Killing Ground. Don Pendleton

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      “The attack we’d planned on Bagram,” Saleh said. “Though we’ve had to call it off, the teams are still in place. I say we make use of them.”

      The Taliban leader was referring to an intricate plan to attack the American military base during the U.S. President’s scheduled visit to Kabul the following week. Just prior to meeting with the others, General Rashid had learned that the appearance had been canceled, and before they’d broached the matter of O’Brien’s corpse and belongings, the three men had agreed to suspend the assault on Bagram. They still hoped for a chance to take out the President, but instead of carrying out the mission on their own, the men had decided it would be better instead to lend what resources they could to Kurdish militants from the PKK, whose operatives in Turkey were already targeting the Istanbul NATO conference, which the U.S. commander-in-chief still planned to attend. No contact had been made with the Turks yet, since those involved in the Bagram plot had yet to be diverted from the Afghan capital.

      “I understand what you’re suggesting,” Faryad told Saleh, “but even if we could modify the plan and carry it out on short notice, would it really be worth it? Neutralizing a drone like Karimi hardly matches the importance of killing a president.”

      “I’m telling you,” Saleh insisted, “if Karimi makes it through surgery and talks, it could set back everything we’ve been working for. Or worse.”

      Rashid, seeing a chance to smooth things over with Saleh, ventured, “The medical facility at Bagram would be an easy enough target. And security at the base won’t be as heightened as it would have been for the President. We wouldn’t need to stage a full assault.”

      The SVR agent mulled things over, then asked the Taliban leader, “How soon could you be in a position to carry this out?”

      “My men could be ready at a moment’s notice,” Saleh said.

      He turned to Rashid. “What about the men you have stationed on the base?”

      “The same,” the general responded. “Provided I can get through to them, they’d be ready to act within a matter of hours. Maybe sooner.”

      Faryad calmly finished his tea, then offered a whimsical smile. “This might well be a way to kill two birds with one stone. If we can silence Karimi while striking the Americans where it hurts, maybe it will give them extra incentive to get out of our way once and for all.”

      Saleh rose to his feet, signaling an end to the meeting. “Let’s do it!”