Executive orders - Tom Clancy [357]
Yes, your people briefed our military earlier today. It will be some time before they are ready to make any threat. Such things take time. Remember, I was once in uniform.
True, that's what they told me, too. Ryan paused. Okay, what does the Kingdom propose?
We will observe closely. Our military is training. We have your pledge of support. We are concerned, but not overly so.
We could schedule some joint exercises, Jack offered.
That might only inflame matters, the Prince replied. The absence of total conviction in his voice was not accidental. He'd probably fielded the idea in council himself and gotten a negative reply.
Well, I guess you've had a long day. Tell me, how did Daryaei look? I haven't seen the guy since you introduced him to me.
His health appears good. He looks tired, but he's had a busy time.
I can relate to that. Ali?
Yes, Jack?
The President stopped then, reminding himself that he was unschooled in diplomatic exchange. How concerned should I be about all this?
What do your people tell you? the Prince replied.
About the same as you do, but not all of them. We need to keep this line open, my friend.
I understand, Mr. President. Good-bye for now.
It was an unsatisfactory conclusion to an unsatisfactory call. Ryan replaced the phone and looked around at his empty office. Ali wasn't saying what he wanted to say because the position of his government was different from what he thought it should be. The same had happened to Jack often enough, and the same rules applied. Ali had to be loyal to that government-hell, it was mainly his own family-but he had allowed himself one slip, and the Prince was too clever to do that sort of thing by mistake. It probably would have been easier before, when Ryan had not been President and both could talk without the worry of making policy with every word. Now Jack was America to those beyond the borders, and governmental officials could talk to him only that way, instead of remembering that he was also a thinking man who needed to explore options before making decisions. Maybe if it hadn't been over the phone, Jack thought. Maybe face-to-face would have been better. But even Presidents were limited by time and space.
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36 - TRAVELERS
KLM-ROYAL DUTCH AIRLINES-Flight 534 left the gate on time at 1:10 A.M. The aircraft was full-at this hour, full of weary people who stumbled to their seats, strapped in, and accepted pillows and blankets. The more experienced travelers among them waited for the sound of the wheels being retracted, then pushed their seats as far back as they could go, and closed their eyes in the hope of a smooth ride and something akin to real sleep.
Five of Badrayn's men were aboard, two in first class, three in business. They all had baggage in the cargo hold, and a carry-on tucked under the seat in front. All had a minor case of nerves, and all would have had a drink to ameliorate it-religious prohibition or not-but the aircraft had landed in an Islamic airport and would not serve alcohol until it had left United Islamic Republic airspace. To a man, they considered their situation and bowed to circumstance. They'd been well briefed and properly prepared. They'd come through the airport like ordinary travelers, and submitted their carry-ons to X-ray inspection by security personnel who were every bit as careful as their Western counterparts-actually more so, since the flights were relatively few, and the local paranoia relatively greater. In every case, the X-ray display had shown a shaving kit, along with papers, books and other sundries.
They were all educated men, many of them having attended the American University of Beirut, some to obtain degrees, the others simply to learn about the enemy. They were dressed neatly, all with ties, loose now in their collars, and their coats hung in the mini-closets throughout the aircraft. Within forty minutes, they, along with the rest of the