The Last Phoenix by Richard Herman Read Free Book Online

patient man,” Shaw said.
    Butler took a sip before answering. What does he want? He allowed a cautious “It goes with the territory.”
    “What do you think they’re talking about in there?” Shaw asked.
    He doesn’t know? Butler thought. Fat chance. Shaw knows everything that goes on around here. Before he could answer, the door to the control room opened, and one of the duty controllers told Butler he was wanted inside. Butler gave Shaw a shrug as if to say he was sorry as the Marine guard opened the door to the Situation Room. One glance around the room as he entered told Butler all he needed to know. Every major policy player in the Turner administration was there, including the irascible secretary of state, Stephan Serick, and Robert Merritt, the secretary of defense.
    “Well, Bernie,” the president said, “you certainly stirred up a hornet’s nest on this one.”
    “I take it you have verification,” Butler said.
    Serick coughed for attention. “My people tell me it’s all a false alarm. There is no secret alliance between Iraq, Iran, and Syria. There is no joint exercise. We’ve all lost too much sleep over this.”
    “I’m not ready to totally discount it,” the DCI said, surprising Butler. The DCI had just admitted to a major intelligence failure.
    Serick turned on him. “So what do you know now that you didn’t know twelve hours ago?” His voice filled with sarcasm. “No doubt you’ve unearthed the real expert on the Middle East—the little old lady who wears purple dresses and sleeps under her desk in the CIA’s basement?”
    Secretary of Defense Merritt chuckled at the DCI’s embarrassment. “Not exactly,” the DCI replied, glaring at Merritt. “What I did discover was a power struggle going on between my China and Middle Eastern division chiefs.” He spoke without emotion. “Both those gentlemen were fired, and their replacements are taking a fresh look at the situation. So far the assessment isn’t good.” Madeline Turner’s warning about its not happening again had not gone unheeded.
    Serick snorted. “Are you saying the Boys in the Basement made you look like fools?”
    The DCI took a deep breath to control his anger. “What I’m saying is that we have a new development in the Middle East that needs close monitoring.”
    Serick was shouting. “My people would know if—”
    The DCI interrupted him. “Your people don’t know diddly—”
    “Gentlemen,” the president said, her voice full of authority. “Enough.” A heavy silence ruled the room. Then, “Bernie, what is your sense of the situation?”
    Butler thought for a moment. “The Islamic radicals have sensed a weakness and are moving in a new direction. It has the potential for serious trouble.”
    “Don’t you think,” Serick said, “that our allies in the Gulfwould be shouting for help if what you say is true? Besides, who exactly are these sources that are revealing all of this? Some janitor in an embassy? Pickpocket? Pimp? A whore?”
    Butler almost laughed, but it wasn’t in his nature. Serick would never know how close he came to the truth. “Some things in my business,” Butler murmured, “never change.” He let that sink in. “Unfortunately, our erstwhile allies in the Gulf tend to rely on us for their intelligence. They know what we tell them.”
    “If I may,” the DCI said, trying to speak with authority in his domain, “let me summarize. One: Iran, Iraq, and Syria have joined together in an alliance, calling themselves the United Islamic Front, or UIF. Two: We have an unconfirmed report from General Butler that the UIF intends to attack and capture the Kuwaiti and Saudi oil fields.”
    Merritt finally spoke. “Which will never happen.”
    “So you keep reassuring us,” Vice President Kennett said. There was no reply as Merritt slipped into one of his characteristic funks. He hated the vice president.
    The DCI took the silence as consent to continue. “Three: The UIF has announced a