Vince Flynn - Mitch Rapp 07 Act of Treason

L ANGLEY , V IRGINIA

R app was cruising down Georgetown Pike in a rented white van at five miles an hour over the posted speed. It was almost 7:00 in the evening, which meant he was late for his meeting with Kennedy. He wasnt crazy about getting together in her office, but shed insisted. What she had to show him could not leave the building. That bit of information got Rapps imagination working overtime. It also helped him make up his mind that he would transfer Milinkavich to Dr. Hornig.

After a long afternoon of Milinkavich changing his story over and over and sobbing like a child, Rapp decided that he didnt have it in him to interrogate the man properly. Coleman couldnt stand being in the presence of Hornig, so Rapp rented another van and drove the Belarusian himself. The drive from Baltimore to an off-budget CIA facility in Northern Virginia took longer than expected, and then Hornig wanted to talk. She wanted to know every intricate detail of the subject. Rapp told her what he had discovered and handed over audiotapes of the interrogations hed already conducted, and left as quickly as he could.

He turned off the Pike and approached the main gate of the CIA. Normally a rental car would cause problems, but the security officers recognized Rapp and after a speedy check of the cargo area, he was waved through. Rapp parked in the visitors lot near the main door and hustled up the steps and into the lobby. Straight ahead to the right were the security desk, metal detectors, and turnstiles. Rapp hung his badge around his neck and stayed to his left, walking past the undersized statue of Wild Bill Donovan, who was more or less the patron saint of the CIA. Just past the statue Rapp turned left into a small vestibule and then to his right up a couple steps to a small landing. Directly in front of him was the directors private elevator. Rapp grabbed his badge and held it in front of the scanner. A moment later the door opened and he was on his way to the seventh floor.

The outer office was empty of all support staff. Even Kennedys bodyguards were nowhere to be seen. Rapp knocked on the heavy office door twice and then entered. Kennedy was behind her desk with the phone to her left ear and twirling her reading glasses in her right hand.

Kennedy gave Rapp a slight smile and said to the person on the other end of the line, I have no idea what youre talking about. Hes standing right in front of me.

Rapp mouthed the words, Who is it?

Kennedy let her chair spring forward. Hold for a moment please. She hit the hold button on the black phone and looked up at Rapp. Its Tom Rich from the Times.

Little fucking traitor. What does he want?

The Times is running a story on us tomorrow. Hed like to give us a chance to comment.

Rapp checked his watch. It was 7:04 in the evening. Theyd be putting their East Coast Edition to bed pretty quickly. Whats the story about?

Basically that you grabbed the wrong guy on Cyprus. Justice, the FBI, State, the Greek government, theyre all mad at us and you and I are out of a job next week and may be facing formal charges.

What did you tell him?

No comment.

Good.

He also said he heard you were AWOL. Possibly had fled the country to avoid prosecution.

Hes making shit up. Rapp pointed at the phone. Put him on speaker.

Kennedy hit the blinking button and said, Tom, I have Mitch Rapp here in my office. Anything youd like to ask him?

So youve come in from the cold? The reporters voice sounded amused.

Rapp had met Rich once before at a social function. Rapps deceased wife had introduced them. She was NBCs White House correspondent and the two ran in the same circles from time to time. What a surprise. I would have never guessed a big lefty like you to be a Le Carr fan.

Hes my favorite. The Spy Who Came in from the Cold it doesnt get any better than that, and besides you know Im independent. Like all good reporters, I know how to keep politics out of the story.

Yeah, right. Rapp noted the levity in Richs voice. Like all egocentric reporters he was probably already working on his Pulitzer Prize acceptance speech.

Listen, Im kind of short on time, but I was wondering if you would like to comment on a story that Im working on for tomorrows paper?

I see youve given yourself a lot of time to get the other side of the story.

Deadlines are a bitch. What can I tell you? So would you like to comment on the fact that you tortured a bogus confession from a Greek national named Alexander Deckas?

Are you recording this conversation, Tom?

Of course, he said in a patronizing tone.

Thanks for the heads-up.

Come on, Mitch. You know how the game is played.

Sure do, Tom. Rapp smiled at Kennedy and then asked, Just wonderingyoure Jewish, right?

Rich didnt answer right away, and then when he did the levity was gone. I dont see what that has to do with anything.

Well, I know how you reporters pride yourselves on being neutral, but I was wondering how proud youre going to be of that Pulitzer of yours after some crazy Islamic fascist nukes Israel off the face of the map. Rapp paused to look at Kennedy, who was giving him a wary look. Rapp smiled and hovered over the speakerphone. At least youll be comforted by the fact that you stayed neutral on the issue.

When Rich spoke again, he was all business. I take it youre not going to comment on the accusation that you apprehended the wrong man and tortured him.

Id love to comment on the accusation right after you tell me who your source is.

Sources, Rich stressed the plural. I have more than one, and you know I cant reveal them.

I dont suppose youd consider delaying the story for a day or two?

Let me think about that for a second, Rich paused one second and said, I dont think so.

Well, fuck you very much and thank you for wasting my time. Rapp reached down and disconnected the call before plopping down in the winged back chair in front of Kennedys desk.

I dont think that was very professional. Kennedy looked disapprovingly at Rapp.

That guy thinks hes going to string me up by my balls tomorrow. Rapp shook his head. He has no idea how big a mistake hes about to make.

Kennedy studied Rapp with suspicion. Would you mind telling me what youve been up to?

Rapp pulled a memory stick from his jacket and handed it across the desk. This is going to be fun.

Kennedy held the stick in front of her and asked, Whats this for?

Your press conference.

What press conference?

The one youre going to hold at the White House tomorrow in response to the grossly inaccurate front page story that the Times is going to run in the morning. I took the liberty of putting everything into a Power Point presentation for you.

Kennedy smiled. Whats on here?

The video from the Starbucks on the morning of the attack. Agent Riveras official statement of what she saw seconds before the explosion. Customs and Immigration surveillance footage of Deckas at JFK the day before the attack. He entered the country using a fake passport, of course.

What else?

His complete confession.

Which the media will say was coerced.

Not after they hear it. It was very convincing. He admits to flying into JFK the day before the attack, spending Friday night in Pennsylvania, where he picked up the van, and then driving down to DC Saturday morning. He even admits to standing behind the same tree that Rivera saw him behind. All of it without provocation.

Kennedy shook her head. Theyll say you rehearsed the story with him.

Let them say what they want, because theres more. The guy isnt even Greek.

Excuse me?

Hes Bosnian. His real name is Gavrilo Gazich, and heres the best part. Rapp grinned and added, Hes wanted by the War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague for atrocities committed against civilians during the civil war.