“We don’t often have many dealings with the Provos here,” Hopke said thoughtfully. “Though there has been some crossover, we understand, among the various terrorist groups.”
“The crossover is getting worse,” Murdock said. “We’re also interested in these two.” The third photograph showed two people, a muscular blond man and a tough-looking, shorthaired woman.
“I recognize the woman,” Inge said. “Dierdre Müller.”
“You know her?”
“Indirectly. From the data on her in Komissar. She is one of the new senior members of the RAF leadership.”
“That’s her,” Murdock agreed. “Boss bitch of the RAF. And the man is Heinrich Adler. Also RAF, though we’re not sure how high he is on the totem pole. Both of them, however, have been meeting frequently with our Irish friend O’Shaughnessy during the past few weeks… and now O’Shaughnessy is meeting with these two Korean Special Forces people.”
“You suspect some sort of joint-unit operation?” Hopke asked, studying the photo of the two German RAF members carefully.
“To start with, we’re very interested in the Koreans,” Murdock said. “Point one.” He held up his right forefinger. “Pak is an experienced North Korean operative. We’re interested in him because the CIA identified him as one of several North Korean agents who have been operating within the Continental United States within the past few years. Point two.” Murdock ticked off another fingertip. “Pak is also thought to have recently completed a stretch of ‘special training’ at Yongbyon.”
Hopke looked up sharply. “Yongbyon? That’s the People’s Democratic Republic of Korea’s nuclear facility.”
“Like we said,” MacKenzie drawled easily, “we’re very interested in this guy.”
“Point three,” Murdock continued. “North Korea has been deeply involved with several nuclear incidents lately. It was also heavily involved in Iran’s nuclear weapons program.
“Point four. The Red Army Faction has a long history of terrorist action against NATO and against U.S. military bases and personnel in Europe. Their list of attacks, usually against unarmed men and women, is too long and too bloody to go through.
“Point five. Pak and Chun are now in direct contact with O’Shaughnessy, who has been in recent contact with at least one of the RAF’s new crop of leaders… Dierdre Müller.”
Hopke shook his head, rubbing his eyes. “I think I’m getting a headache. Even Komissar couldn’t follow such convolutions.”
“You would be surprised at what Komissar can do,” Inge said. “Please, Lieutenant. Please go on.”
“I’m out of points, and fingers,” Murdock said. “To put it bluntly, we want to know what the hell’s going down over here. If the PDRK is dealing in nuclear material with either the IRA or the RAF, you can bet your last deutsche mark that a lot of people are going to be mighty worried, in Washington, in London, and in Berlin.”
“That is something of an understatement,” Hopke said. He considered Murdock carefully for a moment through narrowed eyes. “Tell me something, Lieutenant.”
“If I can.”
“I mean to give no offense… but why the two of you?”
“How do you mean?”
“I mean, why did they send the two of you, a lieutenant and a noncommissioned officer? This is no reflection on your ability, understand. But knowing your government’s love of shows of power, I would have expected a delegation of a half-dozen generals and admirals at least on a mission as potentially, ah, delicate as this one… not to mention several of your congressmen! At the very least, this sort of information request is generally handled at a diplomatic level… not at the level of working people like Inge and myself.”
Murdock laughed. “Don’t worry, you’ll probably get the brass and the congressmen too. I know for a fact that this situation is being discussed right now at high pretty high levels of NATO in Brussels. Because of the political ramifications, though, I doubt that anything concrete will be worked out. NATO still can’t do much without strong UN backing, and you know what a political swamp that is.”
“The fact of the matter is,” MacKenzie put in, “that our bosses back Stateside decided to handle this on at least two levels. The generals and the politicians will be discussing the overall situation, certainly, and I imagine half a dozen of our intelligence services already have requests in to your Komissar department. But in the meantime, it happened that some SEALs were already in Europe, taking part in a cross-training exchange program with the British SAS. SEALs already have a pretty high security clearance, because so much of what they have to do is classified. So the wheels began turning back in the Pentagon, and out popped a new set of orders. Murdock and MacKenzie, go talk to the Germans.”
“Often,” Hopke said thoughtfully, “the best liaison work is carried out between the ordinary people who have no… how do you say? Political axes to mend.”
“I think you mean ‘grind,’ ” Murdock said. “But yes. You’re right. The guys in the fancy uniforms at the expensive banquets are usually just putting their names to agreements that their secretaries and assistants have already hammered out.”
“And what is it you need from the BKA specifically?” Inge said.
“We need anything you can give us from Komissar’s files,” Murdock said. “Information on these terrorists in particular, on their organizations, on any hints or rumors you may have picked up that might suggest there’s some big operation pending.”
An hour later, the four of them were still going over the list of names and information that Murdock was requesting. “How soon could you run something off for us, Inge?” Murdock asked.
“I can have a preliminary report for you on disk by late this afternoon,” she said. “A complete rundown by tomorrow. Satisfactory?”
Murdock gave her his most dazzling smile. “No. Not satisfactory. Absolutely splendid.”
“Of course, it would help if I could question you further this evening.”
“Question me? About what?”
Inge gave Murdock a mischievous smile. “Well, about whether or not SEALs like seafood, for one thing. I know an excellent seafood restaurant in town on the Sonnenberger Strasse. Perhaps you would care to have dinner with me tonight?”
Murdock hesitated, glancing first at Hopke. He’d assumed the flirtation he’d seen between these two meant that they had a relationship that went well beyond the strictly professional.
Hopke caught his look and grinned back. “Go ahead, Lieutenant. I knew you American Navy men had a reputation with beautiful women, but you’ve made more progress with our Inge here than a platoon of GSG9 officers in a month.” Across the table, MacKenzie rolled his eyes toward the room’s ceiling.
“Well, sure,” Murdock said. “Why not? I would be honored.”
Inge beamed. “Excellent! I’ll need to stop at my place first, of course, to change. Perhaps I could show you some of the sights around town on the way.”
“Whatever you say… Inge…”
Murdock felt a little out of his depth. Inge Schmidt was by far the most direct and outspoken woman he’d ever met, as well as one of the most beautiful. He was used to women who let the man take the lead, and this was a new experience for him.
Not that he minded new experiences. SEALs were well known for their willingness to confront all types of challenges head on.
“Wonderful!” she said. “This is going to be fun!”
“Maybe I should come along too,” MacKenzie said. “You know… swim buddies.”
“I don’t think that’ll be necessary, Mac. Besides, you’re married.”
“It looks to me, Senior Chief,” Hopke said, “as though you and I will be stuck telling one another war stories, while these two investigate seafood restaurants.”