One of the other generals shrugged. “Invading them would be a boondoggle, not to mention there’s little of value there. We wouldn’t get anything out of it.”
“We don’t make decisions to engage in conflict just to get something out of it,” Norris said, his eyes narrowing. “At least, that’s not how this administration is going to act. But just look at the numbers on that page, do you think the American people want to go to war with North Korea? Almost everyone seems to regard him as a narcissist who has a high level of self-importance.”
“And he also has the capability of causing great harm to the American people,” Miller said.
“Where’s the proof?” Norris fired back. “We supposedly have the greatest intelligence agency in the world, yet not a single one of them can provide us with any actionable intel that Kim Yong-ju has what he claims to have. When he gets nuclear weapons, this conversation will be entirely different. Until then, I’m not about to drag us into another conflict like Vietnam with nothing to win and everything to lose, primarily starting with the lives of American soldiers.”
Norris perused the handout indicating that more than eighty-five percent of Americans were against another conflict. He held up the paper.
“This shows that people like peace and prosperity—and they want to keep it. I’m not willing to jeopardize that on the hunch that North Korea might have nukes.”
“So what are you going to do?” Miller asked.
“I like the Secretary’s plan,” Norris said. “And that’s how we’re going to proceed. Engage North Korea with peace talks in Tokyo.”
Miller scowled. “This is a horrible idea, sir.”
“You’ve made your position known,” Norris said. “That’ll be the end of that. Are we clear?”
Miller nodded without saying another word.
Norris dismissed the meeting. The trap had been set.
CHAPTER 22
Yakutsk, Russia
EDDIE TYSON UNLOCKED the series of deadbolts to his apartment and then slid his gym bag across the floor. He re-locked the front door and collapsed onto the couch in the living room, closing his eyes and relaxing for a moment. When he got up, he stumbled over to the light switch and turned on the overhead fixtures.
Tyson shrieked as he noticed the man sitting in a lounge chair on the other side of the room.
“Holy hell, man,” Tyson said. “You almost gave me a heart attack.”
Brady Hawk grinned. “How are you, T-Bone?”
Tyson shook his head before returning to the living room. “You know how long it’s been since someone called me that?”
“Based off your question, I’m guessing it’s been a minute.”
“Ten or twelve years, at least,” Tyson said. “So, yeah, a lot of minutes.”
“T-Bone is still a far better nickname than Dmitri.”
Tyson cocked his head to one side. “How do you know that’s my name? There’s nothing linking my identity to that name.”
“I wouldn’t consider a picture nothing,” Hawk said.
“How did you—”
“T-Bone, you think I just walked away from the SEALs with all that training and got a desk job in a place like Topeka processing mortgages?”
“No, but I—”
“I’ve worked for the government in one capacity or another for about a decade until recently.”
“So you’re here on your own?”
Hawk squinted. “In a manner of speaking. I was contacted about your situation and asked if I’d like to help.”
Tyson withdrew and scowled. “My situation? What’s my situation?”
“Well, up until last night, we all thought you were in the Yakutsk prison.”
“Bastards,” Tyson said with a growl. “You can’t trust the Russians as far as you can throw them.”
“Are you surprised that we thought that?”
“My death was faked, reported in the news and everything,” Tyson said.
“We got a tip that you were in prison here,” Hawk said.
“You came to break me out?”
Hawk nodded.
“You came all the way here just for me?”
“Do you remember that time we were diving in that wreckage off the coast during training?”
“Sure,” Tyson said. “As I recall, you got stuck and needed some help getting free. So I helped you.”
A faint smile spread across Hawk’s lips.
“What?” Tyson asked.
“I got stuck and needed some help? That’s quite the tame retelling.”
“That’s not how it happened?”
“Perhaps if you’re just sharing a factual account, but it certainly didn’t feel like that in the moment. I thought I was going to die. And if you didn’t save me that day, I’m not sure I’d be alive to sit here and talk to you right now.”
“Perspective, I guess,” Tyson said. “I don’t remember it being such a dire situation.”
“You were born with ice water in your veins,” Hawk said. “I’ve had to cultivate that trait.”
Tyson crossed his arms and leaned back in his seat. “Well, I’m sorry you felt like you needed to come halfway across the world to save me, especially to this godforsaken place.”
“What are you trying to say?”
“I feel bad that you’ve risked your life to come here to get me, but I’m not leaving.”
Hawk leaned forward and knit his brow. “You want to stay here?”
“Hmmm,” Tyson said, tapping his chin with his index finger. “The word want makes that such a loaded question. It’s more like I need to stay here.”
“Are you here on assignment?” Hawk asked.
“Oh, no,” Tyson said, waving dismissively at Hawk. “I’m here because I want to be. In fact, I sought out the Russians and the FSB.”
“But why? You’re a patriot. This doesn’t make any sense.”
“It doesn’t make any sense to someone who doesn’t know what’s going on. But if you knew what’s really happening, you’d understand.”
“Care to enlighten me?”
Tyson hesitated, unsure how much he should divulge, even if Hawk seemed like a trustworthy ally. “It’s not really that simple.”
“Are you worried about talking freely?” Hawk asked.
Tyson glanced around the room. “I regularly scan for bugs here, but up until a few minutes ago, I didn’t think anyone could get in my apartment and re-lock the door without me knowing.”
“I’m a well-trained agent,” Hawk said.
“During my time here, I’ve learned that FSB agents go through an extensive training process as well. But they’ve never penetrated my analog defense system here.”
Hawk chuckled. “Deadbolts and bug sweeps? You’re high tech and you know it.”
“Look, the truth is, it’s more dangerous for me to go home than to stay here.”
Hawk’s eyes locked with Tyson’s. “What exactly are you running from?”
“I appreciate you coming here, Hawk. I really do. For you to leave your family and trek across the world to put your own life on the line, it’s an incredible sacrifice. But that doesn’t mean it was the right one.”
“Why not?” Hawk asked. “Help me understand what I’m missing here.”
“I’m not going back. Not now. Not ever.”
“That’s not an answer.”
Tyson drew in a deep breath and then exhaled slowly. “If I tell you, you’d be at risk, too.”
Hawk nodded. “It’s a risk I’m willing to take.”
“But I’m not gonna put that burden on you.”
“Come on, T-Bone. I came this whole way and left my family to save you, to bring you back to your son,” Hawk said, flashing a photo of Tyson’s son. “I have a son about the same age, and let me just say that he needs you, if he’s anything like my kid. Pretending like you’re dead while building a new life here isn’t what’s best for him.”