Arctic Fire by Stephen Frey Read Free Book Online Page A

of someplace from a bunch of neutral pansies? Do you really think other countries that don’t have a dog in the fight are going to vote like that in plain sight so these heathens who’ve taken a blood oath to kill anyone who does can see them do it?” he sneered. “Hell, we’re the most powerful country in the world, the most powerful country to ever exist. And you’re right. We are the good guys, we aren’t the evil ones. We shouldn’t have to ask for
anyone’s
permission to do
anything
.”
    Jack saw that vein on Bill’s right temple pumping like mad, the way it always did when he started getting really worked up. “Maybe if we tried a little compassion and understanding first, we wouldn’t have to worry so much about wiping each other out.” Jack knew exactly how that sounded to Bill—like giant fingernails screeching down a giant chalkboard—but the chance to see that vein
really
go crazy was too tempting. “Know what I mean?”
    “Christ,” Bill hissed. “Let’s get you some sutures for that poor heart of yours that’s gushing liberal blood all over the cowardly left wing.”
    “A path of escalation never works,” Jack fired back. “It can’t. Revenge is our enemy. History shows us that.”
    “Well, isn’t that profound? Why don’t you tell that to all the kids who lost their moms and dads on 9-11?”
    Cheryl grimaced as she fixed the sandwich. “Bill, I don’t think Jack’s saying that we should—”
    “And my last problem,” Jack cut in, “is that we’re throwing six hundred billion dollars down the defense black hole every year while we go another
trillion
bucks in the red. At least, that’s what the government tells us we’re spending annually on guns and ammo. It’s probably twice that when you take into account all of that black ops crap our intel people are up to just for fun. We could probably balance the damn budget if we blew up the Pentagon.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Tomorrow morning I’ll probably read about how some super-secret US unit broke into an apartment somewhere in the Middle East and killed another suspected terrorist leader using some wild new personal cloaking device.” Jack spread his arms wide. “And for what? So another prick with a death wish can take his place? It never ends this way, Bill. The war keeps going on forever. That’s the point.”
    “The only way it ends is if we wipe them out.
That’s
the point, you idiot.”
    “Bill!” Cheryl spoke up sharply. “Please.”
    “So we murder an entire population to kill a few bad apples,” Jack said. “That’s your solution to world peace?”
    “It’s the only solution we’ve got.”
    “How could we live with ourselves?”
    “Happily. I know I could. And I’m not alone, Jack. You might be surprised how many people in this country agree with me and would be willing to use almost any means necessary to wipe out those people.”
    “OK, Adolph.”
    Bill glared at Jack. “You have no idea what it takes to run the greatest country in the world,” he said in a grave voice, working hard to maintain his composure. “You have no idea how difficult it is to keep the United States safe and how many terrible decisions a few of our leaders have to make every day to do it.” He shook his head as if he couldn’t believe he actually had to say this. “You live in your beautiful little world in Greenwich, Connecticut,Jack. Protected by men and women of honor who do things you don’t want to know about half a world away so you can live in that beautiful little world. People who would laugh at your fear of heights because they do things that make jumping out of a plane at night look like walking a poodle through Central Park on a sunny afternoon.” He inhaled deeply. “You accept their protection freely and completely even as you despise and denigrate them. It’s pathetic, Jack.”
    Cheryl moaned. “Please don’t do this, Bill.”
    “Those people you’re talking about love what