The Shooters (Presidential Agent 4)

Castillo did, then said, "Would you read those back to me, please, so we know we have them right?"

Montvale's exasperation was evident in his voice as he read back the coordinates.

"Okay?" Montvale asked, finally.

"Okay. Now what I need, starting immediately, is satellite surveillance of that area. I want everything: photographs, infrared, electronic emissions of all kinds, everything those clever people have and I probably don't know about."

"What are they looking for?"

"Whatever they can find."

"What's there, Colonel?"

"I think Special Agent Timmons is there, but before I go after him, I want to make sure."

"Go after him?"

"That's what I've been ordered to do, you'll remember. But I've been thinking about the sensitivity of the operation."

"I'm glad to hear that."

"So what I want you to do, please…" His voice trailed off in thought, then he said, "Where is the first place the imagery will go? Langley or Fort Meade?"

"I'm surprised you don't know. It goes to Meade, then is linked to Langley."

"Okay…"

"Do you have any idea what you're asking? How difficult it will be to shift satellites? How much it will cost?"

"I didn't think it would be easy, Mr. Ambassador. And I'm sure it will be expensive. Would you rather I ask the President to authorize it?"

"What's in the back of my mind…are you interested? And can I say what I have to say without you taking offense?"

"Of course."

"If you have found Timmons and if those helicopters you're trying to send down actually get there and you can stage a successful operation, fine. But you're not sure you've found Timmons. And something-God knows, anything-can interfere with those helicopters getting down there-"

"I'd love to have them, the helicopters, of course, but I have a Plan B in case something goes wrong. And didn't you get Colonel Torine onto the Ronald Reagan to ensure that everything possible is being done, will be done, to get them to me?"

"Yes, I did. But to continue, if something goes awry, questions will be asked, especially about the satellite surveillance. People are going to know that happened."

"I have a Plan B for that, too, Mr. Ambassador."

"Do you really?"

"When you order the surveillance, I want you to have the analysts at Meade taken off all other duties until this is over. I want them told this is classified Top Secret Presidential. And I want the automatic link to Langley cut off."

"What are you going to do with the data at Meade?"

"Mrs. Forbison will be there. She will forward to me what the analysts tell her."

"Your office manager?"

"Actually, she's the deputy chief of OOA for administration," Castillo said. "And she's been cleared for the Finding."

"You're going to send her to Meade?" Montvale asked, incredulously.

"And by the time she gets there, I hope you'll have ordered that no one but she-or whichever of my men with a Finding clearance she designates-is to get any of the material generated by the surveillance."