Samurai Game (Ghostwalkers, #10)(100)

Ranier’s head snapped up. Azami sucked in her breath. He knew they had suspected him. One didn’t get to his position without being sharp. His gray eyebrows drew together and for the first time, she thought he looked terribly impressive. He glared at his son, and then at Ryland.

“You suspected I was in bed with that despicable lunatic? After what he did to my son? To all of you? To soldiers? Women? You thought I would send you out into combat to be slaughtered?”

“No, sir,” Sam said. The ring of truth was in his voice. “I thought you would be loyal to your staff. You trust them. Like Colonel Higgens, you would have a difficult time suspecting one of them of betraying you.”

Ranier winced at the mention of Colonel Higgens, a man who had worked against the GhostWalker program by trying to have them murdered. “You should have told me.”

“Would you have believed us, sir?” Sam asked.

“That’s beside the point. At least I would have been more careful. I’ve had the same aide and secretary for years. Neither would betray their country or me. Perhaps my computer is compromised. Although . . . Art Patterson worked a couple of offices down. He wasn’t privy to that study but he may have managed to get into the computer . . .”

“Lily’s research was never sent via computer for that reason,” Ryland reminded.

Azami went over what she knew of the two suspects. Lt. Col. Andrew Chapman was a bachelor and a strict military man. He’d served with General Ranier in more than one war and in fact, had saved his life on one occasion. They were reputed to be close friends as well as working together.

Melanie Freesha was a civilian with a high security clearance who had, at one time, actually worked in the White House before she’d gone to work for Ranier several years earlier. She too had an impeccable reputation. Azami understood loyalty, almost more than any other character trait. She was loyal to her father, Daiki, and Eiji and she’d defend them to the death. Now, Sam was included in that small circle of people she trusted enough to give her loyalty to.

“Andy and Melanie have been with me for years. Andy and I came up through the ranks together. He’s a good soldier. I wouldn’t be standing here if it wasn’t for him. More than once, we fought our way out of some dicey situations. He’s a steady, reliable man with a good mind and extremely loyal to his country. He’s a career man and doesn’t have a dishonest bone in his body. He would no more turn traitor than take a gun out and shoot the president.”

The general’s brows managed to come together even tighter, his frown fierce. Thunder could have boomed through the room and Azami wouldn’t have been surprised. The general believed in what he was telling them. “Melanie Freesha has worked for years in numerous high-security-clearance jobs, and she’s performed each with absolute propriety. She may not be military, but she understands it and she knows the value of silence. There has never been so much as a whisper or rumor connected to her. Did you think I didn’t consider that there was a leak? I sweep my office twice a day. I don’t trust the computer. The GhostWalkers are classified. The entire program is kept secret. No one wants to know it exists. They leave us alone and don’t ask questions, so there’s really no reason to talk about it—and I don’t and neither does my aide or my secretary.”

The general was very persuasive, but Azami wasn’t buying it. He didn’t want to believe that the people he’d worked with for years would betray him. Both were patriotic, but Whitney believed himself a patriot. His descent into madness was not without brilliance, and those loyal to him would only see the brilliance, the drive to protect his country. Certainly many people believed in a strong military nation, and the continual attempts at diplomacy in the face of terrorists or acts of aggression from some countries might be enough to persuade them that Whitney had the answers.

She didn’t really understand how the general could pass orders on to his team when he knew they would be walking into an ambush. She wished she was in the room with him. She was much better at getting a feel for someone when she was face-to-face with them. Perhaps it had something to do with their energy, she didn’t really know, but it was rare for her to be deceived by someone. It just didn’t make sense . . .

He knows what we’re capable of. Sam’s voice moved in her mind with complete confidence. She had forgotten she’d reached out to him and was still in his mind. They were too connected now, making it impossible to know where one started and the other left off.

That was true, now that she really studied the general’s face. He didn’t like having to be the delivery man, but he’d flown all the way out to their compound to ensure no one else would overhear the conversation and he had made it more than clear what his team would be facing. Still, aside from not wanting his foster son to be among those going, he had never once acted as if they wouldn’t come home alive. If anything, she could see the smoldering anger underneath. He meant what he said when he ordered them to carry out the orders to the letter. He planned on turning the tables on Whitney. His GhostWalkers were going to destroy the rebel army, take out the two men wreaking havoc and committing genocide in the region, get the diamond Whitney wanted, and all come home safe. He believed his men not only could but would do just that.

Breathe, Azami. You’re holding your breath. This is what we do.

I know. I’ve seen you in action, but I won’t be there with you this time. She was a little shocked at just how upsetting that was. She believed in Sam, but he would be going into a firestorm. If Whitney actually had enough clout to shut down their primary and secondary extractions, they would really be in trouble. The idea was to get in and get out without anyone ever knowing they were there.