Page 44 of Nash Falls

Nash sat back, relaxed his position, and opened the negotiations.

“I’m actually glad you brought up the topic of my financial well-being. Because if I do decide to help you, these are my terms.”

“Excuse me, yourterms?” snapped Morris.

Duvall put up a restraining hand. “Let’s hear the man out, Reed.”

Nash said, “When we first met, Agent Morris told me I could be deemed a whistleblower.”

Duvall shot Morris a brutal look that actually made the FBI agent wince.

Nash continued, “And whistleblowers, I’ve come to learn, are entitled to reap a percentage of the spoils that they assist the authorities in acquiring. Now, if I help take down Steers and her vast organization, I will be ensuring that Beijing and/or Moscow does not supplant America as the leading force in the world, both politically and economically. The value of those outcomesmustbe measured in the trillions. Therefore, as a relatively small percentage, my compensation for aiding in all that will be one point five billion dollars.”

“One and a half billion dollars!” barked Morris. “You must be nuts.”

“Well, if I am, you probably don’t want to use me as your spy. In which case this meeting can end now.” He started to stand.

Duvall said, “Look, let’s just calm down everyone and discuss thisrationally.”

Nash sat back down and said, “Iamcalm. And what I just said is completely rational. And since I’m risking my life and the lives of my family in order to do this, let’s add another twenty percent for that.” He glanced at Morris. “That makes one point eight billion dollars. It will be tax free. Plus new identities, which you were already committed to doing through WITSEC. However, with that much wealth I can take care of my own living arrangements and security. Although I will expect regular threat assessments from your experts to ensure my family’s continued well-being.”

“You really are unbelievable,” muttered Morris.

Nash plowed right on. “And all of this will have to be put in writing. I will leave the agreement in a safe place with instructions to my executor, in case the government tries to pull a fast one. Oh, and one more thing.”

“Please tell us, Mr. Nash,” snapped Morris. “We can hardly wait.”

“If I’m killed as part of this… mission, my wife and daughter will still receive the money and they will be accorded full security protection for as long as they so desire. Those are my terms. Take them or leave them.”

When Morris started to say something, Duvall beat him to it. “We will take all of this under consideration, Mr. Nash,seriousconsideration, and get back to you ASAP.”

“Then have a pleasant rest of your evening,” said Nash. He rose and walked out.

CHAPTER

21

AFTER A FITFUL NIGHT AT his hotel in DC, a weary Nash looked out the window of the corporate jet the following morning as they soared along. The flight attendant provided him with breakfast; he could manage only the coffee.

He put his seat back, took off his shoes, let his long legs straighten in front of him, and closed his eyes. He had already googled Duvall. There was the man’s pudgy face beaming out at him from the official DOJ website. The number two government lawyer in the country was putting his faith in Nash to help bring down an international criminal scheme headed up by what sounded like a woman so purely evil as to be beyond belief. And if that was not enough, she was being fueled and supported by the Chinese government with its limitless resources and cagey leadership. Oh, and maybe the Russians were in the mix, too.

I’m not Tom Cruise or James Bond, for God’s sake. I wield a briefcase, not a gun.

It truly seemed laughable.

I will end up dead. My family will end up dead. There is no way in hell I can do this. Even if they paid me ten billion dollars. The dead can’t spend money.

Then, a simple solution occurred to him. Of course it would mean some personal disruption, but it was also a clear exit from this nightmare. Surprised he hadn’t thought of it before, Nash took out his phone and sent off some emails.

That done, he breathed a sigh of relief, closed his eyes, and quickly fell into a deep sleep. He awoke to the attendant gently tapping on his shoulder.

“We’ve arrived, Mr. Nash. Your Range Rover is on the tarmac and your bag is loaded in.”

Rousing, and in better spirits, he said, “Great, thank you.”

He got into his Rover and left the airport. Nash wasn’t going straight to the office. He had decided to take care of some other pressing business.

He drove to his boyhood home, and Rosie Parker answered the door.