Finest Hour (16 page)

“You’ll pay for that later, lover,” Yumi growled in delight, clawing her hands in the air. Despite her threatening words, she was beaming with pride. Pike was not only regaining his footing, he was facing the enemy head on.

“Finally,” he said, “the Speaker made what was perhaps the most bizarre and unsubstantiated claim of them all. He claimed that I, along with a decorated general, acted as co-conspirators behind a heinous attack on the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia. Given that the attack was kept confidential for national security reasons, I can only conclude that the perpetrators of that crime are, in fact, the same people responsible for that specious broadcast. I should not have to say these words, but I will anyway.”

He paused to ensure that he had everyone’s undivided attention. When he spoke, his next words were slow and deliberate.

“I had no involvement in the attack on the Glynco law enforcement center. I cannot imagine that anyone would believe an accusation that is so contrary to my character without so much as a shred of evidence.”

Several people in the audience nodded and mouthed their support.

“I believe that this broadcast and the attack on the center were designed to undermine our government, to cause consternation and confusion when we are struggling to survive. It is not yet clear whether this was the work of a foreign enemy or some homegrown terrorist, but I can assure you that we will get to the bottom of it.”

The audience offered a quick round of applause.

“The speaker also promised that Rosalyn Glass would reappear from the Greenbrier bunker in two days’ time. I am confident that the bunker is in fact empty, and that this claim is yet another part of their destructive ruse. However, I will be asking a key member of my administration, Dr. Sara Green, to form a team of independent investigators. They will, among other things, be present at the time of the bunker’s purported opening. When this farce is finally exposed, I hope that every citizen can once again begin to have faith in this nation’s lawfully elected government.”

President Pike continued. “We face countless challenges ahead, including the frigid bite of winter without benefit of electricity or natural gas. My administration is working tirelessly to establish the New Colonies to provide refuge to our citizens, and I am proud to announce that all three colonies will be fully operational before the first winter frost.”

Another round of applause broke out, and Pike used the opportunity to nod to Vice President Stinson.

“Thanks to the outstanding work of my vice president, the colonies will also be the first to adopt our new national currency, the gold-backed credit. By embracing the internationally recognized legal tender, the United States will guarantee its place in the new world.”

The applause grew louder, and Pike took a moment to look around the audience, assessing the impact of his speech. Eyes that had once held doubt now seemed reassured. Perhaps there were a few embers of uncertainty still burning, but without proof, they too would cool.

As the applause died down, Pike offered a few parting words.

“My fellow Americans, as you kneel down and offer prayer this evening, I want each of you to recognize that there is no guarantee that our nation will survive. This is a struggle unlike any we have ever experienced. We are fighting not only for our lives, but for the future of all mankind. During this time of great suffering, it is more important than ever that we do not allow enemies to come between us. I say unto you, let us not be divided, but instead, let us come together as a nation, and as a family.”

Sensing that the speech had concluded, several of Pike’s staunchest supporters stood and offered a rousing ovation. Others joined in, and before long, the entire audience was on its feet. While not quite the Gettysburg Address, the speech had successfully hit on two important points: it had assured the audience of Pike’s innocence, and it had emphasized the importance of solidarity as they embarked on the long, hard road of rebuilding the republic.

Dr. Sara Green, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, felt her heart pound against her chest as she stepped forward and lightly tapped on the door to President Pike’s office. He had requested the meeting an hour earlier without any indication of its purpose.

“Enter.”

She stepped inside, unconsciously double-checking to see whether anyone was hiding behind the door, ready to garrote her.

Lincoln Pike sat behind his desk, studying a handful of papers. As soon as she entered, he stood and approached her with a warm friendly smile.

“Dr. Green,” he said, reaching out and shaking her hand, “thank you so much for coming.”

“Of course, Mr. President.”

“I’m guessing you were suitably surprised by your name being mentioned in the speech.”

She chuckled a little. “Yes, sir, you could say that.”

“With all this mess going on, I simply didn’t have time to discuss the matter with you beforehand. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Of course not, sir. I understand.”

“Before I go into the details, may I ask what you thought of the speech?”

There was something in the way that Pike asked the question that made it feel like he was asking for more than a friendly critique. He was probing to uncover her views on the allegations against him.

“I thought you did a wonderful job, sir.”

He waited for her to say more, and when she didn’t, he turned back toward his desk.

“It’s all such a waste of time and energy.” He glanced back over his shoulder. “Don’t you think?”

“Very much so, sir.”

He offered one of his award-winning smiles.

“What’s the word out there? Are people sharpening their pitchforks?” He chuckled lightly.

She glanced back at the door.

“I-uh-I think everything’s fine. I certainly haven’t heard anything to be concerned over.”

“Good, good,” he said, taking his seat behind the desk. “That’s what I figured. Still, I thought it best to address this nonsense as quickly as possible.”

She nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“As you know, whoever broadcasted these baseless allegations claimed they were hiding in the bunker under The Greenbrier resort.”

“Yes, sir. That’s my understanding as well.”

“They also promised to come out in another couple of days, and I want you to be there when those doors open, assuming they do.”

“All right.”

“You’ll need to put together a team, and I want it to include folks who might normally disagree with me. It’s the best way for this investigation to appear above board.”

“I understand. How many people would you like to have on the team?”

“I don’t have a specific number in mind—perhaps ten or twelve. Enough that it represents several factions in our government.”

She hated to bring up Jack Fry’s name, but knew that if she didn’t, it might look suspicious.

“Sir, Jack Fry would be a great participant. He and Rosalyn Glass have been the closest of friends for more than a decade. Any idea where he might be at the moment? I didn’t see him at the speech.”

A flicker of concern crossed Pike’s face. When he spoke, he lifted his gaze, breaking eye contact.

“I agree. No doubt Jack would be a perfect person to have on this. Unfortunately, he’s away on a special assignment, and I don’t believe he’ll be back in time to participate.”

“I see,” she said, smiling to conceal her discomfort as she felt her stomach tighten. “I’m sure we’ll manage without him. What about the military? Should I include a few officers?”

“Absolutely,” he said, relaxing and meeting her eyes again with a smile. “With the allegations levied against General Hood, it’s important that they have representation in this.”

She debated asking a question, finally deciding to go ahead.

“Sir, in your speech, you described this as an investigatory team. Does that mean you’d like us to fully investigate these allegations? If so, I would think we would need the resources of what remains of our intelligence and law enforcement agencies.”

He waved it away. “Perhaps later. Right now, I want your attention squarely on the bunker. Let’s get through the next few days before we decide if anything more is needed. I don’t want to expend too many resources on something’s that’s obviously not going anywhere.”

“I understand.” She paused. “I wonder if it might be wise for the team to go to the bunker as soon as possible.”

Pike shook his head. “Not a good idea. If we send a team out early, someone’s going to cry foul and suggest that the team did something other than observe. Hell, they might even accuse you of being involved in a cover-up.”

“Yes, sir, I see your point.”

“Besides, the bunker’s blast doors are almost certainly locked, so there’d be nothing to do there but camp out and wait.”

“I see.”

He stood up and came around to stand close to her once again.

“Sara, you have a reputation for being a uniter, someone who brings folks together. I need that right now.”

She felt her gut twist. If he knew that she had agreed to act as General Carr’s spy, he would not be so generous with his praise.

“Yes, sir. I’ll do my best.”

“I know you will. And in a couple of days, we’ll have this whole matter put behind us.”

She nodded a quick goodbye and retreated to the hallway. As she pulled the door quietly closed, Dr. Green stood motionless for a moment, trying to collect her thoughts. Several things had become clear. Obviously, President Pike didn’t know of her clandestine meeting with General Carr. If he had, he most certainly would not have asked her to lead the investigation. For that matter, if Carr were to be believed, any such discovery would likely have led to her death.

Seeing Pike’s warm smile and trusting eyes, it was hard to imagine him as a killer. But she had also seen something else in his eyes—deceit. When she had asked about Jack Fry, he had lied. He surely understood that the lie would eventually be exposed if Jack were later discovered at The Greenbrier. That could only mean that Pike had already put into motion events that would ensure that Jack, and the rest of the agitators, would never be heard from again.

Her question about going to the bunker early was perhaps even more telling. If Pike was truly the murderer that Carr professed him to be, he would need to ensure that the observers be kept away until Glass and her supporters could be cleaned out. When the investigatory team arrived, they would undoubtedly find the doors open and the bunker empty. And that, she thought, would be that. The allegations would be labeled a hoax, and Pike and Hood would continue their ruthless consolidation of power.

She pressed her lips together. President Pike had asked her to be an unwitting accomplice to his plans. What he didn’t know was that by doing so, he had also given her the opportunity to disrupt them.

Tossing his duffle ahead of him, General Hood scrambled out of the UH-60. He hustled across the lawn, the wind from the helicopter’s blades buffeting his hair and uniform. Another man, dressed in black fatigues and nearly twice his size, raced forward to meet him.

“General!” he shouted, offering a quick salute.

Hood returned the salute, and together they hurried across the landing zone toward a gray hangar.

“Is everyone inside?”

“Yes, sir.”

Hood had known Morant for more than ten years. He had watched him come up through the ranks, transitioning from mad-dog killer to the leader of one of the finest special operations units in existence. And while Hood had full confidence in Morant’s abilities, he in no way trusted the man. This was not to suggest that Morant had ever done anything that warranted such suspicion. Rather, Hood knew enough to adopt a healthy level of caution anytime he was dealing with professional killers.

When they entered the hangar, Hood found the rest of the Black Dogs sitting behind long wooden tables. At the front of the room was a chalkboard, a projector screen, and a wooden podium. Overhead fluorescent lights lit the room, and the rumble of a generator could be heard coming from the back of the building.

As soon as Hood and Morant entered, the soldiers jumped to their feet, heels snapping together.