“I just thought that maybe—”
“That was your first mistake. You tried to think!” Nelson breathed heavily into the phone. “You do understand that shit rolls downhill, don’t you? Technically, Ingram is above me so when his shit hits me, it’s going to roll right over me and all over you.”
“Look Colonel, I was trying to implement what you told me to—”
“Did I tell you to call the assistant director for the NS-fucking-A and whine to him? Huh? Did I? NO! I didn’t.” Darren slumped in his chair and let the man vent. “You did that on your own.”
Darren didn’t know where the voice came from; it sounded like him, but he listened in shock as words poured from his mouth. “No, you didn’t. Instead you told me that the mercs our scapegoat ran to for help were honest to god badasses that would burn the government down just to see the fucking flames. You were the one who said we were messing with the wrong guy and that I didn’t have a clue just how much damage they could do if they ever discovered who set them up. You dropped all this shit in my lap and expected me to deal with it. You planted the fucking seed, Colonel then you bailed and left me sitting here with nothing but my dick in my hand. What the hell else was I supposed to do? Cancel the op? Find another patsy in less than three hours? Fly to fucking Pakistan and tell the operators on the ground that we changed our minds? In case you’ve forgotten, we’re past the deadline and they’ve gone radio silent!”
He stared at the phone wide eyed and swallowed hard, knowing that his entire world would soon be collapsing around him.
“You done?” Colonel Nelson’s voice was calm and even.
Chesterfield had to force himself to inhale. “Yes.” He wished his voice had sounded a little more confident, if these were to be his last words.
“I expected you to use a secondary fall guy.” The colonel’s voice was even and emotionless. “You’ve been trained to always have a Plan B. You should have had everything in place to utilize a different patsy in the event something happened to your original. That’s basic.” He waited to ensure that Chesterfield wouldn’t interrupt. “What if your chosen one had been killed or ended up in a coma? He couldn’t very well have planned and carried out your diversionary action if he wasn’t physically capable, now could he?”
Chesterfield groaned inwardly. “Colonel, there wasn’t time to implement a secondary—”
“So you’re telling me you fucked up.” He waited for Chesterfield to respond. When he didn’t, he continued. “Instead you called Ingram and he called me.”
“Colonel, I’m sorry that—”
“I’m not finished, Chesterfield.” Colonel Nelson took a deep breath and Roger braced himself for an ass chewing and possible firing. “You dropped the ball then panicked and ran to the wrong people. That started a shit storm that I think I have contained. For the moment, anyway.”
Darren swallowed hard and opened his mouth to speak but was cut off. “The op will go as planned. If you can’t possibly find somebody else to blame for our diversion, then we have no choice but to run with your original choice.” Darren stared at the phone, unsure that he was hearing what he thought he heard. “But make no mistake. There is nothing tying the rest of us to this screw up. If things go south, and they probably will, you and only you will be left hanging out to dry.”
Darren tried again to swallow and found his mouth dry. “But, sir, I—”
“I’m not finished, Chesterfield.” He paused for a moment then continued. “If I were you, I’d put together a team of trusted operatives and find a way to plug a secondary target into the system before this op kicks off. Personally, I think it would be better to manufacture the evidence as the events unfolded rather than go with a plan that you know will come back to kick you in the ass. But that’s just me thinking aloud.”
Chesterfield found himself nodding as the man spoke.
“Regardless of what you decide, Chesterfield, know this. If you ever speak to me in that tone again, I will personally throw your chair out that fifth floor window with your dumb ass still sitting in it. You understand me?”
Darren nodded. “Yes, sir. I’m sorry si—” He heard the click of the phone as Colonel Nelson hung up on him.
He sat back in his chair and stared at the ceiling. “Where in the hell am I supposed to find another fall guy for this?”
He sat up suddenly and picked up his phone again. “Gather everybody who isn’t in the middle of something and meet me in the conference room in five minutes.” He hung up and glanced at his watch. “Please, god, let there be time…”
Al-Abadi Residence,
Karachi, Pakistan
MUHAMMED AL-ABADI stood in front of the full length mirror and adjusted his kameez so that it draped fully. Like most traditional men of the region, he wore the salwar kameez when he was expected to make a public appearance and this demonstration would be very public. It had to be.
He turned to one of his body guards and nodded. “You are ready? The insurgents will be expecting me to be there. You have a proper excuse?”
“You have political dealings in town that require your presence.” The man bowed his head slightly.
Muhammed nodded. “I’m most certain they heard of this protest today.” He exhaled hard and stared again at his reflection. “If they give you any trouble…”
“We will take our weapons and leave. They forfeit their deposit.”
Muhammed smiled slightly and nodded. “Excellent.” He turned and snapped his fingers at the other body guard. “Prepare the car.”
“The Mercedes?”
“Of course the Mercedes. Wahid will be
