Page 34 of What Remains (John Worthy #3)

Again, that tickle at the back of his brain, a sense he was missing something. He said, “Maybe Ustinov’s a double agent. Or a triple?”

“You’ve been watching too many spy movies.”

That pissed him off. “Listen, you were a Raider. You worked for JSOC once upon a time. You worked with Mac. Tell me there haven’t been some questionable calls that have no basis in morality but every basis in practicality.

Wouldn’t be the first time Russia aligned itself with us.

Wouldn’t be the first time we got in bed with some pretty ruthless people. ”

“Believe it or not, Worthy, I read books. So, yeah, I know Stalin and Roosevelt made like besties even while the Soviets slaughtered Poles and Ukrainians. But that was during a really big war. That’s not happening right now.”

“There are all kinds of wars, Driver. Not every war involves a gun.”

“Fine, Professor, so explain how you can seriously believe the Russians are helping us or that our interests align? Ustinov is the one who set you up with Parviz.”

“I think Parviz was acting on his own. I don’t think Ustinov was involved.”

“You got proof of that?”

“No, except someone above our pay grades must trust him because he was our contact in Dushanbe. Driver, it’s not hard to imagine there aren’t factions in Russia right now who aren’t really happy with the guy in charge.

” He paused then added, “Even if that’s not true, Russia might want to buddy up if there’s a common enemy. ”

“Which, in your calculus, would be China.”

He nodded. “Especially since Afghanistan kicked both the Russians and us out.”

“Leaving only China as a major player in the region.”

“Precisely.”

“Then why doesn’t China open the border?” Driver asked.

“Dunno. There might be too much instability in Afghanistan for China to risk allowing in the Taliban. The Wakhan borders Xinjiang Province.”

“So?”

“Do you know who lives there?”

“No, Worthy, but it’s clear you do. Why don’t you just tell me?”

“The Uyghurs.” Then, when the silence stretched, he added, “They’re Muslim. I mean, in case you didn’t know.”

“I knew,” Driver said but with an abstracted air as if he were truly mulling over a new idea. “You’re suggesting China’s worried about what happens internally if they open a border along a province that is heavily Muslim with a neighboring, very strict Muslim enclave.”

“Filled with people the Chinese have been sending to re-education camps because the claim is that the Uyghurs are terrorists in the making. Wouldn’t you be worried about cross-fertilization of proven Muslim terrorists and extremists?”

“Let me see if I’ve got this straight,” Driver said. “You’re suggesting that the Taliban want to use Roni’s remains as a bargaining chip with China? A quid pro quo: we give you the American if you open the border?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying. The beauty of the plan, of course, is that this is something China could use as leverage or even just bad publicity, especially because next year, 2024, is an election year.

Think about who’s running. Think about who’s in the White House now and on top of that, how chaotic the pullout from Afghanistan was. ”

“Chaos? Worthy, it was a nightmare.”

Truer words, my friend. Announcing when America would leave had been the first mistake made by a different president.

The subsequent withdrawal, under the next president’s watch, had been mismanaged , which was kinder and gentler than shit show .

“You honestly think our government wouldn’t make a deal to get Roni’s remains on the down-low? ”

“To avoid embarrassment?”

“Exactly. The current administration hasn’t rolled back tariffs on the Chinese from the last administration. No matter who comes into the White House, tariffs on Chinese goods are here to stay and bound to get worse. But if China gets Roni’s remains?—”

“And broadcasts that as a way of making sure tariffs don’t get worse?—”

“ Or uses the fact that an American was left behind and that influences the election,” he said, “then China’s calling the shots.”

“I could imagine the current administration being kind of anxious to avoid that.”

“Driver, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that you and I, from two different teams, just happen to be in roughly the same place at the same time. Think about it. What are the odds? We’re both off-the-books. We’re both deniable.”

“If things go sideways.”

“Which they have for Davila and me.”

“You’re saying you’re a redundancy?” Driver shook his head. “I don’t know if I see it that way, Worthy. Our missions aren’t the same.”

“Maybe not to begin with, but I’m suggesting that Davila and I would eventually have met up with you and your guys. All of this, you and me with our history, I’m not a big believer in coincidence. Somehow, somewhere our missions intersect and…”

Driver waited a beat. “And?”

“And I think it’s time for you to tell who we’re here for.

You need me as a wingman, I’m good with that, but I’d like to know where my pilot’s flying.

Because as far as I can tell, there are only two things you or any clandestine unit with your skillset does, Driver.

You either kill people or you rescue them. So, which is it?”

“Would you believe,” Driver said, “a little bit of both?”