Page 461 of Edge of Eternity (The Century 3)

Florence said: "One of the teams is here in the States right now, on a two-week training course."

"So the whole thing is quite far advanced."

"Right." Florence looked at herself in a black bra. "My Frank is pleased that my bust has changed. He always wanted a wife with big tits. He claims he's going to church to thank God."

Maria laughed. "You have a nice husband. I hope he likes your new bras."

"And what about you? Who will appreciate your underwear?"

"You know me, I'm a career girl."

"Were you always?"

"There was a guy, a long time ago, but he died."

"I'm so sorry."

"Thank you."

"And no one else since?"

She hardly hesitated. "One near miss. You know, I like men, and I like sex, but I'm not prepared to give up my whole life and become an appendage to some guy. Your Frank obviously understands that, but not many men do."

Florence nodded. "Honey, you got that right."

Maria frowned. "What do you want me to do about these murder squads?" The thought occurred to her that Florence was a secret agent, after all, and she might have found out, or guessed, that Maria had leaked stories to Jasper Murray. Did she want Maria to leak this one?

But Florence said: "I don't want you to do anything, right now. The plan is still a stupid idea that may be nipped in the bud. I just want to be sure that someone outside the intelligence community knows about it. If the shit hits the fan, and Reagan starts lying about murder the way Nixon lied about burglary, at least you will know the truth."

"Meanwhile, we just pray that it never happens."

"Amen."

*

"We've selected our first target," said Tim Tedder to Cam. "We're going for the big guy."

"Fadlallah?"

"Himself."

Cam nodded. Muhammad Hussein Fadlallah was a leading Muslim scholar and a grand ayatollah. In his sermons he called for armed resistance to the Israeli occupation of Lebanon. Hezbollah said he was their inspiration, no more, but the CIA was convinced he was the mastermind behind the kidnapping campaign. Cam would be glad to see him dead.

Cam and Tim were sitting in Cam's office at Langley. On his desk was a framed photograph of himself with President Nixon, deep in conversation. Langley was one of the few places where a man could still be proud of having worked for Nixon. "Is Fadlallah planning more kidnappings?" Cam asked.

Tim said: "Is

the Pope planning more baptisms?"

"What about the team? Are they trustworthy? Are they under control?" Florence Geary's objections had been overruled, but her misgivings had not been stupid, and Cam was now remembering what she had said.

Tim sighed. "Cam, if they were trustworthy, responsible people who respected legitimate authority, they wouldn't be available for hire as paid assassins. They are as reliable as such people ever are. And we have them more or less under control, for now."

"Well, at least we're not financing them. I got the money from the Saudis--three million dollars."

Tim raised his eyebrows. "That was well done."

"Thanks."

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