Read Online Soul of the Assassin by Jim DeFelice, Larry Bond - Free Book Online
Authors: Jim DeFelice, Larry Bond
Ads: Link
recap the situation, Dan? What is the theory?” she asked.
“A gas or other agent being dispersed in a public square,” said Slott. “T Rex’s advance person took measurements of three piazzas near the center of Bologna.”
“Dispersing gas? T Rex is supposed to be an assassin. That sounds more like a terrorist attack.”
“Admittedly,” answered Slott. “But it’s not that out of line for him. T Rex likes to kill.”
Besides Slott and Ferguson, the commander of the First Team’s military force, Col. Charles Van Buren, was on the line, as was CIA Director Thomas Parnelles. Corrine had been appointed by the President to oversee Special Demands; while the members of the First Team still worked for either the CIA or the military, they answered to her as well. It was an awkward arrangement, intended by the President to give him tight control over the Special Operations force, while at the same time insulating him from it if something went wrong.
“Has this T Rex character used gas to kill someone before?” asked Colonel Van Buren.
“Everything but,” said Slott. “He’s used bombs, a mortar shell, a rifle, and at least twice a pistol from very close range.”
Slott explained that the person they believed was T Rex’s preparer or advance man—actually a woman who was using the name Arna Kerr—had taken measurements of three piazzas in the center of the old city. From that, one of their analysts had deduced that the attacks would take place there. Kerr’s measurements were only necessary, said the analyst, if T Rex was planning to use a chemical gas; in that case, the killer would be considering how much gas to use to guarantee a kill. The size, wind pattern, and fact that the area was open argued strongly against an aerosol attack—in layman’s terms, the sort of attack that would be made with biological weapons—but a quick-acting chemical gas, laid on thickly enough, would be deadly. The analyst thought that the fact that the assassination would look like a terrorist attack was intentional, since it would divert attention from the actual intent of the crime.
“We’re looking at two weeks as the outside end of the time frame,” said Slott, “because that’s how long she rented the vehicles for. But in the three assassinations we’ve connected her with, T Rex has shown up much sooner—within forty-eight hours.”
“This is a wrong turn,” said Ferguson. “It doesn’t fit with T Rex.”
“If you have another theory, I’m all ears,” said Slott.
“A bomb I could see. But gas? Too many things left to chance.”
“He doesn’t care how many people die, as long as his target is one of them,” said Parnelles.
“Yeah, but he does care that the target dies. Gas is too iffy for that. Too many variables.”
“Why else would she take the measurements then?” asked Slott.
“Maybe it’s for a bomb; maybe he’s going to use a sniper rifle; maybe T Rex just gives her a lot of things to do so she can’t figure out what’s up,” said Ferguson. “We don’t end up using half the intelligence you guys dig up for us.”
While Slott defended the theory, Corrine considered the implications. If the attack was made in a public square, many people would be injured, if not killed.
“We’re going to have to tell the Italians what’s going on,” said Corrine. “We’re going to have to tell them what we have.”
“That will ruin everything,” said Parnelles.
“If they had information about 9-11 and didn’t tell us, what would we think of them as allies?” Corrine said.
“We can stop T Rex,” said Slott. “Right, Ferg?”
“If we figure out who he is.”
“The President is going to have to make the call,” said Corrine. “He has to have the final say here.”
~ * ~
F
ifteen minutes later, Corrine knocked on the door to the Oval Office and then went in, waiting while Pres.
“A gas or other agent being dispersed in a public square,” said Slott. “T Rex’s advance person took measurements of three piazzas near the center of Bologna.”
“Dispersing gas? T Rex is supposed to be an assassin. That sounds more like a terrorist attack.”
“Admittedly,” answered Slott. “But it’s not that out of line for him. T Rex likes to kill.”
Besides Slott and Ferguson, the commander of the First Team’s military force, Col. Charles Van Buren, was on the line, as was CIA Director Thomas Parnelles. Corrine had been appointed by the President to oversee Special Demands; while the members of the First Team still worked for either the CIA or the military, they answered to her as well. It was an awkward arrangement, intended by the President to give him tight control over the Special Operations force, while at the same time insulating him from it if something went wrong.
“Has this T Rex character used gas to kill someone before?” asked Colonel Van Buren.
“Everything but,” said Slott. “He’s used bombs, a mortar shell, a rifle, and at least twice a pistol from very close range.”
Slott explained that the person they believed was T Rex’s preparer or advance man—actually a woman who was using the name Arna Kerr—had taken measurements of three piazzas in the center of the old city. From that, one of their analysts had deduced that the attacks would take place there. Kerr’s measurements were only necessary, said the analyst, if T Rex was planning to use a chemical gas; in that case, the killer would be considering how much gas to use to guarantee a kill. The size, wind pattern, and fact that the area was open argued strongly against an aerosol attack—in layman’s terms, the sort of attack that would be made with biological weapons—but a quick-acting chemical gas, laid on thickly enough, would be deadly. The analyst thought that the fact that the assassination would look like a terrorist attack was intentional, since it would divert attention from the actual intent of the crime.
“We’re looking at two weeks as the outside end of the time frame,” said Slott, “because that’s how long she rented the vehicles for. But in the three assassinations we’ve connected her with, T Rex has shown up much sooner—within forty-eight hours.”
“This is a wrong turn,” said Ferguson. “It doesn’t fit with T Rex.”
“If you have another theory, I’m all ears,” said Slott.
“A bomb I could see. But gas? Too many things left to chance.”
“He doesn’t care how many people die, as long as his target is one of them,” said Parnelles.
“Yeah, but he does care that the target dies. Gas is too iffy for that. Too many variables.”
“Why else would she take the measurements then?” asked Slott.
“Maybe it’s for a bomb; maybe he’s going to use a sniper rifle; maybe T Rex just gives her a lot of things to do so she can’t figure out what’s up,” said Ferguson. “We don’t end up using half the intelligence you guys dig up for us.”
While Slott defended the theory, Corrine considered the implications. If the attack was made in a public square, many people would be injured, if not killed.
“We’re going to have to tell the Italians what’s going on,” said Corrine. “We’re going to have to tell them what we have.”
“That will ruin everything,” said Parnelles.
“If they had information about 9-11 and didn’t tell us, what would we think of them as allies?” Corrine said.
“We can stop T Rex,” said Slott. “Right, Ferg?”
“If we figure out who he is.”
“The President is going to have to make the call,” said Corrine. “He has to have the final say here.”
~ * ~
F
ifteen minutes later, Corrine knocked on the door to the Oval Office and then went in, waiting while Pres.
Similar Books
