King and Maxwell (Sean King & Michelle Maxwell 6)

“That’s great news,” said Sean.

Brown glanced at him and then looked away. He said, “About what we talked about before.”

Sean said, “You found out something?”

“The coffee shop, if you’ve got a minute.”

“We’ve got all the time you need. Let’s go.”

They got their coffees and took a table far away from all others.

Brown swirled a pack of sugar into his cup and stirred it slowly.

“The Pentagon has shut up like a clam on this,” he said.

“That’s what we heard.”

“But there’s been a fresh leak,” Brown said.

“That says we’re trying to overthrow Iran by laundering funds for weapons with poppy shipments?” said Michelle.

He glanced at her sharply. “So you saw it?”

“We saw it on a blogger’s site.”

“Well, that blogger is in big trouble.”

“I think he knows that.”

“Free speech is one thing. But you can’t print stolen national security secrets and get away with it.”

“So it’s true? About Iran?”

Brown took a sip of his coffee. “People look at the slaughter in Syria and think it’s bad. But they don’t see what’s happening in Iran. Or in North Korea. Those countries have shut down all communication with the outside world. Bodies are piling up like you wouldn’t believe.”

“So we’re going after Iran first. And North Korea second? I didn’t think North Korea had any opposition forces in country.”

“You’d be surprised. Many of them are displaced into South Korea, but want to go back home and change it. Iran was a test to see if something like this could work. If so, it would be deployed in North Korea.”

“Long shot,” said Michelle. “Even a billion euros might not buy you an overthrow of an entire government.”

“Didn’t have to. Just shake it up. If Iran or North Korea thought they were vulnerable from the inside they might tone down the rhetoric, come to the bargaining table, start to act like adults. Like you said, it’s a long shot but economic sanctions and threats from the outside didn’t work. We like to call it war on the cheap.” He shook his head. “I can’t believe I’m telling you this. I only found out recently. This is classified as classified can be. If it’s discovered I told you I’ll be court-martialed.”

“No one will find out from us, Curtis, I can guarantee you that,” said Sean.

“I appreciate that.”

“So Sam Wingo?”

“Pentagon thinks he’s dirty.”

“He’s not,” said Sean.

“How do you know that?”

Sean looked at Michelle and said, “We’ve met him. He saved Michelle’s life when some guys attacked us.”

“What? Where? What guys?”