Ghost Sniper: A Sniper Elite Novel by Scott McEwen, Thomas Koloniar Read Free Book Online

chained to a wall.”
    “Then who the fuck is this?” Vaught said, stealing a cautious glance at Crosswhite.
    “Agent Vaught, I’m Clemson Fields, CIA. I’m your handler, and you’re going to do exactly as you’re told until this situation has been resolved to the president’s satisfaction. Do you understand?”
    “I’ll tell you what I understand,” Vaught said. “I understand that I haven’t seen any credentials what-so-ever from Crosswhite here, and you could be anybody. So until I see some kind of documentation verifying this CIA bullshit, you’re just a voice on the goddamn phone. You copy that, asshole?”
    Crosswhite whispered to Paolina, who picked up the child and took her into the bedroom, eyeing Vaught coldly as she passed.
    “Very good,” Fields said. “The Mexico station chief will arrive tomorrow morning with the proper credentials, at which time you’ll be made to understand exactly what is expected of you. I’ll warn you in advance: you’re not going to like it. You’re going to be working with the PFM—more specifically, with the PFM agent who saved your life, since he’s the only one we’re reasonably sure you can trust.”
    “Trust?” Vaught said. “Let me shove a stun gun up your ass, and we’ll see how much fucking trust you feel.”
    “Agent Vaught, if you believe nothing else, you’d better believe this: the president, your commander in chief, is highly pissed about your leaving the reservation after allowing Alice Downly to run out into the street and get herself blown in half.”
    Vaught cringed. “That’s not exactly how it happened.”
    “I’ve seen the video,” Fields said. “So has the president—and that’s exactly how it looks to him, I can assure you.”
    “What video?” Vaught croaked.
    “There’s always an eye in the sky, Agent Vaught. You should know that by now.”
    At that moment, Vaught realized Fields was talking about a surveillance drone with stealth technology, and most of the fight left him. “Well, video or not,” he said quietly, “nobody who wasn’t on the ground can know how it went down. We were taking fifty-caliber sniper fire. You can ask Agent Uriah Heen how bad it was.”
    “From what I understand, Agent Heen has been recalled to the US. I guess we’ll see soon enough what he has to say. In the meantime, is it safe for Crosswhite to set you free, or should he leave you there in your little corner until Agent Ortega arrives in the morning to swear you in?”
    Vaught drew a breath and let it back out with sigh. “I won’t go anywhere.”
    “I understand you’re interested in pursuing the sniper who killed Alice Downly,” Fields went on. “We might be able to work with you on that, but not until you’ve shown yourself to be a team player. Understood?”
    “I don’t want my family thinking I’m dead,” Vaught said. “You assure me they won’t be told that, and I’ll do my part down here. Can you agree to that much?”
    “I don’t see why not,” Fields said. “You’re from a military family. I’m sure your brothers and parents can be made to understand the importance of secrecy—especially since your life might depend on it. You can give me back to Crosswhite now.”
    Vaught offered up the phone. “He wants to talk to you.”
    Crosswhite took the phone. “I’m here.”
    “I think it’s probably safe to set him loose,” Fields said. “He sounds sufficiently cowed to me. Have you mentioned the ATRU?”
    “It’s come up.”
    “You’d better fill him in all the way. Pope’s looked over his service record, and he wants him. The president’s already given his approval.”
    “I’ll fill him in.”
    “All right,” Fields said. “I’ll be in touch—and I heard the Doctor Doom remark.”
    “I don’t expect to lose much sleep over that.” Crosswhite pressed the disconnect button and tossed the phone onto the sofa.
    He took the handcuff key from his pocket. “I won’t try to stop you from leaving.