Die Trying by Lee Child

Ridge. Think about Waco, Harland. That wasn’t politics, right? But

it became politics pretty damn soon. We hurt ourselves with maybe

sixty-six million voters there. And we were real dumb about it. Big

reactions are what these people want. They figure that harsh reprisals

will upset people, bring more people into their fold. And we gave them

big reactions. We fueled their fire. We made it look like big

government was just about itching to crush the little guy.”

The room went silent.

The polls say we need a better approach,” Dexter said. “And we’re

trying to find one. We’re trying real hard. So how would it look if

the White House stopped trying just because it happens to be Holly

who’s involved? And right now? The fourth of July weekend? Don’t you

understand anything? Think about it, Harland. Think about the

reaction. Think about words like vindictive, self-interested, revenge,

personal, words like that,

Harland. Think about what words like those are going to do to our poll

numbers.”

Webster stared at him. The off-white walls crushed in on him.

This is about Holly, for God’s sake,” he said. This is not about poll

numbers. And what about the general? Has the president said all this

to him?”

Dexter shook his head.

“I’ve said it all to him,” he said. “Personally. A dozen times. He’s

been calling every hour, on the hour.”

Webster thought: now the president won’t even take Johnson’s calls

anymore. Dexter has really fixed him.

“And?” he asked.

Dexter shrugged.

“I think he understands the principle,” he said. “But, naturally, his

judgment is kind of colored right now. He’s not a happy man.”

Webster lapsed into silence. Started thinking hard. He was a smart

enough bureaucrat to know if you can’t beat them, you join them. You

force yourself to think like they think.

“But busting her out could do you good,” he said. “A lot of good. It

would look tough, decisive, loyal, no-nonsense. Could be advantageous.

In the polls.”

Dexter nodded.

“I totally agree with you,” he said. “But it’s a gamble, right? A

real big gamble. A quick victory is good, a foul-up is a disaster. A

big gamble, with big poll numbers at stake. And right now, I’m

doubting if you can get the quick victory. Right now, you’re

half-cocked. So right now my money would be on the foul-up.”

Webster stared at him.

“Hey, no offense, Harland,” Dexter said. “I’m paid to think like this,

right?”

“So what the hell are you saying here?” Webster asked him. “I need to

move the hostage rescue team into place right now.”

“No,” Dexter said.

“No?” Webster repeated incredulously.

Dexter shook his head.

“Permission denied,” he said. “For the time being.”

Webster just stared at him.

“I need a position,” he said.

The room stayed silent. Then Dexter spoke to a spot on the off-white

wall, a yard to the left of Webster’s chair.

“You remain in personal command of the situation,” he said. “Holiday

weekend starts tomorrow. Come talk to me Monday. If there’s still a

problem.”

There’s a problem now,” Webster said. “And I’m talking to you now.”

Dexter shook his head again.

“No, you’re not,” he said. “We didn’t meet today and I didn’t speak

with the president today. We didn’t know anything about it today. Tell

us all about it on Monday, Harland, if there’s still a problem.”

Webster just sat there. He was a smart enough guy, but right then he

couldn’t figure if he was being handed the deal of a lifetime or a

suicide pill.

Johnson and his aide arrived in Butte an hour later. They came in the

same way, air force helicopter from Peterson up to the Silver Bow

County Airport. Milosevic took an air-to-ground call as they were on

approach and went out to meet them in a two-year-old Grand Cherokee

supplied by the local dealership. Nobody spoke on the short ride back

to town. Milosevic just drove and the two military men bent over

charts and maps from a large leather case the aide was carrying. They

passed them back and forth and nodded, as if further comment was

unnecessary.

The upstairs room in the municipal building was suddenly crowded. Five