Countdown - Iris Johansen [136]
“You took a big one when you made a deal with Grozak. The U.S. government would never have stopped hunting for you if you’d gone through with it.”
His brows rose. “But I did go through with it. The men are all in place and will carry out their designated duties as soon as I call and tell them it’s a go.”
She gazed at him in shocked horror. “But it would make no sense to do that. Grozak is dead. You don’t have a deal any longer.”
“But I do. When Grozak started to quibble about payment and Mario offered his services, I contacted a few of my extremist Islamic friends. There was no use letting a lucrative project go down the tubes if I decided to shut Grozak out of it. The Middle Eastern contingent will be taking over the operation and supplying me with all the protection I need.”
“We should get out of here,” Kim said as she rose to her feet. “You have her, now let’s go.”
“Kim’s a little impatient,” Reilly said. “She’s been nervous since Jock wandered away from us. I told her that I could control him, but she didn’t believe me.”
“I was right,” Kim said. “In the end he broke free. I always knew he was stronger than the others.”
“It’s not a question of strength.” He looked pained. “How many times do I have to tell you that? I can control any subject with the right amount of exploration and effort. I didn’t have quite enough time to search out that little foible he had or he wouldn’t have broken.”
“Little foible?” Jane stared at him incredulously. “Objection to killing children is a ‘little foible’?”
“It’s all in the way you look at it.” He smiled. “The whole world rises and falls on the way we see the events that take place around us. If I’d had more time, I’d have been able to convince Jock that killing that child would make him a hero.”
“Good God, that’s sick.”
“Cira would probably have admired me for being able to control those around me. She was a manipulator herself.”
“Cira would have recognized you as the slimeball you are and ground you into the dirt.”
His smile faded. “It’s true there would probably have been a few battles. But I’m the one who would have won. I always win.” He turned to Kim. “Call for my helicopter and start packing up the personnel records. Then call the compound and tell everyone there to disperse immediately until I call them. Don’t panic them. Tell them it’s just a precaution.”
Kim headed for the door. “Where are we going?”
“Canada first and then North Korea. I have contacts there. After that, I’ll play it by ear. Those religious terrorists are volatile. I’d prefer to deal with them at a distance.”
“You’ll never be able to get away with it,” Jane said.
“But I will. You don’t understand. It’s a different world, and wars are different too. The man who can control the mind and will can do anything. Those soldiers in Iraq aren’t afraid of regular combat, but they’re terrified of a man who will wander in to a mess tent and blow himself up. A suicide with the right papers and cover is everyone’s worst nightmare.” He tapped his chest. “I’m their worst nightmare.”
“The CIA will pick you up before you get out of the country.”
Reilly shook his head. “I don’t think so.”
“The helicopter should be here in five minutes.” Kim came back in the room carrying a large briefcase. “I have all the psychological subject files. Should I pack up those historical documents?”
“No, I’ll do it myself. I want to show my collection to the lady.”
“We don’t have time to pack up all those artifacts. You’ll have to leave them.”
“No, I’ll take the coins and tell Norton to pack the rest up and take them across the border for a pickup.” He held out his hand to Jane. “Come along. I want you to see my collection.”
“I’m not interested.”