Divide and Conquer

SIXTY

Hood was surprisingly alert when he reached his office.

Mike Rodgers was gone. He had left a voice mail message two hours before about a military situation that was developing along the Pakistan-India border. Rodgers said he had gone home to get some rest before going off to a meeting at the Pentagon. Although General Rodgers was officially attached to Op-Center, he was called upon to assess flashpoints in different comers of the world.

Bob Herbert was still awake and “at the switch,” as he described it. He came to Hood’s office and quickly brought Hood up to speed on the little additional intelligence that Orlov had on the Harpooner and his movements. Then Herbert asked Hood how things had gone at the White House.

Herbert listened intently to his chief’s matter-of-fact recitation of the facts. When Hood was finished, the intelligence head sighed. “I’ve been sitting here collecting intelligence while you were out there, in the field, saving America and the Constitution from a demagogue.”

“Some guys have all the luck,” Hood said dryly.

“Yeah,” Herbert said. “But you’re not the one I envy.”

“Oh?”

Hood thought for a moment. Then, just before Herbert said it, Hood knew what was coming.

“I wish I had been the one who pulled the plug on the Harpooner,” Herbert said. His voice was a low monotone. His eyes were staring. His mind was somewhere else. “I’d have done it slowly. Very slowly. I would have made him suffer the way I’ve suffered without my wife.”

Hood did not know what to say, so he said nothing.

Herbert looked at him. “I’ve got a lot of vacation time coming, Paul. I’m going to take it.”

“You should,” Hood said.

“I want to go to Baku and meet this woman Odette,” Herbert said. “I want to see where it happened.”

“I understand,” Hood told him.

Herbert smiled. His eyes were damp. “I knew you would.” His voice cracked. “Look at me. You’re the one who’s had his ass on the firing line twice in the past two weeks. But I’m the one cracking up.”

“You’ve been carrying this pain and frustration for nearly twenty years,” Hood said. “It’s got to come out.” He snickered humorlessly. “I’ll break, too, Bob. One day the UN thing, the White House — it’s all going to hit me and I’ll come apart big time.”

Herbert smiled. “Just hold on till I’m back from vacation so I can pick up all the cogs and wheels.”

“It’s a deal,” Hood said.

Herbert wheeled around the desk and hugged Hood warmly. Then he turned his chair around and left the office.

Hood put in a quick call to General Orlov, thanking him for everything he had done and suggesting that they work out a way to integrate their two systems on some level. Create an Interpol for crisis management. Orlov was all for the idea. They agreed to talk about it the following day.

After hanging up with Orlov, Hood looked at the computer clock. It was still too early to call home. He decided to go to the hotel and phone Sharon and the kids from his room. There would be no other calls, no distractions.

Hood left his office and headed back upstairs. He greeted members of the day team as they arrived: Darrell McCaskey, Matt Stoll, and Liz Gordon. He told them each to go see Bob Herbert for an update. Hood said he would brief them more fully later in the day.

By the time he reached the parking lot, he was starting to crash. The caffeine had made its way through his system. Hood’s body was definitely winding down. As he neared his car, he saw Ann Farris. She was just pulling through the gate. The press liaison saw him, waved, and drove over.

She rolled down the window. “Is everything all right?” she asked.

Hood nodded. “Just tired,” he said. “Bob is still there. He’ll brief you. There’s nothing we have to press release, though. Not yet.”

“Where are you headed?” she asked.

“Back to the hotel,” he said. “I’ve got to get some rest.”

“Hop in and I’ll run you over,” she said. “You don’t look like you should be driving.”

“I don’t know when I’ll be coming back,” Hood told her. “I need the car.”

“You’ll be coming back this afternoon,” Ann said. “I know you. A two- or three-hour power nap, and then you’ll be back. Just call when you wake up, and I’ll come and get you.”

The offer sounded inviting. He did not feel like driving anymore.

“All right,” Hood said.

Hood went to the passenger’s side and slid in. He shut his eyes and had to be nudged awake when they arrived. He was groggy. Ann left her car out front and walked him to his room.

She returned a few minutes later, climbed behind the wheel, and sat there for a moment.

“Screw this,” she said. Instead of driving off, she moved the car to the main lot. Then she went back inside.

Hood had just finished his short chat with Sharon. His wife had said that there had been no change in anything.

Hood removed his shoes and tie and was unbuttoning his shirt when there was a knock on the door. It had to be a bellboy with a fax from the office or his attorney. No one else knew he was here. He fished a dollar from his wallet and opened the door. He was surprised to see Ann.

“Thanks,” she said, “but I didn’t come back for my tip.”

He smiled and let her in.

Ann was still wearing her jacket, but she looked different. There was something more accessible about her. It was in the eyes, he decided.

Hood shut the door behind her. As he did, he was surprised by something else. He was glad that she had come back.