JК
The Third Option :: Flynn Vince
Страница: 261 из 267There could be others outside the Agency, in fact I'm convinced there are, but all things point to a leak somewhere within Langley, and unfortunately I don't have the slightest clue to who it could be.»
«Hold on a minute.» The president did not like any of this. «What is the motive? Why would someone at Langley want to do this? I thought the one thing we were unified on in this town was the battle against terrorism.»
«This has nothing to do with the battle against terrorism,» said Stansfield. «It has to do with the battle over knowledge. The battle over who will succeed me as director of the CIA.»
«Who will succeed you as director is my decision and no one else's.»
«Let me paint a more clear picture for you, Mr. President. I have made a lot of enemies in this town because I have never allowed the brass at the Pentagon or the politicians on the Hill to influence my decisions as director. When they have come to me asking for information, I have always directed them to you or your predecessors. They don't like this. They want someone who will give them access to the Agency's secrets. They know that Irene will do as I have done, and they don't like that. They want someone they can control.»
The president looked completely miffed. He wondered if Stansfield was being overly paranoid but was quickly reminded of the events of the last week. There was a foe out there, the only question was who. But still, he didn't want to buy into the scope or the purpose of the thing. «I'm sorry, Thomas, if I sound somewhat skeptical, but I find it a little hard to believe that someone would go to all of this trouble to try to block Irene's nomination.»
Stansfield's body was withering away, but his mind was not. Like a grand master in chess, he still had the ability to calculate the ripple effect that could result from one move. «What if I told you the ultimate goal of this person or persons was to topple your administration?»
Hayes was silent for a while. Stansfield had his rapt attention. «How?»
«By exposing first Mitchell and then the full story of the Orion Team. By ultimately linking you to the assassination of Count Hagenmiller.»
«You can't be serious. I thought we had the issue of deniability covered.»
«We did, sir. That was before we found out there was a leak.»
The president let out a moan as he shook his head. He felt things slipping away as he looked at Stansfield's frail body. «Thomas, please tell me you have a plan for dealing with this?»
Stansfield could sense the president's fear.
«Hold on a minute.» The president did not like any of this. «What is the motive? Why would someone at Langley want to do this? I thought the one thing we were unified on in this town was the battle against terrorism.»
«This has nothing to do with the battle against terrorism,» said Stansfield. «It has to do with the battle over knowledge. The battle over who will succeed me as director of the CIA.»
«Who will succeed you as director is my decision and no one else's.»
«Let me paint a more clear picture for you, Mr. President. I have made a lot of enemies in this town because I have never allowed the brass at the Pentagon or the politicians on the Hill to influence my decisions as director. When they have come to me asking for information, I have always directed them to you or your predecessors. They don't like this. They want someone who will give them access to the Agency's secrets. They know that Irene will do as I have done, and they don't like that. They want someone they can control.»
The president looked completely miffed. He wondered if Stansfield was being overly paranoid but was quickly reminded of the events of the last week. There was a foe out there, the only question was who. But still, he didn't want to buy into the scope or the purpose of the thing. «I'm sorry, Thomas, if I sound somewhat skeptical, but I find it a little hard to believe that someone would go to all of this trouble to try to block Irene's nomination.»
Stansfield's body was withering away, but his mind was not. Like a grand master in chess, he still had the ability to calculate the ripple effect that could result from one move. «What if I told you the ultimate goal of this person or persons was to topple your administration?»
Hayes was silent for a while. Stansfield had his rapt attention. «How?»
«By exposing first Mitchell and then the full story of the Orion Team. By ultimately linking you to the assassination of Count Hagenmiller.»
«You can't be serious. I thought we had the issue of deniability covered.»
«We did, sir. That was before we found out there was a leak.»
The president let out a moan as he shook his head. He felt things slipping away as he looked at Stansfield's frail body. «Thomas, please tell me you have a plan for dealing with this?»
Stansfield could sense the president's fear.