there.”
“I’m listening.”
“Get Harvath back to us in the next twenty-four hours, and we won’t ask any questions. Maybe he was taken by a terrorist organization. Maybe he was taken by the Russian mafia. As long as he’s returned, we won’t challenge the story.
“And just so we’re clear, if you want to use a third-party nation—Germany, China, Syria, Belarus, or even the Iranians—we don’t care. We just want Harvath back. In fact, President Porter will publicly praise any third party and give them credit, if that’s the route you choose to take.”
The Ambassador looked at his watch. “I am going to have to make another round of phone calls.”
“I understand,” said the SPEHA. “But before you do, there’s something else I need to share with you.”
Withdrawing another folder from his briefcase, the SPEHA handed it to his host. “Your President has approximately forty billion dollars in personal assets hidden outside of Russia. As of twenty minutes ago, half of them have been frozen. Inside that folder, you’ll find a full list.
“If Harvath is back to us within twenty-four hours, we’ll unfreeze everything. If he’s not, your President will never see that money again. What’s more, we’ll go public so that the entire world, but especially the Russian people, see the extent to which he has pillaged your country.”
Sazanov’s temper flared. “This is blackmail.”
“This is business,” Rogers said, stone-faced. “Nothing more. Nothing less. And, to demonstrate that we’re not completely unreasonable, if your government provides us with proof of life within the next eight hours, we will unfreeze five billion of your president’s assets.”
“You don’t understand how Russia works. I’m going to get blamed for this.”
“You’re not going to get the blame. You’re going to get the credit. As far as anyone is concerned, unfreezing the five billion in exchange for proof of life was your idea.”
The Ambassador shook his head. “Don’t throw me your bones. I don’t want them.”
“Egor, you’re a good man. The kind of man Russia needs.”
“Excuse me?”
“We think you’re someone we can work with.”
Sazanov held up his hand. “Wait. What are you talking about?”
“If you help make this happen, the United States will be in your debt.”
“In my debt how?”
Rogers smiled. “You have a long political career ahead of you in Russia. We want to help you be successful.”
“You want to help me. That’s interesting. Okay, I’m listening.”
“We can work out the details later, but suffice it to say that there’s a laundry list of items your government wants from the United States. Some of which we’d be willing to agree to. We would make sure the press covered you coming and going from the White House. Maybe you and a key cabinet member would be seen golfing. Then you—”
“I don’t like golf,” the Ambassador replied. “I prefer sailing. Like your President Kennedy.”
“That’s perfect. The Treasury Secretary loves to sail. The fact is that we could help promote you not only as a diplomat Americans trust but also as someone who helps get results for the Russian people.”
Sazanov shook his head. “The Foreign Minister, much less the Russian President, would never allow me to steal their thunder. I could never take credit.”
“I agree,” replied the SPEHA. “But the best part is, you wouldn’t have to. Based on the press reports alone, people would recognize that it was you who was doing the heavy lifting. Your best course of action would be to downplay your involvement, show humility. Let the American President declare how much he appreciated your role in bringing Russia and the United States together.
“We will help see to it that you are recognized as one of the most successful Ambassadors to have ever served Russia. Believe me, being seen as a diplomat whom America respects and listens to can go a long way for you back home.”
The Russian took another sip of his bourbon. He liked what he was hearing. It was an interesting proposition.
It was also fraught with incredible danger. If President Peshkov developed the slightest suspicion that he was cooperating with the Americans, he was as good as dead. Diplomats, journalists, dissidents—no one was safe. That was how Russia, at least under its current President, operated. Sazanov had everything to lose.
He also had everything to gain. An offer like this, the backing of the world’s most powerful nation, wouldn’t come around a second time.
Still, the Russian was wise enough to not jump too quickly. “I appreciate the confidence your nation has in me,” he said. “Let me think about it.”
Rogers understood.
Draining the rest of