In the Company of Liars

TWO DAYS EARLIER
FRIDAY, APRIL 23

Jane McCoy walks into Special Agent-in-Charge Irving Shiels’s office. “Sir?”

Shiels is behind his desk, a number of files open before him. He gestures to her to close the door, which she does, her heartbeat escalating.

“I see you got confirmation on Doctor Lomas’s debt.”

“Yes, sir.” But she assumes this is not the reason for her visit. Her little field trip yesterday only confirmed what they already knew about Doctor Neil Lomas.

Shiels takes a breath. “Agent, I just got a call. Muhsin al-Bakhari is making plans to go to Sudan in June. First of June, we’re hearing.”

“Yes, sir,” she says evenly, before the breath leaves her.

Muhsin al-Bakhari.They could not have hoped for anyone better.

“Haroon just booked a flight to Paris for the first of June,” he adds.

“So Haroon’s going to connect from Paris to Sudan,” she gathers.

Shiels nods. “He’ll do it when he gets there. He wouldn’t be dumb enough to book that flight now. I figure, he’ll land on June first. Spend a night in Paris. Book a flight for the third.”

Shiels knows whereof he speaks, having worked in the Middle East for years with the CIA. He knows how the Liberation Front operates, as well as anyonecan know.

The gravity of what McCoy has heard settles upon her. On both of them. Unbeknownst to him, Ramadaran Ali Haroon is going to lead the United States to the Liberation Front’s operations commander, its number-two guy, Muhsin al-Bakhari. The brains behind the entire operation.

“When Haroon gets to the airport here,” says Shiels, “he’s going to be flagged. They’ll call us.”

“Sure. Of course.”

“You have to be the one who answers that call, Agent McCoy. You have to be sure he gets on that flight.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Work him over. Basic questioning. Quiz him.”

“Understood, sir. I’ll be on the call that day.”

“Good.” He nods at McCoy. “That’s all, Agent.” He turns to a file on his desk, then looks up again at his subordinate, who has not moved. “Something else, McCoy?”

“Only-” McCoy clears her throat. “I was only thinking, sir, that there might be some casualties. Some innocents.”

“Lose a few to save a lot.” Shiels sighs. “I don’t have a better answer than that.”

And McCoy didn’t expect a better answer. She knows the rules. Anyone playing with fire-whatever team they’re playing on-knows the risks. Ram Haroon. Allison Pagone. Sam Dillon. Mat Pagone. Not to mention-

“Needless to say,” says Shiels, “let’s get this right.”