The Sum of All Fears.pdf - Delta Force

'I agree. Ryan looks harried.'
'He shouldn't be playing both sides of the street.'
'Hmph?' the President grunted without looking up.
'I have a preliminary report from the investigation justice has been running. it
looks as though he is playing around, as we suspected, and there is a kid
involved. She's the widow of an Air Force guy who died in a training accident.
Ryan has spent a lot of money to take care of the family, and his wife doesn't
know.'
'I don't need that sort of scandal, not another womanizer on top of Charlie's
affairs.' Good thing they haven't found out about us, he didn't have to say.
That was, in any case, a different matter. Alden had been a married man. Ryan
still was. Fowler was not. That made it different. 'How sure are you of this?
You said a preliminary report?'
'That's right.'
'Firm it up and let me know what you find out.'
Liz nodded and went on. 'This thing with the Soviet military . . . scary.'
'Very scary,' Fowler agreed. 'We'll talk about it over lunch.'
***
'And that is the halfway point,' Fromm said. 'Might I ask a favor?'
'What favor is that?' Ghosn asked, hoping that it was not to go back to Germany
for time with his wife. That might be sticky.
'I have not had a drink in two months.'
Ibrahim smiled. 'You understand that I am not permitted such things.'
'But do the same rules apply to me?' The German smiled. 'I am an infidel, after
all.'
Ghosn laughed heartily. 'Quite true. I'll talk to Günther about it.'
'Thank you.'
'Tomorrow, we begin on the plutonium.'
'It will take so long?'
'Yes, that and the explosive blocks. We are precisely on schedule.'
'That is good to know.' January 12 was the day.
***
'Who do we have good in the KGB?' Ryan asked himself back in his office. The big
problem with SPINNAKER's report was that much, maybe most, of the KGB was loyal
to Narmonov. The part that might not be was the Second Chief Directorate, which
concerned itself with the country's internal security. The First Chief – a/k/a
Foreign – Directorate definitely was, especially with Golovko in his position as
First Deputy Chairman to keep an eye on things. That man was a pro, and
reasonably non-political. Ryan had a wild thought that a direct call might – no,
he'd have to set up a meet . . . but where?
No, that was too dangerous.
'You want me?' it was Goodley, sticking his head through Jack's door. Ryan waved
him in.
'Want a promotion.
'What do you mean?'
'I mean that at the direction of the President of the United States you are in
on something that I think you're not ready for.' Jack handed him the SPINNAKER