The Osprey pilot had called ahead for the NATO medics.
Though the cuts and bruises Boisard and especially Manigot had suffered were mostly superficial, there were a lot of them. And Manigot had fractured two ribs.
Hausen was in the worst shape. In an effort to remain conscious and focus his energy during the flight back, he had talked to August. He said that Dominique had tried at first to strangle him. And each time Hausen had rallied and tried to wrest control of the helicopter, Dominique had kicked or beaten him again. As soon as the helicopter landed, Hausen slumped over the control stick.
Hood entered the LongRanger so he could be with the Deputy Foreign Minister until he was evacuated. Hood sat in the pilot's seat beside the German as they waited for the NATO medic to finish with the assault casualties.
Hood called his name. Hausen looked over and smiled faintly.
"We got him," he said.
"You got him," Hood replied.
"I was willing to die if I could take him with me," Hausen said. "I… didn't care about anything else. I'm sorry." "No need to apologize," Hood said. "It all worked out." The American got up and stepped aside as a medic and her assistant arrived. She examined the wounds on Hausen's neck, temple, scalp, and lower face to make sure there was no need for hemorrhage control. Then she checked his eyes and heart rate and made a cursory spinal examination.
"Mild neurogenic shock," she said to her assistant.
"Let's get him out of here." A stretcher was brought over and Hausen was carried from the LongRanger. Hood walked out behind them.
"Paul!" Hausen shouted as he was lifted down the steps.
Hood said, "I'm here." "Paul," Hausen said, "this is not finished. Do you understand?" "I know. We'll get that regional center going. Take the initiative. Now don't talk." "In Washington," Hausen said as he was placed in the ambulance. He smiled weakly. "Next time we meet in Washington. Quieter." Hood smiled back at him and squeezed his hand before they shut the door.
"Maybe we ought to invite him to a budget hearing," Matt Stoll said from behind him. "This'll seem like a day at the beach." Hood turned. He squeezed his associate's shoulder.
"You were a real hero tonight, Matt. Thanks." "Aw, it was nothing, Chief. It's amazing what you can do when your ass is in danger and you've got no choice." "Not true," Hood said. "A lot of people panic under fire.
You didn't." "Bull," Stoll said. "I just didn't show it. But I think you've got other unfinished business. So I'm just going to tiptoe away and have a nervous breakdown." Stoll left. Nancy was standing directly behind him, in the shadows.
Hood stared at her for a moment before he walked over. He wanted to say that she'd performed like a hero too, but he didn't. She'd never warmed to slap-on-the-back compliments, and he knew that that was not what she wanted to hear from him.
He took her hands in his. "I think this is the latest we've ever been out." She laughed once. Tears rolled from her eyes. "We were old fogies back then. Dinner, reading in bed, ten o'clock news, early movies on weekends." Hood was suddenly aware of the weight of his wallet inside his jacket and of the two ticket stubs inside it. She wasn't. She was staring into his eyes with love and longing.
She did not intend to make this easy.
He rubbed the backs of her hands with his thumbs, then moved his hands to her shoulders. He kissed her on the cheek. The warm salt of her tears made him want to move closer, hold her, kiss her ear.
He stepped back.
"There are going to be inquiries, a lot of commissions and court dates. I would like to get you an attorney." "Okay. Thanks." "I'm sure someone will pick up Demain's assets when this is all cleared up. My staff has muscle in all kinds of places. I'll make sure you're involved. Until then, Matt will find things for you to do." "My savior," she said dryly.
Hood grew annoyed. "This isn't fun for me either, Nancy. But I can't give you what you want." "Can't you?" "Not without taking from someone else, someone I love. I've spent most of my adult life growing up with Sharon. We're intertwined in ways that are very special to me." "Is that all you want?" she asked. "A relationship that's special? You should be delirious. We were. Even when we fought we had passion." "Yes," Hood said, "but that's over. Sharon and I are happy together. There's a lot to be said for stability, knowing that someone will be there—" "For better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health," Nancy said bitterly.
"That," Hood said, "or even just showing up at the movies." Nancy's mouth turned down. She blinked several times without looking away. "Ouch," she said. "Direct hit." Hood was sorry to have hurt her, but at least he'd found the strength to say what needed to be said. It felt bad but it felt right.
Nancy finally funned away. "So," she said. "I guess I should have gone back to town with Colonel Ballon." "The local police are on the way," Hood told her.
"They'll see that we get a ride." "You're still a blockhead," she said with a brave smile.
"I meant he's single. It was a joke." "Gotcha," Hood said. "Sorry." Nancy took a deep breath. "Not as sorry as I am. About everything." She looked at him again. "Even though this didn't work out the way I wanted, it was good to see you, again. And I'm glad you're happy. I truly am." She started to walk away, swaying as she had when he'd seen her at the hotel, her hair snapping this way, then that. Hood started after her. Without turning around, she held up her hand like a police officer stopping traffic and shook her head.
Hood watched her go, his own eyes dampening. And when she had disappeared into the crowd of police and medics he smiled sadly.
The date, at last, had been kept.
CHAPTER SEVENTY-FOUR
Hood, Stoll, and Herbert were welcomed back to Op- Center with a small party in the Tank, the high-security conference room. When they arrived, the senior staffers were already gathered with trays of coffee, croissants, and crullers.
"We bought out all of the French and German-sounding pastries in the commissary," Ann Farris pointed out as she welcomed Hood with a cheek-to-cheek air kiss.
Ed Medina and John Benn had spent the weekend building a small tableau of toy soldiers representing NATO, Hood, and Herbert. They were defending a fort labeled "Decency" from a horde of disfigured soldiers pouring from a troop transport labeled "Hate." The bruised but unbowed Herbert was touched. Stoll lapped it all up. Hood was embarrassed. Rodgers stood cross-armed in the corner, out of Hood's limelight, a hint of envy in his expression.
When prompted to speak, Hood perched himself on the corner of the conference table and said, "All we did was what people like General Rodgers and our Striker personnel do all the time." "Run amok abroad," Lowell Coffey suggested, "and make the diplomats earn their pay?" "No," Stoll countered. "Fight for truth, justice, and the American way!" "Where're my pom-poms?" Ann Farris asked.
Hood quieted the twenty-odd people gathered in the office. "Like I said, we only followed the example that our Op-Center colleagues have set for us. Speaking of which, Mike— you want to make the announcement?" Rodgers shook his head and extended his hand toward Hood. Hood wanted to drag him over, force him to share in this triumph. But self-promotion was not in Rodgers's lexicon.
Hood said, "Over the weekend, General Rodgers finalized plans for Colonel Brett A. August to come to Washington to take command of Striker. Colonel August was the man who actually collared Gerard Dominique, and he's going to be a great stragetic and personal asset to our team." There was a smattering of applause and upthrust thumbs.
"As I'm sure you've all noticed," Hood went on, "this weekend the press was full of the fall of Dominique and the implications of Operation L'Ecouter. I saw a lot of editorials about the way the prejudices and suspicions of otherwise good people were going to be manipulated, used to destroy lives and societies. I hope the warnings don't die with the headlines. Ann, we'll have to talk about that. Let's see if we can work up some kind of educational program for schools." She nodded and smiled proudly at him.