Cloud Invasion: R-D 2 (R-D #2)(72)
"Leo, did you intend to spoil my day?" I turned to him, then. "Those things are an abomination all the way around."
"Corinne, I never intend to spoil your day," he said. "Do you feel better?"
"Yeah."
"Except for the argument over her last name," Ilya said.
"Honey," I sighed.
"We will discuss this later," he nodded. Somehow, I had the feeling that he'd end up getting his way, like he usually did.
We were considering what take-out to order when more information came from Matt and Auggie-while they'd grilled the Russian Ambassador at the White House, Matt received word from an undercover operative in Iraq.
A shipment of tiny rockets had arrived in Mosul, after traveling a roundabout route over land and water to get them there.
None of these were the ones I'd deactivated in Russia.
The insurgents now had two large crates of tiny rockets that they could fire at will to destroy whatever they wanted.
*
Notes-Colonel Hunter
"I swear this must be the work of criminals-the Kremlin had nothing to do with this," the Russian Ambassador blustered. We needed the real Corinne and fast, to see whether she could determine the truth or lie of his statements.
I'll admit, Matt had instructed the Corinne lookalike very well; she stood with her arms crossed, gazing angrily at the Ambassador.
"I'll be back in a moment," I held up my cell as if I were receiving a call. Striding out of the Oval Office as quickly as seemed prudent, I made a call to Leo Shaw the moment I was down a hall and alone.
"We need Corinne in the Oval Office," I said as softly as I could. "She just has to come in invisibly. I need to know whether the Russian Ambassador is telling the truth."
"We're here," Corinne and Rafe appeared beside me before Leo could give an answer.
"Never mind," I said and ended the call. "Invisible, now," I hissed at Corinne.
"We are invisible. And soundproofed. You're not," she pointed a finger accusingly at me. "Lead the way. We'll be right behind you."
*
Corinne
Ilya and I floated invisibly behind Auggie as he walked into the Oval Office. Madam President glanced his way quickly before turning back to the Russian Ambassador, who was sweating.
He was lying, too-I think Matt had already figured that out. Something bothered me about his demeanor as well.
I made a mental note to scan everybody from then on-I barely had time to get everybody out of there, including the Secret Service agents standing guard outside the door. The Russian Ambassador exploded, taking the Oval Office and everything in it with him.
Chapter 16
Notes-Colonel Hunter
Richard Farrell studied the metal device attached to what was left of the Ambassador's spine. The President wouldn't be pleased to learn that another device had found its way into the White House. At least she was alive to be angry about it.
The media had already begun its speculation, with a leak from somewhere reporting that the Russian Ambassador had been summoned to the White House just before the Oval Office was destroyed by a bomb.
The President was obligated to appear at a short press conference after that information was revealed, confirming that her agents had gotten her out of the Oval Office when they realized the Ambassador was wired with a bomb.
That didn't alter the fact that we still had to deal with the insurgency in Iraq, who now had small, deadly rockets at their disposal. I didn't have time to speak with Corinne or any of the others about that-we'd been too busy taking care of the President and the aftermath of the bombing.
Matt had been on his cell phone constantly after the explosion, attempting to get his field agents to follow the rockets in Iraq. Ever since this terrorist offshoot had sprung up years ago, we'd made inroads off and on, only to see it surge back, just as strong or stronger.
It didn't help that people from other countries kept signing up with the rebels, either, and that in itself was impossible to stop.
I had no doubt as to whom they'd target-anybody who fought or stood against them would be bombed into oblivion.
"Want a ride to Arlington?" Matt shut off his phone and looked at me.
"Richard?" I turned to Dr. Farrell.
"I wouldn't mind a ride-I've done as much as I can do, here," he nodded.
"Good. Let's go," I said. "I want to talk to Corinne and Rafe."
*
Ilya
"This is where the shipment of rockets was seen," Matt pointed to a spot on the map of Iraq. "I have someone there who sent the information, but we can't blow his cover or he's dead-you understand?"
I did-the merest whisper of suspicion in this group and you'd die-death was their main purpose. They didn't veil their actions behind religion-they'd gotten so far away from any tenets of their religion that they no longer bothered to claim it.
"What do you want us to do?" I asked. I assumed they wanted me to be involved, somehow. Corinne stood next to me, studying the map while Matt and I spoke. Iraq was the last place I wanted Corinne to be. I'd thought Chernobyl the worst, until this was placed before us.
"Pictures?" Corinne asked, surprising me for a moment.
"Huh? Oh." Light dawned in Matt Michaels' eyes. "Yes, I think I can arrange that."