“That’s an interesting question,” Jack said.
Alli dug in her pocket. “Maybe this will be of some help.” She handed over the cell phone. “I also found this in Uncle Hank’s study.”
Jack was about to open it when Paull came up to them.
“Okay, we’re all set. You need to get into your mountain gear.”
Jack pocketed the cell as he took a look at the forbidding mountains. “How are we getting up to Tetovo?”
Paull drew out a map covered in clear waterproof plastic and opened it. He clicked a pen flash and pointed. “This is the best route, according to our geotech boys.”
Jack nodded. He didn’t bother studying the map because he wouldn’t be able to make sense of it. “What about the kid?”
Paull’s eyes were dark and hooded. “We can’t trust him to go any farther.”
“You can’t just cut him loose out here in the middle of nowhere.”
“He stays with the plane until we get back,” Paull said curtly.
“That would be a mistake.”
They all turned to see Thate standing behind Paull.
“Get back,” Paull flared.
Alli held up a hand. “Hold on a minute, you two.”
Paull’s head swiveled around and he glared at her. “Listen, missy, Jack may cut you an unreasonable amount of slack, but as far as decisions here are concerned—”
“Thate’s been here before,” she said. “He knows the mountains, he knows this area of Macedonia.”
Jack turned to the kid. “Is that true?”
Thate nodded. “I lived in the mountains for eighteen months before I came to Washington.”
Jack beckoned him with a finger and the kid joined their circle.
“Show him the route we’re taking, Dennis.”
When Paull made no move, Alli traced the route on the map.
Thate shook his head. “There are at least two good reasons why this route will get you into trouble. The first is here.” His forefinger stabbed out. “This village, Dolna Zhelino, belongs to Xhafa. If we go anywhere near it, he’ll know within an hour that you’re coming.”
Paull rolled his eyes.
Jack said, “What else?”
“The route takes you along this ridge above the Vardar River.” His fingertip traced a line. “Here.”
“It’s the most direct route,” Paull said. “Otherwise, we’ll waste time going miles out of our way.”
“It will be a waste of time,” Thate said, “once you’re buried in a rockslide.”
Paull made a noise in the back of his throat. “Alli, take the kid back inside the plane.”
When the two had mounted the folding stairs and vanished into the jet’s interior, Jack said, “What’s your problem, Dennis?”
“My problem is this kid.”
“Really? He’s already proven useful.”
“Why the fuck should I believe anything he says?” Paull’s eyes engaged Jack’s. They had dark circles under them. Lines of tension scored his face. “My sense is he’s working for Xhafa, and if he is, he’ll lead us right into a mortal trap.”
“What if he’s telling the truth?”
“Jack, he has no incentive to tell the truth and every reason to make sure we wind up dead.”
INSIDE THE plane, Alli sat down in the seat nearest the door. After a moment’s hesitation, Thate sat beside her.
“Dennis Paull.” She shook her head. “What a dickwad.”
He laughed. “You’re not afraid of anything, are you?”
“Shit,” she said. “I’m afraid of everything.”
“You’re lying.”
She laughed softly, mocking him.
“Then you hide your terror well.”
“I’ve had a lot of practice, believe me.” As if realizing she had possibly revealed too much, she launched into another topic before he could respond. “What were you doing up in the Tetovo area?”
Thate stared straight ahead. “I was sent by the people who trained me. Russians.
Alli nodded. “Yeah. Mobsters, whole families of ’em.”
He appeared somewhat surprised. His eyes reflected the dim lighting of the jet’s interior, turning them as glassy as marbles.
“I’ve been to Moscow,” she said. “Why did the
“To train with Xhafa’s freedom fighters.”
Alli was aware of the slight hesitation; she didn’t need to see his face to know that he was lying.
PAULL SHOOK his head. “What gives me pause is why you and I aren’t on the same page.”
“I have a feeling about him, Dennis.”
“Jack, he’s the fucking enemy.”
“If you believe that, then kill him. Right here. Shoot him in the back of the head like the Russians do. If he’s the enemy surely he deserves nothing less.”
The two men stood toe to toe, their eyes locked, their wills silently battling. The spangled sword was gone. In its place was a sky compressed into layers of low cloud. A chill wind whipped through the trees, causing a great rustling, as if an armada of insects was moving through them. Paull had flicked off the pen flash. There was almost no light. The thick air made it seem as if they were on the ocean floor. Somewhere, not far off, an owl hooted.
“I’m not giving in, Jack. And I’m not going to kill him,” Paull said. “We’ll let him go when we get back here. Until then, the pilot and crew are more than qualified to keep him under wraps.”
Jack took a step closer, his voice lowered. “You said you trust me. Well, I have a feeling about him, Dennis. I think he can help us get to Xhafa.”
“That’s why we have a geotech department.”
“Has any one of them been to Macedonia, let alone anywhere near Tetovo?”
“Not necessary,” Paull snapped. “They have computers—”
Jack leaned in. “Dennis, don’t you get it? Computers don’t mean shit out here. This is the wilderness, this is a zone that’s redder than red. Don’t you think the SKOPES unit relied on computer-compiled data?”
Paull’s mouth was a stubborn line. “I can’t hear you.”
“You haven’t been in the field for years, so don’t be a fool, Dennis. Fate has given us an edge the SKOPES unit never even dreamed of, and you want to ignore it?”
Paull’s mouth opened to reply, then he shut it with a snap. He let out his breath slowly and deliberately, as if he were mentally counting to ten to calm himself down.
“This is so fucked, Jack.”
“Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t.”
Paull looked as if he wanted to hit Jack. “We follow my route. Period.”
“You’re not thinking straight, Dennis.”
“He stays right here with the plane.”
Jack read the stubbornness on Paull’s face and understood that his boss needed to feel in charge. This was his first field mission in a number of years; he was understandably nervous. He’d worked hard on the details of his chosen plan; deviating from it now would seem rash and dangerous to him. He couldn’t win this fight. Pushing Paull further now would only damage their relationship.
“Whatever you say.”
Paull’s finger pressed against Jack’s chest. “This is on you. If he steps out of line, my men have orders to
