The Eleventh Commandment (1998) (15 page)

‘For example?’

‘The agent who I suspect pulled the trigger was sacked shortly after the President saw Dexter in the Oval Office and demanded to know who was responsible for Guzman’s assassination.’

‘Not even admissible as evidence.’

‘Perhaps not. But the same agent was about to take up a new appointment with Washington Provident as head of their kidnap and ransom department when suddenly, without any explanation, the job offer was withdrawn.’

‘A second coincidence.’

‘There’s a third. Three days later, Gutenburg met the agent in question on a park bench in Lafayette Square.’

‘Why would they want to take him back?’

‘To carry out a one-off assignment.’

‘Do we have any idea what that assignment is?’

‘No. But don’t be surprised if it takes him a long way from Washington.’

‘Have you any way of finding out where?’

‘Not at the moment. Even his wife doesn’t know.’

‘OK, let’s look at it from their point of view,’ said Lloyd. ‘What do you think Dexter will be doing right now to make sure her ass is covered?’

‘Before I could begin to answer that I’d need to know the outcome of her last meeting with the President,’ said Jackson.

‘He gave her and Gutenburg twenty-eight days to prove that the Agency wasn’t involved in the assassination of Guzman, and to provide cast-iron proof of who
did
kill him. He also left them in no doubt that if they fail, he’ll demand their resignations and release all the evidence in his possession to the
Washington Post
.’

There was a long silence before Jackson said, ‘That means the agent in question has less than a month to live.’

‘She’d never eliminate one of her own people,’ said Lloyd in disbelief.

‘Don’t forget that he’s an NOC. The section of the CIA he works for doesn’t even exist officially, Mr Lloyd.’

‘This guy’s a good friend of yours, isn’t he?’ said Lloyd.

‘Yes,’ replied Jackson quietly.

‘Then you’d better make sure he stays alive.’

‘Good afternoon, Director. It’s Connor Fitzgerald.’

‘Good afternoon, Connor. How nice to hear from you,’ Dexter said in a warmer tone than the one she had adopted at their previous meeting.

‘The Deputy Director asked me to call you once I’d come to a decision on the matter he and I discussed on Monday.’

‘Yes,’ said Dexter, reverting to her normal clipped style.

‘I’m willing to take the assignment.’

‘I’m glad to hear that.’

‘On one condition.’

‘And what’s that?’

‘I will require proof that the operation has been sanctioned by the President.’

There was a long silence before Dexter said, ‘I’ll inform the President of your request.’

‘So how does it work?’ asked the Director. She couldn’t remember when she had last visited the OTS lab at Langley.

‘It’s quite simple really,’ said Professor Ziegler, the CIA’s Director of Technical Services. He turned to a bank of computers and pressed some keys. Tom Lawrence’s face appeared on the screen.

After Dexter and Nick Gutenburg had listened to the words of the President for a few moments, she said, ‘What’s so remarkable about that? We’ve all heard Lawrence making a speech before.’

‘Maybe, but you’ve never heard him make that particular speech,’ said Ziegler.

‘What do you mean?’ asked Gutenburg.

An almost childlike smile of satisfaction spread across the professor’s face. ‘I have stored in my computer - codename “Tommy” - over a thousand speeches, television and radio interviews and telephone conversations the President has given or taken part in during the past two years. Every word or phrase he has used in that time is stored in this memory bank. That means I can make him deliver a speech on any subject you choose. I can even decide what his position is on any given issue.’

Dexter began to consider the possibilities. ‘If Tommy were to be asked a question, could he give a convincing reply?’ she asked.

‘Not spontaneously,’ admitted Ziegler. ‘But if you had some idea of the questions he might be expected to answer, I believe I could fool Lawrence’s own mother.’

‘So all we have to do,’ said Gutenburg, ‘is anticipate what the other party is likely to say.’

‘Which may not be as difficult as you might think,’ said Ziegler. ‘After all, if
you
were to receive a call from the President, you’d be unlikely to ask him about the strength of the dollar, or what he had for breakfast, would you? In most cases you’d know the reason he was calling. I have no idea why you might need Tommy, but if you were to prepare opening and closing remarks, as well as - say - the fifty questions or statements he was most likely to have to respond to, I could almost guarantee he could conduct a plausible conversation.’

‘I’m sure we can do that,’ said Gutenburg.

The Director nodded her agreement, then asked Ziegler: ‘Why did we develop this piece of equipment in the first place?’

‘It was set up in case the President died while America was at war, and we needed the enemy to believe he was still alive. But Tommy has many other uses, Director. For example …’

‘I’m sure he does,’ interrupted Dexter.

Ziegler looked disappointed, aware that the Director was coming to the end of her attention span.

‘How long would it take you to prepare a specific programme?’ Gutenburg asked.

‘How long will it take you to work out what the President needs to say?’ replied Ziegler, the childlike smile returning to his face.

She kept her finger on the buzzer until Connor finally picked up the phone on his desk.

‘What’s the problem, Joan? I’m not going deaf.’

‘I’ve got Ruth Preston, the President’s personal secretary, on the line.’

The next voice Connor heard was a woman’s. ‘Is that Connor Fitzgerald?’

‘Speaking,’ Connor replied. He could feel the sweat in the palm of the hand holding the phone. That never happened when he was waiting to pull the trigger.

‘I have the President on the line for you.’

He heard a click. ‘Good afternoon,’ a familiar voice said.

‘Good afternoon, Mr President.’

‘I think you know why I’m calling.’

‘Yes, sir, I do.’

Professor Ziegler pressed ‘Opening Statement’. The Director and Deputy Director held their breath.

‘I felt I had to call and let you know just how important I consider this assignment to be.’
Pause.
‘Because I have no doubt that you’re the right person to carry it out.’
Pause.
‘So I hope you will agree to take on the responsibility.’

Ziegler pressed the ‘Wait’ button.

‘I appreciate your confidence in me, Mr President,’ said Connor, ‘and I’m grateful to you for taking the time to phone personally …’

‘
Number 11
,’ said Ziegler, who knew all the replies by heart.

‘I felt it was the least I could do in the circumstances.’
Pause.

‘Thank you, Mr President. Although Mr Gutenburg assured me of your involvement, and the Director herself called later that afternoon to confirm it, as you know, I still felt unable to take on the assignment unless I was certain that the order had come directly from you.’

‘
Number 7.
’

‘I can quite understand your anxiety.’
Pause.

‘
Number 19.
’

‘Perhaps when this is all over you and your wife would come and visit me at the White House - that is, if the Director will allow it.’
Pause.

‘
Number 3
,’ said Ziegler sharply. There was a burst of loud laughter.

Connor moved the phone slightly away from his ear. ‘We would be honoured, sir,’ he said once the laughter had died away.

‘
Closing statement
,’ said Ziegler.

‘Good. I’ll look forward to seeing you as soon as you return.’
Pause.
‘I often think it’s sad that America doesn’t always appreciate its unsung heroes.’
Pause.
‘It was good talking to you. Goodbye.’

‘Goodbye, Mr President.’

Connor was still holding the phone when Joan came into the room. ‘So that’s another myth exploded,’ she said as Connor replaced the receiver. He looked up at her and raised an enquiring eyebrow.

‘That the President always calls everyone by their first name.’

G
UTENBURG HANDED HIM
a large brown envelope containing four passports, three airline tickets and a bundle of notes in different currencies.

‘Don’t I have to sign for all this?’ asked Connor.

‘No. As it’s all been a bit rushed, we’ll deal with the paperwork when you get back. Once you arrive in Moscow, you’re to go to Zerimski’s campaign headquarters and show them your credentials as a freelance reporter from South Africa. They’ll give you a press pack detailing his schedule for the runup to the election.’

‘Do I have a contact in Moscow?’

‘Yes. Ashley Mitchell.’ Gutenburg hesitated. ‘It’s his first big assignment, and he’s been briefed strictly on a need-to-know basis. He’s also been instructed only to get in touch with you if it’s a green light, in which case he’ll supply you with the weapon.’