Herald knows there’s a high-ranking Russian mole in the Agency; you’re told to back down because of an Agency operation called Project Ferryman. Ergo . . .”
“Ergo there’s a link between them all, and as a result I’m fucked, the Agency’s fucked, and”—Will smiled—“you came very close to a fate worse than being fucked.”
Ellie laughed. “I sure did.” Her expression changed. “I could take this to the FBI.”
“You could.”
“But Sheridan told me our countries’ leaders personally authorized your incarceration for breaching protocols. That means . . .”
“They’ve bought into the significance of Ferryman and you could be in danger of compromising Western security if you go to the feds and try to blow this open.”
Ellie walked to Herald, crouched beside his dead body, placed his hand in hers, and whispered, “Thanks for the coat.” She looked at Will. “Herald could be a pain in the ass, always waffling on about crap, loving the sound of his voice. But I liked him. He gave me invaluable insight into Russian secrets. And he put his life on the line for me.”
“As you did for him.”
“Yeah, as we all do. And on and on it goes until we all fall down.” She gently rested Herald’s hand on his chest, stood, and asked, “What are you going to do?”
“I’m not sure I should tell you.”
Ellie shrugged. “Why not? We’ve done the foreplay, moved to second base, might as well go the whole distance.”
Will faced west toward the mountains. “I’m going to try to get to the States and find out what Ferryman is.”
Ellie moved to his side. “You think you can make it that far? European agencies will be put on your trail.”
“I’ve got to try.”
“Even if you make it to the States, they’ll shoot you before you get anywhere near Langley and the answers.”
“What other choice do I have?”
“Two choices. Either give yourself up and I’ll support your actions. Or disappear, get a new identity, and forget all about Ferryman.”
“Is that what you’d do if you were in my situation? Surrender or vanish?”
Ellie followed his gaze toward the mountains. “Surrender? No. But vanishing’s something I excel at.”
“And you’d do it now if you were in my shoes?”
“I . . .” She turned to face him. “Look, I don’t know what I’d do.” She smiled. “But I do know that there’s no more 007 days for you, Mr. Bond. You’ve just had your license to kill revoked. No chance of you getting access to Project Ferryman.”
“I could track Sheridan down and make him talk.”
“Tough-guy stuff? You could end up being put in jail for laying a hand on such a high-ranking U.S. official.”
“True. It’s also unworkable. For the same reason you can’t go to the feds, I can’t confront Sheridan until I know the details of Project Ferryman. It seems Ferryman’s of vital importance to our countries. I can’t just blunder into the States to get answers. I could compromise something that’s beyond our comprehension.”
“Beyond my life, judging by what happened today.”
“Exactly,” Will said. “Sorry, that was insensitive. I—”
“Stop.” Ellie fixed another cigarette in her mouth, lit it, and winked at him in the same way she’d done before. “You want to be insensitive, then start patronizing me.”
“Fair point.”
Ellie nodded. “There. Fourth base achieved—first lovers’ tiff.” She exhaled smoke and said in a measured and cold tone, “There is another potential option open to you.”
“I know.”
“You’d considered it already?”
“I’d considered it, and rejected it.”
“Why?”
“Because, like you, I don’t put my faith in other people.”
Given that Ellie had been internally wrestling with her lack of faith in others only moments before, it made her uneasy that Will had the very same thoughts. With her back to him, she walked a few paces closer to the mountains and thrust her hands into Herald’s coat
“Ergo there’s a link between them all, and as a result I’m fucked, the Agency’s fucked, and”—Will smiled—“you came very close to a fate worse than being fucked.”
Ellie laughed. “I sure did.” Her expression changed. “I could take this to the FBI.”
“You could.”
“But Sheridan told me our countries’ leaders personally authorized your incarceration for breaching protocols. That means . . .”
“They’ve bought into the significance of Ferryman and you could be in danger of compromising Western security if you go to the feds and try to blow this open.”
Ellie walked to Herald, crouched beside his dead body, placed his hand in hers, and whispered, “Thanks for the coat.” She looked at Will. “Herald could be a pain in the ass, always waffling on about crap, loving the sound of his voice. But I liked him. He gave me invaluable insight into Russian secrets. And he put his life on the line for me.”
“As you did for him.”
“Yeah, as we all do. And on and on it goes until we all fall down.” She gently rested Herald’s hand on his chest, stood, and asked, “What are you going to do?”
“I’m not sure I should tell you.”
Ellie shrugged. “Why not? We’ve done the foreplay, moved to second base, might as well go the whole distance.”
Will faced west toward the mountains. “I’m going to try to get to the States and find out what Ferryman is.”
Ellie moved to his side. “You think you can make it that far? European agencies will be put on your trail.”
“I’ve got to try.”
“Even if you make it to the States, they’ll shoot you before you get anywhere near Langley and the answers.”
“What other choice do I have?”
“Two choices. Either give yourself up and I’ll support your actions. Or disappear, get a new identity, and forget all about Ferryman.”
“Is that what you’d do if you were in my situation? Surrender or vanish?”
Ellie followed his gaze toward the mountains. “Surrender? No. But vanishing’s something I excel at.”
“And you’d do it now if you were in my shoes?”
“I . . .” She turned to face him. “Look, I don’t know what I’d do.” She smiled. “But I do know that there’s no more 007 days for you, Mr. Bond. You’ve just had your license to kill revoked. No chance of you getting access to Project Ferryman.”
“I could track Sheridan down and make him talk.”
“Tough-guy stuff? You could end up being put in jail for laying a hand on such a high-ranking U.S. official.”
“True. It’s also unworkable. For the same reason you can’t go to the feds, I can’t confront Sheridan until I know the details of Project Ferryman. It seems Ferryman’s of vital importance to our countries. I can’t just blunder into the States to get answers. I could compromise something that’s beyond our comprehension.”
“Beyond my life, judging by what happened today.”
“Exactly,” Will said. “Sorry, that was insensitive. I—”
“Stop.” Ellie fixed another cigarette in her mouth, lit it, and winked at him in the same way she’d done before. “You want to be insensitive, then start patronizing me.”
“Fair point.”
Ellie nodded. “There. Fourth base achieved—first lovers’ tiff.” She exhaled smoke and said in a measured and cold tone, “There is another potential option open to you.”
“I know.”
“You’d considered it already?”
“I’d considered it, and rejected it.”
“Why?”
“Because, like you, I don’t put my faith in other people.”
Given that Ellie had been internally wrestling with her lack of faith in others only moments before, it made her uneasy that Will had the very same thoughts. With her back to him, she walked a few paces closer to the mountains and thrust her hands into Herald’s coat
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