“I agree,” replied Kempt. “Send a plane to bring them home to U.S. soil where they can be debriefed and held until we get to the bottom of this thing.”
“As for Ryan Mitchell, I say we leave him alone, sir.”
“Why?”
“Sir, if, as you say, this is all a big misunderstanding, it will be Mitchell and O’Reilly who will have egg on their faces when all is said and done for interfering with one of this nation’s most trusted businessmen. However, if they are on to something, why not let them lead us to it?”
“Okay, after the police in Russia have picked up his people call General O’Reilly on my behalf and let him know that you are interceding on behalf of the U.S. government. Tell him that you intend to send a plane to Russia to bring his folks home. That should allay any fears he has for his people’s welfare. I also want you to continue to monitor all messages between him and his people. Keep a close eye on Mitchell. I want to know wherever he goes to next. And make sure we have a Special Forces team on standby to move at a moment’s notice, in case they’re needed.”
“Yes, sir,” replied Leonard as he jotted down some notes.
Kempt stood. “Dan, what if this turns out to be true and Houston has an unknown pathogen in his possession?”
“Then we initiate the Hellfire protocol and hope to God that we get our hands on it before anyone else does.”
“And if we can’t?”
“Then, Mister President, you may be forced to think the unthinkable and authorize the use of a thermonuclear device to eradicate the pathogen before it can escape out into the world.”
“Good Lord,” muttered Kempt, suddenly feeling sick in the pit of his stomach.
Ten minutes later, Leonard climbed back into the waiting Blackhawk helicopter, buckled himself in, and slipped a headset over his ears.
Outside, the helicopter’s powerful engines came to life. Snow whipped up by the rotors created a white wall all around the front of the craft.
Leonard looked over at the man sitting across from him dressed in U.S. Air Force fatigues and said, “Colonel Harriman, I need to speak with the Secretary of Defense. Have Washington patch him thorough on a secure frequency the instant they have him on the line.”
“Very good, sir,” replied Harriman.
A minute later, the Blackhawk was airborne and speeding back towards the capital.
After the call with the Secretary of Defense ended, Leonard sat back in his seat and watched the snow-covered countryside as it flew underneath the helicopter. He had never regretted coming to work for President; however, he was feeling the stress of knowing that something was going to happen, yet for now, he was unable to do anything about it.
“Sir, is there anyone else you wish to speak to?” asked Harriman.
Leonard shook his head.
Harriman glanced down at his watch and saw that they would be landing in about forty minutes. Anticipation began to build up inside him. He had never once contemplated doing anything that would harm his country; however, he had information vital to his fellow conspirators that he had to pass on the instant they landed. With luck, they could put an end to the meddling from O’Reilly’s people before it compromised their cause. Harriman knew the next forty minutes were going to be the longest in his life.
27
Yuri pulled up in front of the busy main international terminal. He got out of the car he had borrowed from a friend and went in search of a couple of luggage carts while Jen, Sam, and Cardinal retrieved their luggage from the back of the car.
A couple of minutes later, Yuri returned pushing two trolleys that looked like their wheels were about to fall off. With a wink at Jen, he picked up her suitcase.
She smiled back.
He was about to wish them all a safe journey home when from out of nowhere at least a dozen heavily armed policemen ran towards them, screaming at them to place their hands in the air.
“Yuri, what’s going on?” said Jen, looking at the cordon of police surrounding them. It was like a scene out of a movie, only now she was in it.
“I do not know pretty lady, but I suggest that we all raise our hands, nice and slowly,” replied Yuri as he raised his hands.
“Goddamn it Yuri, did you forget to pay a parking ticket last time we were here?” asked Cardinal.
“I’ve heard of being fleeced at the airport when you travel, but this is a little much if you ask me,” added Sam. She turned her head and smiled at a nervous-looking policeman who had his weapon trained on her.
A moment later, a police cruiser pulled up. Two men wearing dark-blue overcoats got out. One wore a fur cap on his head while the other did not. Digging out their identification, the two men flashed them in front of Yuri’s eyes.
“FSB, you’re all to come with me,” announced the policeman with the fur cap.
“What did he say?” Jen asked Yuri.
“Men are from the Federal Security Service,” replied Yuri.
“Think of the FBI, just less sophisticated,” explained Sam.
“What are we going to do?” asked Jen.
“You’re all coming with us,” replied the other policeman in fluent English. “That is, unless you are thinking of shooting your way out of here.”
“No, I think we’ll do as you say,” said Cardinal.
Ten minutes later, the small convoy of police cars came to halt outside of a dark-green military hangar. They followed their escorts inside the empty building and walked in silence to a room in the back of the building. After handing over all of their cellphones, wallets, and passports, the room door closed, trapping them in the room.
Jen shook her head and took a seat at the small table in the middle of the room. She looked over at Yuri and said, “Yuri, do you think that we’re in trouble for that incident with those people who tried to kill us?”
“No, pretty lady, this has nothing to do with that,” responded Yuri. “The authorities here don’t care if criminals kill one another. It’s less work for them to do. This… this is something else.”
“Like what?” asked Sam.
“I do not know. The FSB know who I am and what I do. Until today, they have left me alone,” said Yuri as he ran his hand over the dark stubble on his face.
The door to the room opened, and a man in a dark-gray suit walked in. “Good afternoon everyone, my name is Roger Michaels. I’m with the U.S. Consulate in Saint Petersburg.” Michaels showed everyone his consular ID.
“Mister Michaels, what’s going on?” asked Jen.
“Charges have been brought against the four of you by the Russian government,” explained Michaels.
“What kind of charges?” asked Cardinal.
“Espionage.”
“That’s crazy,” said Jen. “We haven’t spied on anyone.”
“Be that as it may, these charges are very serious. If convicted, you could all spend the rest of your lives in prison.”
“They took our phones and all of our ID,” said Cardinal. “I’d like mine back so I can call the Canadian Consulate. No offense, sir, but I’d feel a lot better if my government was also made aware of what was going on.”
Michaels smiled. “No offense taken. Just to put your mind at ease, I’m also here on behalf of your consulate. As for your possessions, I’ll see what I can do.”
Yuri, like a kid at school on his first day trying to get his teacher’s attention, slowly raised his hand. “Mister, I am not American or Canadian. It is nice that you are helping your people… what about me?”
Michaels shrugged his shoulders. “I’ll speak to the man in charge of this case and see if he can get you a court-appointed lawyer."