'No… Although his information was tragically prophetic there'd be no reason for him to call me. As I told you, Mitchell, the man who employs him—a far more distant acquaintance than you—suggested he contact me… very much as you did. My reputation exceeds my presumed influence.'
'Through you I saw the President,' said Payton, closing his eyes at the old man's lies.
'Well, yes. The news you brought me was devastating, as was Mr. A's. In his case I naturally thought of you. I wasn't sure Langford or his people had the expertise that you did—’
'I obviously didn't have it,' interrupted MJ.
'I'm certain you did all you could.'
'Back to Mr. A, Dr Winters.'
'Yes?'
'He's dead.'
The gasp of breath was like an electric shock over the line. It was several seconds before Winters spoke, and when he did his voice was hollow. 'What are you saying?'
'He's dead. And someone known to you as code name S has been killed.'
'Oh, my God,' whispered the spokesman of Inver Brass, the whisper a tremulous echo of itself. 'How do you come by this… information?'
'I'm afraid that's privileged, even from you.'
'Damn you, I gave you Jennings! The President of the United States!'
'But you didn't tell me why, Doctor. You never explained to me that your overriding concern—your consummate concern—was the man you had chosen. Evan Kendrick.'
'No!' protested Winters, as close to a scream of denial as he could manage. 'You must not delve into such matters; they're not your business! No laws have been broken.'
'I'd like to think you believe that, but if you do, I'm afraid you're terribly wrong. When you contract the talents of someone like your European, you can't divorce yourself from his methods… As we've pieced it together they include political extortion through blackmail, the corruption of the legislative process, the theft of maximum classified documents and indirectly causing the death and maiming of numerous government personnel—and finally murder. Code name S was terminated,'
'Oh, dear God…!'
'That's who you were playing—’
'You don't understand, Mitchell, that's not the way things happened.’
'On the contrary, it's exactly the way they happened.'
'I know nothing about such things, you must believe that.'
'I do because you employed a skilled professional for results, not for giving you explanations.'
'“Employed” is too simplistic a term! He was a dedicated man who had his own mission in life.'
'So I was told,' interrupted Payton. 'He came from a country whose government had been stolen from its people.'
'What do you think is happening here?' said the leader of Inver Brass, his words now controlled but the depth of their meaning clear.
It was several moments before MJ replied, again with his eyes closed. 'I know,' he said softly. 'We're putting that together, too.'
'They killed the Secretary of State and the entire delegation in Cyprus. They have no conscience, no allegiance to anything but their own ever-expanding wealth and power… I want nothing, we want nothing!'
'I understand. You wouldn't get it if you wanted it.'
'That's why he was chosen, Mitchell. We found the extraordinary man. He's too perceptive to be fooled and too decent to be bought. In addition, he has the personal requisites to command attention.'
'I can't fault your choice, Dr Winters.'
