Brad smacked his friend on the back as hard as he dared. “Congrats, you SOB. You’re going to be a dad. And you’ve actually got a plan.”
“I wouldn’t go giving me too much credit,” Ron said, shrugging off the sting in his back. “My dad ran out on my mom a long time ago, and I know how tough it’s been for her to raise two sons alone. I’d hate to do that to some little kid of mine.” He shook hands with Brad. “Thanks for listening, bro.”
“Sure. See you at practice.”
He watched Ron’s face fall. “I… I’m not so sure,” he said. “I got a chance for a full-time job at the overnight delivery company warehouse in Elko. I might drop out of high school after I turn eighteen in a couple months.”
Brad was thunderstruck. “Are you sure you want to do that, Ron?”
Ron shrugged. “I hate school, Brad, you know that — the only reason I’m there is for football and girls,” he said. “At the company I’ll get a decent salary, medical and dental, a pension, and they’ll help with getting a GED and an online bachelor’s degree. After a year I could become a manager. And I actually like working there. I won’t just be loading and unloading short-haul planes, but working toward a real career in the express shipping industry.” He fell silent, then nodded. “I think it’s the right thing to do.”
Brad shook his head. “Man, you’re freaking me out here, dude,” he said. “You’re turning into… like, a regular guy, right before my very eyes.”
“Yeah, I know — it’s hard for guys like me to be seen as anything else but an Adonis to you mere mortals.” They both laughed at that one. “I’ll see you soon, bro.”
“Congrats again… Dad.”
Ron nodded his thanks and left.
Nine
Duty cannot exist without faith.
Patrick’s desktop computer monitor showed the seal of the president of the United States. “Hold for the president, please,” the White House operator said after she had initiated the secure videoconference. A few moments later, Patrick saw President Ken Phoenix, seated at his desk in the private study next to the Oval Office. Beside him was Vice President Ann Page, smiling warmly. “Patrick, how are you, buddy?”
“Fine, Mr. President. Good to see you. You too, Madam Vice President.”
“It’s been too long, Patrick.” His expression turned serious. “I’ll get right down to it, Patrick: I received a very serious accusation from the Justice Department this morning, something dealing with the FBI agents leading the surveillance operation against the extremists near you.”
“The accusations are true, sir.”
Phoenix’s eyes widened in surprise. “You threatened three federal agents with death ?”
“Yes, sir.”
Phoenix sat back in his chair in complete shock. “The attorney general is screaming mad, Patrick. You used the CID robot and a Tin Man to threaten those agents with death? Why would you do something like that?”
“The agent from Homeland Security seduced Brad and lured him into a trap with the FBI,” Patrick explained, “and then the FBI agents set up Brad so they could get him to inform on me. I don’t suppose they mentioned any of that.”
The president rubbed his temples. “Has the entire damned world gone mad?” he murmured. “Why would the FBI want to spy on you?”
“I don’t know, sir.”
“They said you’ve been uncooperative ever since violating no-fly airspace a while back.”
“My attorney advised me not to answer any questions.”
“Attorney General Horton told you that?”
“Yes, sir.”
The president leaned forward and looked directly into the camera on his desktop computer. “Listen to me carefully, General,” he said. “You will rescind this… this death threat immediately, and you will guarantee to me that those agents have nothing to fear from you, the CID, the Tin Man, or any technology or weapons you control.”
“As long as I’m still free to protect my family, my community, and myself…”
The president held up a finger. “No conditions, Patrick. None . Agree to this, or I’ll send the Marines to come get you, the CID, and the Tin Man. I’m not going to have anyone threaten a federal agent, even you.” Patrick still hesitated. “I’m serious about this, my friend. If you have evidence that these agents did something illegal, turn it over to me, and I’ll have the Justice Department’s internal affairs look into it. But you will not go around threatening federal agents as long as I’m president.” He paused, the anger level in his face slowly rising. “Well?”
“I guarantee no federal agents will be harmed, sir,” Patrick said finally.
The president sat back in his chair. “That’s better,” he said after a few moments. “Just wait until Gardner gets hold of this. It’ll be front-page news all around the world in no time. The only reason I don’t bust you now, Patrick, is because I believe you will send me clear and convincing evidence of what those agents did to Bradley, and that it was outside their legal authority. I was the attorney general, Patrick, remember ? I believe the FBI is the finest law enforcement and investigative agency in the world. I’m not going to let anyone threaten an FBI agent, even you.”
“I’ll have Darrow Horton send you the recordings, sir. I turned everything over to her.”
“You do that— soonest .”
“She’s requested an interview of Special Agent Renaldo of Homeland Security to verify the plan to entrap my son,” Patrick said. “Renaldo invoked the Fifth Amendment and refused to cooperate.”
“Let them handle it,” the president said. “Next: you left a message with Ann saying you wanted to ask me something?”
“Yes, sir. I’ve been conducting surveillance of suspected extremist compounds in the Battle Mountain area, and—”
“You’ve been doing what ?” the president interrupted. “What kind of surveillance?”
“Exactly the same kind that Special Agent Chastain was supposed to be doing,” Patrick said, “but instead, he decided to trick my son into informing on me .”
“Has that desert heat fried your brain, Patrick?” the president asked. “Using what? The CID and Tin Man?”
“No, sir — Sky Masters sensors mounted on private aircraft.”
“First the Iranians, then the Turks, the Russians, and now Americans,” the president muttered. “Next you’ll be spying on me, I suppose? I regret putting you and Jonathan Masters in the same half of the country again — the trouble you two get into never ceases to aggravate me.” He thought for a moment; then: “I can think of a dozen different laws you’ve broken, but if anyone can keep you out of prison, it’ll be Darrow Horton.”
“At the risk of eating fruit from the forbidden tree,” Vice President Page asked off-camera, “what have you found, Patrick?”
“That the FBI was barking up the wrong tree, ma’am,” Patrick said. “I have a plan to try to fix the situation, Mr. President, and I need your permission to do a few things.”