Hood was elated until Herbert informed him of Mike Rodgers's torture and his execution of the Kurdish leader who ordered it.
Hood was quiet for a moment, then asked, 'Who witnessed the killing?'
'That's not going to fly,' Herbert said. 'Mike wants people to know what he did and why he did it.'
'He's been through Hell,' Hood said dismissively. 'We'll talk to him after he's rested.'
'Paul—'
'He'll budge on this,' Hood said. 'He has to. If Mike is court-martialed, he'll be forced to talk about what he was doing in Turkey and why. He'll have to reveal contacts, methods, talk about other operations we've mounted.'
'In situations involving national security, the records of the court-martial can be sealed.'
'The press will still cover it,' Hood said, 'and they'll be all over us. This could literally bring down American intelligence operations in the Middle East. What about Colonel August? He's Mike's oldest friend. Can't he do anything?'
'Don't you think he tried?' Herbert asked. 'Mike told him that terrorism is a greater threat than anything else America is facing today. He says it's time we fought fire with fire.'
'He's got to be in shock,' Hood concluded.
'He was checked at Tel Nef,' Herbert replied. 'He's sound.'
'After what the Kurds did to him?' Hood said.
'Mike's been to Hell a whole lotta times and made it back okay,' Herbert replied. 'Anyway, the Israeli medics say he's mentally fit and Mike himself says he's thought this through.'
Hood reached for a pen and pad. 'What's the telephone number at the base? I want to talk to him before he does anything he'll regret.'
'You can't talk to him,' Herbert said.
'Why not?'
'Because he's already done the 'anything,' ' Herbert said.
Hood felt his insides tighten. 'What did he do, Bob?'
'He phoned General Thomas Esposito, the Commander in Chief, U.S. Special Operations Command, and confessed to the killing,' Herbert said. 'Mike's now under armed guard at the infirmary in Tel Nef waiting for military police and legal counsel to arrive from the Incirlik Air Base.'
Hood suddenly became aware of the mustiness of the drapes. The room no longer seemed safe. It was suffocating. 'All right,' Hood said calmly. 'Give me some options. There have got to be options.'
'Only one that I can think of,' Herbert said, 'and it's a long shot. We can try to get Mike a Presidential pardon.'
Hood perked up. 'I like that.'
'I thought you would,' Herbert said. 'I already called General Vanzandt and Steve Burkow and explained the situation to them. They're with us. Especially Steve, which surprised the hell out of me.'
'What are our chances?' Hood asked.
'If we can keep the story from breaking for a few hours, we've got a slim chance,' said Herbert. 'I've got Ann watching out for that. Once the press gets it, the President won't consider acting until after the case has been heard. An American general cold-bloodedly executes a wounded, unarmed Kurd — the political risks at home and abroad are just too great.'
'Sure,' Hood said disgustedly. 'Even though the Kurd took a blowtorch to the general.'
'The general was a spy,' Herbert reminded him. 'World opinion ain't gonna be with us on this one, Paul.'
'No, I guess it won't,' Hood said. 'Who else can we get to try and persuade the President?'
'The Secretary of Defense is with us, and he's meeting with the Vice President in about ten minutes. We'll see what happens. So far, Ann says that reporters haven't been asking much about the seven Kurds who were injured in the Bekaa. They bought the story the SAA commander gave them. As long as the press is fixated on what they're calling the Border Buildup, that story may slip through the cracks. If it does, we may slip through with it.'
'Work the pardon, Robert,' Hood said. 'I want you and Martha to call in every chit you have.'
'We will,' Herbert promised.
'Christ,' Hood said, 'I feel completely useless being stuck out here. Is there anything I can do?'
'Just one thing,' Herbert said, 'something I really don't think I'll have time to do.'
'What's that?' asked Hood.
'Pray,' Herbert said. 'Pray hard.'
SIXTY-ONE
Bob Herbert sat in his wheelchair reading an Eyes Only copy of the single-page document. It was addressed to the Attorney General of the United States and printed on White House letterhead.
Behind his desk the President read a copy of the document as well. Scattered around the Oval Office, standing or sitting, were National Security Advisor Burkow, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Vanzandt, White House legal counsel Roland Rizzi, and Martha Mackall. Each was reading a printout of the paper. Herbert, Rizzi, Burkow, and Vanzandt knew the document well. They had spent the last ninety minutes drafting it, after hearing from Rizzi that the President would consider signing a paper which pardoned General Mike Rodgers.
The President cleared his throat. After reading the paper once, he went back to the top to read it aloud. He always did that, to hear how it would sound as a speech — in case he ever had to defend in public what he'd done.
'I hereby grant a full, free, and absolute pardon to General Michael Rodgers of the United States Army. This pardon is for confessed actions which he has or may have committed while loyally serving his country in a joint intelligence effort with the Republic of Turkey.
'The government and people of the United States have benefited immeasurably from the courage and leadership of General Rodgers throughout his long and unblemished military career. Neither this nation nor its institutions would be well or responsibly served by a further scrutiny of actions which, from all accounts, were heroic, selfless, and appropriate.'
The President nodded and tapped his index fingers absently on the paper. He looked to his left. The stout, balding Roland Rizzi was standing beside the desk.
'This is good, Rollo.'
'Thank you, Mr. President.'
'What's more' — he smiled—'I believe it. I don't often get to say that about documents which I'm asked to sign.'
Martha and Vanzandt chuckled.
'The dead man,' said the President. 'He was a Syrian citizen shot in Lebanon.'
'That's correct, sir.'
'Should they decide to pressure us, what jurisdiction do Damascus and Beirut have in this matter?'
'Theoretically,' said Rizzi, 'they could demand General Rodgers's extradition. Even if they did, however, we would not accede to that.'
'Syria has given sanctuary to more international criminals than any nation on earth,' said Burkow. 'I, for one, would love for them to ask just so we could tell them no.'
'Could they make things rough for us in the press?' asked the President.
'They'd need proof for that, sir,' said Rizzi. 'And also to push for General Rodgers's extradition.'
'And where is that proof?' the President asked. 'Where is the body of the dead Kurdish leader?'
'It's in the cave that used to be their headquarters,' said Bob Herbert. 'Before they left the area, Striker blew it up with the Tomahawk warhead.'
'Our press department put out the story that he was killed in an explosion at his headquarters,' Martha said.
