“You heard McTiernan. He said it took an entire team at the NSA to figure out what you did all on your own. The damn head of the Islamic State won’t talk to anyone but you. You even had Sergei Orlov eating out of the palm of your hand.”
“Until you killed him.”
“Yeah, yeah. I hear you and everyone else loud and clear. I get it. Don’t kill anyone until they’ve testified.”
16
“Can everyone please take a seat?” asked Doc, looking around the room.
Malin surveyed the people seated at the table. Other than Merrigan and Alegria, she was the only woman here.
“I want to thank you all for changing whatever plans you may have had in order to join us here today.”
Onyx shifted over a seat so Malin could be seated between Dutch and Doc.
“Along with all but one of the K19 senior partners, who happens to be my son-in-law, all of our junior partners are here. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.” Doc made eye contact with each of them.
“We have two men joining us who have been part of the mission we’re about to discuss, and I don’t think I’m speaking out of turn when I say that we’d like to bring both of them on board as soon as they’re ready.” Doc motioned to Ranger and Diesel, “You all know Messick and Jacks.”
Doc cleared his throat. “Now, for the reason I called you all here.”
Malin listened as Doc gave a brief overview of the mission she’d originally been assigned.
“What started out as an infiltration designed to bring down the Islamic State, turned into an investigation that the K19 team has recently gotten involved in. Special Agent Kilbourne will brief you about what she’s uncovered.”
She told those in the room about the money coming into Super PAC, and then about the trail of payments that she believed went back out to Ghafor.
“The ramifications of what we have discovered may be far-reaching and involve our own government.” She looked around the room as those there sat quietly, paying attention to every word she said.
When she was finished, Malin asked McTiernan what his role in all this had been, along with Copeland’s. When he’d completed his portion of the briefing, Doc asked for questions.
“I worked with Montgomery,” said Gunner. “Slimy sonuvabitch. Whatever you decide to do, I’m in.”
“Me too,” said Razor.
“You’ve told us what you’ve uncovered, which doesn’t add up to much except money changing hands,” said Alegria, looking directly at Malin. “You mentioned the ramifications could be far-reaching. Meaning what exactly?”
Malin heard Dutch mutter but didn’t catch exactly what he said. She had no problem answering Alegria’s question, or anyone else’s. Whether she liked the answer or not, wasn’t Malin’s problem.
“What I believe the far-reaching ramifications to be is irrelevant at this time. Anything other than finding a way to get Agent Montgomery to confess his involvement, as well as name the others involved in what appears to be a conspiracy, is premature.”
Before Alegria could say anything else. Doc stepped forward.
“Most of you know my father, Burns Butler. If you haven’t met him before today, I’m sure you’d heard of him. I want to share with you what I overheard him say a few minutes ago.”
Doc had the attention of everyone in the room. “I’m going to quote him verbatim. He said, ‘Montgomery needs to be taken down, but it goes much deeper than just him. Everything I believe in, have fought my whole life for, is at risk. The very principles this nation was founded on are threatened.’”
He looked around the room. “You may be wondering why I remember it word-for-word. My father doesn’t say anything that doesn’t need to be said. Kind of like Monk over there.”
When Monk bowed his head in acknowledgment, most in the room laughed.
“When Burns does speak, those within hearing distance are wise to listen. Now, I’m going to ask Gunner and Razor to meet with Kilbourne, Striker, and McTiernan to put a plan together. Dutch and Copeland, you can join them. Everyone else, sit tight, have a glass of wine. If you’re hungry, I’m sure my mother has prepared enough food to feed three times as many as are here. That’s if Dutch doesn’t eat.”
Dutch flipped him off as he pulled Malin’s chair out. “Again, it’s your call. If you don’t want me in there, I’ll hang out.”
“Are you going to try to talk me out of—”
“No,” he said before she could finish. “And that display from earlier, I won’t repeat it.”