Stephen Coonts: Arctic Gold

“Classified,” Rubens said pointedly. “ Highly classified. The submarine battle with the Russians never happened. The loss of their experimental drilling facility and two of their research ships is a tragic accident… an accident which also destroyed one of our NOAA research weather stations, by the way.”

“Someone already had me sign a paper,” Kathy said.

Rubens nodded. “We don’t want people to know we were in a pissing match with the Russians; they don’t want people to know they might have triggered the outgassing with their drilling.”

“And the Mafiya?” Dean asked.

“Stopped cold,” Rubens said, “at least for the moment. Golytsin’s interrogation suggests that the Tambov group was using both honey-trap tactics and the promise of billions of dollars of new income to pull key members of the Russian Federation Duma into line. Some of those politicians are having second thoughts about the whole thing now. Kotenko had promised that all of the world environmentalist concerns would be crippled when Greenworld was revealed as a terrorist organization, but the reports of the gas explosion in the Arctic have kind of driven Greenworld to the back page all over the world. And we now have Kotenko’s computer under constant electronic surveillance. We think we may be able to put pressure on some of those Duma members and strengthen the campaign against the Mafiya. At least that’s our hope.”

“Sounds like it’s not over, though.”

“No. In some ways, the Organizatsiya is a more deadly enemy than al-Qaeda. They don’t go around blowing up skyscrapers… but they don’t mind selling nukes to al-Qaeda or anyone else who wants one. Anything for a buck, or even just a ruble.” He looked around. “Well, I’ve got to get back to the Puzzle Palace. You two enjoy your vacation. There’s going to be a lot for you to do when you get back.”

He left, leaving Kathy at Dean’s bedside.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” he said.

She grinned. “Same for you… Double-oh Seven.”

He made a face. “Listen, I should tell you before the teasing goes any further… I am in a relationship right now.” Lia, the last he’d heard, was now back at Menwith Hill with the new kid, Ilya Akulinin. But they both would be back in Maryland soon.

“So?” She shrugged. “Doesn’t mean I can’t tease you. Or even see you once in a while, right?”

“No,” he replied. “No, it doesn’t.”

“Mr. Rubens said he wanted to bring me into Desk Three, that you could show me the ropes and everything. He seems to think we’ll be dealing with the Russians again soon.”

“Of that,” Charlie Dean said, “I have no doubt whatsoever.”

He had a feeling that, for Desk Three and the National Security Agency, at least, the new Cold War was not yet over.