Executive orders - Tom Clancy [530]
NBC SHARED THEIR tape with the whole world. As competitive as the news business was, a consciousness of public responsibility did pervade the profession, and the tape of the President's brief conversation went out an hour later on television sets across the globe.
She'd been right from the first instant, the Prime Minister told herself. He was far out of his depth. He couldn't even stand up straight. His words rambled. He let his wife speak for him-and she was frantic, emotional, weak. America's time as a major power was ending, because the country lacked firm leadership. She didn't know who had caused this plague to happen, but it was easy to guess. It had to be the UIR. Why else had he called them together in western China? With her fleet at sea guarding the approaches to the Persian Gulf, she was doing her part. She was sure she would be rewarded for it in due course.
YOUR PRESIDENT IS distracted, Zhang said. Understandably so.
Such a great misfortune. You have our deepest sympathy, the Foreign Minister added. The three, plus the translator, had also just seen the tape.
Adler had been slow in getting the news of the epidemic, but he was up to speed now. He had to set it all aside, however. Shall we proceed?
Does our distant province agree to our compensation demand? the Foreign Minister asked.
Unfortunately not. They take the position that the entire incident results from your extended maneuvers. Viewed abstractly, that point of view is not entirely without merit, the Secretary of State told them in diplo-speak.
But the situation is not abstract. We are conducting peaceful exercises. One of their pilots saw fit to attack our aircraft, and in the process another of their foolish aviators destroyed an airliner. Who is to say if it was an accident or not?
Not an accident? Adler asked. What possible purpose could there be for such a thing?
Who can say with these bandits? the Foreign Minister asked in return, stirring the pot a little more.
ED AND MARY Pat Foley came in together. Ed was carrying a large rolled poster or something, Jack saw as he sat in the Cabinet Room, still wearing greens with HOPKINS stenciled on them. Next came Murray, with Inspector O'Day in his wake. Ryan stood to go to him.
I owe you, sorry I didn't get to see you sooner. He took the man's hand.
That was pretty easy compared to this, Pat said. And my little girl was there, too. But, yeah, glad I was there. I won't have any nightmares about that shoot. He turned. Oh, hi, Andrea.
Price smiled for the first time that day. How's your daughter, Pat?
Home with the sitter. They're both okay, he assured her.
Mr. President? It was Goodley. This is pretty hot.
Okay, then shall we get to work? Who starts?
I do, the DCI said. He slid a sheet of paper across the table. Here.
Ryan took it and scanned it. It was some sort of official form, and the words were all in French. What's this?
It's the immigration and customs clearance form for an airplane. Check the ID box, top-left corner.
HX-NJA. Okay, so? SWORDSMAN asked. His chief of staff sat at his side, keeping his peace. He felt the tension that the executives had brought into the room.
The blowup of Chavez's photo at Mehrabad Airport was actually larger than a poster, and had been printed up mainly as a joke. Mary Pat unrolled it, and laid it flat on the table. Two briefcases were used to keep it from rolling back up. Check the tail, the DDO advised.
HX-NJA. I don't have time for Agatha Christie, people, the President warned them.
Mr. President. This was Dan Murray. Let me walk you through this, but I'll say up front, that photo is something I could take into court and get a conviction with.
The customs form identifies a business jet, a Gulf-stream G-IV belonging to this Swiss-based corporation. A piece of paper went down on the conference table. Flown by this flight crew. Two photos and fingerprint cards. It left Zaire with three passengers. Two were