The Lance

CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

The President sent a clean up team. They said nothing and asked no questions. They took the bodies away. Pretty soon the media would announce that the Director of the NSA had suffered a heart attack or a fatal car accident. The need for secrecy and stability meant what really happened would never be made public.

Rice appointed an obscure General to fill in at the agency until things could be sorted out. With the safe house compromised and Dysart dead, there seemed no point in keeping away from Project headquarters. The team moved back into town.

They met in Harker's office. The Director had two black eyes and a broad white bandage across her nose. About all you could say for it was that it complimented her black and white outfit. Nick waited for her to start and thought about what Selena had said the night before. It bothered him.

He'd never known a woman like her. To say they were different was a hell of an understatement. That was all right. It was the thought that killing was natural for him and not for her that got under his skin.

Out came Harker's pen. She began tapping. "There are new developments, bad ones. First let's talk about Dysart. He's gone, but there are others. They've made a determined effort to take us out of the picture. I'm wondering if we need to keep out of sight?"

"You think they'll keep trying?" Nick asked.

"They might not. I've been subpoenaed to appear before the Senate Intelligence Oversight Committee, to answer questions about 'questionable and unauthorized covert operations in Argentina'. It can't be a coincidence."

"That's Senator Greenwood. How did he find out about Argentina? What's he up to?" Carter scratched his ear.

"There's a lot of media mileage in an investigation. Greenwood has a shot at the Presidency and an investigation could embarrass the President. That might be reason enough but I think there's more to it. I think Greenwood wants to stop what we're doing."

"Like Dysart," said Ronnie.

"Steph and I had an idea that whoever was behind this might be looking to profit from war in the Middle East. We've done some checking. Senator Greenwood made large trades in the last six months, moving funds into domestic gas and oil and military contractors. If there's a war he'll make a killing.

"If Greenwood is one of the conspirators, this could be a change of tactics on their part. Knock us out with legal moves and expose the Project. He could discredit us and Rice at the same time."

Nick said, "Greenwood is one of the powerhouses in the Senate. How high does this go, anyway?"

"It goes damned high, almost to the top. That's the other development, bigger than Dysart. We've gained access to all of Dysart's files. You aren't going to like what we found. Steph, would you run it down, please."

Stephanie cleared her throat. "Dysart's encrypted emails show communication with several key correspondents. There are repeated references to 'Parsifal'. We know that's Himmler's plan to subvert our government. It took a while, but I was able to back trace most of the recipients. It's a scary list. By definition, all these men are traitors."

Lamont said, "Who's on the list, Steph?"

"You can start with the Vice-President."

"Earlston? You're saying the VP is part of a Nazi conspiracy?"

She nodded. "That's what it looks like. Justice Smothers is another."

Selena looked shocked. "Smothers? The Supreme Court?"

"Yes. Also Admiral Lang and Senator Blackfriar."

Ronnie sat up straight. "Lang runs Naval Intelligence."

"Blackfriar makes or breaks the money for defense appropriations," Nick said.

Harker said, "We still don't know who told Dysart what to do. But these others — I think we've stepped right into a snake pit. Without proof, no one will believe these men are anything but dedicated public servants. There are other emails that appear to be in the nature of Dysart's job, but some of those people might be involved also. Acting DCI Wendell Lodge is one of them."

"CIA. Shit." Ronnie shook his head.

"What do you think they're trying to do?" Lamont said.

"I think they want to destroy Israel and get control of the oil fields." Harker tapped her pen. "The bombing of the mosque sets up war. The Middle East will explode and we'll be sucked right into it. If Rice were out of the picture, Earlston would take over. They could pretty much do what they please."

Harker set the pen down. "If there's a war, people like Admiral Lang could create chaos. It would get covered up in the general madness of the fighting. There's a pattern of co-opting our intelligence resources. NSA, Naval Intelligence and perhaps CIA. And now I'm called to appear before Greenwood's committee."

"They're playing hardball. Two can play that game."

"What do you mean, Nick?"

"Why don't we pay a visit to Greenwood's office? Maybe there's something that ties him to the conspiracy."

"You want to raid the office of the Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Oversight Committee?"

"Why not?"

"If you're caught, it will make Watergate look like a little white lie. It will blow us out of the water."

"If Greenwood succeeds in busting you it will blow us out of the water. Rice as well. We can't stop them by ourselves. Even if we get proof, it's going to take some fancy footwork by the President to break open this rat's nest. These people are powerful."

"I'm open to ideas."

"I don't think his office is a good bet," said Lamont. "Besides, he has two official offices. We'd have to hit both of them. If you were part of a conspiracy, would you keep incriminating stuff lying around where some intern might discover it?"

"You have a point." Harker picked up her pen.

Ronnie shifted in the chair. "If I wanted to keep something private, I'd keep it at home. Less chance of someone stumbling over something. Why don't we creep his house? He can't be there all the time."

"Daylight penetration while he's at work?" Nick said.

"Maybe the old exterminator trick, or gas and electric. Telephone repair. We go in the open and the neighbors see what they want to see. We could bug his home while we're at it."

"If he's got anything to hide, he probably sweeps the place."

"Yeah, but until he finds one we might get lucky. Hell, they bugged us, didn't they? Turn about is fair play, right?"

"If he's involved."

"Any bets he's clean? I'll give you ten to one he's dirty as Dysart."

Nick tugged on his ear. "Can we get plans for his place?"

"Plans are public record." Stephanie went over to the computer console. A few keystrokes and the plans for Greenwood's home appeared on screen. Records showed he had completed a major expansion and renovation of his basement, five years before.

Greenwood lived on ten acres of privacy in an upscale suburban development in Montgomery County, just over the District line in Maryland. The house was five thousand square feet of pseudo English Manor, complete with tall windows and Mansard roof.

Stephanie clicked again and a live satellite view of the area appeared. She zoomed in on Greenwood's address. Behind the house was a large, formal garden. A gardener trimmed a row of hedges as they watched. A high fence and mature landscaping concealed the house from neighbors.

"Who goes in?" Nick asked.

"I think Selena and Lamont." Harker paused. "We'll use the telephone repair ploy. Ronnie, you put together what they need — a van, uniforms, you know the drill."

"Is this legal?" Selena asked. "We can go in and bug a US Senator because we think he's involved in something?"

"We have to know if Greenwood is part of this. No, it's not legal. But we don't always play by the rules. Look what's at stake."

She took out a tissue and coughed into it. "All right. We'll see if Greenwood is involved. In the meantime, we still need to think about our own security. Any ideas? Nick?"

"I don't think we can keep out of sight. The safe house is blown. If we couldn't stay hidden there, how can we expect to pull another vanishing act and have it come off? If we duck and cover, we take ourselves right out of the game. I don't want to do that."

Selena said, "Nick's right. Time's running out. A war's going to start any moment."

"That's what I think." Ronnie brushed a fleck of something away from his shirt, where palm trees waved on a red and yellow background in the ocean breeze. Lamont and Stephanie nodded agreement.

Harker said, "We'll proceed as usual, then, with extra caution."