 degrees. Elizabeth sat on a bench near the base of the monument. She wore a concealed transceiver. Lamont sat on another bench not far away. He fed birds from a paper sack with his good arm. His Glock .40 was hidden in his sling. She leaned back and closed her eyes and let the sun shine on her face.

She felt someone take a seat on the bench next to her and opened her eyes. Dimitri Yakov was about forty, of average height. His suit was tailored, English made, a gray pinstripe of fine wool. His eyes were blue, his hair a sun lit blond. He wasn't wearing a hat. Like Elizabeth, he wore his coat open to the warm weather.

"A beautiful day, Director. It can be so tiresome when the rains keep everything gray. Thank you for coming." He didn't offer a hand.

"Your note didn't say why you wanted to meet. It's unusual, to say the least."

"Something has come to our attention. My superior hopes you may shed light on it."

Right to the point.

Yakov smiled. "Did you know that we study your methods, Director? We are, you might say, admirers. Too bad you are not working for us."

"We study Zaslon as well, Dimitri. May I call you Dimitri? But you haven't asked me here to sing our mutual praises."

"Your CIA is up to something it shouldn't be." Yakov watched her.

"Oh?"

"A video was delivered to General Vysotsky. It captured a meeting featuring your Director. You are familiar with this video, by chance?"

Yakov's English felt stiff. Or perhaps it was his way of being polite. Elizabeth was certain Yakov had a side that wasn't polite at all. The video had to be the same one that had come to her. Where Lodge talked about Demeter and Russia. Should she admit she had seen it?

"Was there a man named Dansinger in this video?"

"Ah. You have seen it. Naturally, we are curious as to what is intended."

Yakov reached into his pocket. He took out a piece of paper. He handed it to her.

"This is a copy of a note accompanying the video."

Do not jump to conclusions. In this matter, the Project is with you. A friend.

"May I be frank, Director?"

"Please."

"This Demeter operation. A CIA plot against us cannot be tolerated. If this comes to the attention of certain people, it will cause very bad results. There are some who see your country as, ah, aggressive toward us. Overtly hostile, in fact."

"Go on."

"Whoever sent that video indicates your group may be of assistance. We wish to understand this. For now, General Vysotsky has chosen to keep things between our two respective organizations. He wonders what is meant by the comment that you are with us?"

Elizabeth had never been in a situation like this before. How much should she tell him? What could she tell him? SVR had seen the video. No secrets there. Yakov was right, if it reached the highest levels in the Kremlin it would make a lot of trouble.

She knew what her father would say.

Play the cards you got. Sometimes you bluff. Sometimes you don't. Winning is all about knowing when to do one or the other.

She decided not to bluff. She chose her words with care. "We are concerned about Director Lodge."

"By 'we' you refer to your group?"

"Yes."

"Who sent it?"

"I don't know. I think someone in our intelligence community."

Yakov nodded. "That is also our conclusion. You say you are concerned. What is your concern?"

"I am certain Lodge murdered Wilkinson."

"The head of BRES, in the video?"

"Yes. I think he was killed because he withdrew from whatever Lodge and Dansinger are planning. It proves Lodge is out of control, willing to do anything to avoid exposure. He's gone over the line. For us, Lodge has now become the enemy. Whatever he's doing is not sanctioned. It's not in America's interest. Or yours."

Yakov's face showed no emotion. Don't ever play poker with this man, she thought. Yet, here she was.

"What is Demeter?"

"We don't know yet. Now I have a question for you. Did you intervene in Bulgaria?"

"You are correct. It was one of our operatives."

"Why?"

"To be frank, that was not our original intention. Our agent followed your people, knowing Gelashvili would come after them. We wanted to, ah, remove Gelashvili. Collateral damage was not deemed important After we received the video and the note our agent was ordered to make sure no harm came to your team."

"Collateral damage? My team?" She felt the beginning of anger.

Yakov shrugged. "It is the way of our business, is it not?"

It was. She took a breath.

"Dimitri." She was about to cross a bridge. "Lodge has to be stopped. Whatever he's planning is bad for both of us. This can't be done publicly. I've alerted the President, but there's no proof of anything. He can't act without it."

"But you and I know Lodge is, how do you say, over the line. There are obvious solutions."

"This is America. I can't remove Lodge the way you removed Gelashvili. Besides, there's Dansinger. There are others. It's a conspiracy. It has to broken open."

"What do you propose?"

"Perhaps we can work together." She thought about what to say.

"This man is head of your CIA. You say you would work with us against him. Forgive me, I find this difficult to believe."

"Whoever sent us that video believes it."

"How do you see it, this working together?"

"I need a secure line of communication to Vysotsky. I want cooperation if my operatives have to enter Russian territory or spheres of influence. A guarantee nothing will be done against Lodge. Time to deal with this."

"You are asking for a lot, Director."

"I am in a much better position to do this than you are. If you practice your style of removal against Lodge it will complicate things. Leave him to me. Anything I learn about Demeter I will pass on to you."

"Your Pentagon may be involved."

"That remains to be seen. I want to be clear about something. I will do nothing to compromise our security. Be certain of that."

Lamont had stopped feeding the birds. Now he appeared to be taking a nap. He had heard every word of the conversation on his earpiece.

Yakov stood. "I will pass your proposal to General Vysotsky, Director."

As if he didn't already know, she thought. Yakov is probably wired right to Vysotsky's office in Moscow.

She took a card from her pocket and handed it to him. "This number is secure. It will reach me at any time."

"You will hear from us." Yakov made a slight bow and walked away.

Lamont got up and walked over.

"You think they'll cooperate?"

"I don't know. It's in their best interests."

"Never thought we'd get in bed with the Russians."

"Bad analogy, Lamont. It's a chess game, not a one night stand."

"Whatever you say, Director. As long as we're not the ones who end up getting screwed."