Whirlwind by Joseph Garber Read Free Book Online Page B

stolen? Whatever that big brown thing is, and whatever is on that computer disk that’s what’s driving her.” He shot an accusing finger at the national security advisor. “If I don’t know what it is, I’m just wasting my time.”
    Same as the last four times Charlie asked the question, Sam shook his head. “No can do. As I’ve explained, this is no ordinary secret. The Joint Chiefs, the secretaries of state and defense, and five of us on the White House staff are the only ones authorized just us and the scientists assigned to the project. That’s the way it is, and that’s the way I intend to keep it. I will not, repeat will not, risk another security breach.”
    Another security breach? Something about those words struck a false note. Charlie silently played back the national security advisor’s words, listening to them with an inner ear. He could mean what Kolodenkova did. But I don’t think so. He’s talking about something else. Something he doesn’t want me to know. “Sam, you’ve paid me twenty million bucks to ” “What twenty million? There’s no record of any payment to you.” Slippery sonofabitch. Even though he doesn’t know he’s on Candid Camera, the damned snake’s fundamentally reptilian instinct for self-preservation keeps him from saying a word I can use against him.
    Charlie changed tactics, attacking from another flank. “Whatever. You want a girl a woman eliminated, and you want me to do it.”
    “Now, Charlie, I didn’t say that.”
    Precisely the problem. Sam had said little explicitly, although much had been implied “Spare me your pieties. We both know what you’ve been talking about.”
    “I hope you haven’t misinterpreted me, Charlie. Nobody is talking about killing Ms. Kolodenkova. Although the president and I understand it’s a possible outcome, we would deeply regret it.”
    Charlie felt like grinding his teeth. But for one irrelevant slip, Sam had said nothing incriminating. Bad news. Win, lose, or draw, Sam would sell him out. Selling people out was his job, and he went to work every morning with a smile. If Charlie couldn’t get his hands on something utterly damning, Sam would double-cross him. Again!
    Another change of tactics. Make yourself vulnerable, he told himself. Sad and world-weary, and a little weak. He dropped his voice, turning his eyes away from Sam’s serpent stare. “How many people do you think I’ve sanctioned?”
    Sam shook his head. “How would I know? Fifty or so, I’d guess.”
    “Eleven.”
    Sam’s surprise showed. “That few? From the stories they tell, I’d have thought “
    Aft.” On the hook at last. “Eleven. Not counting self-defense and collaterals bodyguards and such, which I regret. The number you mentioned, well, that’s about the number I’ve been asked to go after. And turned down flat. You see, Sam, the thing is … the very painful thing is that I despise it, and it makes me puke. Oh sure, I know it comes easy to some. And I damned sure know that it’s easy enough for people like you to order. But doing it… no, Sam, there’s nothing to be said in favor of that. There’s only what can be said against.”
    “But still, you’ve “
    “I have, and it’s on my soul. When the time comes, the only alibi I’ll be able to offer the recording angel is that my targets were personifications of the greatest evil you can find this side of hell.”
    Sam seemed genuinely astonished. “Uh… What can I say? I suppose I should say that I can respect that.”
    “I suppose you should.”
    To Charlie’s ears, Sam’s sigh of surrender sounded unfeigned. “Charlie, be reasonable. Do you think I’d be in this room if the nation wasn’t in jeopardy?”
    “Maybe, maybe not. I don’t have enough information to decide.”
    Leaning back in his chair, Sam massaged his forehead to relieve what were, Charlie devoutly hoped, painfully throbbing sinuses. “Hmm… yes, I can empathize with that. Very well, let me try to give