Nobody’s Hero (Ben Koenig #2)

Chapter 112

‘I’ve never heard anything so ridiculous in my life,’ Carlyle said.

‘Really?’ Draper said. ‘Because from my point of view, the Hoover Dam is an impressive target. The symbolism alone is huge, never mind the carnage destroying it would cause.’

‘Destroying the Hoover Dam doesn’t meet the protocol’s objectives.’

‘It’s the only theory Smerconish has.’

‘He’s wrong,’ Carlyle said.

‘What’s he planning to do?’ Koenig asked.

‘He’s sending in a SEAL team when it’s dark. They’ll board the boat and take Tas alive. He wants to know who bankrolled Margaret.’

‘And if Tas gets bored? Makes a run on the dam before it gets dark?’

‘He already has F-35s in the air. If Tas makes a run on the dam before the SEALs get to him, they’ll blow him out of the water.’

‘Which Tas will be very much aware of,’ Koenig said.

‘Aware or not,’ Draper said. ‘A dead terrorist poses no threat.’

Koenig said nothing. Not until the clunk of the Gulfstream’s landing gear kicked his brain into gear.

‘We can’t land then,’ he said. ‘We need to stay in the air.’

Draper didn’t hesitate. She didn’t ask why. She grabbed the Gulfstream’s internal phone and said, ‘Abort landing.’

The plane lurched. Koenig felt it in his stomach, as if they’d driven over a humpback bridge.