"That could work both ways," Herbert said. "If Striker goes in after the cell we can also keep an eye on Friday."
"I want to emphasize here that we have not yet made a final determination on the mission, Colonel," Hood said. "But if we do try to help the Pakistanis the key to success is a timely intervention. Bob, you've been in contact with HQ Central Air Command."
"Yes," Herbert said. "We're dealing directly with Air Chief Marshal Chowdhury and his senior aide. I told the ACM that we may want to change the way we insert Striker."
"You're thinking about an airdrop," August said.
"Correct," replied Herbert. "I asked the ACM for jump gear. He said it will definitely be on the Himalayan Eagles squadron AN-12. But I did not tell him what we may be asking you to do in the region. The good news is, whatever you do will be well shielded. The Indian military continues to be ultrasecretive about your involvement. The SFF and the other people behind the Srinagar attacks do not even know that Striker is en route to the region."
"What about the Indian officer who is with Mr. Friday?" Colonel August asked. "Are we sure we can trust him?"
"Well, nothing is guaranteed," Herbert said. "But according to Friday, Captain Nazir is not looking forward to the prospect of a nuclear attack. Especially when he and Friday are headed toward Pakistan."
"I was just thinking about that," August said. "Do you think you can include lead-lined long johns in the Indian requisition form?"
"Just get behind Mike," Herbert said. "Nothing gets past that sumbitch. Not even high-intensity rads."
There was anxious chuckling about that. The laughter was a good tension breaker.
"We've got Friday and Nazir en route by chopper to a town called Jaudar," Herbert said.
"I know where that is," Colonel August said. "It's southeast of the region we were supposed to be investigating."
"If we decide to move forward with a search and rescue, you'll be hooking up in the mountains north of there," Herbert said. "That's where we've pinpointed the cell."
"Colonel August, if we decide to go ahead with this mission you'll have to jump your people into the Himalayas near the Siachin Glacier, link up with the cell, and get them through the line of control," Hood said. "This is an extremely high-risk operation. I need an honest answer. Is Striker up for it?"
"The stakes are also high," August said. "We have to be up for it."
"Good man," Herbert muttered. "Damn good man."
"People, one thing I have to point out is that the Indians are not going to be your only potential enemies," Liz said. "You also have to worry about the psychological state of the Pakistani cell. They're under extreme physical and psychological duress. They may not believe that you're allies. The nature of people in this situation is to trust no one outside the group."
"Those are very good points and we'll have to talk about them," Hood told her.
"There's something else we'll have to talk about, Paul," Coffey said. "According to your file, the Free Kashmir Militia has acknowledged its involvement with at least part of this attack and with all of the previous attacks in Kashmir. Striker will be helping self-professed terrorists. To say that leaves us vulnerable legally is an understatement."
"That's absolute horseshit," Herbert said. "The guys who blew my wife up are still hanging out in a rat hole in Syria somewhere. Terrorists of warring nations don't get extradited. And the guys who help terrorists don't even get their names in the papers."
"That only happens to guerrillas who are sponsored by terrorist nations," Coffey replied. "The United States has a different form and level of accountability. Even if Striker succeeds in getting the cell to Pakistan, India will be within its rights to demand the extradition of everyone who had a hand in the attack on the bazaar, on the SFF commandos, and in the escape. If New Delhi can't get the FKM they will go after Striker."
"Lowell, India doesn't have any kind of moral high ground here," Herbert said. "They're planning a goddamn nuclear strike!"
"No, a rogue element in the government is apparently planning that," Coffey said. "The lawful Indian government will have to disown them and prosecute them as well."
The attorney rose angrily and got himself a cup of coffee. He was a little calmer as he sat back down and took a sip. Hood was silent. He looked at Herbert. The intelligence chief did not like Lowell Coffey and his disgust with legal technicalities was well known. Unfortunately, Hood could not afford to ignore what the attorney had just said.
"Gentlemen?" August said.
"Go ahead, Colonel," Hood said.
"We are talking about a possible nuclear conflagration here," August said. "The normal rules do not seem to apply. I'll poll the team if you'd like, but I'm willing to bet they say the same thing I'm about to. Given the stakes, the downside is worth risking."
Hood was about to thank him but the words snagged in his throat. Bob Herbert did not have that problem.
"God bless you, Colonel August," Herbert said loudly as he glared across the table at Coffey.
"Thank you, Bob," August said. "Mr. Coffey? If it's any help, Striker can always pull a Lone Ranger on the Pakistanis."
"Meaning what, Colonel?" Coffey asked.
"We can drop them off then ride into the sunset before they can even thank or ID us," August said.
Herbert smiled. Hood did, too, but inside. His face was frozen by the weight of the decision he would have to make.
"We'll get back to you later on all of this," Hood said. "Colonel, I want to thank you."
"For what? Doing my job?"
"For your enthusiasm and courage," Hood said. "They raise the bar for all of us."
"Thank you, sir," August said.
"Get some rest," Hood said. He clicked off the phone and looked across the table. "Bob, I want you to make sure we've got someone at the NRO watching the Pakistani border. If a chopper does come looking for the cell we have to be able to give Striker advance warning. I don't want them to be mistaken for a hostile force and cut down."
Herbert nodded.
"Lowell, find me some legal grounds for doing this," Hood went on.
The attorney shook his head. "There isn't anything," Coffey said. "At least, nothing that will hold up in an international court."
"I don't need anything that will work in court," Hood said. "I need a reason to keep Striker from being extradited if it comes to that."
"Like claiming they were on a mission of mercy," Coffey said.
"Yeah," Herbert interjected. "I'll bet we can find some UN peacekeeping status bullshit that would qualify."
"Without informing the United Nations?" Coffey said.
"You know, Lowell, Bob may have something," Hood said. "The secretary-general has emergency trusteeship powers that allow her to declare a region 'at risk' in the event of an apparent and overwhelming military threat. That gives her the right to send a Security Council team to the region to investigate."
"I'm missing how that helps us," Coffey said.
"The team does not have to consist of sitting Security Council personnel," Hood said. "Just agents of Security Council nations."
"Maybe," Coffey said. "But no one will accept the presence of a team consisting solely of Americans."
"It won't," Hood said. "India's a member of the Security Council. And there are Indians out there."
"Captain Nazir and Nanda Kumar," Herbert said. "Her own countrymen."
"Exactly," Hood replied. "Even if she's a hostile observer, at least she's present."
"Yeah. Since when does the Security Council agree on anything?" Liz pointed out.
"We may have to bring Secretary-General Chatterjee in on this once Striker is on the ground," Hood said. "Then we'll tell her what we know."
"And what if she refuses to invoke her trusteeship powers?" Coffey asked.