Full Black - Brad Thor [140]
He was surprised when the voice on the other end of the phone didn’t belong to someone from his office at all, but to Reed Carlton back in the U.S.A.
“I’m very sorry for what has happened,” said Ashford, who then moved the receiver away from his mouth so he could take a bite of toast.
“Thank you, Robert. The attacks have been devastating to our country. I’m sure it’s all over the TVs there, but you have no idea what it’s like over here.”
Ashford remembered the 7/7 attacks in London and tried to recollect his feelings from that day to stir up some convincing sympathy for the Americans. “Terrible, terrible business, all of this,” he said. “I understand the prime minister has been in touch with your president and has given our condolences and pledge of support.”
“He has, and I’m sure it was very much appreciated. That’s actually why I’m calling,” replied Carlton.
Ashford was about to take a sip of tea, but, his interest piqued, he changed his mind and set the cup back down. “You know, if there’s anything at all we can do for you …”
“I’m hoping there is. The only problem is that it’s kind of delicate.”
“Delicate in what fashion?” the MI5 man asked warily.
“We have some leads independent of the FBI and CIA back here that we’re running down and it would help us tremendously if we could liaise with your office in a somewhat unofficial capacity.”
“That hasn’t been a problem before. We have a relationship with your organization and if there are any connections to what happened in America and British interests or British citizens, then I can very much guarantee that any resources we have would be at your disposal.”
“Thank you, Robert,” replied Carlton. “That’s good to hear. Especially right now. Between you and me, things are in absolute turmoil here.”
“I can only imagine.” Ashford waited a moment and then said, “Were you calling just to put us on notice that some requests may be coming or was there something specific you needed?”
“Both, actually. I know before the most recent attacks happened, you said you had some information we might find useful and wanted to see what we had been able to compile, particularly as it had to do with Aazim Aleem.”
“And that offer still stands.”
Carlton decided it was time to bait the hook. “Were you aware that Aazim had a nephew?”
“Really? I didn’t know that, but these people do often come from large families, so it isn’t too much of a shock to discover. Was the nephew a British citizen as well?”
“Unfortunately, he is.”
“Why do I get the feeling I’m not going to like this?” asked Ashford.
“There’s a good part and a bad part. I’ll give you the bad news first,” said the Old Man. “The nephew ran all of his uncle’s IT operations, and he did so from London.”
“Past tense,” noted the MI5 man. “Does that mean he’s no longer among the living?”
“No, and that’s my good news. We have him.”
“Really?” said Ashford, trying to sound calm. “You know, it’s not going to play well if it gets out that you ran your own little operation and snatched a British citizen from British soil.”
“We didn’t grab him in Britain.”
Even though the MI5 man already knew that, he asked, “Where was he when you took him? Pakistan?”
“Someplace a lot blonder, but I’d rather not get into the details over the phone.”
“Of course not.”
“Our problem is that he had a preexisting heart condition and there was a complication when we began his interrogation.”
“What kind of complication?” said Ashford.
“He had a heart attack.”
“What’s his prognosis?”
Carlton was honest with him. “We think he’ll be okay, eventually. But in the meantime, our hands are somewhat tied, as you can understandably appreciate, as to how forceful we can be in our interrogation. If we’re not careful, the concern is we could cause him to have another heart attack and he could die.”
“You are in a bind, aren’t you?”
“That’s where we were hoping you could help. I’m sure the Security Service has you busy, but if they could see fit to part with you for a few days we’d like to have you come assist us in the interrogation as well as making