Vixen 03 (Dirk Pitt 5)

Jennifer Louise

Joined together for

all eternity

1988

A prophetic man, the captain, Pitt thought. The stone had been carved in its entirety months before Fawkes's death on board the Iowa. He brushed away a vagrant ant and dozed for the next two hours. He was awakened by the sound of a car.

The uniformed driver, a sergeant, braked the Bentley, slipped from behind the wheel, and opened the rear door. Colonel Joris Zeegler stepped out, followed by Defence Minister Pieter De Vaal.

"Seems peaceful enough," said De Vaal.

"This sector has been quiet since the Fawkes massacre," Zeegler replied. "I believe the grave is this way, sir."

Pitt rose to his feet and brushed himself off as they approached. "It was good of you gentlemen to come so far," he said, extending his hand.

"No great effort, I assure you," De Vaal said arrogantly. He ignored Pitt's outstretched hand and sat irreverently on the Fawkes headstone. "By coincidence, Colonel Zeegler had arranged an inspection tour of northern Natal Province. A short detour, a brief stop-off in the schedule. No harm done."

"This won't take long," said Pitt, casually checking his dark glasses for smudges. "Did you know Captain Fawkes?"

"I appreciate the fact your rather strange request to meet me in a rural cemetery came down from high sources in your government, but I want it understood that I'm here out of courtesy, not to answer questions."

"Understood," Pitt said.

"Yes, I once met Captain Fawkes." De Vaal gazed into space. "Back in October, I believe it was. Soon after his family were murdered. I expressed my condolences on behalf of the Defence Ministry."

"Did he accept your offer to command the raid on Washington?"

De Vaal didn't bat an eye. "Pure rot. The man was mentally unbalanced by the death of his wife and children. He planned and conducted the raid entirely on his own."

"Did he?"

"My position and rank do not have to tolerate rudeness." De Vaal came to his feet. "Good day, Mr. Pitt."

Pitt let him walk nearly twenty feet before he said, "Operation Wild Rose, Minister. Our intelligence people knew about it almost from the beginning."

De Vaal stopped in midstride, turned, and looked at Pitt. "They knew?" He walked back until he was standing face to face with the man from NUMA. "They knew about Wild Rose?"

"That shouldn't surprise you, of all people," Pitt said affably. "After all, it was you who leaked it to them."

De Vaal's haughty composure cracked and he looked to Zeegler for support. The colonel's eyes were unblinking and his face was as hard as stone. "Preposterous," De Vaal said. "You're making a wild accusation based on the wind."

"I admit to a few holes in the net," said Pitt. "But I came into the game late. A neat scheme, and whatever the outcome, you won, Minister. The plan was never meant to succeed. Blaming the AAR for the raid in order to drum up sympathy for the South African white minority was a smoke screen. The real purpose was to embarrass and topple Prime Minister Koertsmann's party so the Defence Ministry could have an excuse for stepping in with a new military government headed by none other than Pieter De Vaal."

"Why are you doing this?" De Vaal said savagely. "What do you hope to gain?"

"I don't like to see traitors prosper," Pitt retorted. "Incidentally, how much did you and Emma salt away? Three, four, five million dollars?"

"You're chasing shadows, Pitt. Colonel Zeegler, here, can tell you. Emma was a paid agent for the AAR."

"Emma sold doctored reports from your Defence Ministry files to any black revolutionary sucker enough to pay for them and split the take with you. A most lucrative side venture, De Vaal."

"I do not have to stand here and listen to this garbage," the Minister hissed. He nodded at Zeegler and gestured toward the waiting Bentley.

98

Zeegler did not move. "I'm sorry, Minister, but I think Mr. Pitt should be heard out."