Long Road to Mercy (Atlee Pine, #1)(113)
“Nobody stopped you?”
“One ICE agent that I know did. I told him it was a new credenza for the office. He even helped us carry it in.”
Pine stiffened as a black SUV drove past at speed down the empty street. It pulled to a stop in front of the office building and the doors opened.
Clint Dobbs, around six feet tall and in his fifties with thinning gray hair, broad shoulders, a thick neck, and the beginnings of a paunch, got out of the truck’s rear passenger seat. He was followed by five other agents.
“Shit, he didn’t bring enough guys,” said Pine. “No HRT. No long guns. Just suits and pistols. Why the hell don’t some people listen?”
Pine put the SUV in gear and hit the gas.
They shot forward and pulled to a stop with a screech against the curb.
Pistols came out of holsters and were pointed at the SUV until Pine and Blum got out and showed themselves. Pine had grabbed a bag and slung it over her shoulder.
Dobbs looked apoplectic. “What the hell are you doing?”
Pine strode over to him. “Waiting for you to show, sir.” She looked at the other agents. “I asked for HRT, long guns, armor, sir. Why is this all you brought?”
“I have five armed agents with me. What are you expecting? A war?”
“Pretty much. But it is what it is now. No going back now. Let’s go.”
Pine strode off toward the building.
Dobbs looked incredulously at Pine and then his gaze shifted to Blum. A spark of recognition came over his features. “I know you, don’t I?”
“Carol Blum. I was your secretary back in your Flagstaff days.”
“That’s right.” He looked around. “Well, I’m sorry you ended up here working for what looks to me to be an agent unraveling.”
“Oh, don’t feel sorry for me, Mr. Dobbs. Agent Pine is the sort of agent the FBI should be proud of. And when you find out what she’s done, you’ll see that she’s far from unraveling.”
“Exactly what is she doing?”
“Saving the world, more or less.”
She hurried on after Pine, leaving Dobbs looking bewildered and a little put out. He motioned to his men. “Well, all right, let’s go.” He looked warily around but the quiet surroundings seemed to appease him.
“War, my ass,” he muttered.
Inside, Pine let them all into the office and turned off the alarm system.
She closed the door behind the last agent and made sure it was secure.
“All right,” said Dobbs. “Now you’re going to tell me what the hell is going on.”
“If you would step into my office.”
She led them into the inner space and closed the door.
Pine walked over to the closet door of her office, opened it, and pointed to the bulky object set in the corner with a canvas cover over it.
“What is that?” asked Dobbs.
In answer Pine unzipped the canvas covering the object.
Dobbs said, “What the hell is that?”
“That is what is called a tactical nuclear weapon,” said Pine.
Dobbs and his men took a collective step back. Dobbs barked, “What in the hell…A nuke!”
“It was hidden in a cave at the bottom of the Grand Canyon.”
“Hidden? Hidden by whom?” demanded Dobbs.
“Ah, now that goes right to the heart of the matter, doesn’t it?” She closed the door.
“And you will tell me right after I call Washington and tell them that we have a nuke in a damn FBI RA office.”
“Sir.”
He strode over and pointed a finger in her face. “Not another word. My God, Pine, of all the screwups I thought I had seen, this just—”
“Oh, Clint, for God’s sake, can you just close your mouth for one minute and let her explain?” said Blum in exasperation. “This is important.”
He glared at her. “Clint? You will address me as—”
“I think I’m retiring, so I’ll just leave it at Clint.” She looked expectantly over at Pine. “Special Agent Pine?”
Pine looked at Dobbs. “I take it that you saw the AED of the National Security Branch was on the email chain about the dead mule and missing person case.”
Dobbs’s expression turned petulant. “I don’t read down the cc list.”
Before Pine could respond, the sounds of boots hammered up the stairs and rolled like a tidal wave down the hall. A few moments later, the sounds of the front door being caved in by a hydraulic ram reached them.
“What the hell is that?” exclaimed Dobbs as he and his men whirled toward the only remaining door between them and whatever was out there.
Pine took out her pistol and pointed it at the door. She looked at the other agents and held up her gun. “Gentlemen?”
They all looked at each other, drew their weapons, and stood next to Pine, their guns pointed at the door. Even Dobbs took out his weapon.
“What the hell is coming, Pine?” hissed Dobbs.
“That would be the war, sir,” she replied.
Chapter
61
THE INNER DOOR was hit so hard, it fell off its hinges. Into the breech charged a dozen heavily armored personnel with combat helmets and carrying either M4s or M16s.