"International authorities are clamoring to locate the trio," a CNN reporter said on the wide TV mounted high on the wall. "Two men and one woman, actors in the snuff video. Amnesty International, the World Criminal Court, along with several European paramountcies have condemned their murderous actions and demand they be produced for questioning. Other prominent Regents have clamored for criminal prosecution, a request that has fallen on deaf ears . . . These are the service photos of the individuals. Independent sources have confirmed Alexis Marlboro is a covert military operative employed by the North American Federal Government, her whereabouts unknown. The two males are Kenneth Mars and Joseph Corona. Investigators believed they are part of an elite kill squad responsible for the Caracas massacre.

"The Oval Office has continued to deny any knowledge of these individuals whom Secretary Balkan first revealed. The PIP and the administration are recalcitrant to cooperate; thus, it is unclear if the trio and their compatriots took orders from Dallas-Austin . . . or the White House. Even now, officials are silent, no doubt planning a response to this new allegation. This is Maria Espinoza Núñez Gonzales of CNN-MegOne . . ."

"There you have it," Balkan mumbled, his headache worsening with a ringing in his ears.

Oliver shook his head. "There'll be a grand jury subpoena, I imagine."

"Circle the wagons."

"You don't plan on coming clean?" Lisbeth asked, lowering her brows. "You gave them Marlboro already. Too late to take it back now."

"I hope you're kidding," Balkan said, circling his temples with his fingers. "I told the world with no uncertainty we had nothing to do with it. We stick with the narrative."

"Which is?"

"Marlboro was an embedded adviser. Nothing more."

"You can't suggest keeping up this charade . . . the game's over, Victor," Oliver said. "You've let the cats out. That was a big mistake to start."

"It seemed smart at the time to deflect the heat. But what's done is done."

"Will you resign? Has the President asked for it?"

"He won't."

"That's an arrogant presumption."

"Why would he sack me? As long as I burn bright under scrutiny, the President stays clean," Balkan said. "I'm staying in the fight, Charles. They'd have to pry my dead fingers from this chair."

"I would cut my loss."

"The light is at the end of the tunnel."

"I don't understand, what light? It's over."

Balkan stopped short of telling Oliver the conversation he'd had with Drexel. Only Lisbeth was privy, and she looked away, not meeting Oliver's gaze.

"What is it you both are not telling me?" Oliver said with wariness.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

"Remember your roots, Charles. And your loyalty. Never shit in the sandbox where you play."

The room got quiet.

The service photos of Mars, Corona, and Marlboro remained on the monitors while red pulsating captions ran underneath: The Caracas Trio wanted for questioning.

"Once the wolves get to them," Oliver pressed. "They can retrace the breadcrumbs right back to us and turn everything inside out."

"Then don't let that happen," Balkan said. His words, heavy with portends, took a moment to digest.

Oliver gave him an unsavory look.

The Secretary explained, "The magic trick won't work if they see the rabbit."

Lisbeth shook her head with a disagreeable scowl. "Complete sanitation, is that what you mean, Victor?"

"Define complete," Oliver said.

Annoyed at her overstepping her bounds, Balkan said, "You know what I mean."

Oliver looked stunned, grasping the truth.

"Now hold on, have you fathomed the loss?" Oliver said. "Carnivora 8, and all the beta programs?"

"They will hurt like hell."

"More likely your bonfire will set us back years," Oliver said. "We're currently beta testing four derivative programs; Phase 2 successes are far better than Cerberus. If we stop now, we may never get to implementation. We'd forfeit our lead, and I have on good terms the Chinese are near Phase 4 completion."

"We mothball the science and the data. Pick it back up when things quiet down," Balkan said, his jaw set with grim resolve.

"You forget something?" Lisbeth said as she flicked her head toward the monitor. "What about the people behind the program?"

"Technicians, we can reassign elsewhere." Balkan's tone was somber as a plague death toll. "But Cerberus . . . we can't allow tigers loose in the backyard."

"Yes, they're our tigers. May I remind you we're under contract to develop these programs," Lisbeth added. "Cerberus is slotted to go to Houston. They're expecting delivery -- "

"Not anymore."

"Moreau would have a fit, he's TexPax's senior technologist."

"That prima-donna will do as he's told." Balkan snapped. "Real power doesn't reside here; even the President knows that. For the time being, Dallas-Austin is the furnace that drives this country. DC is just a branch office." He turned to a doubtful Oliver. "You, too, Charles. It's simple -- ask yourself where your loyalty is? Then ask -- what would happen if you violate that?"

"Paramountcy before all else," Oliver answered almost by rote.

"That's right, they appointed you and me both, and the President, and the whole goddamn cabinet. Don't kid yourself. They own us." Balkan paused. "And they were very explicit."

Oliver said nothing.

"We all on the same page now?" Balkan reiterated.

Oliver acquiesced. Lisbeth pursed her lips, and gave a slight nod, her cheeks ruddy.

"Good, because that's where you come in, Charles. I need hard-men with no qualms about blue-on-blue. Preferably outsourced."

Oliver pondered at length, then said, "I have somebody in mind. We burned him a few years back. I can bring him in."

"Why was he burned?"

"He had excellent operational records in Kiev. Then he went a little overboard."

"Clarify."

"Our man was overzealous with his methods, caused a few raised eyebrows," Oliver said, not wanting to say more. "I'll send you his dossier."

"I will want to meet him," Balkan said. "Look him in the eyes."

"I'll send the word to retrieve him. Last I heard, he's doing shit work for the frogs in Marseilles."

"All right, get it done but be quiet about this, Charles," Balkan emphasized with glaring eyes.

"I'll take care of it," Oliver said.

"Victor, I get shutting down the Program, but Cerberus? Do you understand their value? And the difficulty in finding the right DNA match? One out of ten thousand, maybe?"

"I'm very aware of the loss."

Lisbeth uttered, "Eighteen men and one woman."

"I'm also dealing with numbers, and mine are considerably larger."

"And that doesn't bother you?" She turned pale.

Balkan shook his head and snapped. "You prefer to be right up there on TV next to them?" He gestured at the rolling news. "Is that what you're saying, Beth?"

"This is difficult -- and immoral," Lisbeth said, pulling at her ear.

The Secretary faced her with a ghastly resolve. "I don't need your moral consent, but your obedience. Work with Charles to get this resolved. At this moment, we have the will to do the hard thing. In a few days, that may all change."

Lisbeth caved under Balkan's dreadful gaze. He eased off with a deep sigh. "You need to decide who you want to play, soldier or martyr. Can't be both."