was never proven. That is an allegation, but from a less than trustworthy source.”
“My apologies. I spoke with APNSA Potter and—”
“Potter just came on board and doesn’t even know where the damn bathrooms are in the White House. He’s the national security advisor, Marks. He works for the president. You, you work for me.”
“Indisputably,” she replied. “Which gets me back to what you want to accomplish here.”
“If they pass the Burner they’ll be deployed on a mission that is currently shaping up. It is a mission to end all missions, and I have to know that they’re ready for it, because there is no margin for error.”
She looked at him curiously. “We have lots of teams that can do those sorts of missions.”
“I told the president we were vetting Robie and Reel for it. And that’s what we’re going to do.”
“And do you want them to pass the Burner, sir?”
Tucker looked at her warily. “That’s not up to me. Either they pass it or not. It’s up to them.”
“If you say so, sir.”
Tucker took off his glasses, laid them on the table, and rubbed his eyes. “But just so we make this as clear as possible, you are to stretch them to their absolute limits. And then you are to keep going. If you can break them, break them. If you can, they’re of no use to me in the field. They will not qualify for this mission. I have a Plan B standing by just in case.”
“It’s not a question of if. I can break anyone, Director.”
“One reason I selected you for this task.”
“And made me the DD?”
“Hand in hand.” He tapped his head and then his hand dipped to his chest. “Those are what count, Amanda, the head and the heart. If they’re not with us, with me, then they are against us. Against me. I cannot have agents going rogue, I don’t give a shit what reasons or grievances they have. Rogues cause international incidents. International incidents can get this country embroiled in unnecessary conflicts. That will not happen on my watch.”
“But it seems that they acted to avoid just such an international incident,” said Marks. “And they succeeded. I think that’s why they have such powerful allies, starting with the man in the Oval Office.”
“I’m quite aware of that, thank you. But your friend today can be your foe tomorrow. It all depends on what happens on the ground.”
“And conditions on the ground can be dictated, as I’m sure you are aware.”
“You just do your job and see how it shakes out.”
“And no preference?”
“If they pass they get the mission. It’ll be the most difficult one they’ve ever attempted so they might die trying. And if they don’t pass the Burner, well, that’s their problem.”
Marks rose. “Understood, sir.”
“Do you really understand?”
She looked taken aback by this. “I’m on your side, Director.”
“I thought others were on my side too, but it appears they weren’t.”
“I’m not sure who you’re referring to. I just arrived on the scene and—”
“That will be all, Marks. I want hourly reports on how my protégés are doing. Make sure I get them.”
“Consider it done, sir.” She turned and left.
As soon as the door was closed Tucker rose and poured himself a drink from the small bar in a cabinet behind his desk. A bar behind a desk at CIA seemed very Cold War-ish. But he didn’t care. With this job one needed a belt of booze every once in a while. Well, perhaps more often than that.
He envisioned having to stand up at an AA meeting one night and say, I’m Evan Tucker. My job is to keep all Americans safe. And I’m a raging alcoholic.
He sat back behind his desk.
There were forces aligned against him here, he was aware of that. Someone had tipped off Reel and Robie about the mission in Syria. Forewarned, they had taken advantage of that intelligence and escaped a fate that they shouldn’t have. Someone here had done that. Tucker had suspicions of who that might be. But he needed more than suspicions. And he aimed to get it.
Along with two rogue agents.
He stared at the doorway that Amanda Marks had walked through a few minutes before.
He had brought her here principally because she had the reputation of being both a ball buster and a company person through and through. He hoped that she lived up to that rep. If not, she would be assigned to a place in the middle of nowhere, with no possibility of