Hidden Empire (Empire 2)

Cole took the mouse, backed the satellite map out to a wider view, and then pointed to a little "thumbta

ck" with the letter A on it. "Since the embassy has the letter B, what's this place with the letter A?"

Wills laughed. "That's a special feature of Google Maps, sir. The 'A' is the pushpin marker for the whole Central African Republic, because that was my first search."

"And they have it pointing to this dirt patch surrounded by warehouses or shops or whatever?"

"A place of absolutely no significance. Maybe on that spot there's a sign that says 'welcome to the CAR.'"

"I'll take it as a sign. The patron saint of directions, Google, has told us where point A is. We only have to fly low up the river, come to ground there, and then move as quickly as possible to point B."

"And then come back again?"

"No," said Cole. "We'll extract to the shoreline right here, in this jumble of barges at the end of Avenue Colonel Conus."

"Um, sir," said Wills, "these barges were here when the satellite picture was taken, but—"

"Wills, if there's one thing I've learned in my travels across Africa, it's that once a bunch of anything gets piled up somewhere, it's pretty much going to stay there until somebody steals it."

"Just my point, sir—barges are portable and can be stolen. Therefore, until we can get a UAS in there to keep watch—"

"Or until somebody blows it up," said Cole.

"And that would be you," said Wills.

"A spectacular exit," said Cole.

"Go out with a bang."

"Or at least a puff of smoke. But only if we have to."

"I'll alert the chopper kids that their skills are going to be wanted … about when?"

"About fifteen minutes after we get those floor plans from State. And wake up the Navy and ask them to give us air cover on about one minute's notice, if we need it. It's okay if they're seen, but they should hang back till I call for them. They're basically the failure scenario—if we get taken, their job is to blow the hell out of the embassy."

"Very dramatic," said Wills. "But that isn't going to happen, right?"

"We just got our third software update on our Noodles and Bones," said Cole. "We're one step away from having the ability to think ourselves through walls."

"You can already leap small buildings in a single bound," said Wills.

"The embassy is a large building."

"With lots of flat roofs at lots of different levels," said Wills. "And you'll have the codes to open all the doors."

"So I shouldn't go crashing through walls?" asked Cole.

"Just on the off chance that someday we want to go back and re-embassize it, sir, it's probably better to blow up as little as possible."

"State asked you to say that, didn't they."

"Very respectfully, yes, General Coleman."

"A bunch of bunnies with spectacles, that's what the State Department is, Sergeant Wills."

"Well said, sir."

"Nearsighted bunny rabbits," Cole repeated, doing his best avuncular general imitation.