State of Siege - Tom Clancy [107]
"Good morning," Ann said. "How are you?" "Surprisingly well," he said.
"I hope I didn't wake you-was
"No," Hood said, "the State Department did." "Anything important?" she asked.
"Yeah," he said. "They want me up and out of here."
"I'm glad," she said. "You're pretty exposed right now." "And obviously out of the loop," he said. "What the hell's been happening, Ann?"
"It's what we press professionals call a shitstorm," she said. "Since no one has the names of what they're calling the two "SWAT men' who went in before you, this whole thing has become the Paul Hood Show." "Courtesy of Mala Chatterjee," Hood said. "She's not very happy with you," Ann said. "She says you risked your daughter's life needlessly for a speedy and criminal resolution to the crisis."
"Up hers," Hood replied.
"Can I quote you on that?" Ann quipped.
"Banner headline," Hood replied. "What's the fallout so far?" "Security-wise, Bob Herbert's on top of that," she said. "You're the only face on a team that helped kill terrorists from three different countries. Bob's just starting to sift through the possible links they had with other terrorist groups or the sicko nationalists who may want to avenge them."
"Yeah, well, forgive me for not having worried about that," Hood said bitterly.
"This isn't a question of blame or forgiveness," the press liaison said. "It's about special interests. It's what
I've been telling all of you for years. Spin control isn't a luxury anymore. The way every system in the world is interconnected, it's a necessity."
That symbiosis was true, Hood had to admit. And it was sometimes true in unexpected ways. Fifteen years before, intelligence collected by Bob Herbert's CIA team was routinely made available to other American intelligence groups, including Naval intelligence. When Naval analyst Jonathan Pollard turned over U.s. intelligence secrets to the Israelis in the 1980's, several of those secrets were subsequently given to Moscow in exchange for the release of Jewish refugees. Hardline Communists in Moscow used that intelligence to plot against the Russian government. Years later, when Op-Center became embroiled in thwarting the coup attempt, Herbert's own data was used against him.
"How is this playing in the press?" Hood asked. "On the national oped pages it's playing very well," Ann said. "For the first time in history, the liberal and conservative press are united. They're portraying you as a "hero-dad." his
"And on the international oped pages?" he asked. "You could run for Prime Minister in Great Britain and Israel and probably win," she said. "Other than that, the news isn't good. The secretary-general described you as "just another impatient American with a gun." She's demanding an investigation and house arrest. The rest of the world press I've seen so far has picked up that mantra." "Bottom line?" Hood asked.
"Just what you said," she told him. "You're being evacuated. No one in the State Department or the White House has decided how to play any of this yet. I guess they want you here to help figure it out. Though I will tell you that Bob has taken the precaution of contacting the Chevy Chase police and ordering up some security for your home. They're there now. Just in case."
Hood thanked her, then woke Alexander to get him ready. Hood had always been very open with his kids, and as they dressed, he told the boy exactly what had happened the night before. Alexander was dubious until the NYPD showed up to escort Hood and his son from the hotel. The six officers treated Hood as one of their own, commending him as they led the two through the basement to the garage and a waiting motorcade of three squad cars. The rock-star exit impressed Alexander more than anything he'd experienced in New