Oath of Loyalty (Mitch Rapp #21)(87)

“Where we’re even less likely to be able to get to him.”

“That’s correct, sir.”

“Then let’s get a back channel going to the Ugandan president. Ward can throw a lot of money around, but he’s not the United States. What does he want? Weapons? Access to world markets? Help making his political rivals disappear? There’s got to be something.”

“We’ll start working on him, sir.”

Hargrave felt a pang of desperation as Cook turned toward his wife.

“Thoughts?”

She raised an arm and pointed directly at Hargrave. “All of this was about one man. Darren. He needed Mitch Rapp to be a threat in order to push me out. To make you reliant on him. To make you love him. You’ve known who and what he is since we first met him. And despite that, you let him turn the tables on you. You went from being manipulator to the one being manipulated. At the first sign of a problem, you panicked. You allowed yourself to be led into an all-or-nothing scenario and you ended up with noth—”

“Manipulator?” Hargrave said. “What possible incentive do I have? All I’ve ever done is work to help Tony get to this place. And not for myself. For him! I don’t want to be president. Can you say the same?”

“Darren…” the president cautioned.

“No!” he shouted back, startling both of them. Catherine thought the man might physically attack her, but her husband didn’t seem to share her concern. Or he didn’t care.

“If Rapp succeeds, what do you care?” Hargrave continued. “You’ll be out of the White House for a few years and then you’ll ride Tony’s memory right back in. If he doesn’t get reelected, though, you have problems, don’t you? If I keep him safe inside these walls and he loses, you’re done. You’ll never sit behind that desk.”

“Safe inside these walls?” she shot back. “If he doesn’t get reelected three years from now, what happens then? He walks out the gate with a couple of token guards. He’ll be lucky to make it back to California. And even if he does, what happens to you, Darren? Have you thought about that? What will you have when Tony retires to the golf course? When he has no more use for you?”

“Enough!” Cook shouted, slamming both hands down on his desk and leaping to his feet. “I want answers and I want options. From both of you.” He sat again. “Now get out.”

Hargrave gave a jerky nod and hurried for the door while Catherine watched. When she returned her attention to her husband, he was staring directly at her.

“I meant both of you.”





CHAPTER 43


ABOVE SOUTHWESTERN UGANDA

RAPP put a jacket on but refused to retreat farther inside the chopper. He remained in his favored spot on the floor, legs hanging through the open door and taking a beating from rotor wash. To the west he could see the mountaintop that was home to Nicholas Ward’s compound, but for now, he ignored it. Instead he looked toward Lake Edward and the scattered clouds beyond.

This would likely be his last visit to Uganda for a long time. Maybe forever. At this point it was hard to predict what his future held. In Washington, the shit was unquestionably hitting the fan. By now that prick Darren Hargrave would be offering the president of Uganda economic aid, cutting-edge military equipment, and maybe even his daughters in order to get the man to betray Nick Ward. And when that was done, he’d offer the same and more to MI6, the Mossad, SVR, and any other intelligence agency willing to join the hunt.

On the brighter side, Cyrah Jafari seemed equally dedicated to making herself the undisputed heavyweight champion of the assassination game. He was looking forward to hearing what crazy scheme she dreamed up almost as much as he was looking forward to seeing Anthony Cook dead.

Until that magnificent day, though, he needed to get lost. A little educational trip for Anna to the far corners of the world. Maybe check out the lemurs in Madagascar. Then to the Seychelles for some diving. Ulaanbaatar. Istanbul. Machu Picchu.

The chopper swung around Ward’s compound and set down. Claudia—the real one, finally—was waiting near a stand of trees, using both hands to keep her hat from being swept away.

He jogged clear of the aircraft, wrapped his arms around her, and lifted her off the ground. She laughed and kissed him, keeping one hand on her hat.

“Wow! Look who’s in a good mood! Can I assume that Legion’s dead? Was it just one person or was it a team like we thought?”

“It was a team,” he said, starting toward their cabin. “Three people. And not dead exactly. But no longer a threat.”

Her brow furrowed, but she sensed that she should let the story evolve at its own pace. “And no one was hurt? Bebe?”

“Not a scratch. She’s on her way home. Maybe even there by now.”

“Sadie?”

“Safely back in New York.”

“And how did that go? I mean working with her.”

Rapp decided to have a little fun. “I have to admit that I was wrong about her. She’s not just stunningly beautiful, she’s got serious game.”

Claudia’s jaw clenched despite the fact that he hadn’t yet delivered the coup de grace. “And the amazing thing? She’s an incredible cook. I’m trying to get her to send you some recipes.”