Brown, Dale - Patrick McLanahan 10 by Wings of Fire (v1.1) Read Free Book Online

ranges in North
America to shoot
down some missiles.”
                “Unfortunately, we can’t blame that
one on him, sir,” Patrick admitted. “The test flight idea was mine. Jon wanted
to make a big splash to impress the Pentagon, and I picked the closest country
I thought would take a shot at us without starting World War Three. It turned
out to be one of the most successful test flights we’ve ever made in a Megafortress,
and certainly the most successful one for the Dragon airborne laser.”
                 “Not
too shabby for you either.”
                 “Sir?”
                 “I
suppose you haven’t heard—I heard it from very back-channel sources,”
Martindale said. “You know, of course, that President Thom has never chosen a
national security adviser.”
                 “Yes,
sir. He claims that the purpose of the President’s cabinet is to not only
administer the government but to advise the President,” Patrick said. “He
claims it’s the way our government was set up. He thinks bureaucrats like
national security advisers distort and politicize the decisionmaking process.”
                 “What
do you think of that?”
                 “I
think any leader, especially the leader of the free world in the twenty-first
century, needs all the advisers he can get,” Patrick replied. His eyes
narrowed, and he looked at Martindale carefully. “Why?”
                 “Because
your name was being bandied about as being on the President’s list for national
security adviser.” Patrick stopped and looked at Martindale in complete surprise.
“He’s putting together his reelection campaign, and the word is that folks
would be more comfortable with him in a second term if he had a more
identifiable, complete set of advisers—national security adviser being the
number-one pick. That, it appears, is you”
                 “Me? That’s insane!” Patrick retorted.
                 “Why
insane?” Martindale asked. “After you put together and then commanded that Air
National Guard EB-1C Vampire unit over United Korea, you’re one of the most
popular and well-known military guys out there. Some folks equate you with
Jimmy Doolittle putting together the Tokyo air raids in World War Two, or with Colin
Powell. The guys who have access can look at your record and just be amazed and
awestruck at the stuff you’ve done. Plus, you have one more advantage.”
                 “What’s
that?”
                 “You’re
not Brad Elliott,” Martindale said with a smile. “They look at what you and
your team did over Russia and Romania in the Kazakov incident, over Korea , over China , over Lithuania , and all the other secret missions you’ve
been involved in over the years, and they realize that you were fighting for
your people—that shows pride, determination, and tenacity. Brad Elliott didn’t
fight for his people—Brad Elliott gladly sacrificed his people to do whatever
he wanted. They know where you’re coming from. Thom likes that. I know you
disagree with Thom on military policy. ..
                 “
‘Disagree’? It goes way beyond ‘disagree,’ Mr. President! Thom was the one who
had me involuntarily retired from the Air Force! Thom ordered my wife and son
arrested by the FBI, and his Justice Department has got agents watching and
listening in on Sky Masters Inc. night and day. Thom and I have absolutely
nothing in common except loathing for each other.”
                 “In
case you haven’t noticed, Thom likes surrounding himself with advisers that
disagree with him,” Martindale said. “In fact, I can’t think of one person in
his entire administration that thinks like him or is even remotely sim- patico
with his throwback Jeffersonian ideology. Even his close friend Robert Goff and
he constantly butt heads.” “I’d work with