Hell's Corner (Camel Club 5)

“Damnedest things. It’s already in our clothes, foods, cosmetics, appliances, lots of things. And most people have no idea it’s even there. Half the scientists think it’s perfectly safe. And the other half say we don’t know enough and it could have unforeseen and possibly disastrous long-term consequences.”

“So they found some of these nanobots in the debris? But I thought they were microscopic?”

“They are. They were only revealed after being put under the scope.”

“Why would they have been there? What would be the purpose in the context of a bomb?”

The president smiled resignedly. “There’s the rub, Stone. We don’t know. What we think is that someone out there has come up with a new application that uses nanotechnology in ways that were never intended.”

“You mean for criminal or terrorism purposes?”

“Yes.”

“What are people speculating? I mean, for why the nanobots were there? There must be some theories.”

“There are. The most popular one is also the most chilling. That theory involves some sort of contagion being grafted onto the explosive. When the bomb exploded it released this contagion that is now in the system of everyone who’s been at that park. And they’ve unwittingly carried it on to others.”

Stone flinched and moved away from the man. “I’ve been to that park. I was knocked over by the blast. I could be contaminated. You shouldn’t be near me.”

“I’ve already been exposed, Stone. Through Agent Gross, Garchik and others. Hell, the FBI director was out there too. But I can tell you that I’ve had every test known to the doctors and they’ve given me a clean bill of health.”

“Is there any evidence of the existence of such a contagion on the debris?”

“Not that we know. But you know what they’re telling me now? That the damn nanobots have the ability to invade and actually change certain molecular structures of other substances. This ‘transformation’ can leave the substances in their original form, but it can change them subtly enough to make identifying them much harder. So right now we don’t believe there’s a contagion problem, but the truth is we don’t know for certain. We’re not even sure what to test for. So all the things the doctors checked me for may be worthless. And furthermore, they could have used nanobots to produce a totally new contagion. It’s like my grandkids playing whack-a-mole. You hit at one hole and the damn thing shows up in another.”

“And Agent Garchik?” he said.

“We thought it best to remove him from the field for a while. He’s currently at an ATF safe house in—”

Stone put up a hand. “I’d prefer not to know the exact location.”

“You mean?”

“In case someone tries to get it from me. Yes.”

“Dangerous times, Stone. Uncertain times.”

“Enemies closer.”

“Right. If only we knew exactly who they were anymore. It’s getting harder and harder on that score.”

“I think every soldier deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan would agree with you on that.”

“It’s ironic, actually,” said Brennan.

“What’s that?”

“I originally sought you out to go fight the Russians in Mexico. Now I find them much closer to home. Possibly right across the street from the White House.”

“You know of course about the gun found and Kravitz’s ties to Moscow?”

“Yes, yes, all of that, but there’s something else.”

Stone waited expectantly.

“When the Soviet Union was a world power they had an immense scientific discovery program. Labs all over the place and tens of billions of dollars to fund those efforts.”

“So nanobots?”

“Nanobots. There are few countries or organizations with the wherewithal to pull something like this off. The Russians are near the top of the list.”

“What do you want me to do now, sir?”

“Your job, Stone. And I promise you that I’ll have your back.”

Stone gazed hard at the man. The president seemed to sense Stone’s doubts.

“I mean that, Stone. You survive this, the slate is clean. You have my word. No more blowbacks against you.” He put out his hand. Stone shook it.

Brennan added, “Why do men like you do the job you do? It can’t be for the medals. And it’s certainly not the money.”

Stone said nothing.

“Why then? God and country?”

“Both simpler and more complex, Mr. President.”

“What then?”

“So I can look at myself in the mirror.”

CHAPTER 52

STONE WAS FLOWN BACK to D.C., where he met Chapman by prearrangement at Lafayette Park.

“How did it go?” she asked anxiously.

“Informative.”

“In a helpful sort of way?”

“That remains to be seen.”

“Come on! Any revelations? You met with the president, for God’s sake.”

Stone explained about the unknown bits of debris possibly being connected to nanotechnology. And also about the whereabouts of Agent Garchik.

“Did you know all that when you asked to meet with the president?”

“Let’s say I suspected it.”

“And you told him of your suspicions?”

“I thought the direct way was best.”

“Pretty ballsy. So nanobots? Bloody hell. What’s the world coming to when they stick stuff in stuff we can’t even see that could come back and kill us all?”

“I think some folks would call that progress, actually,” said Stone dryly.

“So the Russians are playing around in their laboratory again. Ominous development.”

“Drug trafficking is worth hundreds of billions of dollars. That’s one motivation. Couple that with science that could make Russia’s enemies wastelands, that’s something you can’t measure in mere treasure.”

“Russia’s enemies, meaning my country and yours.”

“Despite détente, Gorbachev and Yeltsin, things have never really been rosy among the three nations.”

“But why would they detonate a bomb in Lafayette Park that didn’t kill anyone?”

“I don’t know.”

He moved over toward ground zero and looked down at the crater.

“Riley Weaver’s questions are also still unanswered,” he said.

“What do you mean?”

“How did the tree suddenly die? And why was the hole left open after the tree went in?”

“The arborist and stuff. Agent Gross told us about it.”

“Well, I guess we need to check it ourselves.”