Killing Rain

carry out some other atrocity. If you can do that, you’re in. Well, the CIA can’t do that.”
    “But apparently, Hilger can.”
    “Can and did. Hilger created access to terrorists by being a terrorist. The thing in Jordan, deals with that guy Belghazi youtook out last year, black market arms, money laundering . . . I’ve got evidence that he knew about the Bali bombing before the fact. Two hundred people died there. The two bombings in Jakarta, too. After all that, you think he even remembered who he was or what he was trying to do?”
    “I don’t know.”
    “It’s like Nixon’s ‘madman’ theory. You want people to think you’re a madman, you have to start doing mad things. In which case, you might as well be mad. What’s the difference?”
    “Tell me why you were leaking to the Post. ”
    He shrugged. “I had to put pressure on Hilger’s network. Publicity equals pressure.”
    “The first story said the men in Manila were spooks, not ex-spooks.”
    “They were ex-spooks, like I told you. But if the story was that they were current, Langley would face more questions, and Hilger would feel more heat.”
    “So those ‘well-placed sources’ the stories mentioned . . .”
    “Yeah, you’re talking to him.”
    I nodded in appreciation. “What about ‘Gird Enterprises’?”
    “One of Hilger’s front companies, I think. We’ll know soon enough. The media is all over it now.”
    “Now that you leaked it.”
    “Of course,” he said, sounding and for a moment even looking very much like Tatsu.
    “Are you sure that taking down Hilger was the right thing to do?” I asked. “He’d gotten pretty close to this guy Al-Jib . . .”
    “Ali Al-Jib?” he asked, his eyes wide.
    “You know any others?”
    “How do you know this?”
    “Because they were meeting at the China Club in Hong Kong last night.”
    “They were meeting . . . holy shit, where is Al-Jib now?”

    “I expect he’s being fished out of Victoria Harbor. Unless he was able to swim for shore with five bullets in him.”
    He shook his head as though incredulous. “That was you, at the China Club?”
    I shrugged.
    He shook his head again. “Someone ought to give you a medal.”
    “I’d settle for just getting paid. Anyway, how do you know Hilger wasn’t trying to develop Al-Jib, run him somehow? Maybe Al-Jib would have led to other sources.”
    He took a breath and let it out. “Who knows what Hilger was up to with Al-Jib? The man was dirty.”
    I took a sip from the demitasse. “So what happens to him now?”
    He shrugged. “I don’t think he has much of a chance, but I don’t have all the information yet. What happened at the China Club?”
    I told him, leaving out Dox’s and Delilah’s involvement.
    He sat silently while I briefed him, shaking his head as though incredulous. When I was done, he said, “You did Manny, too. Unbelievable. You really should get a medal.”
    “I wish I’d thought to come to you a week ago and ask what it would be worth to you for me to take these guys out. I probably could have retired on it.”
    “That would be a tragic loss. Guess I can’t ask you who you were working for this time?”
    “Guess you’re right.”
    “It’s okay. I can imagine.”
    “You can imagine all you want.”
    “Well, from what you’ve told me, I don’t think Hilger can survive this. His supporters are all going to be running for cover.”
    “I don’t know,” I said. “I get the feeling this guy is a survivor. Look at the way he turned things around at Kwai Chung lastyear, and made off with two million U.S. in the process. I wouldn’t underestimate him.”
    “I’m not,” he said.
    I finished my espresso and set down the demitasse. “Are you still in touch with Tatsu?” I asked.
    “A bit,” he said, his tone guarded, and I knew they were in touch a lot.
    I nodded. “Spend time with him. He’s walked the narrow path you seem to be on for a long time, and somehow he hasn’t managed to fall off. That’s rare. You should try to learn his secret.”
    “What path are you talking about?”
    “The one where the end justifies the means.”
    He nodded.
    “Well,” I said, getting up, “seeing as I’ve just eliminated two of the entries on Uncle Sam’s nonexistent terrorism hit list, I guess I can count on you to pay for the coffee?”
    He stood and smiled. “My pleasure.”
    I looked at him. “Is this on you, though? Or the government?”
    “It’s on me.”
    I nodded. “That’s what