Divide and conquer - Tom Clancy [109]
"That information the Americans gave us about the Harpooner's Russian identity has proved very useful."
"In what way?" Orlov asked.
"It suggested to us how he has been able to come to Moscow and disappear without ever being seen," Kosov said. He stepped forward and unrolled the blueprint on Orlov's desk.
"This is a map of the old Soviet army railroad routes," he said.
"As you know, they go underground well outside of Moscow and stop at various points beneath the city."
"It was designed that way so troops could be moved into place clandestinely, to put down riots or even foreign attacks," Grosky added.
"I know about these," Orlov said.
"I've traveled in them."
"But what you may not know about is this one," Kosov said. The intelligence analyst used a pen to point to a faint red line. It led from Kievskaya metro stop to several other stations around the city.
Kosov was right. Orlov did not know what it was.
"This is unmarked, as you can see, even though it links up to the main trunk," Kosov continued.
"We thought it might be a service tunnel of some kind, but we looked at an older map from the GRU files just to make certain. It was the old Stalin tunnel. If the German army had ever reached Moscow during World War II, Stalin would have been evacuated through this system. Only his closest military advisers know that it existed." Kosov stepped back and folded his arms.
"We believe, sir, that all we need to do to catch our rat is to put video cameras at the entrance and exit. Sooner or later, the Harpooner is certain to show up there." Orlov looked at the map for a moment, then sat back.
"You may have solved a very perplexing riddle," he said.
"Excellent work."
"Thank you, sir," Kosov beamed., "Fortunately," Orlov went on, "the Harpooner was killed earlier today. The only rats that will be using the tunnel are the four-legged kind." Grosky's mouth twisted slightly at one end. Kosov's expression seemed to fall entirely.
"But we could not have taken him without you, and I will say so in my report to the president's director of intelligence review," Orlov promised. He rose and extended his hand to each man in turn.
"I am proud of you both and deeply grateful." Kosov's disappointment evaporated quickly. Grosky's mouth remained bent. But even Grosky's perpetual sourness couldn't spoil the moment. An inexperienced woman, a sick man, and two former enemies had joined forces to win a big one. It was an extraordinary feeling.
Washington, D.C. Tuesday, 5:04 a.m.
After the vice president and his team had been ushered away, the president asked Hood to wait for him. Hood stepped outside the Situation Room as the president and Megan stood alone behind the conference table, talking. The president took his wife's hands in his. He seemed composed, once again in control. The Joint Chiefs of Staff filed out quickly after Cotten's group had been led off. They headed quickly toward the elevator. Before leaving. General Burg paused and turned to Hood. He shook the intelligence leader's hand.
"What you did in there was good work, smart work," the general said.
"It was also ballsy. My congratulations, Mr. Hood. I'm proud to be associated with you. Proud to be an American." Coming from anyone else under almost any other circumstance, that sentiment might have sounded corny. But the system had worked, despite the formidable forces and pressures rallied against it. General Burg had every reason to feel proud. Hood did.
"Thank you. General," Hood said sincerely. After the Joint Chiefs left, the hall was quiet, save for the whispered conversation of the president and First Lady. Hood was relieved but still a little shell-shocked by everything that had just happened. He did not believe that the press would accept the given explanations for a mass resignation of the vice president and top administration officials. But that was a battle for other warriors and another day. Hood and his team had saved the presidency and defeated the Harpooner. Right now, all he wanted to do was hear what the president wanted to say,