Danger Close by James Sumner (classic novels for teens txt) 📕

number of men with him that Jericho and the friendly Palugan soldiers have inside the palace. He says he has evidence that GlobaTech was responsible for the assassination, and we’re to surrender to his men or be killed. He also says GlobaTech was acting on orders from our government, and he intends to retaliate against the U.S. once he’s taken the palace. The general’s men are armed with state-of-the-art tech that Jericho says looks better than anything we’ve got. He says it’s made by Tristar, which I didn’t think was possible. The general gave them one hour to surrender, or he’s storming the damn gates. That was about twenty minutes ago.”

Buchanan had stopped pacing. He stood staring at the floor, dumbstruck by the plethora of revelations Julie had just delivered.

“Okay,” he said finally. “I’m gonna need a minute here.”

“Boss, that’s the one thing we don’t have…”

“I literally just got done explaining to this sideshow they’re more worried about bad press and assigning blame than they are about finding out what happened, and now this. I hope they don’t check the news during recess.”

“Wouldn’t matter if they did,” said Julie. “This isn’t on the news.”

“What?”

“Not a single word of any of this is being reported anywhere, Moses.”

“That’s impossible. You’re saying a rogue general has taken over his own country three days after their president was killed on international television, and no one’s saying anything about it?”

“It would seem so,” she said wearily. “Boss, what can we do?”

Buchanan looked over his shoulder at the makeshift committee. They were all sitting there, muttering among themselves, occasionally casting a cursory glance in his direction.

“Stay on the line,” he said as he walked back to his desk. He held the phone against his chest as he clipped the mic back to the lapel of his suit jacket. He addressed the bench. “Someone check the news.”

“Excuse me?” asked Stackhouse.

Buchanan rolled his eyes. “One of you get on your phone and check the goddamn news, now! Is there anything breaking about Paluga?”

No one moved.

Buchanan threw his head back, sighing exasperatedly at the high ceiling. “For the love of God… Will somebody just—”

“I’m checking now,” said Secretary Phillips finally. Buchanan watched her impatiently as she scrolled up and down the screen of her phone. After a minute, she looked up at him. “There’s no breaking news coming out of Paluga. No mention of… well, anything.”

Buchanan moved the phone to his ear. “How long has Jericho got?”

“About thirty minutes,” said Julie.

“I’m going to call him in five. I want you and Collins to head back to Santa Clarita and wait for me there.”

He hung up and looked at the bench, who were all staring at him, bewildered. He took a deep breath.

“Ladies and gentlemen, there is an escalating crisis in Paluga that, as we speak, is endangering the lives of every operative of mine still in the country. My men are currently under orders not to intervene, as per the U.N.’s decree. However, the situation has gotten worse, and it’s my belief that if we don’t act now, we could see hundreds dead within the hour.”

Looks of concern and skepticism were exchanged among the committee members. It was Secretary Phillips who was first to speak.

“Moses, what’s going on here?” she asked.

“Madam Secretary, I’m afraid I don’t have time to fully explain. I’m going to have to ask that you trust me. Whatever this is, whatever decisions you feel you need to make about GlobaTech’s future, you have my word I will cooperate. But right now, this needs to be put on hold before we’re all faced with an international crisis that—”

Rutherford held his hand up. His eyes narrowed. “Mr. Buchanan, you’re not making any sense. Secretary Phillips just confirmed there’s nothing in the press to corroborate anything you’re saying. We have… what? The word of one of your operatives? I think I would be forgiven for assuming this was a tactic designed to stall these hearings simply because you don’t agree with them.”

Buchanan took a few steps toward the bench. He gripped the phone tightly in his hand until his knuckles ached. “No, sir, I don’t think you would be forgiven. There are men’s lives at stake here. My men! The general of the Palugan army has assumed leadership, and the entire country is currently locked down under martial law. The last bastion of President Herrera’s legacy stands in the palace with one of my best men, a single squad of operatives, and what’s left of the small part of the local military we can trust.”

Secretary Phillips sighed heavily. “Moses, there is nothing to support your claim—which, frankly, is outlandish at best. The military was cooperating with GlobaTech up until three days ago. There’s no way a percentage of an already small army could secure an entire country by force in that time. If what you say about the general is correct—and that’s a big if—it would surely take weeks of planning. We would’ve known. You would’ve known when you were hired by Herrera. You must see how this looks for GlobaTech?”

Buchanan fought to remain calm. Frustration was consuming him. He felt like he was running on the spot, working hard to achieve nothing.

“Madam Secretary, please. If I can—”

Stackhouse slammed a gavel down on the desk in front of him. “I’m sorry, Mr. Buchanan, but we’ve heard enough of this. I’m moving to begin formal hearings to investigate GlobaTech Industries for violating anti-trust and anti-monopoly laws. All GlobaTech assets and accounts will be frozen with immediate effect. You are to order all your operatives to return to your headquarters. You will not be allowed to conduct any further security work until a decision is made about the future of your company. This meeting is adjourned until the day after tomorrow, when the first public hearing will commence. I’m sorry, Mr. Buchanan. I’m afraid you might now find yourself in the headlines you’re seemingly so desperate to read.”

Buchanan returned to his chair and sat down with a heavy sigh, slouching