David Lindsey - The Rules of Silence

“And others would've died, too, ”Burden went on, “just like Luquin promised, because he would've been furious at you for having gone to the FBI and having cost him his damn ransom money. On top of that, he would've gone underground, and it would take us another ten years to get our hands on him again, and all the while he would've gone on devastating God knows how many more lives. ”He paused. “That's what you would've accomplished, Titus.”

The two men looked at each other.

“You do recognize that, Titus? You do understand that, don't you?”

“Let me tell you what I understand, Garcia. I understand that it was because of decisions that I made that Charlie and Carla died. I understand that I can't live with any more of those kinds of deaths. I can't do anything about things that I don't understand. I'm through working off the books. I want this information to go to the FBI. Now. I want Luquin stopped. Now.”

Burden came back over in front of Titus and Rita, addressing them both.

“Get this straight, ”he said, sounding nearly callous now, “Charlie Thrush and Carla Elster were dead from the moment Cayetano Luquin stepped onto your veranda over there two days ago. They were dead, regardless of what you did, and that's just the brutal reality of it. I think I said as much to you, didn't I? In San Miguel. I said, One or two are already as good as dead. I said Luquin would have to do this because he thinks that's the only way you'll really be able to grasp the reality of what's happening to you.”

He paused but didn't move, didn't even blink.

“Luquin travels with violence and misery. He's decided to travel here. Now, you can blame me for that if you want to, but it doesn't make you right. And you can feel guilty about that if you want to, but since you didn't have anything to do with it, it seems a little irrational for you to feel responsible for it. It's just wrong to feel that way, and it doesn't accomplish anything. And, frankly, it smacks of self-indulgence.”

This last remark made Titus furious, but in the same instant he could see it. He hadn't forgotten what he'd learned about Luquin, but neither had he stopped to put his own experience into perspective in light of those other horrible stories.

Burden moved away from Titus again. Though he seemed self-possessed, his few movements were actually his version of nervous pacing. Titus remembered him walking through the pools of light in his study as he tried to put his thoughts together. Now Burden stopped near one of the stone pillars that supported the high ceiling.

“You've got to stop this ambivalence, Titus. There's no time for it. You've got to understand how thin the margin for success is here even if we work closely together. We can't fight each other and win this thing.”

He had hardly finished his last word when Rita spoke up.

“I want to know where we are, ”she said. “If you're so sure that Luquin would've gotten away if we'd gone to the FBI because they're too slow and clumsy, now that you've got all this information that your computer people are processing, why don't you take it to the FBI like Titus says, and make sure that they nail this maniac? And when you say ‘winning this thing,’ what do you mean, exactly?”

Burden's eyes moved between Titus and Rita. His expression was stoic, but he was clearly trying to make a decision. He shifted his weight on his feet, still leaning on the pillar. He looked over at Herrin and Cline, who were doing their best to appear oblivious to what was going on, as if they were deaf.

“Mark, ”Burden said, “could we have some time alone here?”

“Oh, yeah, sure, ”Herrin said, and he and Cline got up and walked out of the guest house without another word.

As soon as they had shut the door behind them, Burden came back over. He sat on the sofa, on the front edge of it, his forearms on his knees, his fingers loosely laced.

“The FBI doesn't want this damn information, ”he said. “They want me to have it. And they don't want to know what I do with it.”

Titus and Rita gaped at Burden, half-afraid of what they were going to hear.

“The only reason I'm going to tell you what you're about to hear is because I've got to have your cooperation, and I don't think you're going to give it to me unless you know. But, hear me on this: There's a price for knowing what I'm getting ready to tell you. You've got to go to your graves with this. If you don't, it won't matter who you are or how righteous you think your claims are, it's not going to go well for you.”

“You ought to be able to give a threat more teeth than that, ”Titus said.

“I can, but that's not a threat. It's a matter of counsel, a cautionary word.”

“I'm not promising a damn thing, ”Titus said.

“I didn't think you would. You're in a hell of a situation, and at this point in the game you deserve as much of an explanation as I can give you. I'm just telling you, the knowledge doesn't come free. There's a price for it. You'll have to make some tough choices about how you use it.”

Burden's soft voice seemed to grow even softer as he spoke. He paused, considering what he was about to say next, and when he began again, Titus found himself leaning forward in his armchair, trying to hear him more clearly.

“There's a list, ”Burden said, “and Luquin's name is on it. It's a short list, and was drawn up by a select committee of ranking members from each of the branches of the U.S. intelligence community. This list is not shared with the intelligence agencies of any other nations, not even our closest allies. The individuals on this list are considered to be serious threats to the U.S.-specifically to the U.S., without regard to any other nation. The executive branch has issued a secret finding ordering a consent to silence, targeting these people for assassination.”

Titus felt Rita stiffen as she sat beside him on the arm of his chair.

“There's another list. A shorter one. These individuals have been sanctioned to carry out the consent to silence. My name is on that list.

“Listen to me carefully: You've been sucked into something here that you can't fathom. It's more complex than you're able to imagine.”

Titus was stunned. “How… how could these men be so much of a threat… you're talking… assassination?”

“Before bin Laden we didn't think it was possible, either, ”Burden said. “These men are known to us. So was bin Laden. These men have connections that cross political, ideological, criminal, and national boundaries. So did bin Laden. It's their ability to synthesize these connections, and to focus them on a target on a scale never seen before, that has earned these individuals a place on the list. If such a thing had been imaginable before bin Laden, his name would've been on the list, too. As it's turned out, he's the one who's made us see the necessity for even having such a list. And for seeking such a resolution.”

“Jesus Christ, ”Titus said. Suddenly everything tilted. His perspective shifted, trying to accommodate another dimension. “These men… on the list, they're… all over the world?”

“That's right. Every speck of intelligence about these men is funneled into the operations office of a… certain task force. And eventually it comes to me, or one of my colleagues. That's the end of it as far as anyone in intelligence is concerned. I'm not, strictly speaking, an intelligence officer. In fact, I'm not anything. Or, more accurately, I'm whatever I need to be to get the job done.”

“Why”-Rita was shaking her head in disbelief-“can't they just deal with these people in a straightforward way, through the legal system? Or the military? Or…”

“Consider this, ”Burden said. “Think of the scale of commitment that's been brought to bear on the pursuit of bin Laden and al-Qaeda, the manpower, military power, intelligence dedication, financial expenditure, legal wrangling, media attention, national preoccupation, time. Multiply that by ten… or more.”