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Liam stares at them both.Is this how this op is going to be saved? Not because of planning or weapons or tradecraft, because of an old relationship, of affection and love?
He is sure that any of his deceased instructors from the Farm arenow whirling so fast in their graves that the US Geological Survey could detect them.
Benjamin says, “Please. For me.”
Lin stands still and looks over to Liam.
Her still, brown eyes look into his.
“Can you do it?” Liam asks.
She says, “If I do, it’s for Benjamin. Not you or your country.”
“I don’t care if you do it for your favorite aunt. Will you?”
Another heavy pause.
“I will,” she says.
“How?” Liam asks.
“Does it make a difference?”
Liam says, “You bet it does. I want to know how and to whom you’re passing along this information.”
She says, “Someone I’ve been running since he was at the Stanford School of Medicine. He’s come up a long way since then.”
“Where is he now?”
Lin takes a breath. “Walter Reed Hospital. In Bethesda. Maryland. I’m sure he can pass this information along to the team taking care of the vice president.”
“Do it now,” Liam says. “And do it in English. I want to listen in.”
Lin takes out her phone. “Still not trusting?”
“It’s my nature, and it’s my training,” Liam says. “I don’t know if you’re running something deep, some kind of wheels within wheels, or some complicated honey trap. I just don’t know. But know this.”
Benjamin is looking on, uncomfortable. Lin asks, “And what’s that?”
“Make the call,” Liam says. “But if you’re not telling the truth, if this is some scam, and if what you pass along ends up making things worse for the vice president, I’ll kill you.”
Surprising Liam, the next sentence comes from his fellow CIA operator.
Benjamin says, “You’ll have to kill me, too, Liam.”
“I accept your terms,” Liam says. “Lin, get to work.”
CHAPTER 118
IT’S GOING TO be crowded this morning in the president’s private office in the family quarters, and Keegan Barrett minds it not a whit. Right now it’s just Carlton Pope and himself. Barrett says, “Are you certain that Abrams can’t communicate from her home?”
Carlton smiles. “Not a chance. We’ve borrowed radio and cell phone–blocking devices from our friends at the FBI. The secure lines between her house and Langley have also been disabled. The DC police are waiting outside on her street, ready to arrest anyone stepping out.”
“Noa Himel?”
“She’s in the house, wounded. She won’t be leaving anytime soon.”
“Liam Grey?”