The Target(35)
She looked back at Robie, who was smiling.
“What?” she demanded.
“Nothing. Well, I just like your subtle style, Jessica.”
She started to snap something back, but then stopped. And laughed.
He joined in for a few seconds.
And then they both grew quiet as footsteps approached.
The door opened and both of them immediately drew back, balled tight, hands up, reflexes ready. Taking them again would require a fight.
However, only Evan Tucker stood there.
Robie shot Reel a glance. Her look was so ferocious that he was afraid she was about to attack the DCI. He was actually putting out his arm to forestall this when she said, “Good morning, Director. Did you have a nice sleep last night? We did. Best in years.”
Tucker managed a tight smile at this comment and then sat down in the chair opposite them. His suit was wrinkled and the collar of his shirt was slightly grimy, as though his journey here had not exactly been at first-class levels.
“I know what happened to you last night. I ordered it.”
“Good to know,” said Robie. “So is that a confession? Because I thought the use of waterboarding was illegal.”
“It is illegal for purposes of interrogation on detainees. Neither of you are detainees and it was not done for interrogation purposes.”
“We were asked to sign confessions,” Reel pointed out.
“A subterfuge only. There were no confessions for you to sign.”
“That’s not what the guy said last night. And the terms of the confession he recited were pretty specific,” noted Robie.
“He had his script and he stuck to it. But there was no confession.”
“So what was the point of the thing, then?” demanded Reel.
“To see if you two can still cut it. The mission you’re to be deployed on entails the risk of being caught. And the enemy is known to use waterboarding among other interrogation tools to break prisoners. It’s not all about being able to shoot straight.”
“And so this had nothing to do with the hard-on you have for me, Director?” said Reel. “You really expect us to believe that?”
“I don’t care what you believe or don’t believe. I’ve made my position on you very clear. You murdered two of my people and got off scot free. I think that stinks. I think you should be in jail, but it’s not my call. I still have my job to do and so do you. My job is to keep this country safe against outside threats. You two are tools that I have at my disposal. I will deploy you as necessary. If I think it wise to push your butts to the wall and then through it, I will do so. If you feel you can’t cut it, then you can tell me right now and we cut out all this bullshit.”
He stopped talking and looked at them expectantly.
“And if we want out?” said Robie.
“Then that can be made to happen. But chances are very good that your partner will be prosecuted for murder. And you as an accessory.”
“So if we stay in and maybe get killed, either by the other side or our own people, we don’t end up in court?” said Reel.
“Did you really expect anything more generous than that?” said Tucker skeptically. “You want to begin to wipe the slate clean of what you did, then suck it up, finish up here, and successfully execute the upcoming mission. If you want to cut and run, then that’s a whole other ball game. Your choice. But make it now. I don’t have time to waste.”
“Is that why you’re here?” asked Robie. “To deliver the ultimatum?”
“No, I’m here to finally lay to rest any misconception you two might have about my motives. You were not sent here to be killed. I’m far too busy to even have time to think about something like that. The fact is, in the grand scheme of things none of us is that important. Now, we have an opportunity to do something that will make the world a far better, far safer place. I need to know that you’re with me on this one thousand percent, or I have no use for you at all. Again, your decision. And again, I need it now.”
He once more quieted and looked at them.
Robie was the first to speak. “I’m in.”
Reel nodded. “Me too.”
“Glad to hear it.” Tucker rose, opened the door, and was gone.
Before Reel and Robie could even say a word they heard the sounds of someone else approaching.
A few moments later an orderly wheeled a cart in. It was loaded with breakfast foods and a carafe of coffee. Another orderly brought in two foldable chairs. They set up the table, laid out the food and coffee, and departed.
Reel and Robie had not moved the entire time. Finally, they looked at each other.
“You think there’s cyanide in it?” he asked.