Shadow Zone (20 page)

“Then if we’re caught, you’d better hit the road.” Driscoll chuckled. “Because I’m telling him every damned thing he wants to know.”

“It won’t matter,” Kirov said. “He’ll still kill you.”

“Do you want me to pull this job or not? I have to tell you, my enthusiasm is waning.”

“Of course I do. But you need to be aware of the risks.”

“You’re doing that responsibility thing again that Eugenia was talking about. It’s beginning to get boring. I’m always aware and so is my son. Right, Charlie?”

“Bet your arse,” Charlie said.

Kirov nodded. “Well, I’ll try to restrain myself from now on. I wouldn’t want to bore you. How do you propose to make the unit malfunction?”

Driscoll stepped over to one of the large blueprint pages tacked to the wall. He jabbed his finger in the lower left-hand corner. “The stadium power plant is here, down two levels on the north side. We’ll insert a virus into the system that will cause an extreme power surge on the circuit that powers Gadaire’s refrigerated locker. I got a computer guy working on it now. We need to damage the refrigeration system without shorting out the entire unit. It’s a delicate balance, but we’ll figure it out.” He turned from the blueprints. “I think we’ll try it first at a holistic pharmacy in Donnybrook. They have one of these units, and it’s visible behind the front counter. We’ll get a telescope, stake out an empty building across the street, and watch the repairman arrive and key in his service code. That should tell us what we need to know.”

Kirov nodded. “I’m impressed. I see why everyone says you’re one of the best.”

“
One
of the best?” Driscoll said, insulted.

“A slip of the tongue. I’m sure you’re so talented you’ll be able to get me those samples without even a chance of getting yourself killed.”

“Not a problem. How did things go at the college?”

“Not so good.”

Driscoll chuckled. “You blew it?”

“We didn’t get what we needed. We had a few problems,” Hannah said. “We’ll have to go at it from another direction.”

“Need my help?”

Kirov and Hannah exchanged a look. “Actually, I think we can handle it. We’ll need to coordinate our efforts. It would be best if we found a time when Gadaire is out of town, and Dr. Lampman is actually at the college.”

Driscoll gave him a curious look. “You say you want Lampman there while you raid his lab?”

Kirov nodded. “He has to be. Our plan won’t work otherwise.”

“And you’re worried about
us
getting caught?”

“Gadaire is out of the country at the moment, but he’s hosting another reception in his owner’s suite this weekend. We need to strike before then.”

“Then you’d better get out of here and see if you can come up with something a hell of a lot more productive than your last effort,” Driscoll said slyly. “After all, I can’t carry the entire show alone.”

Citronelle Restaurant
Washington, D.C.

Gadaire took another sip of wine and cursed under his breath. Nibal Doka was playing head games again, making him wait. The arrogant asshole.

Doka was nothing more than a middleman, and an unnecessary one at that. He was Pakistan’s ambassador to the U.S., a position bought and paid for by Doka’s well-heeled friends who could count on him to do whatever the hell they wanted.

They were the ones he should be meeting, Gadaire thought. Not this ineffectual idiot. But this is the way they wanted it. If things went south, they would let Doka take the fall.

Even Doka had to realize that was his primary purpose. The idiot probably thought that his benefactors would ride to the rescue, but Gadaire knew their only thought would be to save their own necks. They could always get themselves another puppet.

“Sorry.” It was Doka’s nasal voice behind him. “I was delayed by an important meeting. Have you been waiting long?”

Only since our agreed-upon time, Gadaire wanted to say. Instead, he turned, and replied, “No. Good to see you.”

Doka sat down across from him. “They have an excellent wine list here.”

“I’m sure they do. But don’t get comfortable.”

“Why not?”

“We’re not having our conversation here.”

Doka tilted his head questioningly.

“This discussion requires the utmost secrecy. Too many people could have known we were meeting here, and I always have to be vigilant for electronic surveillance.”

Doka half smiled. “You’re being paranoid.”

“I assure you that I’m not.”

“I’m surprised you don’t think I’m wearing a wire.”

“If you were, my mobile phone would be vibrating like mad right now.” Gadaire smiled. “There’s an app for that.”

Doka lost a little of his arrogance. “Where do you propose we go?”

Gadaire stood and tossed a twenty onto the table. “Let’s take a walk.”

Gadaire led Doka out the door and onto the red brick sidewalks of Georgetown. They walked along M Street, passing the mostly closed boutiques and restaurants.

Doka was clearly annoyed. “You’re carrying this too far. I’m a busy man, Mr. Gadaire. Is there a point to this?”

“Your bosses will appreciate it, even if you don’t.”

“They’re not my bosses,” he snapped.

Gadaire intended to irritate him, and he was happy that he had succeeded. “Pardon me. Your associates. Your extremely rich and powerful business associates who have been extremely frustrated with your government’s current unwillingness to engage India in open conflict. It’s very bad for business.”

Doka nodded. “Many people share their frustration.”

“The attack in Mumbai was evidence enough of that. But your associates wish to do something more. They want to make a statement that will resonate for years. They approached me for my help a couple of years ago, and I finally have something for them.”

“A nuclear device?” Doka’s pace faltered, and his voice lowered. “Interesting.”

“Better.”

Doka chuckled, but all humor ebbed from his face when he saw that Gadaire was dead serious. “What exactly are we talking about?”

“Their life blood. India has the world’s third largest fishing industry. If that was suddenly taken away from them, their economy would crumble.”

“That’s what this is about? Fishing?”

“If you dropped an atomic bomb, they would just rebuild. But take away their livelihood, and they would never recover. They can’t feed all their people as it is.”

Doka stopped in his tracks. “I see. And how would you accomplish this?”

“I’ve discovered a way of destroying all marine life in hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of square miles of coastal waters. With coordinated attacks, it would be possible to wipe out inland fishing areas as well. And this condition would last years to come, perhaps even decades. It would ruin them. And if your associates made it appear as if the Pakistani government was behind the attack, war would be a certainty.”

Doka stared at Gadaire as if he were trying to decipher a foreign language. “This is . . . amazing. You’re not one to go in for hyperbole, so I can only assume you’re telling me the truth about your ability to execute this?”

“I am. There are just a few last details to sort out.”

“And the price tag?”

“Two hundred and fifty million.”

“Dollars?”

“Yes.”

“They’ll never pay it.”

“I think they will. Together, the six gentlemen you represent are worth almost two hundred billion dollars. They probably have two hundred and fifty million that has fallen between their couch cushions.”

“That’s an insane amount of money. How can I possibly go back to them with that?”

“Tell them that’s less than what a blockbuster Hollywood movie costs. I’m giving them a bargain. When they consider the alternatives, they’ll be smart enough to realize that.”

“I’ll speak to them tonight.” Doka’s expression was suddenly eager. “They were most excited to hear what you have for them, and I suspect they’ll be even more excited now.”

He’d finally broken through the prick’s puffed-up vanity to a level where he could trust him to be an enthusiastic messenger of good tidings. Or bad tidings, depending on the point of view. “Good. Tell them I need an answer in forty-eight hours. I’ll be waiting for your call.” He turned on his heel and strode away.

CHAPTER
10

Dublin, Ireland

Kirov walked out of the small house he had rented for Hannah near St. Steven’s Green and lingered on the sidewalk for a moment. He had brought Hannah back here after a day of strategizing with Driscoll, and he felt uneasy leaving her. He’d had no choice. Hannah had practically pushed him out the door. He knew better than to invade her space when she wanted to be alone. Their relationship was too fragile for him to take any chances with it.

“Stop worrying. She’ll be fine, Kirov.” He looked up to see Eugenia strolling toward him on the narrow sidewalk.

She smiled. “Believe it or not, there are many of us who manage to survive without your personal protection. Hannah knows how to take care of herself.”

Kirov nodded. “I can’t argue with that.”

“Good. It’s about time you realized you can never win an argument with me.” She took Kirov’s arm and pulled him down with her to sit on the house’s front steps. “Besides, I’ll be here with her. And I’ve taken every precaution to make sure that no one followed me here when I brought our things from the hotel.” Eugenia smiled. “I was most thorough. I did a sweep before I left, and I found GPS tracking pellets injected in the heels of each of her shoes. I dug them out.”

“Really?” His eyes narrowed. “What was the make?”

“U.S. government issue all the way. They must have entered her room and planted them while she was out running this morning.” Eugenia shook her head. “It’s amazing how small those things have gotten. In my days with the KGB, they were the size of a box of matches.”

“Efficient as usual.” He shot her a cool look. “But I’m still not at all pleased with you.”

“For helping Hannah find you?”

He nodded.

She smiled sweetly. “I make people angry almost every day of my life, but they can never stay mad at me. One of the virtues of my winning personality.”

“And of your immense modesty.”

“Modest? No. Modesty is highly overrated. One should celebrate his or her strengths. And, of course, be honest with oneself about any weaknesses.”

“Thanks for the life lesson.”

She grinned companionably. “Just one of many that you could benefit from.”

“It was dangerous for you to bring her here. Dangerous for her and dangerous for me.” He added, “And for you, Eugenia.”

“I made my choice. I decided it was worth it to me. She has every right to be here. She has more at stake in this than you do. And when I heard about the way you left without even a word to her, I really didn’t give a damn about your safety.”

“I had my reasons.”

“Stupid reasons. You may have told yourself you were protecting Hannah, but you were really protecting yourself.”

“More life lessons, Eugenia?”

“Shut up. All those years you spent avenging your wife’s murder . . . You forgot what it was like to have real attachments, real relationships. Maybe because it was safer for you not to.”

Kirov looked away. “It was safer for the people in my life. My wife was killed by my enemies to get back at me. I couldn’t risk exposing anyone else to that.” Not Hannah. Never Hannah. The mere thought sent panic racing through him.

“That’s in the past now. And you can pretend to be angry with me, but I noticed the way your eyes lit up when you saw Hannah on the bridge last night.”

“I really don’t think you could see that from a hundred feet away,” he said dryly.

“I could see that from a
thousand
feet away. I’m exceptionally good at reading you, Kirov. I’ve made a study of it over the years.” Eugenia smiled. “Whenever you walk into an unfamiliar area, you’re usually scanning the area for possible threats to your person. I did it myself for years even after I left the agency. But when you’re with Hannah, she’s the one you’re watching out for, not yourself. You’re always aware of where she is and what’s going on around her.” Eugenia shrugged. “It’s subtle, but I notice it.”

“You have a great imagination. Did it ever occur to you that I might feel responsible for her?”

“That boring word again. Yes, it did, but I dismissed it. I prefer my own interpretation. It’s much more interesting. Trust me, no one’s responsible for Hannah Bryson except Hannah Bryson.”

Kirov smiled. “You’re right about that.”

“She doesn’t need your protection, but she deserves your respect. You didn’t show her a lot of respect when you left the way you did.”

“No. I screwed up.”

Eugenia beamed. “See, my life lessons are already working. Be honest with oneself about any weaknesses. Okay, I’m finished with my lecture.” Eugenia stood. “Now go. Shoo. Stop loitering in front of my house. Don’t you have a couple of heists to pull off?”

“Those bastards!”

Eugenia had come into the house and had just begun to unpack when she heard Hannah’s exclamation. She came back into the living room. “If you’re talking about bastards, you must be referring to Kirov. He’s the highest on your list.”

“Not at the moment. Unfortunately, there are other bastards out there.”

“Who?”

Hannah turned her laptop around to show her. “This is actually classified, but right now I’m so mad I don’t give a damn.”

Eugenia studied the screen, which was filled by a photograph of a submersible similar to the Conner vessels.

“Why is this classified?” Eugenia said. “Half of America has already seen it on the Discovery Channel.”

“No one has seen this. Including me.”

Eugenia wrinkled her brow. “Isn’t this one of your new Marinth subs?”

“Close, but not quite. It looks like AquaCorp modified my design and built this version for military use.” Hannah ran her finger over the top viewport. “These are missile launchers. These holes along the side are gun ports. And who knows what else they’ve added?”

“You had no knowledge of this?”

“None. I wasn’t consulted, and this was never even mentioned as a possibility.”