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  “How sure are we that this is deliberate?” Candace asked.

  “As close to one-hundred-percent as we can ever be,” Tate replied.

  Candace looked at the images in front of her and massaged her brow. Starvation. Emaciated children. The look of resignation that follows desperation made her physically ill. “Russia denies resources to its border villages. Why?”

  “That’s the question. There’s no obvious reason, Candace. This is a play the Russians have made before.”

  “I understand that, Joshua.” Candace closed the laptop in front of her. “I’ve seen enough.”

  “What do you want to do?” Tate asked.

  “I’m not sure what we can do. Sanctions aren’t going to correct this.”

  “No.”

  “Military intervention is out,” she continued.

  “I agree.”

  “Do you think any of these intelligence reports about poisoning the food supply is true?”

  “I haven’t seen anything conclusive. I wouldn’t discount it,” Tate offered.

  “To what end?”

  “I don’t know,” Tate replied. “We need stronger assets in the area. If I can be honest—”

  “Don’t just be honest; be blunt.”

  “We haven’t had a dependable line of information or communication since Russ Matthews was killed.”

  Candace considered the information. Russ Matthews had served as the American Ambassador to Russia until his death in an embassy bombing. Publicly, the bombing had been pinned on anti-establishment forces working within Russia. Privately, Candace had been informed that a cooperative of intelligence services had engineered the attack. It had proven challenging to recreate a verifiable and trustworthy flow of information for years. “Do you think this is tied to Russia’s interest in the Baltic states?” she asked.

  “Everything the Russians do has a purpose. Face it; their economy has never grown to the proportions it is capable of reaching. The Baltic region will always be of strategic interest to Russia. Kapralov is savvy, Candace. His roots are embedded Soviet theory and KGB tactics. Every assessment of him I have been given indicates he is also an adept businessman. He understands that there’s more than one way to grow his influence, and Russian’s economy. Why he’s targeted border villages, I can’t say. If he is the one who has placed a target on their backs.”

  “You don’t honestly believe Nika Kapralov is in the dark?”

  “No. I don’t know on whose authority they have pillaged these villages and cut off from supply chains.”

  Candace groaned. “I need to know more. I can’t ignore this, and I can’t act—not yet. Something tells me there is more to this than we know.”

  “You want to get closer,” Tate surmised.

  “I do. What are our options?”

  “We have assets in that region.”

  “But?”

  “I think it’s time you took Alex up on her offer.”

  “I don’t know, Joshua.”

  “Candace, you can’t allow your personal feelings to deter you. No one has a better bead on the Russians than Alex and Claire. From what I’ve heard, Alex’s hands have been tied at the FBI lately.

  Candace enjoyed her weekly chats with Cassidy Toles. While Candace didn’t disclose every state secret that troubled her to her friend, she did confide the toll her newfound knowledge took on her heart. Cassidy did the same. One of Cassidy’s latest revelations involved her concern for Alex. She told Candace that both Alex and Claire were frustrated with their workload, or lack thereof. at the FBI. “So, I understand. Why is that, Joshua?”

  Tate shrugged. “Career law enforcement officers don’t have much use for career politicians.”

  “That’s the whole of it?” Candace questioned.

  “It’s part of it.”

  “Part of it?” Candace pushed.

  “Layers, Candace. There are layers. I don’t know what the aim is at the FBI. It could be a move to push them out, or a hope to push them to you.”

  “Find out. The Russians have their thumb on everything. This is a nuanced war, Joshua. The overall objective is expansion. We both know that. I want to know if there’s any evidence of military movement near the borders. You and I both know what’s next. What we don’t know is when.”

  Tate nodded. “You expect them to posture.”

  “I do. Posturing has a purpose. If your people are correct, and Kapralov has compromised basic resources, his next play will be to offer himself as their savior. Create a problem to offer a solution. A large percentage of the population in these villages are not Russian by birth. Their roots lie a few hundred miles away. There’s a reason for all of this, and it’s only one component of a bigger scheme. If that’s not the plan—Well, the only other logical assumption would be that he wants to lower the population—strategically.”

  It might have been inappropriate to smile, but Tate couldn’t stop his lips from curling with satisfaction. Tate had briefed presidents, military personnel, and congressional leaders of every stripe over the years. Few people in Tate’s experience possessed the command of world issues that President Reid did. She did her homework. She listened to every point of view attentively. She was insatiably curious and determined to address any issue that threatened the United States or its allies. She walked a fine line between compassionate diplomacy and decisive action. Those who regarded Candace Reid as a soft-hearted woman afraid to make difficult decisions were fools. She took a methodical approach to her decision making. She required thoroughness, verification, explanation, as well as assessment from her advisers. She was an unknown quantity in the game that was politics and espionage. That made her unpredictable. He knew many would seek to test her.

  “In the meantime,” Candace said. “Let’s see if we can find a way to expose the facts without compromising their origin.”

  “You want to leak the images to the international press,” he guessed.

  Candace lifted her eyebrow. “It might not deliver significant relief; it will put Kapralov on notice. Some of it will leak into those outlying communities. Try as he might, the news reaches the most remote corners of the world now—even village number 1933.”

  “I’ll get on it.”

  Candace pushed out her chair. “And, Joshua?”

  “Yes?”

  “Give Alex a call. Invite her and Claire down for the afternoon. And, while you’re at it, see what you can find out about this determination at the FBI to tie Alex’s hands. Something tells me that might be useful information down the line.”

  “No doubt. That will take some time.”

  “Keep at it. Discreetly.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  NEW YORK CITY

  Alex picked up her cell phone and held it for Claire to see.

  “Maybe he’s psychic.”

  Alex laughed. “Tate,” she answered the call.

  “Toles. Your presence is requested.”

  “When and where?”

  “Yesterday, and I will meet you at Dulles.”

  “That doesn’t sound good,” Alex said.

  “It’s not exactly an invitation to a Garden Party.”

  “Is this an overnight trip or—”

  “I’d dress comfortably.”

  Alex sighed. “I assume you made arrangements.”

  “Twelve-thirty flight from La Guardia. I’ll send the information now. And, Alex? This is unofficial.”

  “We’ll be there.” Alex put her phone back in her pocket and grumbled.

  “So?”

  “We’ve been summoned.”

  “By Tate?”

  Alex shook her head.

  Claire immediately understood. When the president called, you answered. “Oh. That can’t be good.”

  “I need to call Cass. We need a good cover story.”

  “In other words, our trip is off the books.”

  “Exactly.”

  “I’ll take care of it.” Claire offered.

  “Great.
”

  “Worried?”

  “About how you cover up? Yes.”

  Claire shrugged. “There was a time—”

  “Stop. Talking.”

  Claire laughed. “You’re so easy, Alex.”

  Alex grumbled. “Meet me outside in twenty.”

  “Alex?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Maybe we’re about to get back in the game.”

  That’s what I’m afraid of.

  ***

  “You don’t sound surprised,” Alex commented.

  “I’m not,” Cassidy replied. “Candace called and asked me to come down on Thursday afternoon. I think she’s hoping I’ll spend the weekend.”

  “Speech?”

  “No. It’s something else.”

  “Cass, I’m sorry this is last minute. I know we had talked about dinner tonight and—”

  “Alex, it’s what you do. If Candace called, there is a good reason. You know that.”

  “That’s what worries me.”

  Cassidy remained silent.

  “Cass?”

  “It worries me too,” Cassidy admitted. “Something is on her mind. I mean, something is always on her mind, but I could hear the tension in her voice when she called. Don’t worry about us; we’ll be fine. She needs you more right now. She wouldn’t have Joshua call you if she didn’t.”

  “Sounds like she needs you too,” Alex offered.

  “For different reasons, I suspect. Go. I’ll see you when you get back.”

  “Cassidy, I told her that if she needed us to—”

  “Alex, you don’t need to explain. Go.”

  “I love you.”

  “I love you too. I’ll see you when I see you.” Cassidy hung up the call with a sigh.

  “Everything okay?” Rose asked from the doorway.

  Cassidy nodded. “Everything is okay. I suspect everything is about to change.”

  “Cassie?”

  Cassidy smiled. “Or maybe it’s just returning to normal.”

  “What does that mean?” Rose wondered.

  “Not what it means in most families.” Cassidy pulled herself from the sofa and squeezed her mother’s arm. “How do you feel about pizza delivery and a bottle of wine?”

  “I thought you and Alex were going out to dinner tonight?”

  “Change of plans. So? What do you say we call Helen and indulge after the kids go to bed?”

  Rose pursed her lips and then shrugged. “I say we let your father babysit and take the party to my house.”

  Cassidy laughed. “How will I get back home?”

  “Good point. Okay. I’ll call Helen. You order the pizza.”

  Cassidy winked at her mother. “Tell Helen to bring wine.” She closed her eyes and sighed. I’m not sure I have enough in the house.

  WASHINGTON DC

  Candace walked beside Joshua Tate down a long tunnel. “Every time we do this, I think I’m in a movie.”

  Tate laughed. “It does seem excessive.”

  “It seems excessive, or it is excessive?”

  “Can’t say. I hope we never have to find out.”

  Silence enveloped the pair as they strolled down the corridor toward a secure room. Candace wondered what people would think if they knew that Hollywood depictions of secret facilities paled by comparison to the real thing. It had shocked her. She still wasn’t certain if she found the existence of such places comforting, unnerving, or just plain wasteful. One thing she did know, she agreed with Joshua Tate’s assessment. She prayed that the reason for the construction of these facilities would never come to pass. They’d been utilized after the terrorist attack in 2001. Since then, places like this were used for drills and sensitive meetings—meetings like the one she was about to begin. She took a deep breath when the door opened and stepped through. “Unreal,” she muttered.

  “That, it is,” Tate agreed.

  “This way, Madame President,” an Airman gestured ahead.

  Candace smiled when she saw the occupants of the room stand to greet her. “Sit down,” she instructed them. “There’s enough formality in this place already.”

  “Madame President,” Alex Toles greeted her friend.

  “Please,” Candace dismissed the address. “Let’s dispatch with the protocol.”

  “Candace,” Alex corrected herself. “How is life in the big, white house?”

  “Well, I will confess that the laundry services are a bonus, and the food is excellent.”

  “I’ll bet.”

  “I wouldn’t say no to a week in the woods, though,” Candace offered.

  “I can only imagine.”

  “I’m sorry to wrangle you both away from work and drag you into the abyss,” Candace said.

  “We weren’t doing anything anyway,” Claire commented.

  “So, I’ve heard. Pushing papers lately?”

  “I’m not sure why we’ve been hog-tied,” Alex replied.

  “I would suppose some of it can be attributed to me,” Candace said. “Cassidy’s connection to my campaign and my administration has hindered your standing at The Bureau,” Candace observed.

  “Cassidy’s relationship and the work she does with you have no bearing on what Claire and I do,” Alex said.

  “No, not for you and Claire. It does for the upper echelon at the FBI. I am sorry about that. I know everyone likes to think that The Judicial Branch operates with full independence. It doesn’t. There are appointees. Appointments lead to caution and compromise. That’s reality. Politics permeates everything, even if I wish that were not the case.”

  “That’s a fact,” Claire mumbled. Alex smacked her. “What?” Claire asked.

  Candace chuckled. “Agent Brackett is correct. How would you like your hands untied?”

  Alex held the president’s gaze.

  “What we discussed before I took office—”

  “You want me and Claire to get into the weeds at The Bureau? Find out who is pulling whose strings?”

  “It would be a bonus. I have Joshua working on that.” Candace said. She sighed. “I need your expertise—both of you.”

  Alex nodded. Candace needed more than a pair of ears and eyes—or two at the FBI. She needed what few could provide. And, it had to be someone she could trust. Claire was ready to get back into action. As much as Alex hated to admit it, she was too. “What happened?”

  “What hasn’t happened?” Candace countered. “Alex, there is significant movement across the globe right now that we cannot ignore. For decades, we’ve allowed the public to believe that the threat of fascism is limited to certain corners—distant corners. All the while, we’ve witnessed a move toward genocide, oppression, and persecution in countries we consider allies. Nationalism is on the rise. It’s taken a foothold everywhere. We can’t allow it to evolve into a sprint.”

  “You’re worried about Kapralov,” Alex surmised.

  “I’m worried about a lot of things. Russia is at the top of that long list. They have the means to pull a lot of strings—not the least of which is the world’s purse strings. I need people I trust—completely. At the moment, that list is painfully short.”

  “What you’re asking—Candace, it’s a different world. It’s dark. When I say dark, I mean that it can be pitch-black.”

  “I’m sure.”

  “Look, the intelligence you get from your advisers—that will seem like reading a nursery rhyme when you see what Claire and I deliver. If you’re asking what I think you’re asking, you have to be prepared for what it means,” Alex said.

  “Is anyone prepared for this?” She gestured to their surroundings. “The entire reason for this meeting is preparation. I can’t be ready for what is ahead without reliable information. I don’t want a war, Alex. I also don’t want to watch dictators continue to rise, and democracy pay the price for its hubris. There are things I wish I didn’t know—images I can’t banish from my thoughts at night. I’ve been in this job for two months. I’ve got at least four years lef
t. There are a million things I want to accomplish. None of those things will be achieved if I don’t have facts and assessments of those facts that I can trust. Someone will always attempt to undermine my efforts. It’s not only me that some seek to derail; it’s our way of life, our standing in the world, and our ability to safeguard our allies. I need to know that what I am told is truthful and accurate. I need you.”

  “I told you when you were elected that you could always come to me. I meant it.”

  “Good. Joshua will see that your hands are untied.”

  “How?” Claire asked.

  Tate grinned. “I have my ways, Brackett.”

  Claire pursed her lips. “Tate! Is it me, or did that sound slightly dirty?”

  “Not everyone’s ways are your ways,” Alex commented to her partner. She was relieved when Candace laughed.

  “Joshua has some information to get you started. Whatever you need—let me know. I’ll make sure you have it,” Candace promised.

  “Candace?” Alex called for the president’s attention. “Be careful.”

  Candace understood the warning. The death of President John Merrow had been a bow to the country. It had been personal loss for both her and Alex. “You too.”

  When Candace had left the room, Alex addressed her former boss. “Tate, you do realize what we are about to do?”

  “What we should have kept at all along,” he replied.

  “Does Candace know what she’s about to get into?”

  “She knows,” he said. “That’s why she called.”

  Alex looked at the door Candace had recently exited. “First things first,” she said.

  “What might those things be?” Tate asked.

  “What prompted her call? I know this was a call Candace did not want to make.”

  “No, she didn’t,” Tate replied. “She’s beginning to see what you and I will never be able to forget. She also knows she needs to exercise caution.”

  “Do you suspect someone close to her is working against—”

  “Someone is always working against her agenda, Alex. You know that. We all know that those closest to us can be our greatest liability.”

  “Yeah,” Alex said. She had been betrayed by someone she’d trusted implicitly. So had John Merrow. She counted herself fortunate that she only paid with disillusionment. He had paid with his life. “We need to know everything we can about every person close to the president—yesterday,” Alex said.