Free The Road to Gandolfo by Robert Ludlum Page B

conglomerates. I mean they not only
want
it, they
need
it. So much so they’ll fake records, build a case—. That ball of wax got out of
control
—–”
    “Now, hold on. What we’re faced with—–”
    “No,
you
hold on, boy! I’m not going to give you a hard time. I’ll make you a better deal than you thought possible.” Hawkins shoved the cigar between his teeth, his eyes alive, his voice thoughtful yet intense. “I’ll do exactly—
say
exactly, whatever you bastards want me to say and do. Word for word, gesture for gesture. I’ll kiss every butt on Son Tai Square, if you want. But
I
want two things. Out ofChina
and
the army—they go together. And one thing more: three days in the G-two files back in D.C. Just my
own
, nobody else’s. What the hell, I wrote
up
the goddamned things! A last look at my contributions, all the guards you want. I’ll be making my final evaluations and additions. Standard procedure for discharging intelligence officers. How about it?”
    Sam hesitated. “I don’t know. That stuff’s classified—–”
    “Not to the officer who filed it! Clandestine Operations, Regulation Seven Seven Five, Statute of Amendments. Actually, he’s
required
to make his final evaluations.”
    “Are you
sure
?”
    “Never more sure of anything in my life, boy.”
    “Well, if it’s standard—–”
    “I just gave you the regulation! It’s military bible, boy!”
    “Then I can’t see any obstacles—–”
    “I want it in writing. In exchange for that letter and tape that certifies me so fatigued I eat lizard shit. In fact,
I’ll
make the ultimatum: D.C. issues me a written order to comply with CO Reg Seven Seven Five upon my return to the States, or I’ll opt for all the silos in Mongolia! I’ve still got a lot of supporters back home. They may be a little squirrelly, but they’re also goddamned noisy.”
    MacKenzie Hawkins chuckled; his cigar was a mangled pulp of itself. It was Sam’s turn to squint.
    “What are you thinking of?”
    “Not a hell of a lot, boy. You just reminded me of something. Everyone
is
his own inventory. The sum of his parts. There may
be
a big goddamned world out there. And a challenge or two.”

Part
II
    The closely held corporation—that is, the company whose investors are few, regardless of capitalization—must have at its financial core men of generous heart and stout courage, who will infuse the structure with their dedication and sense of purpose.
    Shepherd’s Laws of Economics:
    Book CVI, Chapter 38

CHAPTER SEVEN
    The People’s trial went brilliantly for all concerned. MacKenzie Hawkins was the image of converted, reformed hostility; he was a manly pussycat, playing his role to perfection. On his arrival at Travis Air Force Base in California, he emerged from the plane a stoic figure and spoke clearly into the cameras, and at the crowds of press and lunatic fringers; charming the media and defusing the screeching superpatriots.
    He stated simply that there came a time when old soldiers—even youngish old soldiers—should step aside gracefully; times changed and values with them. What was perfidy a decade ago was, perhaps, a proper course of action today. The military man, the military
mind
was not equipped—nor should it be trained—for great international issues. It was enough that the military man, a simple warrior in his nation’s legions—
sic … ibid … in gloria transit
 … MacKenzie Hawkins—adhere to the eternal truths as he saw them.
    It was all very refreshing.
    It was all very heartfelt.
    It was all bullshit.
    And Mac Hawkins was superb.
    It was remarked that the man in the Oval Office watched from deep down in a sunken armchair with his pet 150-pound dog, Python, protectively on his lap. He laughed and clapped his hands over Python’s fur and stamped his feet and giggled and had a wonderful time. His family skipped in and laughed and clapped their hands and giggled and stamped their feet just like daddy. They