The Escape by David Baldacci Read Free Book Online Page A

guy they found in his cell. So he’s a traitor and a murderer.” As he said these words, Puller felt a sharp pain in his chest, his breathing grew shallow, and sweat appeared on his brow. He knew he wasn’t having a heart attack.
    But am I having a panic attack?
    He had never panicked, not once in his life. Not while bullets were flying and bombs were bursting all around him. He had been scared then, as any sane person would be. But that was not the same as panicked. It was actually the difference between surviving or not.
    “John, are you okay?”
    “I’m good,” he said curtly, though he really wasn’t.
    My brother, a traitor and a murderer? No, I am definitely not good.
    “So I guess that answers my question,” she said.
    “What question?”
    “You thought your brother was innocent, didn’t you?”
    “Maybe I did.”
    “I can understand that, John. It’s natural.”
    “Is it?” he said heatedly. “It doesn’t feel natural. None of this does.”
    “So what are you going to do?” asked Carson.
    “My CO gave me some leave time.”
    “And he also told you to stay away from this sucker.”
    “And I’ve got an NSC suit and two generals maybe wanting me to take a whack at it.”
    “But they gave you no direct order to do so, not that they were even authorized to give one. And you might have misread their intent. On the other hand, your commanding officer explicitly told you to stand down. So the answer is easy. You stand down.”
    “He’s my brother, Julie.”
    “And you’re a soldier, John. Orders are orders. You don’t really have a choice.”
    “You’re right, I don’t. He’s my brother.”
    “Why are you doing this?”
    “Doing what?”
    “Putting this much pressure on yourself.”
    Puller took a long breath and then said again more forcefully, “He’s my brother!”
    “It doesn’t matter if he’s your brother. That ship has already sailed, Puller. He’s an escaped prisoner. The best you can hope for is that he’s captured safely and returned to DB promptly.”
    “So that’s it, then?”
    “What more could it be? Look, I know how you must feel. But your brother made his choices. His career and life are over. Are you telling me you want to put yours in jeopardy? And for what possible reason?”
    “Everything you’re saying makes perfect sense.”
    “But you’re not buying any of it.”
    “I didn’t say that.”
    “You didn’t have to.” She took a deep breath. “So, again, what are you going to do?”
    “I don’t know. And I wouldn’t tell you if I did know. That would just put you in an even more awkward position.”
    “I’ve been in those with you before.”
    “And you almost died, Julie. I’m never going to do that to you again. Never.”
    “I showed up in Florida voluntarily. You didn’t ask me to come down there.”
    “But I didn’t tell you to go back home either.”
    “I survived.”
    “Barely.”
    “And I don’t want anything to happen to you, John. Even if I am in Texas now. I still care about you.”
    Though they were not face-to-face, Puller could imagine the look that Carson was displaying right now. Tender and concerned.
    “Not worried about fraternization rules?”
    “They don’t apply to us. They apply to officer and enlisted. We’re both officers. I’m a general, and even though you started out in the ranks, you’re a chief warrant officer. And you’re not under my command.”
    “So you checked?”
    Her voice rose over the phone. “ Yes , I checked. So you can understand if I feel a little proprietary toward you. You can’t tank your career over this. You just can’t!”
    “I can’t sit on the sidelines. I’m sorry.”
    “John, please think about the consequences.”
    “I’ve done nothing but think about them. But it hasn’t changed my decision.”
    He heard her draw a long breath. “Well, then I wish you the very best of luck. And I guess I can’t say I’m surprised. After Florida I understand quite clearly that