'The Russians,' the vice president said dismissively.
'They may have been the ones who sent Cherkassov into the region to attack the rig. His body was found in the water nearby.'
'Moscow has every reason not to want us involved in the region,' Gable said.
'If Azerbaijan is chased out of the Caspian, Moscow can lay claim to more of the oil reserves. Mr. President, I suggest we table this side of the problem until we've dealt with the larger issue of the Iranian mobilization.'
'We've reviewed the data Orlov provided, and we believe it's accurate,' Hood stated.
'I'd like to see that data,' Fenwick said.
'You will,' Hood promised.
'You wouldn't also have given General Orlov any secure codes to help him listen in on alleged NSA conversations, would you?' Hood ignored that.
'Mr. President, the Harpooner is an expert at creating and executing complex cover stories. If he's involved in this operation, we have to look carefully at any evidence that comes in. We should also inform Teheran that this action may have nothing to do with Baku.'
'Nothing?' Fenwick said.
'For all we know, they may have hired the Harpooner.'
'You may be right,' Hood said.
'What I'm saying is that we have no evidence of anything except the fact that the Harpooner is in the region and was probably involved in the attack.'
'Secondhand evidence,' Fenwick said.
'Besides, I spent a day trying to open a dialogue with Teheran about an intelligence exchange. The bottom line is that they don't trust us, and we can't trust them.'
'That is not the bottom line!' Hood snapped. He stopped. He had to watch that--showing anger. He was frustrated, and he was extremely tired. But if he lost control, he would also lose credibility.
'The bottom line,' Hood continued evenly, 'is that misinformation has been passed regularly between the NSA, the CIOC, and the Oval Office--'
'Mr. President, we need to move on,' Fenwick said calmly.
'Iran is moving warships into the Caspian region That is a fact, and it must be dealt with immediately.'
'I agree,' said the vice president. Cotten looked at Hood. There was condescension in the vice president's eyes.
'Paul, if you have concerns about the actions of personnel at the NSA, you should bring your proof to the CIOC, not to us. They will deal with it.'
'When it's too late,' Hood said.
'Too late for what?' the president asked. Hood turned to the president.
'I don't know the answer to that, sir,' Hood admitted.
'But I do believe you should hold off making any decisions about the Caspian right now.' Fenwick shook his head.
'Based on hearsay from Russians who may themselves be moving planes and ships into the region.'
'Mr. Fenwick has a point,' the president said.
'The Russians may indeed have designs on the Caspian oil,' Hood agreed.
'That in itself doesn't repudiate General Orlov's intelligence.'
'How long do you need, Paul?'
'Give me another twelve hours,' Hood said.
'Twelve hours will give Iran and Russia time to position ships in the Azerbaijani oil regions,' Gable said. The president looked at his watch. He thought for a moment.
'I'll give you five hours,' he said. That was not what Hood wanted, but it was obviously all he was going to get. He took it.
'I'll need an office,' Hood said. He did not want to waste time running back to Op-Center.
'Take the Cabinet Room,' the president said.
'That way I know you'll be done by seven. We'll be moving in then.'
'Thank you, sir,' Hood said. Hood turned. He ignored the other men as he left the Oval Office. The hostility was much greater now than when he had come in. Hood was certain he had hit a bull's-eye. Just not with enough firepower. It would have been too much to expect the president to buy everything he was telling him. Even after their earlier conversation, Lawrence was still obviously struggling with the idea that Jack Fenwick could be a traitor. But at least the president had not dismissed the idea entirely. Hood had been able to buy himself some time. Hood walked down the quiet, green-carpeted hallway of the West Wing. He made his way past two silent secret service officers. One was posted outside the Oval Office. The other was standing down the hall between the doorway that led to the press secretary's office on the northwest end of the corridor and door to the Cabinet Room on the northeast side. Hood entered the oblong room. There was a large conference table in the center of the room. Beyond it, in the northern end of the room, was a desk with a computer and a telephone. Hood went over and sat down. The first thing Hood would do was contact Herbert. He had to try to get more information about the Harpooner's contacts with the NSA. Yet even having the exact time and location of the calls would probably not
