Tom Clancy's op-center_ acts of war - Tom Clancy [166]
Rodgers usually felt bad for fighting men who had been wounded, regardless of their beliefs. But this man was a terrorist, not a soldier. Everything he had done, from blowing up an unfortified dam to ambushing the ROC, had been worked in whole or in part against unarmed civilians. Rodgers felt nothing for him.
August was looking into Rodgers's eyes. "General, come on. Sit down."
"In a minute." Rodgers moved to the next man. He had red, mottled burns on his arms, legs, and upper chest. He was awake and staring at the sky with angry eyes.
Rodgers idly pointed at him with the gun. "What about this one?" he asked.
"He's the healthiest of the bunch," Musicant replied. "Must be their leader. People were protecting him. He's got second-degree burns and mild shock. He'll live."
Rodgers stared at the man for a moment, then squatted beside him. "This is the man who tortured me," he said.
"We'll bring him back to the U.S. with us," August said. "He'll stand trial. He won't get away with what he did."
Rodgers was still looking at Siriner. The man was dazed, but those eyes were unrepentent. "And when he does stand trial," Rodgers said, "Americans working in Turkey will be kidnapped and executed. Or an American plane bound for Turkey will be blasted from the air. Or a corporation which does business with Turkey will be bombed. His trial and even a conviction will become America's ordeal. And do you know what's ironic?" Rodgers asked.
"No, General," August answered warily. "Tell me."
"The Kurds have a legitimate complaint." Rodgers stood. He was still looking down at Siriner. "The problem is, a trial will give them a daily forum. Because they've been oppressed, the world will regard this man's terroism as understandable or even necessary. Holding a torch to a man's body and threatening a woman with violent abuse become acts of heroism instead of sadism. People will say he was driven to it by the suffering of his people."
"Not all people will say that," said August. "We'll see to it."
"How?" Rodgers asked. "You can't reveal who you are."
"You'll testify," August said. "You'll talk to the press. You're articulate, a war hero."
"They'll say we made things worse by spying on them. That I invited retribution by killing one of them in Turkey. They'll say we destroyed their--what will they call this? A refuge. A bucolic retreat."
The hum of the ROC's eight-cylinder engine reached them as it emerged from the road-cut. August stepped between Siriner and General Rodgers.
"We'll talk about this later, sir," August said. "We accomplished our mission. Let's take pride in that."
Rodgers said nothing.
"Are you okay?"
Rodgers nodded.
August stepped away cautiously and turned on his field radio. "Sergeant Grey," he said, "stand by to initiate countdown."
"Yes, sir!"
August faced the Strikers. "The rest of you prepare to--"
August jumped as Rodgers's pistol fired. The colonel looked over. Rodgers's bare arm was extended almost straight down. Smoke twisted from the barrel and rose into Rodgers's unblinking eyes. He was staring at Siriner as blood oozed slowly from a raw hole in the commander's forehead.
August spun and pushed the gun up. Rodgers didn't resist.
"Your mission was finished, Brett, not mine," Rodgers said.
"Mike, what've you done?"
Rodgers looked at him. "Got my pride back."
When August released his arm, Rodgers walked calmly toward the road. The rest of the ROC crew had stood up at the gunshot and were looking over. Rodgers was able to smile now, and he did. He was looking forward to apologizing to Phil Katzen.
His face ashen, August ordered Musicant to finish with the Kurds and treat Colonel Seden as soon as they were onboard the ROC. Then he handed the gun to Private DeVonne, who had been looking at her fellow Strikers.
"Sir," she said urgently, "we didn't see that. None of us did. The Kurd was killed in a firefight."
August shook his head bitterly. "I've known Mike Rodgers for most of my life. He's never told a lie. I don't think he's planning on starting now."