The Warsaw Protocol: A Novel(81)

“Like that decision is in doubt,” she said.

“No. It’s not. Unlike you, he understands loyalty.”

“He’s an idiot,” she said.

“I won’t miss you,” Fox said.

“Nor me you.”

And she ended the call.





CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN


Czajkowski allowed his cell phone to keep ringing. Sonia smiled at his impertinence toward the president of the United States.

Finally, he answered.

“What can I do for you, Mr. President,” Czajkowski said on speaker.

“You’re not going to win this,” Fox declared.

“I wasn’t aware that we were in competition.”

“Tom Bunch is dead. Murdered in cold blood.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. What a terrible tragedy. But that concerns me how, Mr. President?”

“You will not get away with this.”

“I’m at a loss. What are you referring to?”

“I’m referring to whatever you had or allowed to be done. Malone reported that everyone was killed and that you and the Russians were working together.”

“Our interests do align relative to this issue.”

“I’ll have every dime in foreign aid cut off to Poland in retaliation.”

He laughed. “Really? All ten million euros’ worth? Go ahead. We shall not miss it.”

The United States had never been generous with Poland when it came to foreign aid. True, they considered the country of strategic importance and were always willing to provide military assistance, but that always came with some ceding away of pride or possession. With the constant looming threat from Russia, previous Polish administrations had been willing to make that deal. He was not.

“I was referring to the $150 million in military sales we allow to Poland,” Fox said.

He’d been warned about Fox by other European leaders who’d already dealt with him and made their own assessment. Rude. Pedantic. Arrogant. Willfully uninformed. Quick to anger, especially when challenged. Big on threats. Like now.

“May I ask what would be the basis for cutting off those military sales?”

“Your refusal to cooperate with an ally. If our missiles aren’t good enough for you, then our military hardware should be treated the same.”

“That would be unfortunate,” he said. “But we will just buy those arms elsewhere. I’m sure the Chinese, or the French, would appreciate the business.”

“That’s not the same as made in America, and we both know it. Our weapons are the finest in the world.”

Another assessment he’d been told about Fox was an irrational belief that all things American were best.

“I’m sure the Chinese and the Europeans would disagree with your statement. No matter, I will not be coerced by you, or anyone. There will be no missiles on Polish soil. None at all. You are putting this country at risk, and that will not be allowed.”

“Nor will I suffer the insult of a refusal from a second-rate, barely-above-a-third-world nation. If it weren’t for us, all of you would be speaking German.”

His gaze met Sonia’s and her eyes signaled for him to keep his temper.

Play this out.

Calmly.

He nodded, then said, “As I recall, Mr. President, it was the Soviets who liberated us. Then your country, and England, allowed Stalin to steal our nation and subject us to forty-five years of brutal oppression.”

“Ungrateful. That’s what you are, Czajkowski. Ungrateful. You, and all Europeans. We saved your ass. All we ask is a little loyalty. We have a serious situation here. Representatives from several sovereign governments were murdered today—”

“Trying to buy information with which to blackmail me, yourself included.”

“Don’t interrupt me.”

“The last I looked, Mr. President, I was the duly elected head of a sovereign government. We are equals.”

“That is the one thing we are not. Tom Bunch was gunned down. That’s not going to go unanswered.”

“I was there,” Sonia said.

“Who is that?” Fox asked.

“The person who killed Jonty Olivier,” she said. “The rest were killed by the Russians. Good luck answering that insult, Mr. President. Are you prepared to start World War III?”

“Killing Olivier was stupid,” Fox said.

“No. Trying to blackmail the president of Poland was stupid. We just countered that.”

“I have agents on the way there,” Fox said. “This will be dealt with. Decisively.”

He’d had enough. “And if those agents violate any law of this country, they will be arrested and imprisoned.”

“I’m sure the Slovaks would love to know what happened within their jurisdiction today. My next call will be to them.”

Interesting that Fox did not seem to have a full grasp of the situation, unaware that the site had been sanitized. He could see that Sonia had come to the same conclusion. She mouthed Malone. He nodded. Made sense. He’d made a report, but Malone would not have known what subsequently happened, either.

“I would encourage you to do whatever you deem necessary,” Czajkowski said. “After all, you are the president of the United States, and who am I to argue. I’m just the leader of a second-rate, barely-above-a-third-world nation.”