Beloved Enemy by Eric Van Lustbader Read Free Book Online Page B

again. “But Dennis’s murder has given me a weird feeling in my gut.”
    The shop was awash in early morning customers now, all of them bleary-eyed and rushing to get their morning fix of caffeine and sugar before they set foot in their offices. No one paid them the slightest attention. Nevertheless, Krofft produced a small oval with a plastic shell that gleamed like polished metal and was just as hard. It looked like a beetle. He thumbed a tiny switch and a red LED light popped on. He pushed the electronic jammer across the table so that it sat midway between him and Marshall, protecting them both from eavesdroppers.
    “That the latest doohickey from DARPA?” Marshall was referring to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
    “A prototype. I like to stay one step ahead of everyone else.”
    Marshall nodded. “So what’s really on your mind?”
    “First Malone, now you.”
    “What are you talking about?”
    “I saw Dickinson getting into Malone’s car and driving off. I don’t know what those two fucks are planning, but you can make book that it doesn’t include us.”
    “On these shores, G.R., your hands are tied. Mine, too, for that matter.”
    “I wish to God I had Malone’s car bugged.”
    “You’d be the one to do it, too,” Marshall laughed dryly.
    Krofft hunched forward. “Are you serious about that feeling in your gut?”
    “Lookit, Dennis’s death set me to thinking. I mean, why now, at this particular moment? And then the answer came to me: Atlas.” The word was voiced in no more than a whisper.
    “We are about to begin the operational phase of Atlas. He was the fucking architect of Atlas. We all signed off on it, but it was his idea. He built it from scratch.”
    “And a brilliant plan it is,” Krofft said. “Ever since Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula arose in Yemen, we have kept an eye on the growing threat of domestic terrorism. But it wasn’t until the AQAP started actively recruiting disaffected Westerners to their cause on the Shumukh and Al-Fidaa jihadist forums, among others, that Paull really began to take action.”
    Krofft unlocked his briefcase, pulled out a sheaf of papers, shuffling them until he found what he wanted. He cleared his throat, and read: “‘Corresponding with those who yearn for martyrdom operations and the brothers who are searching to execute an operation that would cause great damage to the enemies the goal now is to activate those brothers who reside in the land of the enemy … whether Jewish, Christian, or apostates as clearly individual jihad or the so-called lone wolf has become popular.’”
    Krofft looked up. “The usual drivel, we thought, but Paull became alarmed.”
    “Hence Atlas.”
    Krofft nodded. “An operation to plant our own people, posing as disaffected Americans—Muslims or Christians wanting to convert—aligning themselves with AQAP’s jihadist aims.”
    Marshall tapped a forefinger against his lower lip. “Do you think McClure knows about Atlas?”
    Krofft frowned. “Atlas is a director-only operation. But because of their close friendship, I’d say it was probable.”
    Marshall passed a hand across his eyes. “Fuck me. Stealing the Atlas field personnel list would be a disaster of epic proportions.”
    “The list isn’t even complete,” Krofft said, “Just the first wave is about to be sent out.”
    “Even that would compromise over a hundred specially trained operatives,” Marshall said.
    “A perfect disaster.” Krofft nodded. “Okay, Kin. Much as my own gut tells me this is a waste of time, I have an idea how we can satisfy it. You and I are going to cook up three pieces of red-hot intel. We’re going to feed them, one each, to Malone, Rogers, and Dickinson, then sit back and see what happens. But I’m telling you nothing is going to happen. McClure was the leak. The faster we find him and air him out, the better.”
    *   *   *
    The crate settled with a small crash onto the flatbed, jolting the