The Target(59)

“You think this is a setup?” he said.

“I’ve been thinking that ever since we went wheels up stateside.”

“Me too.”

He went to the rear. She started toward the front. During their earlier recon of the target site they had left behind motion-triggered cameras on all sides of the property and also pointed at the front and rear of the house.

They had checked all these images on their tablet on the drive over. The cameras had captured nothing other than the occasional squirrel and bird. No humans. No movement from anyone into or out of the cottage.

Robie cleared the back door at the same time Reel cleared the front window. He wasn’t guessing about this. They were commed and kept each other informed of their movements and locations. The last thing they wanted was to kill each other by mistake.

They cleared the few rooms of the cottage and met in the back hall. There was only one room left to go. Probably a bedroom.

They both could hear movement, slight movement, in that room.

They raised their guns, fingers slipped to triggers.

Reel touched Robie. “I’ll do the kill shot,” she whispered.

“Why?” he whispered back.

“Because I’m the only reason you’re in this mess,” she replied.

They silently made their way to the door. Robie covered her while Reel nudged it open with her foot.

The light inside the room came on. They were ready for this. Their optics automatically adjusted to the increased level of illumination.

The old man sat in his undershorts and white T-shirt on the edge of the bed. His feet were in slippers with white socks on them. His hair was perfectly combed and his manner calm.

His uniform with the stars was neatly draped over the arm of a chair next to the bed. His cap was on the seat of the chair.

These observations were quickly forgotten.

Both Robie’s and Reel’s attention was drawn to the gun in his hand.

They both took aim.

But firing became unnecessary.

He said in clearly articulated English, “Don’t let them hurt my family. And tell your president to go to hell.”

Then the old man stuffed the gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger.





Chapter

29



ROBIE SIPPED ON A CUP of lukewarm coffee and studied the other people in the small room. They were in a CIA safe house twelve miles outside of Paris.

Reel was there, leaning against a wall and staring at nothing.

DD Amanda Marks was reading something on her phone.

Andrew Viola sat in a chair, his gaze on the floor.

Evan Tucker was in another chair and staring at the ceiling.

Marks finished with her phone and looked at Robie and Reel.

“Anything to add to your debrief?”

Robie shook his head and Reel said, “No. He obviously knew we were coming and he shot himself before we could. He said not to let them hurt his family and he told the president to go to hell.”

Evan Tucker seemed to shudder with every word she spoke. Reel looked at him with disgust but said nothing.

Robie put down the coffee and rose. “You want to tell us what’s really going on now?”

His question was directed not at Marks but at Tucker.

The DCI slowly seemed to realize this by the silence that persisted. He looked down to see Robie staring at him.

“And what the hell do you mean by that?” Tucker said slowly.

“I mean I’d like to hear the truth.”

Robie took a few steps toward the man. Reel did the same.

Viola rose and stood between the DCI and them. “I think we all need to take a breath and calm down.”

Marks said, “Robie and Reel, you need to stand down on this. The mission is over.”

Reel glanced at her. “I highly doubt that.”

“What do you mean?” snapped Tucker.

“The second in command in North Korea just offs himself in France and you think it ends here?”

“The whole scene has been cleansed,” said Tucker. “There’s nothing tying us to this. He killed himself. That’s clear. When the body is found that’s what the verdict will be. Because it’s the truth.”

“You’re joking, right?” said Reel. “You think the North Koreans, the paranoid North Koreans who desperately want to be taken seriously by the rest of the world, will let this drop?”

“Why do you think they care about this?” yelled Tucker.

“Because your lip is sweating,” retorted Reel. “You are up to your ass in this, Tucker. The general’s last words were telling our president to go to hell. Do you want us to report directly to him what we were told? Since it concerns him, he might want to know.”

Marks held up a warning hand. “Reel, I get where you’re coming from, I really do, but don’t go there. Stand down. Now! This is not helping.”