Read Online The Delta Solution by Patrick Robinson - Free Book Online

“Eight o’clock yours.”
    “Correct. Meanwhile I would like you to refrain from killing anyone else.”
    Wolde fell for it. “Our gunfire was in self-defense,” he snapped back. “We had no wish to kill. Your captain opened fire and two of my men died. We in turn shot one of yours because there was no choice.”
    For the first time, Admiral Bradfield knew there had been a gunfight on board the Niagara Falls . He walked down to the chairman’s office, where he was informed of Major Blythe’s successful dealings with the trade union.
    “That’s excellent, sir. But just one thing,” he asked, “Whose budget is this money coming from?”
    “Oh, we’ll just spread it around,” replied the general.
    “We could take a little from the carrier new-build program,” said Mark Bradfield. “Those guys in Newport News are working with several billion dollars. We’ll get a million out of the Fleet Auxiliary. They have a massive budget. We’ll take a million from the navy aviation budget. They won’t even miss it. Probably another million from that closure program.”
    “Hell, we’ve got enough money in here to hide 5 or 6 million without even thinking about it,” said General Lancaster. “A SEAL operation to rescue the ship would cost more than that. And the Niagara Falls , just
refurbished from deck to keel, is worth $20 million on the open market. It’s the soundest decision, and this way no one’s gonna get killed, which is the part I like most of all.”
    “By the way,” said the admiral, “they just reduced their ransom demand from 10 to 7 million. I’m betting I can get ’em down more. Nonetheless, I think we better make arrangements to get escort ships out there from Diego Garcia. We have a couple of guided-missile frigates and a destroyer ready to go. The Ronald Reagan ’s on standby fifty miles south of DG with eighty-four fighter aircraft consigned.”
    “Jesus, we could wipe out Somalia,” said the general. “And if they don’t start behaving themselves, we just might fucking well do it. This piracy bullshit has to stop. And if that skid-row government of theirs doesn’t come into line real soon, we’ll knock ’em into line. Crazy bastards.”
    It was a frequently expressed opinion that if Lancaster and Bradfield ever got into sole command at the Pentagon, a lot of America’s most irritating foreign problems would vanish. Real fast.
    The two men were unfailingly formal in front of the troops, but privately it was Zack and Mark. Right now it was the latter.
    “Mark, old buddy,” said the general, “how long before this Blackbeard calls again?”
    “’Bout ten minutes.”
    “Okay. Let’s get the deal done. And I’ll have Major Blythe work out how to get the trade union’s cash into a bag and air-dropped onto the Niagara Falls . Where’s the nearest major bank?”
    “Nairobi. Mary-Ann just checked it out. Barclays is the main bank in the city, and she says the British Embassy here in Washington will help. They still have a lot of clout in Kenya—they work from some colonial palace in Nairobi called the British High Commission.”
    “If we opened a place in Kenya called the United States High Commission, there’d be a fucking civil war.”
    “I know. But the Brits are real useful for us. They’ll work with Barclays, and we can fly the money right out of Wilson Airport south of Nairobi. It’s not so big as the main international terminal.
    “I better go, Zack. But who’s going to organize the Seafarers Union? They need to make some kind of announcement to get the heat off the Pentagon—you know the stuff . . . We are negotiating on behalf of our members, providing the kind of protection they deserve . . . ”

    “You better do that. Since it’s your money. I’ll have Major Blythe send you a note. But I’ll deal with Simon,” he said referring to US defense secretary Simon Andre. “He can organize the president.”
    “Beautiful. I’ll be back as soon as I speak to