“A manipulated recording,” Michaels said, wagging his finger. “And I don’t know who your sources are, but they’re lying to you.”
“Look, maybe you’re trying to protect me with plausible deniability and all that, but I need to know if you’re arming terrorists. I don’t want to get blindsided by anything.”
“For the last time, no. I’m not privy to any such action, no matter how sure your sources are that this is happening. It simply isn’t true.”
“Okay,” Young said as he stood up. “Thank you for your candor. I’ll leave you alone to finish your work.”
Michaels looked back down at his papers and waved with the back of his hand dismissively at Young.
“Don’t bother me again with this type of garbage. It’s not worth my time to respond.”
Young exited quickly and returned to his office. He wasted no time in calling Blunt.
“How’d it go?” Blunt asked.
“You’re gonna have to find another way,” Young said. “Michaels didn’t go for the bait.”
“Not even a nibble?”
“Nothing. Even with me, he’s holding fast to the line that it’s all contrived, a witch hunt by his detractors.”
“That bastard.”
“He didn’t rise to that office without some serious political savvy.”
“Well, I’m not sure I’ve got any bullets left in my gun,” Blunt said. “Michaels’ ability to duck and dodge every scandal is bewildering. Short of shooting him in the head, I’m not sure there is a way to remove him from his position.”
“What about Hawk?”
“You want Hawk to assassinate Michaels?”
“I’m not suggesting any such thing. Your words, not mine.”
Blunt grunted. “I want this done through some type of legal channels. We’re not going to stoop to Michaels’ level. Besides, even if I did suggest that to Hawk, he wouldn’t do it. He’s too much of a patriot, even if the end justifies the means.”
“No, no. I mean, perhaps there’s another way Hawk could pressure Michaels, maybe even get him to admit what he’s done.”
“That’d take some serious logistics and insider help. And I’m afraid we don’t have that many allies at the moment. Everyone sees where this election is going and they want to saddle their horse to the winning cart. I’d be lucky to get any favors at this point.”
“Fine,” Young said. “I just wanted to let you know that I did what I could.”
“Well, hang tight. There might another way—a legal way. I’ll call you soon.”
Young hung up and spun around in his chair. He stared out the office window, wondering if the view might be his for the next four years—or only the next four weeks. The way he saw the situation unfolding, Michaels was in an all-or-nothing scenario. Prison or four more years—a strange pairing of options, but there was no other alternative as far as Young could see.
As much as he enjoyed his position and all the accoutrements that went along with it, Young had long since concluded he could part with everything—if it meant the removal of Michaels as president.
CHAPTER 24
Washington, D.C.
HAWK HAD LAID LOW FOR TWO DAYS at Hohenfels with General Van Fortner before attempting to re-enter the U.S. Despite toting a plethora of passports crafted for the various legends Hawk held, traveling commercially was a risky proposition. He needed something sure, something solid. Fortner stepped in again to help.
After a conversation with Blunt, Fortner informed Hawk that his best chance to get to Washington would be on a C-17 military transport plane. Assigning Hawk to the next flight leaving Hohenfels for Washington, Fortner expressed how he’d done all he could do and wished Hawk good luck.
Once the C-17 landed on U.S. soil, Hawk rented a room for a couple of weeks at an extended stay hotel. He rented a car and promptly changed the plates, swapping them with another rental vehicle he identified in the hotel parking lot across the street from his. Once Hawk was confident that he’d eliminated any chance of getting happened upon by local law enforcement, he started to piece together his plan. He’d read that Michaels was planning on heading to Camp David the next day. That was all Hawk needed to begin planning his next move.
Hawk called Alex, who followed their protocol for voice contact in the event of an emergency. While technically far away from a crisis situation, Hawk needed to connect with Alex, if anything for his own sanity. He wanted her stamp of approval for his proposed plan of attack as well as enlisting her help for live support.
“So, what do you think?” Hawk asked. “What pitfalls am I overlooking?”
She remained silent for nearly half a minute, causing Hawk to wonder if they’d become disconnected or perhaps something worse—Michaels’ minions had managed to track her down to Brighton.
But her smooth voice eliminated his concern, which turned out to be unfounded.
“I’m worried that this won’t work,” she said. “There are too many opportunities for this thing to go sideways. And the minute it does, you’re gone—and gone forever.”
“Living out my days in Terre Haute wouldn’t be the worst thing that could happen to me,” Hawk said.
“That federal prison won’t take too kindly to you. Michaels will gleefully send you there, where you’ll be assaulted daily by Al Hasib operatives who have been captured and convicted to life sentences.”
“We’re obviously talking in hypotheticals here—and such outcomes are unlikely. Besides, we both know this is going to work.”
“I’d rather you wait, Hawk. I have my own plan already set in motion, one that you may not even have to lift a finger to see through.”
She explained the details of how she intended to imperil Michaels’ re-election campaign and asked Hawk for his feedback.
“Depending on others to do the dirty work is never a great tactic,” Hawk said. “The moment someone goes off script, you’re in trouble. And you’ll never be able to get things back. Winding up the clock and turning it loose? Not a surefire approach.”
“Well, it’s too late,” she said. “The plan has already been set in motion.”
“What if this gets in my way?”
“Then
