David Abraham paced Air Force One’s conference room, stroking his beard. Robert had never seen the man so bothered. Gone was that stoic confidence that came with his seasoned spiritual father persona. Gone was the calm and collected demeanor of wisdom. The man before Robert and CIA Director Ed Carter looked downright tormented.
“Please, David, sit. You’re making me nervous.”
“And you should be nervous. I’m nervous.”
“I can see that. But I don’t think I understand why. Nothing you’ve said sounds as ominous as you’re suggesting.”
Robert had invited David to ride along for the sake of this conver-sation with the director, but he was beginning to think that it was a mistake.
Carter clearly wasn’t comfortable speaking frankly with David in the room, and David hadn’t clarified his concern regarding Assim Feroz in any way that made sense, perhaps because Carter was still present.
“Sit, David, I insist.”
David pulled out a chair and sat. “Forgive me, Robert. I simply don’t have the kind of details that would justify my concern to any-one other than myself. I can only say what my son saw.”
“In this”—the president waved his right hand through the air—“this foggy vision Samuel had nearly a year ago.”
“Yes, it was quite some time ago, and yes, what he saw was admittedly rather general. But he’s not given to visions. It’s the first one he’s ever had, I think. But what he saw is now knocking on our door.”
“None of this strikes you as a bit . . . absurd? It was just a vision—”
“Not just. No more than you’re just the president.”
“I wasn’t in this vision of his, right? I don’t understand the concern.” It couldn’t possibly be a sound idea to base a policy or decision on a vision, even if it came from a source like David, even if it contained alarming details about the X Group that no ordinary person could have possibly stumbled upon.
“Assim Feroz will destroy whoever crosses his path,” David said. “You’re now in his path, so yes, you were in the vision, if only by association.”
“Either way, the summit is sponsored by the United Nations. There’ll be no lack of security.”
David Abraham took a deep breath and nodded, but his eyes were heavy with concern. He isn’t telling us everything, Robert thought.
He faced Carter. “Well, Ed, now you know how the president of the United States makes decisions that change history.” He winked at David. “Sorry about that. I couldn’t resist.”
David was too involved to find humor in his comment.
Robert leaned back, sighed, and regarded the director. Ed Carter was well over two hundred pounds and had a double chin that looked exaggerated below his small round spectacles.
“So would you mind telling us this plan involving the X Group, Ed?” Robert asked. He’d already told Ed Carter about his earlier conversation with the head of special operations, but this would be the first confirmation David would hear that any such plan was afoot.
David gave them both an alarmed look.
“Don’t worry, I think we’re past secrets here,” Robert said. “We all know about this little assassination club. According to Samuel’s vision, the X Group is connected to one of my greatest enemies. I think that qualifies me to hear everything and anything, don’t you?”
Carter looked as if he was still trying to figure out whether to take the whole business of this vision seriously. But then, so was Robert.
Carter cleared his throat. “Well, some ideas have been thrown around. I’m not sure you’d approve—”
“Just give it to me straight. We’ll go from there.”
“Okay.” Carter spread both hands. “No plans at this point, actually. I think you’ll see why.”
“Please. Just tell me.”
Carter frowned. “What if, and I really do mean what if, Assim Feroz were eliminated? His death could fatally undermine his initiative.”
“First of all, any such plan would be highly illegal and morally reprehensible. Second, he’d become a martyr. His death would probably energize support for his plan.”
“Unless Feroz was eliminated because he was attacking innocents. As a terrorist.”
“Terrorist? I don’t follow.”
“What if Feroz was killed while attempting to assassinate one of his enemies?”
“Such as?”
“Such as you, sir.”
Robert wasn’t sure he’d heard correctly. He coughed once. “You can’t just tell the world that such and such a leader was planning on killing me and so we took him out. We’re not at war.”
“Assassinations are provoked by policy rather than war. In this case, we’re talking about a policy that would threaten the national security of our ally Israel. I’m not suggesting or defending this course of action; I’m merely explaining the rationale.” He put his palms on the table. “As for the world believing, you’re right. The assassination attempt would have to be real. If it was, and we could produce definitive evidence linking Mr. Feroz to the attack, we would win world sympathy by taking him down.”
“You’re actually suggesting that we stage an assassination attempt on me and blame it on Feroz? And then kill him?”
“That was the idea, sir. Not the plan, mind you. There are some problems, of course, but it does have some merit if you consider—”
“No. It would never work. And even if it did, it breaks more international laws than . . . Forget the laws—it’s murder.”
“As are all assassinations. Maybe you could declare war on Iran to cover our moral quandaries and send a hundred thousand men and women to their graves instead. Forgive the sarcasm. My point is, assassinations save lives. Kill one drug lord, save the hundred men he will kill. Kill one tyrant, save a hundred thousand of his subjects. In the case of Feroz, I’m not sure I follow Dr. Abraham’s reasoning, but I think we all agree that this man’s life will cost the world dearly.”
“Tell me straight, Carter. You’ve been with the agency for what, fifteen years? Does every president hear this assassination speech?”
“Yes. And are made aware of its merits. What was the human cost of removing Hitler or Saddam Hussein by war rather—”
“Point made,” Robert said. “But Feroz isn’t Saddam or Hitler.”
“Not today, no. Maybe David has some thoughts on this.”
They both looked at David Abraham, who regarded them with an ashen face. He pushed his chair back. “Forgive me, gentlemen. I’m afraid I must excuse myself from this discussion. I would say you’re both right, but I’m not in a position to inform your final decision. Do you mind, Robert?”
He’d never known David to refuse a good philosophical debate. Clearly the man was plagued by more than he’d revealed. And just as clearly he wasn’t going to divulge any more.
“Feel free to use my quarters to get some rest if you need it.”
“Thank you, but I think I’ll be fine. Please, continue.” David left the room and closed the door behind him.
Robert turned to Carter. “What happens to the people involved in the assassinations, or fake assassinations as the case may be?”
“They would probably need to be eliminated.”
“So more innocents die.”
“Soldiers, guns for hire, not innocents.”
“And this is where the X Group comes in,” Robert said. “You’re planning on hiring the X Group to take out Feroz as a matter of foiling his nonexistent assassination attempt on me.”
“It’s a thought. You would need to agree, of course.”
“Exactly when were you planning on discussing this with me?”
“I believe I have a meeting scheduled with you this Friday.”
Robert pushed back his chair. “Cancel it. The answer is no. I don’t care what rationale you throw my way, I won’t be involved in this. If you can find a way to turn Feroz into a bumbling idiot who makes a fool of himself at the summit, I’m all ears. But I don’t play politics with bullets.”
“Of course, sir. It was just an option.”
“An option you were ready to recommend.”
“Not without your endorsement. Consider it a nonstarter.”