enemies of the state (28 page)

The Assembly of the African Union, a conference of all the heads of state of the member nations within the African Union, had called for an emergency meeting in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. President Amameka, the president of the assembly, invited Jack, along with other world leaders, to join the assembly at the conference.

Jack thought it was a great idea. He enthusiastically agreed to attend and to do everything that he could to help with Nairobi’s reconstruction.

Ethan hated everything about the proposed trip.

From a security standpoint, it was a nightmare. A disaster waiting to happen. Jack wanted to fly into a region beset by nuclear terrorism only a week after the bomb blast. Radiation levels had dissipated, and Nairobi was functioning better than many had expected under martial law, but it was still an absolutely ridiculous idea.

Ethan was overruled, though, by nearly everyone. Gottschalk thought it was a good move, and Reyes, Jack’s press secretary, thought it would be phenomenal press. Jack thought it was the right thing to do. The Joint Chiefs assured Jack that they could keep him safe on the way there and back. The CIA assured him that, as far as they could tell, the situation on the ground was safe, and that the assembly would be well protected.

They all turned to Ethan, then, as head of the presidential detail, and asked if he and his men were up to protecting Jack overseas in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Ethan knew a lost battle when he saw one. He agreed to draw up security plans for the trip.

Long, sleepless nights followed, and his and Jack’s first real fight. Ethan asked him—almost begged him—to reconsider, and to call the trip off. Jack accused Ethan of wanting to keep him in the gilded cage of the White House. Ethan roared back, shouting that it wasn’t just Jack’s life in his hands, but the love of his life as well.

Jack retreated to the Oval Office, leaving Ethan in the Residence to cool off.

Frantic tension tore at Ethan’s insides. He did want to keep Jack in a cage. It was safe in a cage. The White House was a cocoon, a safe, controlled place where he could ensure Jack’s safety. Flying around the United States was stressful enough, and flying to overseas European summits was almost soul-suckingly exhausting. But taking Jack to Africa? To Ethiopia? On the heels of this nuclear attack?

It would show the world Jack’s commitment to people everywhere. Following Prague, and his pact with Puchkov to jointly combat the Islamic Caliphate, Jack had somehow taken on the image of being a champion of the world. He’d seen Jack’s bemusement at the appellation. If it helped the world in any way, Jack said, then he’d embrace it.

Jack could do a lot of good for the world. As president, he already had made a huge impact. Working with the Russians for the first time in decades, and combatting the Caliphate together. Ensuring elections within the Russian-held European territories. Committing more troops and more shared intelligence to the European allies and thwarting terror attacks. Launching the largest aid mission in history for Nairobi and saving thousands and thousands of lives. He was building peace one day at a time, despite everything stacked against him.

But Jack couldn’t do any good for anyone if he was dead.

Ethan slumped on the foot of Jack’s bed—their bed, for the past two months—and sagged forward, holding his head in his hands.

That was it. That was truly the root of it.

He was petrified of losing Jack.

Dying was the ultimate loss, and death was something neither Jack nor Ethan were stranger to. Ethan had lost soldiers and friends in the wars. Jack had lost his wife.

But the thought of Jack dying sent Ethan into a nearly apoplectic rage, and he’d loosed that on Jack, shouting at him and screaming about the stupid trip to Ethiopia.

It was all just a mask, a convenient cover for the gnawing, aching, soul-splitting fear that he was going to lose Jack somehow, someway.

Jack walked in on Ethan struggling to hold it all together, lost in the murky depths and twisted tunnels of his anxiety. Ethan had dropped to the floor, his back to the foot of the bed, and he was clinging to the carpet as his jaw clenched and unclenched. His eyes gleamed, wet panic desperately being held back through sheer force of will alone.

Knees cracking, Jack sat on the carpet in front of Ethan, grunting as he folded himself down. Ethan couldn’t look at him at first, but when he did, the first of his tears trailed down his cheeks. “I’m terrified of losing you,” Ethan mumbled. “It’s my biggest fear. My worst fear.”

Jack pulled Ethan into his lap, tugging on his shoulders until he pulled him off-kilter. Ethan fell into Jack’s hold, his face buried in Jack’s shirt as his arms wound around his waist, and sobbed. Jack held him through every tear, stroking his back and rubbing his neck.

Ethan’s sobs weren’t pretty. They were hard, aching, and pulled from the dark depths of his fearful heart. Snot soaked Jack’s shirt. Ethan’s head throbbed, and he clung to Jack like a drowning sailor clung to a piece of flotsam.

“I’m with you all the way,” Jack whispered in Ethan’s ears. “You won’t lose me.”

“I’m in charge of your
life
,” Ethan groaned. “It’s in my hands.” Now he understood the rules finally, in a visceral, real way. He was paralyzed, nearly incompetent with fear.

“Don’t put this all on yourself. You’re not an island.” Jack stroked the back of Ethan’s neck as Ethan pressed his forehead to Jack’s shoulder and sighed. “I rely on a whole team of smart people. You are often my smartest person.”

Ethan snuffled.

“But right now, you’re not seeing everything. Open your eyes, Ethan. See the whole field. You’ve got help. Pull in Agent Collard and Agent Daniels. They’re your friends. They can help you set this up.” Jack pressed a kiss to Ethan’s hair. “And you have me. God, Ethan, you have me.”

Ethan’s hand found Jack’s, and he threaded their fingers together. “What I said, when I shouted at you…”

“Shhh.” Jack kissed him again. Stroked his arm. “You don’t need to say anything.”

But Ethan wanted to say it. He wanted to tell Jack over and over that he loved him, that he was frighteningly incomplete without Jack. That Jack was the love of his life, and that he knew this like he knew he needed to breathe.

Maybe it was better not to say it if Jack couldn’t say the same. Ethan could stay in his sheltered dreamland, and if there was one thing Ethan had learned about himself, it was that he craved his fantasy dreamland.

* * * * *

“We’ve worked with our partners overseas to spread out the arrival of each head of state.”

Ethan, dressed in black cargo pants tucked into combat boots and a Secret Service counterassault team T-shirt, gestured to the flat screen behind him in the main conference room on Air Force One. It was the final run-through, the last briefing before Jack and the entire team landed in Ethiopia. Jack sat at the head of the conference table, smiling at Ethan. Gottschalk and Reyes flanked him on either side. Secretary Elizabeth Wall, CIA Director Lawrence Irwin, and National Security Director John Luntz also sat at the table, watching Ethan.

Collard and Daniels sat at the end of the table nearest Ethan. Collard had been invaluable in helping Ethan draw up the security plans for the trip, and Daniels had grounded both Ethan and Collard when they were barking at each other over the details. Welby leaned against the wall in the back. Welby had taken Inada’s spot after Inada requested more time with his family.

Ethan continued on with his presentation, advancing through the slides. “Mr. President, you are the first head of state to arrive. The British prime minister is due to arrive twelve hours after we touch down, and President Puchkov twelve hours after that. Like in all foreign trips, local law enforcement is taking the lead in civil security and protection. The Ethiopian Federal Police will secure the route from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport to the prime minister’s palace. Travel time is fifteen minutes proceeding north-northwest on Airport Road toward downtown Addis Ababa.” Ethan moved through the slides as Jack continued to smile at him.

“We will also be deploying two USSS counterassault teams.” The counterassault teams were the Secret Service’s version of a SWAT team. When activated, five men shadowed the president’s every move, on foot, by vehicle, or by air. “CAT Team One will follow the president’s SUV in their own vehicle. CAT Team Two will be airborne, monitoring the ground from a chopper flying above the motorcade. They will call out any bogeys and engage any bandits on the roadways as allowed.” Counterassault teams each carried a sniper in addition to specialists dedicated to close quarters combat. The rules of engagement, though, were always a damper in foreign lands.

“The Ethiopian Federal Police will have plainclothes officers walking the streets. Agents from the advance party will be standing sentry alongside the Ethiopian National Defense Forces along the route. As soon as we land, Agent Welby will be boarding a chopper at the airport and personally coordinating our operations with the chief of the Ethiopian Federal Police.

“Secretary Wall, Directors Irwin and Luntz, Mr. Gottschalk, and Mr. Reyes will ride in the third and fourth SUVs, along with a dedicated detail team for each vehicle.” His eyes met Jack’s. “Myself, Agent Collard, and Agent Daniels will be providing close detail protection for President Spiers. We will ride in the SUV with you, Mr. President. Two up front. One in the back with you.” Ethan nodded to Jack. There were no questions about who would be in the backseat next to Jack. “And we won’t leave your side.”

Silence hung in the air after Ethan’s final words.

Jack smiled wide. “I am confident that I will be more than safe. Excellent plan, Agent Reichenbach.”

“We will confirm our egress plan and provide a final run-through once we’re on the ground. We expect to be in country for thirty-eight hours. We’ll convene a final debrief on the ground in the prime minister’s palace.” Ethan powered down his slides.

Collard nodded to him, a tiny smile curving his lips. Daniels kicked his boot, his own version of a high five.

“Thank you, Agent Reichenbach. I’ll touch base with you after this meeting.” Jack was still smiling, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

Time for Ethan and his team to go. As he’d said to Jack before, he wasn’t the president’s advisor, and as much as Jack said he wanted him to be in all of the meetings at his side, it just couldn’t happen. Instead, Ethan gathered his laptop and his fellow agents and slipped out of the conference room.

* * * * *

Later, Ethan’s phone buzzed midflight. One of the perks of Air Force One—dedicated cellular service. Collard and Daniels were playing cards, and Welby was passed out and snoring when Ethan stood and headed out of the Secret Service compartment.

“Have fun,” Collard called. “Don’t wear yourself out before we land.”

Ethan flipped Collard off as Daniels snorted into his cards.

Jack was waiting for him in his private cabin, barefoot and in just his pants and undershirt. “Hey gorgeous,” he said with a smile. “That was a great presentation. You’ve done a great job.”

“I’m still worried. I’ll be worried until we get you safely back onboard Air Force One, and we’re flying home.”

“I will be perfectly safe. I trust you. I trust your men. I trust your plan.” Jack reached for Ethan, drawing him close, even though Ethan was frustrated and sullen. “When do we refuel?”

“We land in Frankfurt in four hours. We’re wheels-down for thirty minutes while we fuel, and then it’s ten hours to Addis Ababa.”

“I told everyone that I was getting some sleep and I wasn’t to be disturbed.” Jack ran his hands over Ethan’s shoulders and down his bulging biceps. “Did you shrink this shirt before you squeezed into it? It’s like it’s painted on.” Jack’s hands continued to roam, crossing over Ethan’s chest and down his flat stomach.

Chuckling, Ethan tried to push away the anxiety gnashing at his back teeth. “You like?”

Jack nodded, and then he tugged Ethan’s shirt out of his pants. “I think I’ll like it better on my floor.”

Ethan laughed and let Jack pull his shirt up, but Jack tangled Ethan’s arms and pulled the fabric tight, covering Ethan’s eyes with his shirt halfway off this head and his arms bent back. Slowly, Jack captured Ethan’s lips, stroking his tongue across Ethan’s lower lip.

“Ethan,” Jack breathed. “Let me take care of you.”

Mute, Ethan nodded, and he let Jack lead him to the bed.

* * * * *

Whatever Ethan had expected when coming to Addis Ababa, this wasn’t it.

He’d expected a third world hellhole, a dusty, barren, trash-filled landscape of despair and degradation, like all the third-world shitholes he’d deployed to in the Army. He’d expected dangerous glances and angry, hateful faces. He’d been on guard for the worst.

He didn’t expect a glittering airport, steel and glass shining bright in the sunlight and gleaming with brilliant white paint. White tile inside the airport had been polished to a high sheen, and the stores ringing the concourse could have been in any European airport. Prada, Louis Vuitton, Chanel. The entire concourse had been shut down for Jack’s arrival, and they were the only ones walking through, heels clicking against the tile.

An attaché met them in the concourse and escorted Agent Welby away, back to the helo landing pad. “We’ll meet Commissioner Maleke at a secure location.” Welby and Ethan had shared a quick nod—Ethan right by Jack’s side—and then Welby was off.

General Zabanya greeted Jack at the airport’s entrance with a warm smile and a huge handshake.

The advance team already had Jack’s SUVs lined up at the curb. Ethan held open the door for Jack before sliding in after him.

Jack gripped his hand once they were inside. Ethan pressed a kiss to the back of Jack’s hand and laced their fingers together.

Collard and Daniels pretended not to notice.

Two helicopters rose behind the airport and flew over the motorcade. One veered north, heading toward downtown Addis Ababa. Welby, being taken to meet the police commissioner. The second flew slower, and lower, following the motorcade route.

They set off, moving in a long line away from the airport and heading toward downtown Addis Ababa. The capital loomed ahead, glittering skyscrapers and modern buildings set against the Ethiopian highlands. The Ethiopian Federal Police lead the motorcade, police cars wailing their two-note sirens and motorcycle cops mixing with horse-mounted police sergeants. All normal traffic had been pushed to the side of the road. People hung out of minibuses watching the motorcade, and Tuk Tuks jawed for space amid the cramped shoulders, trying to push on. Along the road toward the shining capital, one-story steel shacks, built of corrugated steel and claptin roofs, were subdivided into stall shops, selling everything from tires and decrepit motor parts to wilted fruits and vegetables.