He paused.
"Tell the people we have in Washington to start releasing the news."
The other side froze. "What news?"
The Boss smiled lightly. "Say the President ordered military action in the Middle East to divert attention from the impeachment case. Say he sold out the interests of the American people to save those Jewish lives."
There was silence on the other end for a second.
"Boss, that equals—"
"Equals what?" The Boss interrupted him, "Equals getting the Americans to fight among themselves. Once they start fighting, there's no time for war. No time for war means the Squid Man is truly finished."
He hung up the phone, stood up, and walked to the window. Outside, Moscow's night sky was pitch black, and in the far distance, the red star of the Kremlin was flickering.
This chess game was nearing its end.
10 PM, Washington, Capitol Hill.
