Pursuit of Honor

“Sha

Off to his left he saw something in the shadows shift. He glanced over and saw Sha

CHAPTER 75

LAKE ANNA, VIRGINIA

THE Bell 430 helicopter floated down out of the night sky. Its front spotlight lit up the grassy field north of the house. In the shadows, just beyond the light, Stan Hurley waited at the edge of the field along with Rapp and a slightly groggy Mike Nash. Dr. Lewis was in the house keeping an eye on Sha

Rapp turned his back to the rotor wash, while Hurley and Nash simply closed their eyes and lowered the heads. The CIA helicopter set down softly on its three wheels and its rotors began to slow. The portside door opened and Scott Coleman jumped to the ground. He held Jack Nash under the arms and pulled him from the chopper and set him on the ground. Rory followed on his own, jumping from the chopper and landing on both feet. He and Jack saw their dad and broke into a sprint. Maggie was next. Charlie was in her arms wrapped in a blanket and somehow still asleep. Coleman helped her step down and finally Ke

Rapp and Hurley stood by smiling as Nash hugged Rory and Jack. Maggie joined the group and buried her head in her husband’s chest. Nash wrapped his left arm around his wife’s back and placed his right hand on Charlie’s head. They stood there for a long moment and said nothing.

Finally Maggie wiped tears from her eyes and asked, “Where’s Sha

“She’s in the house with Doc,” Nash said. “She’s fine. Minor concussion and a few scratches, but other than that Doc says she’s in good shape.”

“I want to see her.” Maggie turned and saw Hurley. She stepped toward him and gave him a peck on the cheek. “Thanks for taking care of us, Stan. I had to get out of that house.”

The media had descended on the Nash house. The normally quiet suburban street looked more like a carnival midway, all lit up with news vans, reporters, and cameramen trying to get a piece of the story. When Ke

Maggie finally noticed Rapp. She stepped toward him. There was a quizzical look on her face, and for a moment Rapp thought she might slap him. He was prepared to take it. He felt like crap for endangering her family.

Maggie reached up and wrapped her arm around Rapp’s neck, pulling him in for a big hug. “Thank you. Irene told me what you did.”

Rapp kissed the top of her head. “I’m sorry I put your family in danger.”

She shook her head bravely and wiped more tears from her eyes. “That’s nonsense. You’ve given me my husband back. That man tried to take him from me and you stopped him.”

“But . . .”

“But nothing,” she said. “If you hadn’t intervened, he’d be dead right now, and probably Sha

The family shuffled off toward the house. They wanted to be with Sha

The three men nodded, not knowing what to say.

Ke

Rapp shrugged his shoulders. “Let ’em take all the credit. Nobody needs to know it was us.”

“There were a number of witnesses who saw you and Mike. The rumors are flying fast and furious. Art Harris called and said the FBI press office is swamped with calls from reporters wanting to confirm or deny that the two men involved in the takedown were CIA counter-terrorism operatives.”

“I don’t understand the problem,” Rapp said. “The military does this all the time. Delta runs an op and they give the credit to the Rangers or some other outfit.”

“That’s a little different,” Ke

“All they have is footage of two men in black hoods and tactical vests. FBI, D.C. Park Police . . . I don’t care who gets the credit.”

“I think we’ll be able to work something out.”

“You can’t do anything about the rumors,” Hurley a

Ke

Ke

Rapp turned back toward the house and said, “Stan, I think I need a drink.”

“I like the sound of that.”

They started walking back toward the house. “Scott, what’s your poison?”

“Just a beer, Stan.”

“Mitch?”

“Whiskey and beer, please.”

“Cigars?”

“Why not,” Rapp said.

Coleman went with Hurley to help and Rapp headed down to the fire by the lake. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky and stars were out. Rapp looked up, found the Big Dipper and the North Star and then Orion, the hunter. Coleman and Hurley returned and they all grabbed a chair. Hurley wanted the full debriefing and Rapp gave it to him in an emotionless voice. Hurley only had a few questions, most of them to do with Max Johnson and Hakim al Harbi.

Coleman argued vehemently that Johnson be not only spared but brought on board as a member of the unit. Rapp and Hurley weren’t so sure about the second part, but they were in agreement that he’d done enough to earn a stay of execution and more than likely an outright pardon. Hakim al Harbi was more complicated. Rapp told Hurley outright that he had no stomach for killing the guy. Coleman had no opinion on the matter.

Hurley looked into the fire and took a sip of his drink. “I need to talk to Doc about him. We need to find out what makes him tick. And we need to catalog his sins. Figure out just what role he played in all this.”

They heard the screen door slam, and a short while later Nash came out of the shadows with more beers. He passed them around and took a chair.

“How’s Sha

Nash stared blankly into the fire. “I’m not sure. She just fell asleep, but I think Doc slipped her some pills.”

“She’ll be fine,” Hurley a

Nash shook his head. “Who knows. I gotta think something like this can really fuck a kid up.”

Rapp, Coleman, and Hurley all looked at each other. Hurley spoke for the group. “Kids are resilient. We’re the ones who don’t do too well with this shit.”