“For a man like me, it’s hard to hear a word like ‘assassinations’ when it comes to activities carried out by people I’m ultimately responsible for. The word ‘interrogation’ doesn’t sit well with me, either, if I’m going to be completely honest. I’m pretty sure I know what that really means.” He glanced at Troy. “Do I? Do I know what it really means?”
“What exactly do you—”
“Do you guys torture people?”
“Yes, sir,” Troy answered candidly, “when we need to, when that option is appropriate.”
“Lord. When can that option ever be appropriate?”
Troy and Bill glanced at each other uneasily.
“Don’t worry,” the president spoke up quickly, “I get it. I get the whole lowest common denominator thing. At least, I do now. We have to fight them the way they fight us. Down and dirty.”
“That’s right,” Bill replied firmly. “But Mr. President, the beauty of Red Cell Seven is that you aren’t responsible for us in any way. It’s even better than plausible deniability when it comes to RCS. It’s genuine deniability. With all due respect to Stewart Baxter, RCS cannot get you in trouble, no matter what it does.”
Dorn shook his head. “In the end, Bill, I’m responsible for everything and anything that goes on in this country. I can’t use ignorance as an excuse.”
“Yes, you certainly can.”
“No,” Dorn snapped, “I cannot.” He nodded at Troy. “What division are you in?”
“Communications.” The president seemed relieved by the answer, though he shouldn’t have been. Troy had killed a few men. Everyone in RCS did, sooner or later, and so far it had been six years inside for Troy. “My division’s also called the Falcons,” he continued. “We deliver instructions and cash to other RCS agents around the world. We never use electronic messages or phones of any kind to communicate the most sensitive data.” He hesitated. “Why did you want to know what division I was in?”
“And what is your role in all of this, Bill?” Dorn asked the elder Jensen without responding.
“I’m a Red Cell Seven associate. Actually, I lead the associate pool.”
“What does that mean? What are associates?”
“We’re a network of RCS support,” Bill explained. “We’re not actually considered agents.”
“Be more specific.”
“Unlike the CIA, the NSA, or any other U.S. intel group that I’m aware of, Red Cell Seven receives no support at all from the federal government, funding or otherwise,” Bill explained. “We’re completely autonomous. We operate that way so there are no opportunities for our enemies, foreign or domestic, to prove we exist.”
“How would they do that?”
“Money trails. An organization like Red Cell Seven, with ninety-two agents constantly on the move around the world, requires a lot of cash to operate. If we took cash from the federal government and the link was discovered, some ridiculous liberal, left-wing Congressional investigation committee might use the evidence to put an end to what has been the most effective intelligence group the United States has ever operated. But we don’t. We’re autonomous. That’s why you can never be blamed.”
“What gives you the right to operate?”
Bill stared back blankly at the president for a few moments.
Troy’s eyes moved slowly to his father. He wanted to hear this, too. He’d always wondered the same thing.
“He didn’t tell you?” Bill finally asked.
Dorn raised both eyebrows. “He who?”
Bill cleared his throat. “You really don’t know?”
“Answer the question, Bill.”
“Your immediate predecessor, Mr. President. He had a meeting with you immediately prior to your inauguration, on the day of, in fact. He communicated several extraordinarily sensitive things to you just before you took the oath. It’s been that way for many years. That tradition is little known, but it happens every time a new president is inaugurated.”
“What did he tell me, Bill?”
“How would I know, sir? The subjects of that conversation are some of the most closely guarded secrets in the world. You were there. You tell me. If you can,” Bill added ominously.
“What did he tell me about Red Cell Seven? You know about that specific agenda item. I know you do.”
It was fascinating for Troy to watch this play out. Neither man wanted to blink. But one of them would have to.
“If you think I know, then—”
“What did he tell me about Red Cell Seven?” Dorn repeated sternly.
Again Bill stared back blankly for several moments. Finally, he gestured at Troy. “Troy’s my son, but he shouldn’t be in here if—”
“What did he tell me?”
Bill took a deep breath. “He told you that Richard Nixon founded Red Cell Seven by signing Executive Order 1973 One-E. He informed you that the Order established the cell and empowered Roger Carlson by name to move forward without any constraints whatsoever and without any threat of prosecution for anything he or agents reporting to him did. He was to protect the security of the country any way he saw fit, and he was given total immunity from any prosecution.”
The tiny hairs on the back of Troy’s neck stood up. Total immunity. Amazing.
“How many originals of that Executive Order did President Nixon sign?” Dorn asked.
“Two.”
“Where are they?”
Bill shook his head slowly. “I don’t know.”
“You must.”
“I don’t.”
“Who does?”
“I don’t know.”
President Dorn’s eyes flashed. “Without those two originals, the cell could be vulnerable, Bill.”
“Agreed, but if someone tried to prosecute anyone inside the cell for actions taken on behalf of the cell, and one of those original Executive Orders was presented at the right time to the chief justice of the Supreme Court, whoever had tried to prosecute the agent would be in deep trouble. For instance, it would be an impeachable offense if the president of the United States were involved. And there would be no question about it. The chief justice is aware.”
When Bill finished, the succeeding silence seemed deafening to Troy.
“You need to find those two originals,” Dorn finally spoke up. “I do not want Red Cell Seven vulnerable in any way. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, sir.”
“When you have located them, you will let me know.”
“Yes, sir.”
Dorn eased back into the wheelchair. “Tell me more.”
“Since 9/11, Red Cell Seven has detected and derailed six major terrorist plots against the United States. Those plots weren’t mentioned in the information you read while you were at Walter Reed. All six attacks would have been catastrophic and would have caused major loss of life within United States borders. Two of them would have made 9/11 look small in comparison. And both of those attacks were being planned by groups who absolutely had the human assets, the financial capability, and the operational experience to execute them.” Bill paused. “No one outside RCS ever knew about them or what we did to stop them. Until now.”
“Do tell me about those…attacks.”
Troy heard cynicism in Dorn’s voice again.
“No,” Bill answered stubbornly.
“Why not?”
“I want you to maintain that genuine deniability I mentioned earlier.”
“Telling me about the attacks won’t jeopardize that. Last I heard it’s pretty tough to get me to testify.”
It seemed to Troy that the president was pressing his father because he didn’t believe him. Nothing had been said to that effect, but Troy could tell Bill also figured that was the impetus behind this line of questioning.