When he had finished, Murphy said, So this Ali Selim bowser is on the run in Iraq and youve got whats-her-name, Greta Novikova, on his tail?
Ferguson will have Sean on that one like a dose of salts, Kelly put in. He turned to Tod Murphy. Put your priests intellect on this. Whats your conclusion?
Quite simple. Ferguson doesnt want a trial at the Old Bailey. The Muslims wouldnt like that. Hes sent Sean to bring Selim back. A nice, quiet inquisition in some safe house in London, and you and Mr. Belov wouldnt like that.
Well, lets hope it doesnt come to that. But how would you two feel if I had trouble in London with Ferguson and his people? What would you say if I said I needed you? It would include taking on Dillon.
They looked at each other and smiled.
Ah, now, said Murphy. He was a comrade, to be sure. But that doesnt mean there might not be a score or two to settle.
Things run well here, as you know, Kelly said. We do things our way and Belovs money for the farmers keeps things sweet.
Tod cut in. But with the Peace Process, it gets awfully boring. What you suggest could be interesting.
But just so you realize, Kelly added. If theres something Sean Dillon could give master classes in, its bloody mayhem.
So where would that leave you?
Oh, wed give him a run for his money. And Tod Murphy smiled.
It was later that day that President Jake Cazalet walked on the shore at Nantucket. He loved the old beach house with its seafront of beach and sand dunes, and came down whenever he could, certainly most weekends. The helicopter delivered him from Washington late on a Friday, picked him up again Sunday evening.
He had a cook and housekeeper in from the local town. No fuss and good plain cooking, he would say. Hed always insisted that only two Secret Service men accompany him and one always had to be Clancy Smith. The other usually handled communications.
Even with only two minders, however, the security around him was electronically state-of-the-art, especially since the assassination attempt on him three years before while running through the nearby marsh.
He was walking on the beach now with his beloved flat-coated retriever, Murchison, and with Clancy Smith. The surf boiled, the sky was slate gray, rain showering in so hard that the two men each carried an umbrella. They paused for Clancy to light the Presidents cigarette.
It feels good to get away from everything, Mr. President.
My God, but it does. The smell of that salt in the air is really something.
It sure is.
In the distance came the unmistakable sound of a helicopter approaching. Clancy said, That will be Blake coming in, sir.
And our English cousins, Cazalet said. It always gives me a strange feeling when I hear those things. He looked along to where the helicopter was dropping in on the beach. Takes me right back to Vietnam. He flicked his cigarette away. Okay, lets go and greet our guests.
Ferguson and Hannah Bernstein sat together on the other side of the coffee table by the fire, Cazalet facing them, Clancy leaning against the wall by the French windows behind. Murchison lay on the rug, watching.
Cazalet said, I read Major Ropers report on Josef Belov with interest, if thats the right word. Ive spoken to the Prime Minister only briefly, for obvious reasons.
Which is why he thought it a good idea that we talk, Mr. President.
Thank God we do, otherwise I could have been dead on that sidewalk in Manhattan. It could have succeeded so easily. Ill never understand it, the drive to assassinate.
Actually, the Superintendent knows a bit about it, said Ferguson. She has a masters degree in psychology.
Cazalet said, Superintendent?
Motive, sir, is the basic requirement.
And hate, Cazalet said. Deep conviction.
Not always, she replied. For one kind of assassin, professional, the motive is usually money, and a target like you would be a big payday. But the money is no good if he doesnt survive. Its often a Day of the Jackal kind of thing for them meticulous planning and a guaranteed exit.
Cazalet nodded. And the other kind?
Usually the most successful. Youll remember President Reagan, shot at close quarters by a man in the crowd who knew he would stand no chance of getting away.
So were back with what I said in the first place. The motive is hate, deep conviction.
And often a genuine religious belief. Its interesting that the word assassin is derived from the Arabic. During the Middle Ages, members of various cults under the influence of hashish attempted to kill many leaders of the Crusades.
Jewish zealots in biblical times used the same tactics on the Romans, Ferguson put in.
Hannah said, It can derive from a feeling of deep frustration, Mr. President. It was Lenin who said the purpose of terrorism is to terrorize. Its the only way a small country can fight against an empire.
That was one of Michael Collinss favorite sayings when he led the IRA back in 1920 against the British, Ferguson said.
Cazalet nodded. All very interesting, but how does it explain Morgan?
I dont know any religion on earth that doesnt have its extremists, Hannah said. Right through history, and usually those extremists are the kind of people who are extremely good at brainwashing others, particularly young people.
Into becoming assassins, suicide bombers? Cazalet shook his head.
Of course, the religious leaders who spread the word are usually reluctant to put themselves on the line.
Understandably. Cazalet got up. I arranged a light lunch with cook and gave her the afternoon off. I wanted us to have privacy. Its waiting for us in the kitchen. Lead the way, Clancy. Youll join us, of course.
The conversation over lunch was much more social and pleasant, ranging from what was worth seeing on the West End stage to Cazalet and Hannah comparing student days at Harvard and Cambridge.
Cazalet turned to Ferguson. Did you go to university, General?
Too busy. I always intended to, but we had conscription then. After two years in the army, I got a taste for it, I suppose. I was eighteen and Communist Arabs were shooting at me, so when they offered me a commission He shrugged. It seemed the natural thing to do.
All those rotten little wars, Hannah couldnt help saying. You couldnt get enough.
Ah, there speaks the psychologist, Ferguson said cheerfully. But not my rotten little wars, my dear. All the way through, and that includes Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo and the two Gulf Wars, I was a member of that happy band of brothers called soldiers who take care of those things from which the general public turns its face. Ive always liked to think it an honorable profession. He smiled at Cazalet and Clancy. Of course, I do not include the marines in that sentiment.
We thank the General, Clancy said, and they all laughed, but Hannah was uncomfortable and it showed. The trouble was that she was changing inside herself and her head and she didnt know what to do about it.
Cazalet, sensing something wasnt right, smiled at her reassuringly and stood up. Okay, folks, to work, and he led them back to the sitting room.
So, if Im getting this right, he said a while later, this Dr. Ali Selim, sensing personal disaster, has fled to Iraq. Were aware that he has been controlled by this Major Yuri Ashimov, who is head of security for the Belov organization. Which I assume means a plentiful source of financial support for Muslim extremist groups.
Theres no possibility of proving that in a court of law, Mr. President, Hannah said.
Its just about impossible to touch Josef Belov, Ferguson said. Hes far too powerful, one of the richest men in the world, and a friend of Putin.
Even if it was revealed that hed donated money to some of these Muslim organizations, Hannah said, it would be impossible to prove that hed acted except in good faith.
So where does that leave us? Cazalet asked.
The most worrying aspect is the recruitment of young British Muslims to join militant groups in the Middle East, Ferguson said. To be trained in camps in Syria or Iraq, even in southern Arabia, and then returned to Britain and America, often as sleepers, to lead apparently normal lives until their special abilities are required. Cannon fodder for Al Qaeda.
You think Wrath of Allah is part of that?
It wouldnt surprise me. We know a great deal about them and a great deal about Belov, as youve read. Dont forget that when he was with the KGB, he was totally dedicated to helping the downfall of all Western values. A kind of old-fashioned Bolshevik. Hes got all the money in the world, so money is only a means to an end.
But whats the point? Cazalet demanded. Why behave as he does?
The game, Mr. President, Hannah said. The game is the thing. The ultimate power of being able to move his way around the chessboard and laugh at us all, be untouchable.
So what do we do about it? Cazalet asked.
Ferguson said, Sending that GRU major, Novikova, on Selims trail to Baghdad probably means the worst. That Selims served his purpose and knows too much. I imagine theyll finish him off if they can, though Im not completely sure of that.
Which is why youve sent Dillon. To save him?
Dillon will do what seems appropriate in the circumstances. If that means saving him, fine, and if that means making sure Selim meets a bad end, so be it. If Selim can be retrieved, theres always the possibility of squeezing more information out of him about the Belov connection. He shrugged. If not, hes dispensable.
Cazalet said, Whichever way it goes, its going to get very nasty.
Exactly, Mr. President, but thats what my organization was set up for all those years ago. Were responsible only to the Prime Minister. Nobody else can touch us the Security Services, the Ministry of Defence, even Parliament.
A license to kill, Cazalet said.
If thats what it takes. Were dealing with global terrorism. Its a whole new threat, and we cant cope with it by playing according to the rule book.
I totally agree, Mr. President, Blake said.
The Prime Ministers made it plain that Im in charge and that Im to take any steps that seem appropriate. That, in effect, is why Im here. He wanted to make it clear to you that such an attitude will reflect our policy in the future.
So youll forget the legal system, the courts and everything that goes with it?