Kate, who knows me too well, said, “John, you feel the same as we do about this mission.”
“Maybe. But forewarned is forearmed. We’ll keep an eye out for one another, keep an eye on Chet and Buck, keep Zamo close, and be ready to take charge if things start to smell bad. Agreed?”
Kate and Brenner nodded, and Brenner asked me, “What’s motivating you? Aside from the Cole?”
“That’s enough motivation. But aside from that, all of us are in this business, and this is not a safe business. Never was, never will be. Look at Buck. He’s put his balls on the line for over thirty years. And even Chet, living in this shithole for three years to avenge the Cole. And you, Paul, you’ve been in harm’s way for a good part of your life. And so has Kate. This is not a career, it’s a calling. It’s not a paycheck, it’s a life.” I concluded, “We’re making the homeland just a little safer.” Plus, I have a big ego, but I didn’t mention that.
Brenner nodded and said, “I’m still in. I just wanted to see if you two understood the problems with this plan and this mission.”
Kate said, “We all understand. And I’m glad we spoke about it.” She added, “We’ll keep alert for problems.” She looked at me, then at Brenner, and said to him, “John actually likes bad plans from higher-ups. He can’t wait to change the plan, rescue the mission from disaster, and show everyone how smart he is.”
Totally not true. That’s just the way it happens. Anyway, I said, “First things first. First we have to get to the airport without getting kidnapped.”
We all stood, and I said, “See you downstairs,” and Brenner left.
The guy on the TV was still going nuts and I thought he was going to pass out like that TV newscaster in Network. I wondered if the Evening News with the Mad Mullah had a big market share.
“John?”
I shut off the TV. “Yes, dear.”
“I know you know what you’re doing.”
“Absolutely.” Not a clue.
“And I’ll trust you on this.”
“Smart move.”
She let me know, “I think Paul still has some valid misgivings, but not enough to pull out.”
“We actually don’t need him even if he does.” To be provocative and snotty, I added, “And I know you won’t think any less of him if he hightails it back to the safety of the embassy.”
“You’re an asshole.”
“I am an alpha male on the A-team. We will kill The Panther, then go to Washington and get a handshake. Maybe we’ll take a week and go to a nude beach in St. Maarten. No Muslims on a nude beach to worry about. And if there were, where would they hide a gun or a suicide belt?”
She didn’t reply to that, but she did give me a kiss.
So we stuffed some things in our overnight bags, and Zamo called to say he’d come for our bags and rifles, and now here we were in the lobby, waiting for the rest of the A-team.
CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
My cell phone, which worked near the hotel SCIF, chimed and I looked at the text message: Parking lot.
Kate and I went outside and walked to the unlit parking area in front of the hotel, where I saw one of the Marines with a bomb-sniffing dog. As the Marine approached our five Land Cruisers, he commanded, “Cummins, search!” Good doggie. A journey of a thousand miles can end quickly if your car blows up when you turn the key.
Cummins seemed happy with all the Land Cruisers, but he growled at Chet, sensing a CIA man. Or maybe Cummins smelled the khat. Also, FYI, Chet had changed into dark clothing and he’d found his shoes. This was getting serious.
Two of our DSS drivers from Sana’a, including Mike Cassidy, loaded the bags in the back of the two vehicles and handed us our rifles.
Brenner said to everyone, “Top speed, we stop for nothing, keep your rifles at the ready.”
Right. Just in case we run into the forty Al Qaeda guys heading for the hotel.
Brenner, Buck, and Chet got in one vehicle with the driver, and Kate and I got in the rear of the other with Zamo up front and Mike behind the wheel.
Mike said, “I thought I was done for the day.”
“Me, too.”
Brenner’s Land Cruiser pulled out of the parking area, and we followed, past the Yemeni Army lawn chair brigade.