Endgame. Part 30

Then, abruptly, the screeching of metal on metal made him shudder.

With widening eyes, Hansen watched as Third Echelon's most lethal and effective Splinter Cell crashed his car through the rail--and in a moment as surreal as any, a moment in which time slowed and he seemed to watch it all from G.o.d's point of view--the car arced in the air, then pitched forward and began its fifty-foot descent toward the unforgiving water below.

34.

RAIFFEISEN BRIDGE, GERMANY.

HANSEN couldn't help himself and was out of the Mercedes, running between the lines of parked cars toward the section of bridge where Fisher had blasted through. He reached the edge, clutched a jagged piece of metal, and with a throng of other bystanders, stared down as the shattered rear b.u.mper of Fisher's BMW vanished beneath the foam like a torpedoed ocean liner. couldn't help himself and was out of the Mercedes, running between the lines of parked cars toward the section of bridge where Fisher had blasted through. He reached the edge, clutched a jagged piece of metal, and with a throng of other bystanders, stared down as the shattered rear b.u.mper of Fisher's BMW vanished beneath the foam like a torpedoed ocean liner.

And then, as the gasps and murmurs continued around Hansen, the water grew still, and the waves began to settle. Hansen held his breath and waited for a head to pop up from the brown water.

Moreau was already calling him back on the subdermal and telling n.o.boru to turn around and get his car the h.e.l.l out of there because the police were rushing toward the bridge.

n.o.boru hadn't yet entered the bridge ramp and was able to comply, but as Hansen reluctantly started back, a horde of cops came rushing forward. Several pa.s.sed him, but one stopped and questioned him quickly in German, stating that they knew two Mercedes sedans were following the BMW.

Hansen told the man they'd seen the maniac in the BMW and had been chasing him, trying to keep him in sight until the police arrived. The guy had cut off Hansen and had caused front-end damage to Hansen's rental car. Hansen admitted to a little road rage, and the cop told him to return to his car and wait, that he'd be back to ask more questions. Hansen did so, but the cop never returned.

Gillespie buried her head in her hands, and neither Hansen nor Moreau said a word as they followed the long line of traffic over the bridge and around the crash scene.

After a few minutes, Hansen called n.o.boru and told him to meet up near the airport. They'd get a hotel and wait to find out more about Fisher, staying well clear of the bridge. Hansen couldn't wipe the frown off his face. What the h.e.l.l had Fisher done?

Finally, Gillespie looked up and said, "He's still alive. I know it."

"He could have lost us on the other side of the bridge," said Hansen. "I don't know, Kim. I got a look at him before he got in that car, and--"

"And what? He looked suicidal?"

"I don't know. He looked troubled troubled. But it doesn't make any sense."

"He got away," she insisted. "I'm telling you. He got away."

Hansen sighed, feeling helpless to console her. "I'm sorry. Maybe you're right. Or maybe he overestimated his chances. I think we need to be realistic. He's a b.a.l.l.sy guy, but driving off a bridge? Man, that's insane."

Moreau took in a long breath. "If I had to bet on it, I'd say he drowned."

THEY booked a few rooms at the Holiday Inn just north of the airport and waited while Moreau and Gillespie monitored police communications and checked back with the NSA via the Trinity System. booked a few rooms at the Holiday Inn just north of the airport and waited while Moreau and Gillespie monitored police communications and checked back with the NSA via the Trinity System.

The local news stations were all over the story, and Hansen sat on the sofa, watching and shaking his head. He wondered if maybe, just maybe, Fisher had had enough and had decided to go out with a bang, or a splash, as it were. Given their line of work, the stress, and what Fisher's life had become, it wasn't unreasonable to a.s.sume that he'd grown depressed, perhaps tired of running, of mercenary work, of everything. Hansen suddenly blurted out, "Maybe Fisher killed himself."

"I'm sure he did," Ames responded, quick to jump on the Fisher-bashing bandwagon. "That old man was a coward who murdered his boss. Then he becomes a two-bit merc, gets b.u.mmed out, and offs himself when he knows we're going to bust his a.s.s. What a freaking loser. I wish he were here right now so I could tell him to his face."

It was a good thing Gillespie had left the room to get a drink and hadn't heard that, Hansen thought, otherwise Ames would by lying on the floor with a woman's nails sunk about an inch into his neck.

However, she wasn't the only one who'd take issue with Ames's a.s.sessment. Moreau rose slowly from his desk and loomed over Ames, who was seated in one of the reclining chairs, sipping a bottle of beer. "You have no idea who you're talking about. And if you ever become one-tenth of the man Sam Fisher was, then you might make a name for yourself in this community. Do you get that, Mr. Ames?"

Ames rose and had to look up into Moreau's eyes. "You don't intimidate me, old man. And I thought you liked me."

"I did. But then I spent more than five minutes around you."

"Hey, man, give me an hour, and you'll be suicidal yourself." Ames chuckled under his breath and returned to his seat.

"What do you think, Moreau?" Hansen asked. "You think he did it? You think Fisher killed himself?"

"Not intentionally. But if he survived that little Olympic swan dive into the Rhine, I'll buy the man a steak dinner."

"You all keep talking like he's a hero," said Ames. "He's a thug and a murderer for G.o.d's sake. How can you even get past that? All the missions he ran just wipe the slate clean? I don't think so. Lambert's dead."

"Ames, you're done," said Hansen, firing a hard look at the man. "You're done."

"Yep, we're all done here."

RESCUE teams were out searching the Rhine for most of the evening. The next morning Fisher's BMW was found nearly a mile away from the bridge, having been dragged along the bottom by the Rhine's current. There was no sign of the body, which had been separated from the car and a.s.sumedly drifted off on its own. Teams were searching the sh.o.r.eline down river. teams were out searching the Rhine for most of the evening. The next morning Fisher's BMW was found nearly a mile away from the bridge, having been dragged along the bottom by the Rhine's current. There was no sign of the body, which had been separated from the car and a.s.sumedly drifted off on its own. Teams were searching the sh.o.r.eline down river.

New orders came in. Hansen and the others would be flying back home aboard a commercial airliner. Moreau had already booked the tickets. Hansen thought returning was odd and highly premature, since they still hadn't found Fisher's body. Moreau said the order had come in from Grim and that they were leaving, period, unless the team planned to go rogue again.

After returning their rental cars (and Moreau had a good time discussing the damage to the one Mercedes), they boarded a shuttle. Hansen bit his lip and glanced around at the others. They looked as exhausted as he felt. Maybe it was was time to go home and reflect on everything, on a mission that left him more and more confused. He closed his eyes and spoke to Fisher in his head: time to go home and reflect on everything, on a mission that left him more and more confused. He closed his eyes and spoke to Fisher in his head: "Why did you kill Lambert?"

"It's complicated."

"I see. They want me to bring you in."

"I can't let that happen."

"Then I'm sorry."

This time, though, Hansen couldn't pull the trigger.

He saw n.o.boru telling him that Fisher had saved his life.

He watched as Fisher nodded at him before getting in the BMW.

That nod, one of mutual respect, now had a growing importance in Hansen's life. It was as though Sam Fisher had said, "Yes, you are one of us now. You are worthy. You are a Splinter Cell. I'm pa.s.sing you the baton." "Yes, you are one of us now. You are worthy. You are a Splinter Cell. I'm pa.s.sing you the baton." Hansen wanted to believe that so badly that he could taste it. Hansen wanted to believe that so badly that he could taste it.

"Sam, are you alive? What're you doing?"

Fisher put a finger to his lips.

HANSEN had a.s.sumed that once they arrived in Maryland, Grim would need to debrief them. Nope. She told them to take a week off. Enjoy some R & R. She didn't even want to see them. They'd all been pushing it really hard. Hansen could hardly believe what he was hearing: the blow-off from his boss on a mission that she'd implied was more important than anything else that had ever come across her desk, a mission that implicated Kovac in criminal activity? No debriefing? And she wanted them to take a vacation? Had marijuana been legalized while they were in Europe? had a.s.sumed that once they arrived in Maryland, Grim would need to debrief them. Nope. She told them to take a week off. Enjoy some R & R. She didn't even want to see them. They'd all been pushing it really hard. Hansen could hardly believe what he was hearing: the blow-off from his boss on a mission that she'd implied was more important than anything else that had ever come across her desk, a mission that implicated Kovac in criminal activity? No debriefing? And she wanted them to take a vacation? Had marijuana been legalized while they were in Europe?

Gillespie concluded that Grim's order for time off was proof positive that Fisher was alive. They were being pulled off the pursuit to buy Fisher time to do whatever he had to do. His a.s.sumed death might satisfy Kovac for a while.

AT the airport, as they each picked up their bags, they said their good-byes. the airport, as they each picked up their bags, they said their good-byes.

"Where are you going?" Valentina asked Hansen.

"This cowboy's heading back to Texas. You?"

She glanced over at n.o.boru. "Not sure yet."

Hansen nodded and wriggled his brows. "Be safe."

"Always."

Ames came over and slapped a palm on Hansen's shoulder. "You should come down to Florida with me. I'm going to watch the Yankees during spring training."

Hansen forced a smile. "Have a good time."

He shifted away and went over to Gillespie. "You all right?"

She nodded and said, "I don't want any time off. I'm going back to the situation room to go over the intel."

"That's a mistake. Grim won't let you in."

"How do you know?"

"I know."

"Then what am I supposed to do?"

He hoisted a brow. "You like Texas barbecue?"

THIRD ECHELON SITUATION ROOM.

GRIM tensed as Kovac stormed into the room and raised his voice, his gray brows knitting in fury. "I just heard you pulled the team out of Germany! They're already back here in the States?" tensed as Kovac stormed into the room and raised his voice, his gray brows knitting in fury. "I just heard you pulled the team out of Germany! They're already back here in the States?"

"Fisher's trail had gone cold, which is to say, we believe he's dead."

Kovac took a deep breath, and his words came out in a growl: "I'll believe he's dead when his pale and bloated body is lying across my desk. . . ."

"Sir, please calm down."

"Oh, I'm calm."

"Look, my people have been running on overdrive for days. If we get a new lead, I'll have them back out there ASAP. You're the deputy director, sir, but this, I believe, is my call."

"Your predecessor wouldn't have been as careless . . . or as bold."

"I'm sorry you feel that way."

"Maybe you need to take a little vacation yourself."

Grim removed her gla.s.ses and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I wouldn't go there, sir. I've already brought the director up to speed on this, and we've got his full support. And since he's your boss, you might want to talk to him directly about this. . . ."

He took a step toward her. "Let's cut to the chase."

She smiled, nodded, moved to the door, and opened it. "Sounds great. This is the part where you leave."

"Whatever you're up to, Grim, I urge you to remain cautious."

"Is that a threat?"

"I'm just concerned about your future here."

"Well, that makes two of us. Enjoy the rest of your day, sir."

He left. The door closed behind him.

And Grim nearly pa.s.sed out.

FORT STOCKTON, TEXAS.

HANSEN and his father--who resembled a bespectacled, gray-haired scarecrow--were out on the front porch of his parents' three-bedroom ranch house, about two miles down the road from the school where his dad taught. They'd just finished having dinner--barbecued ribs, along with Mom's homemade macaroni and cheese and some baked potatoes, and were now nursing some beers and staring up at the night sky while seated in their rocking chairs. Mom and Gillespie insisted upon doing the dishes, even though that was Dad's job: She cooked it; he cleaned it up. But since Hansen was visiting, the rules had changed, and Gillespie was having fun chatting with Mom, so she'd volunteered to help clean up. The conversation seemed to lift her spirits. and his father--who resembled a bespectacled, gray-haired scarecrow--were out on the front porch of his parents' three-bedroom ranch house, about two miles down the road from the school where his dad taught. They'd just finished having dinner--barbecued ribs, along with Mom's homemade macaroni and cheese and some baked potatoes, and were now nursing some beers and staring up at the night sky while seated in their rocking chairs. Mom and Gillespie insisted upon doing the dishes, even though that was Dad's job: She cooked it; he cleaned it up. But since Hansen was visiting, the rules had changed, and Gillespie was having fun chatting with Mom, so she'd volunteered to help clean up. The conversation seemed to lift her spirits.

"This was such a great surprise, Ben," Buck Hansen said. "And it gets me out of KP duty."

"Like I said, Pop, sometimes they just throw us some time off. Good to be home. Just to smell it, you know?" He took a long breath through his nose and sighed. Texas. Texas. He could already hear the drawl returning to his voice. He could already hear the drawl returning to his voice.

The older Hansen laughed. "The ribs smelled great. But if you're talking about all the horse dung and Joey Reynolds's old pickup truck, the one that's still burning oil . . ."

"Yeah, I actually was."

"Well, then you're nuts."

"Just smells like home. So how's it going?"

"Same old, same old." His father squinted into the night sky, rubbing the gray stubble on his chin.