The Sum of All Fears.pdf - Delta Force

more. The preliminary indications on the water project look big. I mean real
big, Bill: like twenty million bucks changing hands.'
Shaw whistled respectfully at that. 'All that for one senator and one
congresscritter?'
'Like I said, maybe more. The latest thing is some environmental types being
paid off – in government and out. Who do we have better at unraveling a ball of
yarn that big? Walt's got a nose for this sort of thing. The man can't draw his
gun without losing a few toes, but he's one hell of a bird-dog.' Murray closed
the folder in his hands. 'Anyway, you wanted me to look around and make a
recommendation. Send him to Denver, or retire him. Mike Delaney is willing to
rotate back this way – his kid's going to start at GW this fall, and Mike wants
to teach down at the Academy. That gives you the opening. It's all very neat and
tidy, but it's your call, Director.'
'Thank you, Mr Murray,' Director Shaw said gravely. Then his face broke into a
grin. 'Remember when all we had to worry about was chasing bank bandits? I hate
this admin crap!'
'Maybe we shouldn't have caught so many,' Dan agreed. 'We'd still be working
riverside Philly and having a beer with the troops at night. Why do people toast
success? It just screws up your life.'
'We're both talking like old farts.'
'We both are old farts, Bill,' Murray pointed out. 'But at least I don't travel
around with a protective detail.'
'You son of a bitch!' Shaw gagged, and dribbled coffee down his necktie. 'Oh,
Christ, Dan!' he gasped, laughing. 'Look what you made me do.'
'Bad sign when a guy can't hold his coffee, Director.'
'Out! Get the orders cut before I bust you back to the street.'
‘Oh, no, please, not that, anything but that!' Murray stopped laughing and
turned semi-serious for a moment. 'What's Kenny doing now?'
'Just got his assignment to his submarine, USS Maine. Bonnie's doing fine with
the baby due in December. Dan?'
'Yeah, Bill?'
'Nice call on Hoskins. I needed an easy out on that. Thanks.'
'No problem, Bill. Walt will jump at it. I wish they were all this easy.'
'You following up on the Warrior Society?'
'Freddy Warder's working on it. We just might roll those bastards up in a few
months.'
And both knew that would be nice. There were not many domestic terrorist groups
left. Reducing their number by one more by the end of the year would be another
major coup.
***
It was dawn in the Dakota badlands. Marvin Russell knelt on the hide of a bison,
facing the sunrise. He wore jeans, but was bare-chested and barefoot. He was not
a tall man, but there was no mistaking the power in him.
During his first and only stint in prison – for burglary – he'd learned about
pumping iron. It had begun merely as a hobby to work off surplus energy, had
grown with the understanding that physical strength was the only form of
self-defense that a man in the penitentiary could depend upon, and then