Chilcott thought a moment, then said, “All right. I can share some of this with you. On a need-to-know basis.”
“We don’t need to know anything. We’re off the case. But wewantto know. Everything.”
Chilcott settled back in his chair and said, “I was brought in to work with the SCS to collect and analyze signals intelligence about right-wing extremist plots in Germany. We zeroed in on NordFaust, who present a specific and imminent threat.”
Brodie asked, “What is the specific threat?”
“NordFaust is planning a terrorist attack in Berlin. We believe the threat is imminent and is designed to catalyze a larger right-wing violent uprising against the German government.”
Taylor asked, “What kind of attack?”
Chilcott hesitated, then said, “Last year German customs officers in Hamburg searched a shipping container arriving from St. Petersburg as part of a random security inspection and found over a dozen compact mortar-fired cluster bombs. We have since picked up intelligence that members of NordFaust were behind this attempted import, and that additional,identical munitions in another container slipped through security.” He paused. “This intelligence also indicated that these weapons are to be used as part of a coordinated attack against the Arab immigrant community in Berlin.” He added, “You’re lucky you checked out of the Art Hotel.”
Brodie heard Taylor say in almost a whisper, “Oh my God…”
Cluster bombs, as Brodie knew, were so destructive in part because of the large area a single bomb could blanket in deadly bomblets, which were inherently indiscriminate. These types of weapons were banned by many nations, including the United States and Germany, though they had allegedly been used to deadly effect recently by the Russian Air Force in Syria. Also, the American Air Force had used them in Vietnam. But not since.
Brodie asked, “Are these Russian weapons?”
Chilcott shook his head. “MAT-120s. Spanish-made. And hard to trace. These things are trafficked all over. Qaddafi used them during the civil war in Libya. They’re relatively small, easy to transport and conceal. They have a limited range compared to larger rocket-propelled cluster bombs, but good enough for front-line infantry—or for a terrorist looking to hit an urban neighborhood from within the city limits.”
Taylor said, “And you’re trying to seize these weapons today.”
“It’s high on our shopping list.”
The idea of a terrorist group deploying cluster bombs within a major European capital seemed almost inconceivable, but NordFaust sounded like the kind of psychotics who’d do it if they could.
Brodie asked, “Could the bomb’s submunitions carry a biological agent?”
Chilcott looked at him. “We are talking about a conventional-weapons attack to kill and maim a large number of Arab immigrants in a concentrated area. Why the hell would a group of German white supremacists unleash biological agents inside their own city that would end up spreading everywhere?”
“Good question. And one worth asking.”
Taylor asked, “Why were you trying to hold us here?”
“I told you. To protect you.” Chilcott looked at Brodie. “Also, I don’t need a rogue agent running around Berlin hours before this operation, especially someone who has managed to light a fire under the ass of NordFaust, who we’ve been methodically—andquietly—monitoring for months now.” Headded, “We’ve got enough turmoil already after the incident this morning in Neukölln. In fact, we’re moving a few days sooner than planned because of it.”
Taylor asked, “What incident in Neukölln?”
Chilcott looked at her. “Don’t you read the news? It happened a few blocks from the Art Hotel. A young Arab guy was found dead in the middle of the street this morning. He’d been strangled to death, and a swastika was carved into his chest.” He added, “His body was covered in pig’s blood.”
Taylor said, “My God… this is so sick. So evil.”
Chilcott looked at her. “I thought you were in Afghanistan, Maggie. Didn’t you see what the Taliban did to their fellow Muslims?” He added, “There’s a bit of Taliban in all of us. And sometimes we have to go there ourselves—to fight the monsters. Moral judgments are not helpful or useful.” He suggested, “You both need to get over yourselves. I’m not the bad guy. We’reallbad guys. And we all call ourselves the good guys. The Taliban think they’re good guys. So does ISIS. Nazis. Commies. The Stasi. Gestapo. Whatever. We are tribal. The only bad guys are the ones who betray the tribe.” He concluded, “That would be Odin. Definitely a bad guy. A traitor to his country. His tribe.”
Brodie saw some holes in Trent Chilcott’s justifications for being a morally weightless prick, but the man made some valid points. Nonetheless, Brodie said, “Love is the answer. Okay—”
Taylor said to Chilcott, “You betrayedme. And I am a member of your tribe.”
He looked at her. “I used you. There’s a difference.”
“Fuck you.”
Brodie hated to interrupt what sounded like a long-overdue group therapy session, but he needed to get out of there—though beyond visiting Anna he wasn’t sure where he was going, or what he needed to do after that. He said to Chilcott, “Anything else we need to know?”
Chilcott shook his head and told them, “I have things to do.” He looked at Brodie. “I’m going to stand, take my gun, and walk out of here. You two will stay here.”
Taylor said to him, “All right. Reach for your gun.”
