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CHAPTER 77

THERE WAS NO ONE LEFT STANDING after the NIC chief found out about an unauthorized operation that had cost hiation of his brief career as the nation’s head spy If Weaver could have issued a hit on Stone, Chapotten aith it, he would have Even Sir James McElroy, who immediately owned up to his part in the fiasco, was not spared

When Stone and Chapman met with him later at the British embassy McElroy looked older and frailer than before The spark that was usually in his eye had receded Chap let the man down Stone’s expression was unfathoer wi

thin him

“No leads on the shooter?” asked McElroy quietly as he held his side tightly

Chapot there the sniper was long gone There’s a road near the location Takes a minute for a car to disappear into a dozen different directions”

“Well, MI6 has been officially taken off the case,” said McElroy He looked at Chapht out Care to ride with me?”

Chap at the wall, obviously lost in thought

“If I could follow you a bit later, sir, just to wrap up a few things here”

McElroy said, “Could you excuse us for a minute, Mary?”

Chapman shot Stone another look and quickly left the room

When the door closed Stone focused on the Brit

“Quite a cock-up,” said McElroy

“Quite”

“I still believe it orth the effort The status quo was letting people die left and right”

“Well, we just added another to that list”

“Now that Turkekul is gone the ht be closed”

Stone sat down across from him “How so?”

“Turkekul was their point man”

“If so, why kill him?”

“You flushed him out”

“How did they know I did?”

McElroy spread his hands “How have these chaps known anything? They just do”

“My commission has been revoked,” said Stone “The president’s loyalties have their limits Not that I can blame him”

“How about our FBI agent?”

“Ashburn? Couple black et so will be relatively soft But it’s still not what she wanted to happen”

“Of course not” McElroy patted Stone on the shoulder “It’s no use sitting around lao according to plan and everyone’s happy And some unfortunately don’t”

“Well, I’m not convinced this mission is over yet”

“It is for us, Oliver I’ve been known to buck the systeht was one of those occasions But I also knohen to toss in the towel Otherwise I wouldn’t have lasted this long”

He rose, holding on to the table for support Stone looked up at him

“Maybe it’s true Even though I was the one who said it, I’m not sure I really believed it”

“What?”

“That I’m not what I once was”

“None of us are, Oliver None of us are”

After McElroy left, Chapman came back in and sat down next to Stone

“I thought it was a good try, and for what it’s worth I’d do it again,” she said “Better than sitting on our hands looking for so”