Part 5 (1/2)
CHAPTER 8.
STEWART BAXTER rose from the couch, moved to the wingback chair Espinosa was sitting in, and handed the justice a manila envelope.
As Baxter sat back down, Espinosa donned his reading gla.s.ses and removed the single sheet of faded paper from inside.
”In your hands you hold Executive Order 1973 One-E,” Baxter explained. ”That Order established the most clandestine intelligence unit this nation has ever known. It's called Red Cell Seven. It was established by Richard Nixon in 1973, basically to hunt for Russian spies. But it survived the collapse of the Soviet Union.”
”I'm familiar with Red Cell Seven,” Espinosa replied in a soft voice as he gazed down at the doc.u.ment. ”You should know that. Other than the president and his chief of staff, the Supreme Court is the only body inside the federal government that is aware of the cell's existence.”
”Of course I know. I was simply being courteous and reminding you.”
”Well, then-”
”What you don't know is that the cell has gone rogue.”
Espinosa's eyes flickered to Baxter's. ”What do you mean?”
”I can't tell you any more than that.” Baxter gestured at the paper. ”Just read.”
When Espinosa had finished, he glanced up again. ”What do you want from me, Stewart?”
”I want your opinion of that doc.u.ment.”
Espinosa removed his reading gla.s.ses and slipped them back into his s.h.i.+rt pocket. ”First, I have to know if this is actually Richard Nixon's signature at the bottom of the page.”
”It is,” Baxter replied grimly. It was difficult to mask his disappointment. ”I've had that signature studied and a.n.a.lyzed by experts, and it is definitely President Nixon's. They didn't see the doc.u.ment you are holding, of course, but they saw a copy of that signature and confirmed its authenticity.”
Espinosa stared steadily at Baxter for several moments. Then he lifted the doc.u.ment up until it was between him and the bright overhead light. Slowly, he brought the paper closer and closer to his eyes as he kept the bulb behind it, then held it steady for several moments. Finally, he lowered the paper back into his lap.
The justice's fingers were shaking, Baxter noticed. ”Well?”
”The doc.u.ment is authentic,” Espinosa confirmed. ”And absolutely enforceable,” he added. ”All genuine agents of Red Cell Seven are forever and completely immune from prosecution of any kind. The leaders of the cell are required to keep a list of initiated agents, not to exceed three hundred individuals at any one time, who can never be prosecuted. The protocol for their protection is all here,” Espinosa said, tapping the doc.u.ment lying in his lap. ”I'm sure you've read through this.”
”And-”
”And it would be a crime of the highest treason for anyone to ever bring an action against any of those three hundred agents.” It was Espinosa's turn to interrupt Baxter. ”They can steal, kill, or attack anything or anyone, and nothing can be done to them. They cannot be prosecuted for anything from a speeding ticket to being a serial killer. Of course, the a.s.sumption is they won't ever do anything like that for their own personal gain because of who they are and what they stand for. According to the Order, they are to protect and defend the United States 'with every fiber of their being.'” Espinosa glanced down at the paper to make certain he got the words right. ”They are to forfeit their lives for the greater glory of the nation and revel in the knowledge that the general population will never know of or appreciate their ultimate sacrifice.” The justice shook his head in awe. ”They are free to operate”-he hesitated-”even if they have gone rogue. And who knows if they really have? It's a relative term with those people. What may look rogue to you and me may be what, in their opinion, is best for the country. There's nothing anyone can do about them, not without severe consequences, anyway.”
”Why were you looking so hard at the doc.u.ment?” Baxter asked. ”Why did you hold it up to the light the way you did?”
”I wanted to see it better.”
”Don't lie to me, Henry.”
”All I'll say is that this doc.u.ment is airtight, legitimate, and enforceable.” Espinosa stood up, walked the doc.u.ment back to Baxter, and returned to his chair. ”Now, tell me the real reason you asked me to look at it. And why you just threatened my marriage, my family, and my career.”
Baxter shook his head. ”Not yet.”
He wanted Espinosa to swing for a while, especially if the justice wasn't going to be completely forthright even with the obvious danger hanging over his head. The longer Espinosa had to think about the implications of the terrible secret going viral across the Internet, the more likely the justice would be to change his mind and give up any Supreme Court secrets that Baxter and Dorn were unaware of. It was like giving water time to turn a tiny crack in a dam into a torrent that destroyed the dam.
Espinosa pointed at the Order, which now lay in Baxter's lap. ”As far as I know, only two of those doc.u.ments exist.”
”That's right,” Baxter confirmed.
”Both doc.u.ments are supposed to be in the hands of RC7 leaders.h.i.+p.”
”That's right,” Baxter repeated.
”How did you get that one?”
”I guess we'll both keep secrets for now, Justice Espinosa.” Baxter could already see the stress of the secret getting out working its way into every fiber of Espinosa's being. Time was clearly his and Dorn's ally when it came to turning Espinosa into their puppet. ”Now let's talk about why I'm really here. Do you know what I have on you, Henry?”
Espinosa nodded despondently after a few moments. ”I think so. Stewart, I can't have that-”
”Don't worry, Henry. I just want your cooperation. Do you understand?”
”Yes.”
”As long as I have that cooperation, your secret will remain forever safe with me. All right?”
”Yes,” Espinosa whispered.
The time for wielding the stick had pa.s.sed. Now the carrot needed to be dangled. ”Remember, Henry, Chief Justice Bolger isn't getting any younger. And as far as President Dorn is concerned, you are next in line to replace him when he retires. As long as you ultimately cooperate with me at the crucial moment, of course,” Baxter added.
Espinosa shook his head. ”Bolger isn't going to retire anytime-”
”Or he dies,” Baxter cut in.
The two men stared at each other for a long time. Finally, the wall clock above the desk began to chime, breaking the silence.
”WHAT THE h.e.l.l just happened?” Troy demanded as he stalked across the stone porch toward Jack. ”Are you out of your mind?”
Jack was standing in the same spot he'd been standing before following Troy to the barn. He was leaning over the wall and gazing down, trying to find that pebble he'd flicked into the rose garden earlier. But it was too dark.
”I'm sorry,” he muttered as Troy moved beside him. He could feel Troy's rage boiling over as he rose up off the wall and turned to face his younger brother. ”I couldn't do it. Joining Red Cell Seven would go against everything I stand for, Troy. I appreciate the offer, more than I can express. But I can't join a group that tortures and murders people to get information.”
Troy groaned loudly as a shot of chain-blue lightning flashed across the sky. ”I thought you'd finally grown up. But you're the same old Jack, still the same bleeding-heart liberal, aren't you?”
”Torturing innocent people is wrong,” Jack retorted as a loud thunderclap followed the lightning. ”I don't care what your politics are.”
”We only torture people who deserve it. Believe me, they're not innocent.”
”Don't feed me that c.r.a.p, little brother,” Jack snapped. ”Sometimes you guys miss. Don't try to tell me you're perfect.”
”n.o.body bats a thousand, Jack.”