“How’d you know?”

  “Similar number, same exchange. What do you need?”

  “I need the mobile number of the Deputy Secretary of Defense.”

  “Say what?”

  “Just do it.”

  The line went silent except for the sounds of fingers hitting a keyboard. A moment later Brandon read off the phone number. “You didn’t get that from me.”

  “You got it.” Jack hung up and dialed the number.

  A man answered. “Hello?”

  “I’ve got something you want.”

  “Who is this?”

  “Lincoln Park, at the statue on the east end. Half an hour. You better be there and be alone.”

  “Wait a minute. Who is this? What do you have?”

  “It doesn’t need to be said. Don’t test me McCarthy. Be there or I’ll find your kids.” He didn’t know whether the man had children or not, but the bluff worked.

  “Half an hour, Lincoln Park,” McCarthy said. “I’ll be there.”

  It took Jack fifteen minutes to reach the park. He found a metered parking spot and left his car. He stood across the street from the park, on 11th, in a spot where he had a view of the statue. Like clockwork, the Secretary showed up, and he appeared to have come alone. Jack pulled out his phone and called the man.

  “Start walking toward 11th,” Jack said. “Turn right when you reach the street.”

  The Secretary looked over his shoulders, turned in a full circle and settled in while looking in Jack’s direction. “Where are you?”

  Jack had positioned himself where he couldn’t be seen. “Just do what I said.”

  He watched McCarthy walk toward him and stop, then turn right and head north on 11th. After the man had a half block lead, Jack got in his car and drove toward him. He pulled up next to McCarthy and stopped.

  “Get in,” Jack said.

  The Secretary froze. He looked like he was going to shout or run or maybe even piss himself.

  Jack lifted his gun. “Get in or this gets used on you and then your kids while your wife watches.”

  McCarthy opened the door and got inside the vehicle. Sat down and strapped in. “Who are you?”

  “That’s not important.”

  “Where are the documents?”

  “That’s what I’d like to know. You had them stolen from a secure location. Where are they now?”

  The Secretary shook his head. “What are you talking about? How do you know they were stolen?”

  Jack said nothing. He made a series of turns, going nowhere in particular. He wished he had a place here in the city that he could take the man for questioning.

  “Did you kill the General last night?”

  Jack laughed.

  “You find that funny?” the man said.

  “No, I had nothing to do with that. But I’m interested in seeing what you know about Robert Marlowe.”

  “I just found out. We don’t have any information other than he was murdered execution style.”

  “He was a friend of mine,” Jack said. “And he fingered you for the culprit behind the security leak.”

  Jack pulled the car into a parking lot and turned in his seat to face the man.

  “Look,” McCarthy said. “You got it all wrong. Yeah, I was involved in the initial test. We all were. But once the documents were back in our possession, I can’t tell you how relieved I was. I’ve been freaking out since they were stolen again, because…”

  Jack waited for the man to continue, then said, “Because what?”

  “I think I know who did it.”

  Jack honed in on the man’s eyes. They hadn’t flinched and still didn’t wave. “Who?”

  “The Secretary of Defense. Bragg. He’s the one that arranged the initial test. And to be frank, I’m having doubts that was a test at all. He used us. All of us, including the President.”

  “Who’s working with him?”

  “I’m not sure. Certainly not the man he hired the first time.”

  “Could it be someone from the same group?”

  The man shrugged. Said nothing.

  “I can’t get into the Pentagon, but I need to finish this,” Jack said. “Can you get him to meet you somewhere?”

  The man nodded. “He has an office on F Street.”

  “Call him. Tell him to meet you there and only there.”

  The man pulled out his phone and placed the call. He spoke quickly and didn’t elaborate on any points. After he hung up, he said, “It’s arranged. We’ll meet in an hour.”

  Jack drove west, toward the White House. There was a parking garage close to the Secretary’s office on F Street and he could ditch the car there.

  Neither man spoke during the drive. Jack kept glancing at McCarthy to make sure he wasn’t trying to send any messages with his phone. By all appearances the man had settled in and accepted his fate for the day.

  They reached the parking garage and Jack navigated through the cavernous structure, winding upward several stories before he found an empty space.

  Jack cut the engine and turned in his seat to face McCarthy. “Here’s the plan. You’re going to show me where the office is, and then you’re going in there alone. I’m going to wait out of sight. I’ll enter shortly after. From there I take over.”

  “Then I can go?”

  “No. Can’t trust you. You’ll stay.”

  “I’ll be a witness. Do you want that?”

  Jack narrowed his eyes and leaned forward. “You ever threaten me again and you’ll watch what I do to your family.”

  McCarthy’s eyes watered over and he shook his head. “I should be armed. Bragg’s a dangerous man, and I know he has weapons in that office. I think… I think he conducts alternate business there. Give me a weapon.”

  “Not a chance,” Jack said. “Don’t say anything stupid. You’ll only be alone for a minute. If Bragg tries anything when I enter I’ll neutralize him.”

  “You’ll kill him.”

  “Not until I have everything I want.”

  McCarthy lowered his head and shook it. “How did we ever get into this mess? Why would Bragg do something so stupid? Endanger his country like this?”

  “For the same reason most men betray their morals and ethics,” Jack said. “Money.”

  Jack stepped out of the car and waited for McCarthy to join him. “You stay close. I better not lose sight of you.”

  McCarthy practically hugged Jack, he stood so close. They found the stairs and made their way to the street. Navigated their way to the office building where Bragg kept his unofficial office. They entered the building and made their way to the floor above Bragg’s.

  They had thirty minutes to kill before the meeting. The time passed slowly, leaving Jack to focus on the second hand of a cheap clock hanging on the wall in the floor’s lobby. He barely looked in McCarthy’s direction and the men said nothing to each other until twenty-five minutes in when McCarthy spoke.

  “That’s him,” McCarthy said. “Entering the building.”

  Jack walked over to the window and looked down at the street.

  “He’s inside already,” McCarthy said.

  “Get ready to go,” Jack said.

  92

  “We missed,” Bear said into his cell phone. “And to make it worse, Pierre was wounded badly. Might not make it.”

  “I see,” Frank said. “Look, you need to get back to the U.S. at once. We can discuss further steps once you are here.”

  Bear stared up at the sky. Clouds had rolled in and were blocking the setting sun. The orange glow filtered through but did little to warm the cool breeze that blew into his face. He had no intention of doing anything for Frank when he got back to the States. But he wasn’t going to say that now. He might never make it to his plane if he did.

  “OK,” Bear said. “I’ll call you after I land.”

  He ended the call and immediately dialed Kat’s number. No answer. He walked until he reached her apartment building. The gate was locked. He paced the area in front of the entrance for half an hour. Then she appeared. Stepped off a bus and walked toward him. He stood next to the gate and waited for her.

  “Bear,” she said. “Where’s Pierre?”

  “We should go inside,” he said.

  She unlocked the gate and they hurried to her apartment without saying a word. By the time they reached the door, tears stained her cheeks.

  “Is he dead?” she asked as she pushed the door open.

  “Maybe.”

  “You don’t know?”

  “I had to leave him with the medics. Charles was coming after us.”

  She pressed her palms into her eyes and let out a sob. She took a deep quivering breath and said, “Where did they take him?”

  “Don’t know.”

  “Where were you?”

  “Not sure.”

  “Why are you here?”

  “To tell you about Pierre.”

  “Tell me why you’re really here.”

  “Come to America with me.”

  Kat shook her head and turned away. “You should leave.”

  Bear lifted his hands. Wanted to reach out and grab her. Pull her close. Hug her. Convince her to come with him. Instead he turned and left the apartment without another word.

  He made his way out of the compound and hailed the first taxi he saw.

  “Take me to the airport,” he said.

  93

  A minute passed, then two, then three. Finally, at the four minute mark Jack said, “It’s time.”

  He led McCarthy down the hall to the stairwell. They walked down a flight of stairs and stopped next to the reinforced door that served as a barrier against the heat and cold and noise between the hall and the stairs.

  “Ready?” Jack said.

  McCarthy nodded.

  “Remember,” Jack said. “Don’t play hero. Things get out of hand, you run.”

  “OK.”

  “Once I enter, you don’t have to say a thing. In fact, I’d prefer it if you didn’t.”

  “OK.”

  “Any final questions?”

  “Are you going to kill him?”

  Jack shrugged as a slight grin formed on his face. The feeling was there, he only needed an excuse. “Only if he tries to kill one of us.”

  McCarthy stood there, eyes wide, and said nothing.

  “Now go,” Jack said while pulling the door open.

  McCarthy stepped through the opening and walked toward the office. Jack left the door cracked just enough so that he could see down the hall. McCarthy stopped and knocked on Bragg’s office door. Jack didn’t see the door open, but he did see Bragg stick his head out and check both ends of the hall. Jack instinctively pulled back but was careful to leave the door cracked in the same position. Letting it close and bang shut would set off a red flag, and surely Bragg was on high enough alert to notice.

  Jack prepared to move. The walk would be one of the longest he ever took. The scenarios played in his mind. Would McCarthy double cross him and tell Bragg that Jack was on the way? McCarthy could have been playing him the whole time and be a lot more involved in the plot than Jack knew. What if Bragg had the hallway covered with surveillance? He’d be a sitting duck if that were the case.

  Jack shook the thoughts from his mind. The time for worrying had passed. He pushed the door open and started down the hall. As he approached the door, he retrieved the Glock Frank had given him and held it in his right hand. Grabbed the Sig Sauer pistol he took from Jasmine’s apartment with his left hand. He stopped in front of the door and listened. The men were shouting at each other.

  “I know what you did, Don,” McCarthy said.

  “What’s that?” Bragg said.

  McCarthy lowered his voice and Jack couldn’t make out his response. Then he heard Bragg start to laugh. It was time. Jack took two steps back and lunged forward, kicking the door open with his right foot. He held both guns at arm’s length. Aimed one at McCarthy and the other at Bragg.

  “Don’t move a muscle,” Jack said.

  McCarthy threw his hands in the air and backed up until he pressed against the wall, next to a window.

  “What the hell is this?” Bragg said. “Do you have any idea who we are?”

  Jack used his foot to kick the door into a closed position. It didn’t latch, but he managed to get it stuck shut.

  “Step out from behind the desk, Bragg,” Jack said.

  Bragg didn’t move. “Get the hell out of my office.”

  “You’re not the one in charge here,” Jack said. “Be a good boy like McCarthy and join him next to the window.”

  Bragg shook his head and reached down toward his desk.

  “I wouldn’t do that,” Jack said. “Considering all the lives that have already been lost, one more won’t make a difference. Especially not the life of a traitor.”

  Bragg lifted his head and stared at Jack for a moment. Then he straightened up and took a step back. He narrowed his eyes and lifted his hand. Pointed at Jack.

  “Wait a minute,” Bragg said. “I know you. You’re that Noble guy. You’re the one that screwed up my operation to test our security.”

  Out of the corner of his eye, Jack saw McCarthy turn his head toward him.

  “You mean I stopped you from placing sensitive documents into the hands of terrorists in North Korea,” Jack said.

  “Koreans? You handed them over to the Russians.”

  “And I got them back,” Jack said. “Only to have them stolen again.”

  Bragg shrugged. “I don’t know anything about that.”

  “I didn’t ask if you did.”

  “Are you really Jack Noble?” McCarthy asked.

  “Jack Noble is dead,” Jack said.

  “So what do you want, Jack?” Bragg said.

  “I want you to go to the President and tell him what you did. Maybe if you beg loudly enough he’ll let you disappear instead of having you killed for treason.”

  Bragg laughed. “If anyone here is guilty of treason, it’s you, Jack. I was only trying to make our country a safer place.”

  “Where are the documents now?” Jack said.

  “I should ask you that,” Bragg said. “You’re probably the one that stole them from the NSA.”

  Jack took a step forward. “Where are they?”

  Bragg stood defiant. “Even if I knew, I wouldn’t tell you.”

  Jack took another step forward, taking care to keep both men in his sight. “Your life means nothing to me, Bragg. I’m a ghost. I’ll just disappear. You better friggin’ tell me.”

  “Screw you, Jack.”

  Jack closed the distance between himself and Bragg’s desk. He held both guns inches from the man’s head. “Dammit, Bragg. Tell me where the documents are.”

  “They’re right here, Jack,” a familiar female voice said from behind.

  Bragg smiled.

  Jack had let his emotions get the best of him, and in doing so, he missed the sound of a door within the office opening from behind. Not the main office door, but a closet door or one that led to another room. He chastised himself for being so careless.

  “Place your weapons on the desk and turn around,” she said.

  Jack held the guns with only his thumbs and index fingers. Slowly he lowered the weapons and set them on the desk. Then he turned around and saw Jasmine standing at the back of the room with an H&K MP7 equipped with a silencer, aimed in his direction. She held it loosely in her right hand. A briefcase dangled from her left.

  “Jasmine,” Jack said. “What the—”

  “You couldn’t leave it alone, could you, Jack?” she said.

  “Why?” Jack said.

  “I told you from the beginning this wasn’t for us to worry about. There are agencies that are made for this kind of thing. You should have listened to me and let me convince you, like Frank, that this had nothing to do with us.”

  Jack shook his head in disbelief and said nothing.

  “But no, you had this redemption thing stuck in your head. Then I tried to steer things in another direction and push the terrorist theory. Even had Frank convinced. But once again,” she took a step forward, “Jack Noble argues and gets his way.”

  “You stole the documents from the NSA,” Jack said.

  She nodded and gestured with the briefcase.

  “How? How did you know where and how?”

  “Remember when I told you that I interviewed with different agencies before going to work for the SIS?”

  Jack nodded.

  “I made a contact in the NSA during that time,” she said. “We stayed close and became more than friends. You knew him as Rico.”

  “He was involved in the theft?” Jack said. “He’s the one that put me onto the Pentagon, though.”

  “He was only involved in a roundabout way. He told me enough. Then he turned out to help you despite my attempts at misleading him.”

  Jack realized at that moment that the car bomb was Jasmine’s doing. “You killed him?”

  “And I meant to kill you at the same time, but you stood outside the garage.”

  Jack reached up and ran his hands through his hair. He grabbed fistfuls of hair in the back and pulled. “This whole time, you’ve been working against me.”

  “No,” she said. “Not entirely. We had a few common goals. Stop the Russians from pulling off the attacks, for one. Not because I care, but because I got nothing out of it. No money. We were also on the same page as far as getting the documents back. But, again for different reasons.”

  Jack heard a drawer slide open behind him and then the sounds of metal clanking against wood. Bragg stepped out from the behind the desk and walked past him. Joined Jasmine at the other side of the room. He lifted his arm and aimed his gun at Jack.

  “What was that you called yourself, Mr. Noble?” Bragg said. “A ghost, right?”

  Jack said nothing. He clenched his jaw and inched backward. His weapons were barely a foot away. Maybe he’d get shot while reaching for them. Maybe not. But it’d be better than dying like a chump with his hands up.

  “No, no, no,” Jasmine said. “Not another inch.”

  “Should we kill him here?” Bragg asked.

  “Yeah,” Jasmine said. “But first you and I have to complete our transaction. After I fire, we need to bolt.”