22
“So look, Annie, there’s something else you need to know.”
Annie could see the sudden change in his tone and body language. “What is it?”
“The president asked me to meet with him today.”
“Okay.”
“The VP and Mac were there too.”
“And?”
“You know about the new Saudi intel, right?”
“The crown prince briefed the senator and me this morning.”
“Right, so the president is keyed up about the possibility of a retaliatory strike or series of strikes by what remains of Kairos.”
“And?”
“And he asked me to head up a new task force to hunt down the Troika and take them out before they can hit us.”
“You?”
“I know—Stephens will go ballistic. That’s what I said. But Clarke said to leave that to him.”
“But I don’t understand. How can—?”
“Listen, I get it—it’s all happening so fast. There are lots of details still to hammer out. But it’ll be run out of the NSC, not Langley. I’ll report directly to the president, not to Stephens. And it’s super classified. I’m sure your boss will get a briefing soon, but only as a courtesy. The Senate Intelligence Committee won’t be read in on any of this. Not yet, anyway.”
“And you said yes?” she asked.
Marcus nodded.
“No discussion? No time to talk about it? Just, boom, you’re all in?”
“The president said the crown prince specifically asked me to run it and wanted an answer before he flew home.”
Annie said nothing for a moment. Then she asked, “And when would you start?”
“I already have.”
Again, Annie said nothing.
“You’re angry with me,” Marcus said.
“No.”
“You think I’m making a huge mistake.”
“Look, Marcus, it’s your life. I have no right to tell you what to do.”
“But you absolutely have the right to tell me your opinion,” Marcus insisted.
“What do you want me to say, that I’m thrilled for you?”
Marcus knew that was neither true nor possible. So he made a counterproposal. “How about that you’ll come with me,” he said, leaning forward.
“What?”
“Seriously, Annie, be our chief intel analyst. You could be our liaison to all the other intelligence services, foreign and domestic. It could be amazing.”
“I don’t think—”
“We’d be together every day. We could work side by side. We’d know exactly what’s happening in each other’s lives. And when we’re not in the office, we’ll never have to talk about work. And when we get these guys—when it’s really done—then, well, who knows?”
“I can’t, Marcus.”
“Can’t or won’t?”
“Marcus, I’ve given Senator Dayton my notice.”
“What? You resigned?”
“I did.”
“When?”
“This morning.”
“No discussion?” he asked. “No time to talk it over? Just, boom, you’re out? Are you and Pete running off together?”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“You both quit on the same day—two of my closest friends in the world—and neither of you even mention it to me, much less discuss it, ahead of time?”
Annie didn’t know what to say. It was the first time Marcus had ever told her she was one of his closest friends in the world, and she suddenly felt guilty for not discussing it with him.
“Annie, this is crazy. Kairos is plotting something—something big—and we need to stop them before they can execute their plan.”
“We?” she asked softly, almost in a whisper. “No, Marcus. We don’t have to go back into battle. We have paid our dues. We have done our job. And now it’s time to hand off the baton and move on with our lives.”
The waiter returned. He set a plate of seared salmon with basmati rice and asparagus in front of Annie. For Marcus he brought a ten-ounce filet mignon, mashed potatoes, and a side of carrots. Marcus thanked the man and waited while he refilled their wineglasses. When he was gone, Marcus looked back at Annie.
“So what are you going to do?”
“I don’t know,” she conceded, picking at her salmon. “Go back to South Carolina, I guess. Maybe teach. Maybe write a little. I haven’t really gotten that far. All I know is that this town and this job and this life don’t exactly afford me time to think, time to dream, time to . . .”
“To what?” he pressed. “What do you wish you were doing that you’re not?”
Annie looked up from the plate and stared deep into his eyes. “It’s just time, Marcus. I need to go home.”
“What about us?” he asked.
“What about us?” she replied. “Am I wrong, or didn’t you tell the president up at Camp David that this isn’t serious, that we’ve only been out on one date? Isn’t that what you’re telling Pete and Jenny? Isn’t that what you told your mom? I mean, that’s fine. And it’s true. But let’s be honest, it doesn’t exactly signal you want to take this further, does it?”
“What do you want me to say, Annie? Yes, I’ve been a little distracted of late, a bit ‘tied up,’ as it were. The last few weeks haven’t exactly been ideal conditions to start a relationship. I admit that. But I’m back. I’m home. Date number two. Three, if you count dinner in Old Town. And believe me, I want there to be more.”
“Me, too. I love being here with you tonight. It means a lot to me.”
“But?”
“But the president of the United States has just asked you to go back into battle, and you said yes.”
“Then say yes to me—say yes to this team, and when we’re done, we’re done.”
“I can’t. Look, I wish you all success, Marcus, I really do. But this isn’t something I want to do anymore. I’m finished. I guess I just hoped you were too.”