Sleeper's Run

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Back in Caracas, Ambassador Samuel Robertson is found handcuffed to the fence of the Iranian embassy in Valle Arriba, a few miles away from his own embassy. The media arrive first due to an anonymous tip from the ambassador's phone. An embarrassed Robertson seems shaken, but unharmed. He refuses to make any comments. A few minutes later, an American security detachment comes on the scene and ushers him back to his embassy. They find his abandoned car in the neighboring district of Las Mercedes.

Immediately upon his return, Robertson talks to Vice President Ramos to inform him of Caine's escape. This prompts Ramos to deploy the army in an effort to help the police and the National Guard to maintain peace in the country. Soon thereafter, a military curfew goes into effect. The authorities begin a nationwide manhunt for Eric Caine. Ramos addresses the nation calling for order and cooperation.

For his part, Robertson issues a statement to the media explaining the events that transpired inside the embassy. He offers America's complete cooperation in bringing the fugitive to justice, and explains that because Caine has also committed crimes on what is essentially American soil, the FBI has become involved in the search.

Robertson's statement is followed by a live broadcast from the American President expressing his condolences for the late Venezuelan premier:

"I am outraged about the crimes committed by Eric Caine and I reiterate America's friendship and solidarity with Venezuela in this appalling terrorist attack. Make no mistake, the assassin will be caught."

"He escaped," Blake says inside Singleton's office, while the broadcast replays for the tenth time on local news.

"How in Jesus' wide earth can that possibly be?" says Singleton, sitting in his chair and groaning as a massage cushion rolls on his back. A portable blood pressure monitor is attached to his arm.

"My team intercepted him as he tried to leave the city. They got into a confrontation, but Caine managed to get away after killing one of my men."

"Well, ain't that a crying shame!" Singleton says turning off the massage cushion. "What part of 'we need him alive' don't you understand?"

"My team saw both the opportunity to apprehend him, and later, a chance to blame his death on a nearby riot," Blake says.

"Look at this," Singleton says, checking the blood pressure monitor. "One fifty-nine."

Blake couldn't care less about Singleton's blood pressure; he just lost one of his men and Operation Urgent Freedom has gone terribly wrong.

Singleton opens a drawer and takes out a brand new pack of cigarettes. He looks at the picture on his desk; it's his daughter holding his young granddaughter. Singleton trades the cigarettes for a pair of Chinese meditations balls, with which he fumbles furiously as he leans back. "Fucking Caine," he says. "You sure know how to pick 'em, Nathan. I knew this whole operation was nothing but a big fucking, ulcer-inducing mistake."

"The operation is sound," Blake says. "And we needed Caine's skills to ensure mission success."

"The program calls for unassuming subjects in order to be successful. That's the whole point!" Singleton says. "And you go and handpick some overqualified asshole, who is about to throw a king-sized bucket of shit into the proverbial fan."

"Get a hold of yourself," Blake says. "You know as well as I do that no mission goes as planned."

"Yeah? That little stunt of his with the ambassador just cost us the ability to operate in secrecy," Singleton says. "Now everybody knows Caine is alive, free and that we had him in our possession hours before we announced it."