Divide and conquer - Tom Clancy [101]
"No, sir," he said.
"She's with a gentleman. A Mr. Hood." The guard fell silent again.
That wasn't a good sign. Only one of Fenwick's people would have thought to ask that question. After several seconds the guard said,
"Yes, sir," and hung up. He rose and looked at the First Lady.
"I'm sorry, ma'am. I've been told that the meeting can't be interrupted."
"Told by whom?" she asked.
"Mr. Gable, ma'am."
"Mr. Gable is trying to keep Mr. Hood from delivering an important message to the president," Megan said.
"A message that may prevent a war. I need to see my husband."
"Corporal," Hood said.
"You're a military man. You don't have to take orders from a civilian.
I'm going to ask you to place the call again. Ask to speak to an officer, and repeat the First Lady's message."
"If Mr. Gable gives you trouble, I will take responsibility," Megan said. Corporal Cain hesitated, but only for a moment. He picked up the phone and remained standing as he punched in the extension.
"Mr. Gable?" he said.
"I would like to speak with General Burg." General Otis Burg was the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
"No, sir," Cain said after a moment.
"This is a military matter, sir. A security issue." There was another pause. Hood tasted something tart in the back of his throat. He realized, after a moment, that it was blood. He was biting his tongue.
He relaxed.
A few seconds later, Corporal Cain's voice and demeanor changed. His posture was stiffer, his tone formal. He was speaking with General Burg.
Cain repeated the request. Several seconds after that, the young Corporal hung up. He looked at the First Lady.
"Your husband will see you both," he said proudly. Megan smiled and thanked him. Hood and Megan turned and hurried down the corridor to the Situation Room.
Baku, Azerbaijan Tuesday, 11:22 a.m.
Unsteadily, David Battat made his way down the stairwell. Because of the late morning hour, not many people were exiting the hotel. Several of the people who did pass Battat asked if he needed help. The American told them that he had inhaled some smoke but would be all right. Hugging the iron banister, he made his way slowly down the concrete stairs. When Battat reached the lobby, he leaned against a wall near the house phones. He did not want to sit down. He was weak and dizzy and afraid he would not get back up. One of the hotel staff members, an assistant manager, asked him who he was and what room he was staying in. He said he was not a guest but had been visiting a friend. The young woman told him that firefighters wanted everyone to go outside. Battat said he would go out as soon as he caught his breath. Battat looked across the lobby. It was crowded with people, mostly hotel staff, along with about fifty or sixty guests. The guests were concerned about their belongings and asking questions about security. They did not seem in a hurry to leave. There was no smoke in the lobby, and firefighters were just pulling into the circular drive in front of the hotel. Battat was concerned about how Odette was making out. He had been proud of her when she left the hotel. If she had been afraid, she did not show it. He wished he were a little steadier. He did not like the idea of her having to face the Harpooner alone. There was a side exit down the corridor to Battat's right. The parking lot was to the right, the front of the hotel to the left. Since the fire trucks were out front, he felt he stood a better chance of catching a taxi in the parking lot. If not, there was a major thoroughfare beyond the parking lot. He had seen it from the upstairs window. He could probably catch a bus there. Pushing himself off the wall, Battat shuffled down the carpeted hallway. He felt feverish again, though he did not feel worse than he had before. His body was fighting whatever he had been injected with. That probably meant it was viral rather than chemical. He could finally get medical attention and start to shake this. Battat's vision was misty as he moved past the