"Not at all, Buddy," Ben said. "I'm just coming along in case Mike Post and Cecil Jeffreys aren't able to convince the Emir of Kuwait to let us stage our operations from his country. And Bart here is going to ride with us to meet his troops when they arrive instead of flying all the way back to England first."

"But I a.s.sumed if we didn't have permission from the Emir by the time we got there, we'd just turn around and head back," Buddy said.

Ben shook his head. "That's not going to happen. This operation is much too important to let the stubbornness of one man decide the fate of the entire world."

"You mean, if he denies us permission to land, we'll do it anyway?"

Buddy asked.

97.97."d.a.m.n straight!" Ben said. "That's why I'm here. If we do have to land against the Emir's wishes, I'll take the heat for the decision, not you."

"You are aware that could lead to a war between Kuwait and the SUSA, aren't you?" Bart asked.

Ben shrugged. "I'm hoping it won't come to that. Cecil Jeffreys can be awfully persuasive when he needs to be. I'm sure we'll get the permission we need," Ben said. After a moment, he added, "And if we don't, to h.e.l.l with all of them--we'll land anyway. It won't be the first time we've pulled Kuwait's fat out of the fire, will it?"

Three hours later, in the skies over the Atlantic Ocean, Ben was called to the pilot's compartment for a radio message.

"Who is it?" he asked the pilot as the man handed him a headset to wear.

"He says he's Jean Francois Chapelle from the U.N.," the pilot replied.

"h.e.l.lo, Jean," Ben said into the mouth microphone. "Any news yet?"

"Plenty, I'm afraid," Chapelle replied. "I have just gotten off the phone with Abdullah El Farrar."

"What did the son of a b.i.t.c.h have to say?"

"He said he plans to airlift in some support troops to his positions in the oil fields of the various countries, and that if we try to interfere or shoot them down, he will explode the plutonium and contaminate the oil supply."

"He's bluffing," Ben said. "The plutonium is the b.a.s.t.a.r.d's only trump card. He won't dare play it so soon, at least not until he's told us what his demands are.""We can't take that chance, Ben. I want you and your troops to stand down," Chapelle said.

98."No," was Ben's short reply.

"What did you say?" Chapelle asked, as if he couldn't believe anyone would disobey his orders.

"I said no, Jean."

"You mean you are going to go against the orders of the United Nations?"

"Jean, the last time I looked, the SUSA was a sovereign country. We don't take orders from the U.N. or anyone else when our security is at stake."

"But Ben, you can't mean to risk the entire world's oil supply without the U.N.'s involvement."

"I'm not putting the oil supply at risk, Jean. You and your cowardly U.N. representatives are. Any time you give in to a despot's blackmail or threats, you weaken your organization. I would think you would have learned that from the debacles of three world wars, not to mention some minor conflicts like Vietnam, Bosnia, Haiti, the Gulf War, and Operation Enduring Freedom back at the turn of the century."

"Those were different circ.u.mstances, Ben," Chapelle argued, his voice short and clipped with anger.

"Bulls.h.i.t, Jean. The U.N. was useless as teats on a boar hog in all of those wars, and this one will be no different if the world has to depend on you guys to solve it. You'll sit and talk and finally decide to give in to this terrorist, and then we'll all be under his thumb due to your inability to stand up to him."

"But we don't even know what his demands are yet," Chapelle said.

"It doesn't matter, Jean. The SUSA has never given in to blackmail and we never will. If that means we do without oil, then we'll find some other way, but at least we will be free, and that is what the SUSA is all about."

"Then you won't reconsider?"

99.99."No. And you can tell this El Farrar that I'm coming for him. And this time, he'd better bend over and grab his ankles and kiss his a.s.s good-bye. I won't let him run away and hide this time, 'cause I intend to give him the martyrdom he has ordered for so many of his followers in the past."

"I will tell him that, Ben, and I will also tell him you are acting as your own agent, outside of the authority of the United Nations.""You do that, Jean. After all, it's way too late for you and the U.N. to grow some cojones. Adios," Ben said, and clicked the radio off.

The pilot and copilot glanced at each other, and the pilot whistled under his breath. "G.o.dd.a.m.n, that's tellin' him, Ben."

Ben grinned and handed the headset back, trying to stifle a yawn. "I'm gonna get some shut-eye. Wake me up when we're approaching Kuwait, gentlemen."

After Ben left the c.o.c.kpit, the pilot shook his head. "Jesus, the man tells the head of the U.N. to kiss his a.s.s and then goes calmly back to take a nap."

The copilot laughed. "That's Ben Raines, all right!"

Jean-Francois Chapelle clicked off the microphone, and turned to see his secretary staring at him open-mouthed. "Sir, what are you going to do about General Raines's blatant disregard of your authority?" the man asked.

Chapelle smiled and shook his head. "Oh, Henri, when will you ever learn the delicacies of diplomacy?" he asked.

"What do you mean, Monsieur Chapelle?" Henri asked, a puzzled expression on his face.

100.Chapelle took an unfiltered French cigarette from a box on his desk and lit it with a gold-plated lighter. As he let the pungent smoke trail from his nostrils, he smiled. "General Raines reacted to my news just as I knew he would-in fact, just as I hoped he would."

"You mean you intended for him to carry on with his plan to attack El Farrar?"

Chapelle spread his hands. "Of course, my dear boy, of course."

"But why?"

"So that now I can call this El Farrar and tell him that the entire world is doing as he asks, all, that is, except General Raines from the SUSA. I will explain that I tried my best to get him to agree to El Farrar's demands, but he went against my orders and is carrying on his own private war-against the express orders of the U.N.."

Henri c.o.c.ked his head, clearly still not understanding Chapelle's point.

"Come on, Henri. Don't you see the beauty of what I've done? On the surface, the U.N. is acceding to El Farrar's demands, so he has no legitimate reason to detonate his plutonium bombs, while at the same time I've set loose a very determined dog to bite at his heels and take his mind off what we at the U.N. are really doing."

"So, you've set General Raines up as the bad guy?" Henri asked.

"Yes. And the beauty of it is that El Farrar cannot do anything about it. He can't blame us at the U.N. for what this rogue general is doing against our wishes.""But Monsieur," Henri protested, "aren't you setting General Raines and his troops up?"

Chapelle grinned. "You obviously don't know General Raines, Henri. It is my belief that Raines will succeed 101.

101.

where the might of the rest of the world would fail, and that is why I set him up, as you call it."

"But what if he fails?" Henri asked.

"Then I am afraid the world is doomed, Henri, doomed."

Henri sighed. "Perhaps the question will be moot. Perhaps Kuwait will not allow Raines and his troops to land."

Chapelle smiled enigmatically. "Oh, but that has already been taken care of, Henri. I called the Emir and told him in no uncertain terms that he is to cooperate with the general and to give him anything he needs, or the U.N. would withdraw all of its troops that are guarding his oil fields."

"So you really are playing both ends against the middle," Henri said admiringly.

"Of course," Chapelle said, leaning back in his chair and blowing a plume of smoke at the ceiling. "After all, I am a diplomat."

102.

"Henri," Jean Chapelle said, "please get Mr. El Farrar on the phone. I might as well give him the 'bad' news about Ben Raines and his refusal to abide by my request to stand his forces down."

"Yes, sir," Henri said as he consulted his Rolodex and dialed an international phone number. After a few moments, he handed the phone to Chapelle, who immediately punched the b.u.t.ton on his speaker so Henri could hear both sides of the conversation.

"Mr. El Farrar, this is Jean-Francois Chapelle from the United Nations calling."

"h.e.l.lo, Mr. Chapelle," El Farrar said. "I hope you have good news for me."

"Well, the news is mixed, I'm afraid."

"Mixed?" El Farrar asked, his voice losing some of its cordiality.

"Yes. The good news is that I have persuaded the General a.s.sembly to do as you've asked. U.N. forces will not interdict or otherwise try to stop you from bringing in additional troops to the oil fields while we are in negotiation about your demands."

There was a pause, and then El Farrar asked, "And the bad news?"

"Every one of the nations involved has agreed to your103 103.

request except Ben Raines from the Southern United States of America."

"What do you mean by that?"

"General Raines has informed me that as a sovereign nation, the SUSA will proceed on its own course without regard for any agreement between the U.N. and your forces."

El Farrar's voice became strident. "How can that be?" he almost shouted.

"Is he aware of my threat to contaminate the world's oil supply should he disobey my orders?"

Chapelle grinned at Henri, but he kept his voice calm and professional.

"Yes, he is, and he doesn't seem to be too concerned about it, Mr. El Farrar. In fact, he told me to give you a message."

"What message?"

"He said, and I quote, 'Tell El Farrar to grab his ankles and kiss his a.s.s good-bye, because I am coming after him.' "

"What?" El Farrar yelled.

"I am only the messenger, sir," Chapelle replied calmly. "I do, however, want you to know that General Raines is acting outside of the power of the United Nations to stop him."

"Chapelle, you listen to me," El Farrar said gruffly. "If Raines or anyone else attacks any of my troops, I will blow up the oil fields!"

Now Chapelle paused for a moment, and then his voice became firm. "I am sorry to hear you say that, Mr. El Farrar. For if that is your response, I have no alternative but to join the U.N. forces with General Raines in an attack on your positions immediately."

"But. . . but you said you would agree to my terms," El Farrar said, his voice less strident now.

"That is true, Mr. El Farrar, but only if you promise 104.

to refrain from any destruction of the oil fields. Since you now say that destruction is inevitable, there is no incentive for the U.N. not to press its attack."

For a full minute there were only faint sounds of static on the overseas line as El Farrar considered this ultimatum. Finally, in a more reasonable voice, he continued. "I guess it would not be fair to punish the entire world for the actions of one rogue general," he said. "All right, Chapelle, if the U.N. stays out of the fight, I will not destroy the oil fields on the basis of what General Raines does."

"That is very reasonable of you, sir," Chapelle said in an even voice, though his eyes glittered with amus.e.m.e.nt at El Farrar's capitulation to his threats. "As long as you keep your word and leave the oil fieldsintact, we can continue our negotiations with you. What happens between General Raines and your forces will be no concern of ours. Agreed?"

Both Henri and Chapelle could hear El Farrar's heavy sigh over the phone. "Yes."

"Then I suggest you make a formal list of your demands and cable them to me at U.N. headquarters as soon as possible so that they can be presented to the General a.s.sembly."

"You will have them within forty-eight hours," El Farrar said.

"Good. Then I bid you adieu until we talk again," Chapelle said, giving Henri a silent thumbs-up sign.

"Good-bye Mr. Chapelle," El Farrar said, a loud snap as he slammed his phone down evident over the speaker.

Henri looked at Chapelle with approving eyes. "A masterful piece of diplomacy, monsieur," he said.

Chapelle put his hands behind his head and leaned back in his desk chair, smiling at the ceiling. "Yes, it was, 105.

wasn't it." Now, we have bought us some time and given Raines a chance to do our dirty work for us with little risk to the oil fields."

"Do you think he can possibly succeed?" Henri asked.

Chapelle shrugged. "If anyone on this earth can root out this fanatic El Farrar, Ben Raines can. And if he fails, then we will be no worse off than we are now. It is what the Americans call a win-win situation."

The pilot of the C-130 carrying the SUSA troops pulled the lever to disconnect the refueling line from the tanker after the air refueling was finished. "Better wake up General Raines," he told the copilot.

"We're about an hour out of Kuwait airs.p.a.ce."

Minutes later, Ben Raines appeared in the c.o.c.kpit. "Could you connect me with Mike Post back at our base?" he asked the pilot.

"Sure." The pilot fiddled with radio frequency k.n.o.bs for a moment, spoke into his headset, and then handed it to Ben. "Mike Post is on the line,"

he said.

"Yo, Mike," Ben said. "Any word from the Emir of Kuwait yet on our request to stage our attacks from his country?"

"Yeah, Ben. It was the strangest thing. When I first called and asked for permission, he was emphatic in his denial. In fact, he said if you tried to land troops or materiel in his country, he would have the planes shot out of the air."