The Sum of All Fears.pdf - Delta Force

compromised at three stages: first, when the disks are manufactured; second,
from disk-storage here; third, from disk-storage in each station. Compromise of
one station does not compromise anyone else. We can't make the disks
tamper-proof – we've tried, and it would both cost too much and make them overly
vulnerable to accidental damage. The down-side of this is that it'll require us
to hire and clear about twenty new communications technicians. The system is
relatively cumbersome to use, hence the increased number of communicators. The
main expense component is here. The field troops we've talked to actually prefer
the new system because it's user-friendly.'
'How much to set it up?'
'Fifty million dollars. We have to increase the size of MERCURY, and set up the
manufacturing facility. We have the space, but the machinery is expensive. From
the time we get the money, we could have it up and running in maybe as little as
three months.'
'I see your point. It's probably worth doing, but getting the money . . . ?'
'With your permission, sir, I could talk to Mr Trent about it.'
'Hmmm.' Cabot stared down at his desk. 'Okay, feel him out very gently. I'll
bring this up with the President when he gets back. I'll trust you on MUSHASHI.
You and who else know his real name?'
'The DO, Chief of Station Tokyo, and his case officer.' The Director of
Operations was Harry Wren, and if he were not quite Cabot's man, he was the man
Cabot had picked for the job. Wren was on his way to Europe at the moment. A
year ago Jack had thought the choice a mistake, but Wren was doing well. He'd
also picked a superb deputy, actually a pair of them: the famous Ed and Mary Pat
Foley, one of whom – Ryan could never decide which – would have been his choice
for DO. Ed was the organization man, and Mary Pat was the cowboy side of the
best husband-wife team the Agency had ever fielded. Making Mary Pat a senior
executive would have been a worldwide first, and probably worth a few votes in
Congress. She was pregnant again with her third, but that wasn't expected to
slow Supergirl down. The Agency had its own day-care center, complete to cipher
locks on the doors, a heavily-armed response team of security officers, and the
best play equipment Jack had ever seen.
'Sounds good, Jack. I'm sorry I faxed the President as soon as I did. I ought to
have waited.'
'No problem, sir. The information was thoroughly laundered.'
'Let me know what Trent thinks about the funding.'
'Yes, sir.' Jack left for his office. He was getting good at this, the DDCI told
himself. Cabot wasn't all that hard to manage.
***
Ghosn took his time to think. This was not a time for excitement, not a time for
precipitous action. He sat down in the corner of his shop and chain-smoked his
cigarettes for several hours, all the time staring at the gleaming metal ball
that lay on the dirt floor. How radioactive is it? one part of his brain
wondered almost continuously, but it was a little late for that. If that heavy
sphere were giving off hard gammas, he was already dead, another part of his
brain had already decided. This was a time to think and evaluate. It required a
supreme act of will for him to sit still, but he managed it.