"Palmer's been out."
"What?" Rabb couldn't believe his ears.
"He's been getting out. My sources have confirmed his participation in activities at the warehouse and on a freighter. Seems he likes to inspect the goods himself.
"It can't be him. They've got him under special guard at Leavenworth."
"Harm, I don't know how he's managing it. But he's out when he wants to be."
"You think he'll come personally?"
"I know he will. He always comes out of the woodwork for you. You seem to push all his buttons, Rabb."
"And he mine." Rabb pondered aloud. "What's your plan?"
"He's going to be monitoring the rest stop, so he'll see us if we show up."
"I took care of that."
"Whaddya mean?" Webb asked, suspicion and adrenaline now combining to help him through the current round of pain and exhaustion.
"I called for back up. They picked up the device."
"Rabb, what were you thinking? They could have traced the call."
"They didn't. I was careful. They picked up the tracking device and will be waiting in the restaurant."
"The restaurant! Great. Very stealthy, Rabb. No wonder the CIA fired you."
"Funny, Webb. Don't worry. They'll be disguised enough to keep Palmer and his minions guessing. As soon as they see my car, they'll head out. We know that will bring Palmer and any accomplices out. The question is what do we do next?"
"Who'd you get?"
"Mac and the Admiral." Rabb prepared himself for the coming tirade.
"Sarah? I asked you not to call her."
"I know."
"I didn't want." Webb faltered, not wanting his emotions to take him too far off track. He was experiencing enough trouble focusing as it was, with the world occasionally tipping and the nearly constant stabbing pain. He knew he had to keep it together, but with Sarah now in the picture he feared his decision making ability would be compromised.
"We needed help, Clay."
"I needed help, that's why I called you."
"We need help," Rabb insisted. "You're not exactly in any shape for a fight. Mac and the Admiral know what to do."
"Really? I barely know what to do."
Rabb knew that was not true, though he could understand Webb's reluctance to expose Mac to danger again. The last time they were lucky to get out alive. There was no doubt that Webb now felt he held Mac's life in his hands again, no matter how illogical and untrue the feeling was. He also knew that in this line of work, despite the best planning, things still might not turn out as expected. And they had little time for planning this time.
That was the price Webb paid for the work he did.
And it was the price that Rabb and Mac and the Admiral would pay if necessary. The chance to get Palmer made it necessary for Rabb. Helping to put Webb back in the good graces of the CIA made it necessary for all of them.
"I know that's not true." Rabb placed his hand comfortingly upon Webb's good shoulder and gave him a look that said he trusted him, and that it was time to get this job done.
"What?" Rabb couldn't believe his ears.
"He's been getting out. My sources have confirmed his participation in activities at the warehouse and on a freighter. Seems he likes to inspect the goods himself.
"It can't be him. They've got him under special guard at Leavenworth."
"Harm, I don't know how he's managing it. But he's out when he wants to be."
"You think he'll come personally?"
"I know he will. He always comes out of the woodwork for you. You seem to push all his buttons, Rabb."
"And he mine." Rabb pondered aloud. "What's your plan?"
"He's going to be monitoring the rest stop, so he'll see us if we show up."
"I took care of that."
"Whaddya mean?" Webb asked, suspicion and adrenaline now combining to help him through the current round of pain and exhaustion.
"I called for back up. They picked up the device."
"Rabb, what were you thinking? They could have traced the call."
"They didn't. I was careful. They picked up the tracking device and will be waiting in the restaurant."
"The restaurant! Great. Very stealthy, Rabb. No wonder the CIA fired you."
"Funny, Webb. Don't worry. They'll be disguised enough to keep Palmer and his minions guessing. As soon as they see my car, they'll head out. We know that will bring Palmer and any accomplices out. The question is what do we do next?"
"Who'd you get?"
"Mac and the Admiral." Rabb prepared himself for the coming tirade.
"Sarah? I asked you not to call her."
"I know."
"I didn't want." Webb faltered, not wanting his emotions to take him too far off track. He was experiencing enough trouble focusing as it was, with the world occasionally tipping and the nearly constant stabbing pain. He knew he had to keep it together, but with Sarah now in the picture he feared his decision making ability would be compromised.
"We needed help, Clay."
"I needed help, that's why I called you."
"We need help," Rabb insisted. "You're not exactly in any shape for a fight. Mac and the Admiral know what to do."
"Really? I barely know what to do."
Rabb knew that was not true, though he could understand Webb's reluctance to expose Mac to danger again. The last time they were lucky to get out alive. There was no doubt that Webb now felt he held Mac's life in his hands again, no matter how illogical and untrue the feeling was. He also knew that in this line of work, despite the best planning, things still might not turn out as expected. And they had little time for planning this time.
That was the price Webb paid for the work he did.
And it was the price that Rabb and Mac and the Admiral would pay if necessary. The chance to get Palmer made it necessary for Rabb. Helping to put Webb back in the good graces of the CIA made it necessary for all of them.
"I know that's not true." Rabb placed his hand comfortingly upon Webb's good shoulder and gave him a look that said he trusted him, and that it was time to get this job done.