W E B Griffin – Men at War 2 – Secret Warriors

When they approached the house, they told the chauffeur to go around to the front. The chauffeur was a former FBI agent who had a.3 8 in a shoulder holster. There was a Thompson.45 ACP machine pistol on the floorboard. Donovan himself carried a.32 Colt Automatic pistol with a silencer-on his belt. He had not taken off his seersucker jacket, because he knew the sight of the pistol disturbed Ruth. As the car rolled to a stop before the broad stairway, he saw three groups of people. Sitting at umbrella ed tables on the lawn were an extraordinarily handsome collection of young people. He recognized Canidy, Jimmy Whittaker, and young Doug lass. The other men, a Navy lieutenant commander and two handsome, muscular young men wearing swim trunks and bathrobes, were obviously Bitter, young Martin, and the very interesting Eric Fulmar. Three young women were with them. One of them held a baby on her lap. On each of the tables were pitchers of iced tea, and a galvanized tub was sitting on the grass full of ice and beer.

Donovan thought that it was significant that Canidy was on the lawn with the intruders and not with one of the two groups that had formed on the porch. The group on the right was made up of Vice Admiral d’escadre de Verbey; his staff; their hostess, Mrs. Barbara Whittaker; and Mr. and Mrs. C. Holds worth Martin, Jr. Two silver wine buckets held a half-dozen towel-wrapped bottles. Probably champagne, Donovan thought.

On the left-with an iced-tea pitcher-sat “the forces of shamed righteousness”: Captain Peter Doug lass, Sr.”

USN; a Navy commander and a young lieutenant (obviously these two were officers from the Lakehurst guard detail); Mr. El don C. Baker; Miss Cynthia Chenowith; and Captain Stanley S. Fine, USA AC. Donovan thought it was especially interesting that Fine sat with Doug lass, Baker, and the others. Captain Peter Doug lass had the night before accepted full responsibility for what had happened and had offered his resignation.

Donovan had no intention of accepting it, but when he glanced at Doug lass’s crestfallen face he realized that Doug lass had imagined the worst possible scenario for the situation. To judge by his face, Baker simply looked angry. Cynthia Chenowith seemed embarrassed and ashamed.

The two Navy officers had faces Donovan recognized from his own military service: The big brass hat has just arrived, and there is no telling what will happen next. Fine, as always, was a lawyer, privy to the mess before the bar but not personally involved in it. Donovan suppressed a smile when the young lieutenant, carried away as the big brass hat started up the stairs, came to attention and saluted. That triggered an automatic reflex from the other officers on the porch, They all saluted, even the admiral. “Good morning Donovan said as he reached the top. He offered his hand to Doug lass and Baker, introduced himself to the other naval officers, smiled at Cynthia, and then took Ruth’s arm and crossed the porch to where Barbara Whittaker and her group waited.

The women embraced while Martin introduced Donovan to the admiral and his staff, “We have a little problem, Barbara,” Donovan said, “that has to be talked out. Is there someplace we can go?”

“Captain Doug lass suggested that we clean up the breakfast room for you, Bill,” Barbara said. “Fine,” Donovan said.

“Holds worth, if you don’t mind, I’d like you to sit with us. I’m going to need your advice.” With a little bit of luck, if it becomes necessary to put your son on ice, you will hear enough to agree that it is necessary. “I am not a disinterested observer, Bill,” Martin said.

“None of us is,” Donovan said.

“Will you excuse us, please?” He walked toward the front door of the house. “Pete,” he said, 4C you want to come along, please “Yes, Sir,” Captain Doug lass said, and followed them into the breakfast room. A glass-topped table had been equipped with legal pads and a glass full of sharpened pencils. The security people had connected two telephones. One of them, a red instrument, was a secured line. “I will begin, Pete,” Donovan said, “by saying your resignation is declined, and that while I will be very interested in your worst possible scenario, I don’t think the war has yet been lost.”

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146

Leave a Reply 0

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *