When it came to CONQUEST, at least Hammond had the deniability of wartime if the program and its atrocities ever became public. It would be a scandal, but it was unlikely he’d be tried for war crimes. But if the public learned that he’d been complicit in the murder of a fellow American officer . . . he would be crucified.
Hammond unbuckled his seat belt and walked to the minifridge. Coming back to his seat, he looked at the members of his protective detail. Two were playing cards, one was sleeping, and the other two were reading paperbacks.
“What are you guys reading?” he asked, opening his Perrier.
One of the agents showed him the cover of his book. “Open Carry, by Marc Cameron, sir. It’s about a US marshal conducting an investigation into the disappearance of three people in Alaska. This guy can write, sir.”
“You’re from Alaska, aren’t you?” Hammond asked, but he already knew the answer. “His descriptions are pretty accurate?”
“Yes, sir. Vividly so.”
Hammond’s phone vibrated in his pocket. He excused himself and went back to his seat.
“Hammond.”
“General Girdner, sir,” the provost marshal general said. “My phone is secure.”
Hammond covered the speaker with his hand. “Gentlemen,” he said to the five Secret Service agents. “I need ten minutes.”
The special agent who’d been reading the Marc Cameron book woke up his buddy, who’d been sleeping in the seat next to him, with a quick elbow jab, and then they both joined the other three at the front of the plane.
“What’s up, Tom? Any more news coming from Palo Alto?”
“Reports indicate that Drain is down. In fact, it’s been completely wiped out.”
That was the first bit of good news Hammond had heard all day.
“You were right, sir,” Girdner continued. “Whoever took down our guys had the exact same objective we did.”
“We both know who’s behind this, Tom.”
“Roy Oxley.”
“Right.”
“May I ask what you have in store for Clayton White?” Girdner asked.
Hammond frowned. He didn’t like to be quizzed by his subordinates. “Why is that of any importance to you?”
“Do I need to remind you that we’re six weeks away from inauguration? Both our necks are on the line here, Alex,” Girdner said.
“And do I need to remind you that Oxley tried to assassinate my daughter?” Hammond hissed back through clenched teeth. “Are you asking me to let this go?”
“Of course not,” Girdner replied, his tone apologetic. “I’m just trying to put things in perspective. I don’t want this thing with Oxley to escalate any further than it needs to. Oxley is dangerous, and resourceful.”
“Even more reason to go after him now. Oxley is a bully, Tom. We can’t let bullies run the schoolyard.”
It took a moment for Girdner to reply, but when he did, Hammond saw that his friend had put two and two together.
“That’s why you need Clayton White,” he said. “You’re going to send him after Oxley.”
“Clay’s gonna get the job done,” Hammond assured him. “I know how he operates.”
“You’re playing with fire,” Girdner warned him. “If Clayton learns what you did to Maxwell, he’ll—”
“He won’t,” Hammond growled. “And don’t ever mention this to me again. Understood?”
Girdner’s reply was curt. “Anything else, Mr. Vice President-Elect?”
“Don’t get fancy with me, Tom, or you can kiss your nomination goodbye,” Hammond replied before he ended the call.
During CONQUEST, Girdner, then a brigadier general, had been the commanding officer of the Army Corrections Command. His assistance had been needed when it came to the actual design of the interrogation program. Girdner was due to retire at the end of the month, and it wasn’t a secret that the president-elect, under the advice of Hammond, was going to nominate him as secretary of defense. Hammond didn’t think Congress would object to a waiver for Girdner under the National Security Act of 1947—the law that stipulated that the secretary of defense had to be a civilian well removed from military service.
Hammond and Girdner had always seen eye to eye. Trust had never been an issue between them. Hammond hoped it would stay that way.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Naval Air Station Fort Worth, Texas
Veronica was getting desperate for information. She had tried calling Noah, but he hadn’t answered his phone. Same thing for the other members of her team.