Line of Control - Tom Clancy [61]
"We don't know," Herbert admitted.
"We're trying to find out if they got away."
Herbert looked at the computer monitor. Stephen Viens had just finished zooming in slowly on the northern side of the cliff. The resolution was three meters, sufficient to show footprints. The angle of the sun was still low. That would help by casting shadows off the side walls of any prints.
Viens began panning the flattest, widest areas of the slopes.
Those were the sections where people were likely to be walking in the darkness.
"If the cell did get away the SFF is not going to give up," Friday continued.
"There's a possibility the SFF set them up to take the fall for the temple bombings in Srinagar."
"Do you have proof of that?" Herbert asked. He was interested that Friday had come to the same conclusion as he and General Rodgers.
"No," Friday admitted.
"But the Black Cats would normally have handled the investigation and they were cut out of it by the SFF. They also obviously knew about the cell."
"That doesn't mean they were involved in the destruction of the temple,"
Herbert said.
"The Free Kashmir Militia are known terrorists. According to Indian radio they already took credit for the bombing-"
"Whoever made that call may not have known the extent of the attack,"
Friday said.
"That could be," Herbert agreed.
"I'm still not ready to declare them innocent. Maybe someone in the group betrayed them and rigged the extra explosions. But let's assume for the moment you're right, that the SFF organized the bombing to advance an agenda. What is that agenda?"
"My Black Cat partner believes it's a holy war," Friday said.
"Possibly a nuclear holy war."
"A preemptive strike," Hank Lewis said.
Again, Herbert was encouraged by the fact that Ron Friday and the Indian Black Cat officer reached the same conclusions that he and Rodgers had.
It meant there might be some truth to their concerns. But he was also discouraged for the same reason.
"We think the SFF forces used gas against the Pakistani stronghold,"
Herbert said.
"Which would mean they wanted to try and capture them alive."
"A perp walk and confessions," Friday said.
"Probably. But I've got to believe the main reason the cell is running is not to save their own lives," Herbert said.
"Even if they get back to Pakistan no one in India is going to take their word that they're innocent."
"They need the girl." Friday said.
"Exactly," Herbert said.
"If she worked with the SFF to stage the attack, they need to get a complete public statement from her. One that doesn't look or sound like it's a forced confession."
"I'm missing something here," Lewis said.
"If we suspect that this is going on, why don't we just confront the SFF or someone in the Indian government? Get them involved."
"Because we don't know who may already be involved in this operation and how high up it goes," Herbert said.
"Talking to New Delhi may just accelerate the process." "Accelerate it?"
Lewis said.
"How much faster can it possibly go?"
"In a crisis like this days can become hours if you're not careful,"
Herbert said.
"We don't want to panic the people in charge. If we're right, the SFF will still try to capture the cell." "Or at least Nanda," Friday said.
"Maybe she's the one they're really after. Think about a teary-eyed Hindu woman going on television and telling the public how the FKM plotted to blow up the temple, not caring how many Hindu men, women, and children they killed."
"Good point," Herbert said.
"What about the girl's grandfather?
If the cell is alive and we can find them before the SFF does, do you think he'd be willing to talk to her? To convince her to tell the public what she knows?"
"I'll make sure he's willing to talk to her," Friday said.
As they spoke the satellite camera stopped on what looked like it might be several footprints. Viens began zooming in.
"What are you thinking of doing. Bob?" Hank Lewis asked.
"We've already got two men on the ground and a field force on the way,"
Herbert said.
"If I can get Paul to sign off on it, I'm going to