The Project 04 - Black Harvest

him.
    Damn it! Damn it to hell!
    She refused to cry.

CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT

    President Rice looked at Harker and steepled his hands together. He had deep shadows under his eyes.
    "The Pentagon?"
    "Yes, sir. We went back in. Someone has removed all traces of Black Harvest from their computers. The scenario no longer exists. There's no trail, nothing to suggest it was ever contemplated."
    "It could be CYA time on their part. Just in case someone made a connection in the press."
    "I don't think so, Mr. President. Black Harvest was buried deep. No one outside the Pentagon could have found it. I suspect very few people over there even knew it existed."
    "That is a very disturbing thought, Director."
    "Yes, sir."
    "It's very convenient, Lodge's suicide." Rice watched her.
    "Yes, sir."
    "That's all?"
    She hadn't told him Hood had killed Lodge. Plausible deniability was sometimes more than a convenient phrase, regardless of the opinion of the media. Rice had created the Project to keep him informed, but in this case it really was something he didn't need to know.
    "As you said, sir, it's very convenient."
    Rice didn't pursue it. She didn't think he ever would.
    "What do you think about Hood as the new DCI?"
    That surprised her. "I think he would be an excellent choice, sir. He's up to speed on everything. He's well respected at the Agency. He's one of theirs. The transition would be smooth under him."
    Elizabeth had briefed Rice on Hood's suspicions of a wider conspiracy crossing international borders. It hadn't made the President's day. She thought it was probably a factor in Rice's consideration of Hood as the next DCI.
    "Director, it seems that every time you solve a problem something else turns up."
    "Yes, sir, it does seem like that. I have a very good team. When you turn over rocks, things crawl out."
    "I want you to pursue this. This possible conspiracy. You said Dansinger promised Lodge the White House."
    She said nothing.
    "Even in the current funding climate, that is not an easy thing to do. It takes more than money and influence. You still have to convince the American public."
    "Apparently someone believes that's possible, Mr. President. Dansinger and Lodge were ready to kill millions of people to get what they wanted. Whoever is behind this didn't care much about that. I don't think anyone they tried to put in this office would care much either."
    Rice rose. Elizabeth stood and waited.
    "Find out who they are, Director."
    "Yes, sir."
    As she left the Oval Office she glanced back. Rice stood at the windows looking out over the White House lawn. Suddenly he seemed much older.

CHAPTER SIXTY-NIINE

    This time when Nick saw the armored Cadillac waiting he simply got in when the driver held the door for him. The same back seat. The same luxury. The same black glass partition down the middle. The car moved silently into Washington traffic. The overhead halo lights cast a soft glow on the black leather interior.
    "You've been busy." Adam's electronic voice came through the speaker grill.
    "You could say that. How much do you know?"
    "All of it. Well done."
    "Who are you?"
    "Think of me as an interested party."
    "Interested in what?"
    "In making sure AEON doesn't succeed."
    "AEON?"
    "The group behind Dansinger."
    "So there is an organization."
    "There definitely is an organization."
    "Who are they?"
    "A group of powerful men. AEON has been in existence for a long time. Their goal is control."
    "Control ? "
    "Of everything. World domination."
    "You're not going to start talking about the Illuminati or secret Masons are you?"
    Laughter from the speaker. It sounded bizarre with the electronic distortion. "No, of course not. Those are convenient distractions to divert attention from the truth. But AEON is real. They mean business. You remember that little band of Nazis you broke up?"
    "That was AEON?"
    "One tentacle of it. They are not pleased with you and Harker and the others."
    Nick leaned back in the leather. He waited. The car rolled through the streets, quiet, soft.
    "Did they kill Dansinger?"
    "Yes. He screwed up. Your raid in Texas told them he was exposed. They couldn't let him live. His public execution sends a message to everyone in their organization."
    "What are they planning to do?"
    "About Dansinger? Nothing. It's done."
    "I meant now that their plan has been stopped."
    "Their plan never stops. They simply move past failures to something else. W hen we know more I'll contact you."
    "Who are they?"
    "Their