Free Kill Zone: A Sniper Novel by Jack Coughlin, Donald A. Davis

be needed to protect American shores and borders and cities and towns when martial law was imposed. To fill the vacuum abroad, Gates Global would be given the grateful appreciation of the nation to fight Washington’s foreign battles. After a few years, the door would open wider for stateside operations as well. Martial law would morph into a new, firmer way of running the country under a banner of national security.
    It was time to implement Operation Premier while Senator Reed had the legislative clout and Buchanan could deliver the executive branch.
    “So, Ruth Hazel, now that Senator Miller is out of the way, where does it leave our privatization bill?” Gates brought those harsh eyes to her.
    “I will bring the American Defense Act before the subcommittee next week and fast-track it through the full committee, both in closed sessions. When Operation Premier creates a significant domestic terrorist strike just before the vote, the House of Representatives will respond with a similar bill and a conference committee will rubber-stamp it. It will be political suicide for any of them to oppose defending America while the blood of innocents is in the streets. Gerald should see the bill come down to the White House in no more than thirty days.”
    Buchanan nodded. “I will brief the President and endorse the act. That crap in the Middle East has tortured him enough, the media is always bitching about it, and he’s anxious to get out of there. There are a lot of fronts in the war on terror, and something decisive hitting in the American heartland will give him the political cover to readjust his sights and bring our troops home.”
    “You’re sure that he will sign the privatization bill?”
    “Absolutely.” Buchanan lifted his own eyes and looked at his comrade’s. “If we wrap up the one remaining loose end.”
    Gates laughed out loud. “You mean with General Middleton?”
    “Middleton cannot be allowed to testify before my committee!” Senator Reed said firmly, putting down her glass and crossing her arms. “He’s only a one-star, but he is influential as hell with his books and lectures about the value of a professional military that answers to elected civilian officials. Together, he and Miller would have stopped us cold. They were planning a public relations offensive on this, including getting television networks to cover the hearings. Open hearings!”
    “Which is exactly why they are not in Washington today,” said Gates. “We have gotten rid of Miller with the heart attack, and the general has been kidnapped and will not survive the adventure. Neither can be traced to us.”
    Buchanan shuffled a toe of his tasseled loafer into the thick carpet. “I have been riding the Pentagon and the intel services hard. When your people reveal the location, the Marines will launch a rescue operation, just as you predicted, Gordon. I will let them do it, of course, reporting the plans directly to me.”
    Gates nodded. “The Sharks and some of the Rebel Sheikh’s militia boys will be ready when Force Recon guys arrive in Syria. Cameras will record the destruction of most of the assault force, but a few Marines will be allowed to fight their way into the house where Middleton is being held.”
    “And they will all be killed together in the shootout, on video,” Reed said. “Another military debacle.”
    Gordon Gates smiled. “I want to add one last piece to the scenario, Gerald. Just imagine that in the middle of the shootout, a U.S. Marine is actually shown to be the one who kills General Middleton.”
    “How could we possibly arrange that?”
    “Simple. You, my friend, take one of the best snipers on the CIA roster and order it done. Remove him from the chain of command. When the rescue fails, the sniper is to make certain that the general’s vast knowledge of homeland security information does not fall into enemy hands.”
    “How does he survive that initial ambush?” Buchanan scratched his ear.
    Gates