HOLLY WENT INTO LANCE’S office and sat down.
“How’d he take it?” Lance asked.
“He seemed genuinely pleased,” she replied, “not to mention relieved. He was very happy about the fate of his team, and he asked me to thank you for his new opportunity.”
“I think it’s a good fit for him.”
“So do I.”
“I suspect that young Todd is relieved to be out of harm’s way,” Lance said. “He has always exhibited the kind of bravado that usually covers insecurity.”
“I think most operational agents have insecurities,” Holly said.
“Don’t confuse anxiety, which is useful for keeping one on one’s toes, with insecurity, which has a large element of fear and foreboding.”
“A good point,” Holly conceded. “Something else has always bothered me about Todd,” she said.
“And what would that be?”
“He lacks charm, and I think that is an essential quality in an agent, who is constantly trying to recruit sources.”
“That’s an astute observation, Holly,” Lance said. “It’s the sort of thing I’ve come to expect from you, and reaffirms my assessment of your executive skills.”
“Thank you, Lance. I know you’d rather not hear his name spoken, but could I get you to speculate for a moment about what might have happened if we had not come to terms with Teddy Fay, and he had continued his existence as a thorn in our flesh?”
“You’re right, Holly, hearing his name is probably going to give me a rash in an uncomfortable place, but I will answer your question. It’s perfectly clear that Mr. Fay is a brilliant man, one whom I would prefer to have leading my most difficult operation than out in the wild, making trouble—in Lyndon Johnson’s words, ‘inside the tent, pissing out, rather than outside, pissing in.’ As to what could have happened if we had not agreed to stand down: well, it could have resulted in a series of minor but vexing incidents, but more likely it would have been big and very noticeable events that would have ended in the destruction of Kate Lee’s career, not to mention yours and mine, and the ruining of a fine president’s reputation. Is that what you wanted to know?”
“Yes,” Holly replied, “and I entirely agree.” She got to her feet. “I think I can go back to work now and get some things done.”
“You do that,” Lance said, then turned to his computer and began to
type. “Oh,” he said, looking up, “what’s happening with Stone and Dino’s investigation?”
“I saw them last night,” she said. “They have a lead, but if this one doesn’t pan out, their investigation will probably end there.”
“They think the FBI report is correct, then?”
“I think this new wrinkle is their last chance of proving it wrong.”
“Keep me posted.” Lance turned back to his computer, and Holly went back to her own office. owv>
29
TODD BACON WAS ESCORTED TO THE OFFICE OF EDWARD FREELY, deputy director for Technical Services, and Freely stood up to greet him. “Good to see you again, Todd,” he said. “When was the last time? When we equipped you for Panama?”
“That’s right, Ed, not since then.”
Ed waved him to a chair. “I take it Holly Barker gave you the overview of what you’re to do here?”
“She did, and I’m grateful for the opportunity and looking forward to the work.”
“Well, there’s plenty of it to go around. I’ve got a tech supervisor, Tank Wheeler, who’s retiring next month, and I had been having difficulty promoting from within, when Lance brought you to my attention. I’ve given you a small office next to Tank’s, and I’d like you to work with him until his thirty years is up. He’s involved in the equipping of three operations at the moment, and there’ll never be a better time for you to plunge in. After Tank’s retirement party, which should be a doozy, we’ll restore his office to a semblance of repair and order, and you can move into it. I’ve been told that you’ve got thirty days off coming, but I’d be grateful if you’d spend that with Tank and take the time later.”
“That’s fine with me, Ed.”
Ed looked up. “Here’s Tank now.”
Todd stood up and shook hands with the very large man whom he had met only once before, at the beginning of his Panama mission.