Divide and conquer - Tom Clancy [89]
"All from something that started with the Harpooner-or whoever first hired him," Hood said.
"Eisenhower was the first to use the metaphor in 1954," Herbert said.
"He said, "You have a row of dominoes set up; you knock over the first one and what will happen to the last one is that it will go over very quickly." He was talking about Vietnam, but it applies to this."
Herbert was right. You could count on the fact that dominoes not only fell, but they dropped quickly. And the only way to stop dominoes falling was to get far enough ahead of the chain and remove a few tiles.
After hanging up. Hood poured himself coffee, sat down in one of the leather seats, and called Sergei Orlov. The fresh, black coffee was a lifesaver. In the midst of chaos even a small respite seemed enormous.
The general brought Hood up to date on the situation with the Harpooner.
Hood could hear the tension in the Russian's voice as he explained what the overall plan was. Hood related to Orlov's concern completely. There was worry for his operative Odette and a desperate desire to end the career of a notorious terrorist. Hood had been in that place. And he had both won there and lost there. This was not like a film or novel where the hero necessarily won. Hood was still on the phone with General Orlov when the door opened. He glanced up. It was Jack Fenwick. The time to think was over. The NSA head entered the room and shut the door behind him. The Cabinet Room was a large room, but it suddenly seemed small and very close. Fenwick walked over to the coffee and helped himself. Hood was nearly finished with the call. He ended the conversation as quickly as possible without seeming to hurry. He did not want Fenwick to hear anything. But he also did not want to show the NSA chief a hint of desperation. Hood hung up. He took a swallow of coffee and glanced over at Fenwick. The man's dark eyes were on Hood.
"I hope you don't mind," Fenwick said. He indicated the coffee.
"Why should I?" Hood asked.
"I don't know, Paul," Fenwick shrugged.
"People can get protective about things. Good coffee, by the way."
"Thanks." Fenwick perched himself on the edge of the table. He was just a few feet from Hood.
"We've taken a little break," Fenwick told him.
"The president is waiting for the joint chiefs and secretary of state before making any decisions about the Caspian situation."
"Thanks for the update."
"You're welcome," Fenwick said.
"I can give you more than an update," he went on.
"I can give you a prediction."
"Oh?" Fenwick nodded confidently.
"The president is going to respond militarily. Emphatically. He has to." Both Op-Center and the NSA had access to photographic reconnaissance from the NRO. No doubt Fenwick knew about the Russians as well. Hood got up to freshen his coffee. As he did, he remembered what he had been thinking just a few minutes before. The only way to stop the dominoes falling was to get far enough ahead of the chain and remove a few tiles.
"The question is not what the president will do, what the nation will do. The question is what are you going to do?" Fenwick said.
"Is that why you came here? To pick my brains?"
"I came here to stretch my legs," Fenwick said.
"But now that we've gone there, I am curious. What are you going to do?"
"About what?" Hood asked as he poured more coffee. The dance was on.
They were each watching their words.
"About the current crisis," Fenwick replied.
"What part are you going to play?"
"I'm going to do my job," Hood said. He was either being interviewed or threatened. He had not yet decided which. Nor did he care.
"And how do you see that?" Fenwick asked.
"The job description says'crisis management," Hood said. He looked back at Fenwick.
"But at the moment, I see it as more than that. I see it as learning the truth behind this crisis and presenting the facts to the president."
"What truth is that?" Fenwick asked. Though his expression did not change, there was condescension in his voice.
"You obviously don't agree with what Mr. Gable, the vice president, and I were telling