Black Harvest

CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE

Dansinger's murder didn't make it past the second page. The front page was devoted to the disaster in Nebraska. 200,000 acres of prime farmland and hundreds of buildings had gone up in flames before the antidote had been found and applied. It looked like the virus had been stopped.

Rice was attacked from all sides. Congress was united in expressing righteous indignation that Rice had not consulted them before acting. There were threats of impeachment. The left screamed about napalm. The right wailed about the expense to taxpayers. Op Ed pundits posed pseudo-profound questions about morality, ethics and the Constitution, while the environmentalists made grave predictions of damage from the spraying. Lawsuits against the government appeared like mushrooms after rain.

The media found it convenient for the moment to ignore the truth, that the blight had been stopped in its tracks before it could spread any further. Reason might eventually prevail, but Nick wasn't holding his breath. Rice was in for a rough ride.

Steph was back. She was quiet. No one was surprised.

Harker tapped her pen. "Rice is giving public strokes to Governor Wheeling and releasing federal funds to help the farmers that were hit. Congress doesn't dare block it. It would cost them their seats if they did. But he's in a fight for his life as far as the election goes."

"Politics stinks." Nick scratched his ear. "Now Dansinger's gone, that leaves Lodge."

Korov thought, Now we will get to it.

"It so happens that the President agrees with you."

"Who killed Dansinger?"

"That's the question, isn't it? Rice wants us to confront Lodge in person. He specifically wants you and I to do it. Perhaps Lodge knows who shot our friend of the farmers. I thought we'd bring Major Korov along in the spirit of international cooperation. So he can report to his boss."

"Rice still doesn't know about Arkady?" Nick and Korov had begun using their first names with each other.

"No. He doesn't need to."

"What do you have in mind?"

"I've spoken with Hood. I don't think he's any part of this. He's arranged a meeting with Lodge."

"Where?"

"We'll beard the lion in his den. At his home in Virginia. It's set for this evening."

Korov looked lost.

Harker continued. "Selena and Lamont outside for backup. Ronnie and Steph can mind the fort. Hood will be there."

If Korov looked lost before, now he was totally confused.

"These idioms."

Nick laughed. "Don't worry about it, Comrade. We're going to put an end to this, tonight."