With that, the message stopped.
The three prisoners exchanged glances. No one spoke, each acutely aware that they were being watched.
Two minutes later there were several tentative knocks at the door, a brief warning that it was about to be opened.
Riley’s knees felt weak and her breathing quickened as she braced herself emotionally for what was to come.
30
Riley’s heart pounded against her rib cage, adding to the growing list of physical signs of panic. The events of the past twenty-four hours had evoked enough powerful and conflicting emotions to last a lifetime, but this was nothing next to what she felt upon seeing Isaac Jordan enter the room and walk over to their location near the glass wall.
There was no doubt it was him. She had refused to fully believe it, but there was no denying it now. His black curly hair was gone, replaced by the pale dome of a shaved head, but it was Isaac Jordan in the flesh. He looked little different than he had eight years earlier, and his identity was unmistakable. It wasn’t just his appearance, but the way he walked, the way he carried himself, the electricity in his eyes.
And these eyes were locked onto hers. Carr and Bram might as well have been invisible. “Hello, Melissa,” he said softly, and he was trembling, seemingly choked up at seeing her. “Or would you prefer I call you Riley?”
“Riley,” she said woodenly, nearly paralyzed.
“You got it,” he replied. “After all these years, even I’ve begun to think of you as Riley.”
“Melissa died along with everyone and everything she cared about,” she said, her paralysis now replaced by venom.
“You look well,” said Jordan, ignoring this last.
“If you say I remind you of my mother, I swear I’ll find a way to choke you to death.”
He sighed, ignoring her hostility once again. “I’ve missed you,” he said. “A lot.”
“Well I haven’t missed you!” spat Riley. “I celebrated the day I heard you were dead.”
He nodded. “I know you hate me. I don’t blame you. I hate myself. But I’ve been trying since . . . that day . . . to make amends.”
“Make amends?” she barked in disgust and disbelief. “How could you possibly make amends?”
“Well . . . I’ve been working to save the human race,” he replied. He winced as he said this, clearly aware of how over-the-top this answer was.
“Wow, you’ve really come full circle, haven’t you?” spat Riley. “You began with a God complex, then threw in your lot with the Devil, and now you’re back to the God complex. Make up your mind! I’m not interested in your Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde crap. Nothing you can say or do will change what happened, even if you have managed to get a tighter lid on your psychosis.”
Jordan sighed but didn’t respond. For the first time he seemed to see the two men with her in the room. He nodded at each and motioned for the three of them to take a seat within a grouping of white leather couches that were angled so that they could face each other, while still providing a good view of the window and the pristine beauty beyond.
When they were seated, Jordan gestured to the world outside. “Stunning, isn’t it?” he said. “I wanted to bring you to a place of beauty. I’ve had structures like this built around the world. My personal sanctuaries. Off the grid, and each more spectacular than the last. The more I immerse myself in science and technology, the greater my need to retreat back to nature. I find it easier to contemplate life and philosophy surrounded by this environment. Our minds may have allowed us to transcend our environment, but our DNA still knows we were built to live in nature. Trees are still more soothing than steel and cement, despite the lack of a purely intellectual argument as to why this should be so. ”
Carr glanced to either side of him to see if Bram or Riley had a reply. When none was forthcoming, he said, “How did you know where we were?”
The lieutenant’s voice was calm and pleasant, as though Jordan were a container of unstable nitroglycerin that a negative vocal tone might cause to explode, despite the evidence to the contrary that Riley had just provided.
“Just before I um . . . took over piloting duties,” replied Jordan, “Riley was about to tell you what Marat Volkov wanted with her. The short answer must be obvious to you now: he wanted me.”
Jordan paused. “But let me back up. I’ve been watching over Riley from the moment I left Turlock. But unobtrusively,” he hastened to add as a fierce look of hatred crossed his daughter’s face once again. “Non-invasively.”
“Non-invasively?” said Riley. “That’s a term for a medical procedure, not one to describe spying on someone without their knowledge.”
He sighed. “I admit I’ve been following your life,” he said to Riley, “and I’ve taken pride in what a fine young woman you’ve become, despite me turning everything against you. But I haven’t interfered.”
“Haven’t interfered?” she said in disbelief. “You mean other than bugging my car and home?”
“As unobtrusively as possible,” he repeated. “I had to be sure I could keep you safe. I programmed an AI to view the feed and only relay information to me about your life and accomplishments. I didn’t ever watch or listen to the footage myself. But this gave me a way to feel connected to your life, and to be alerted if you were ever in trouble or needed my help. Something I’d be able to provide anonymously.”
“So you didn’t watch the bugs yourself,” said Riley, unimpressed. “You think that makes it any less creepy?”
“Yes,” said Jordan. “At least somewhat. And it’s not like we could have a traditional father-daughter relationship,” he added sadly.
“And Mike O’Banion?” she said.
“A close friend and advisor. After what I had done, the untenable position I had put you in, you weren’t doing well. Not that anyone else would have done any better under the circumstances. But you needed to disappear completely from the public view. Start all over. So I sent Mike to make this happen.”
“And he then developed a relationship with me, which gave you even more insight into my life.”
“True, but his relationship with you was genuine, and your connection to him helped you cope. In the end, he loved you like a daughter.”
“Loved?” she said. “Past tense? So you’re aware that he was murdered?”
Jordan nodded, a despondent look on his face. “I’m aware,” he said softly.
“Of course,” said Riley bitterly. “I forgot you were listening in to our discussion in the helicopter before knocking us out.”
“I knew before then,” said Jordan. “But even if I hadn’t found out, I would have surmised it. Volkov must have drugged and interrogated Mike. It’s the only way he could have learned your true identity. Even more so, it’s the only way he could have known how much I care about you. That I would be willing to trade my life for yours.”
“That is such a load of garbage,” said Riley. “You may have convinced Mike, but I know it isn’t true. I’m sure you had your reasons for wanting Mike to believe you were suddenly the caring father, but it just doesn’t wash with reality.”
“I know why you don’t believe it,” replied her father sadly, “but that doesn’t change the truth of it.”
Jordan sighed and then turned his attention to Carr. “I intervened before Riley could tell you what happened in the church,” he said. “So let me connect the last dots for you. Volkov took one of the bugs I’d installed to watch over Riley and used it to send a message to me. He threatened to kill her if I didn’t travel to a set of GPS coordinates he provided and give myself up.”
“This explains the encrypted transmission we intercepted coming from the pastor’s office,” said Carr, as though pleased to have this mystery cleared up. He paused in thought. “What location were the GPS coordinates for?” he asked. “The church?”
Jordan shook his head. “Not even in the same hemisphere as the church. Turned out to be a small island in the Barents Sea.”
Carr nodded. “That’s in Russian territorial waters,” he said. “Makes sense.”
“So now you’re up to speed, Lieutenant,” said Jordan. “At least when it comes to recent events. You should know that I’m forever in your debt for pulling Riley out of that trap.”
“That’s good to know. You can square the debt by letting us go.”
“I’ll do that, Lieutenant Carr. But first hear me out. When I’m finished, I hope that you’ll join me. If not, you’re free to leave.”
“Just like that?” said Carr suspiciously. “That simple?”
“Almost. I’d have to wipe your memory of the past few days. But other than that you’d be as good as new.”
Carr considered this statement in silence.
“Riley and I were there when Volkov sent you his message,” said Bram. “So you’ve told us nothing new. You haven’t answered Cameron’s original question. How did you know we were in the church? And how were you able to intercept our helicopter?”
“You’re not going to love my answer.”
“What else is new?” replied Bram.
“I had a few bugs planted in your home, as well,” admitted Jordan. “Riley was beginning to spend almost as much time there as in her condo. She’d be madly in love with you, David, if not for what my actions have done to her psychologically.”
Riley’s eyes widened. His statement was uncannily accurate. She hadn’t even known her father was alive and yet he seemed to know her better than she knew herself.
“When Carr visited your home,” continued Jordan, “impersonating an FBI agent, my AI alerted me. I was indisposed and didn’t learn about this until after Riley had already freed the two of you. The lieutenant might not have known who Volkov was really trying to capture, but I did. I pulled out all the stops to take over street cams and satellites in the area and activated dozens of men to get to San Diego as soon as possible to find her. But Volkov got to her too quickly.”
“This still doesn’t explain how you knew about the church,” said Bram.
“I’m afraid I can answer that,” said Carr miserably. “When I recovered from Riley’s stunner assault, I made a few calls. From your house. By that time I’m sure Mr. Jordan was paying very careful attention to the bugs he had planted there.”
“Please, call me Isaac. And you’re correct, of course. When you called the Director of the DIA, I heard his full report. And I heard your conversation with the Secretary of Defense.”
Riley and Bram exchanged surprised glances. They had known this was big, but the Secretary of Defense? They hadn’t known it was that big.
“As soon as the DIA Director gave you the address of the church,” said Jordan, “I knew I had to go there.”
“Not the Barents Sea?” asked Carr.
“You think this shows I wasn’t really willing to do what it took to save my daughter?” he said. “Just the opposite. I’m not without resources. You think I can’t hack into protected Russian files? You had disclosed Marat Volkov’s name, after all, and I made a quick study of him. Based on what I found it was clear to me that even if I did what Volkov asked, he would have ordered them both killed as soon as he had me, regardless of his promises.”
“You’re not wrong,” acknowledged Carr grimly.
“Coming to the church would have been my only chance. By going to where Riley was being kept, I could make the trade on my terms. I have tech that no one else has, and I can outthink anyone. I was sure I could come up with a strategy that would save Riley’s life, even if it cost me my own.”
“But then you heard me describe my plan to Secretary Dwyer,” said Carr.
“That’s right. You would get there much faster than I could. And I thought your plan was excellent. My AI analyzed it and agreed your chances of success were high.”
“So you assumed I’d free her and took steps to acquire us after I succeeded. Taking over control of the helos using that advanced tech you were talking about.”
“Very good, Lieutenant. So that’s how we came to this moment.” He paused in thought. “There is one thing that I’m confused about, though. My daughter is very bright and very savvy. After escaping from you, I knew she’d be properly cautious and come up with a clever strategy for not being found. And she did, at least one that stopped me from finding her in the brief time I tried. But not Volkov. He located her almost immediately. I assumed he must have planted a tracking beacon on her. But I couldn’t find one when you first landed in Arizona.”
As much as the sight of this man still repulsed her, Riley had to give him his due. Now that she was older, she could appreciate his brilliance more than she had as a teen. He didn’t miss much. Neither did Cameron Carr, for that matter.
“You didn’t find any tracers because I had already removed them,” replied the lieutenant. “I reached the same conclusion you did.”
“Nice work,” said Jordan. “Thanks for clearing that up.”
“Speaking of clearing things up,” said Carr. “How is that you’re alive? And why are you crippling AGI efforts around the world?”
Isaac Jordan raised his eyebrows. “Why would you possibly think I’m doing that?” he asked.
“I’m not as smart as you . . . Isaac, but I wasn’t born yesterday. If you were anyone else, I might think Volkov wanted you because you had knowledge of the saboteur. But since it is you, it’s obvious that you are the saboteur. You’re the only one who could possibly have the skills that we’ve seen demonstrated. If I knew you were alive, I’d have suspected you right away.”
Jordan nodded. “Well-reasoned,” he said approvingly. “You are correct, Lieutenant. Congratulations. I am, indeed, the man you and your Russian counterpart are looking for.”
31
Marat Volkov sat at a kitchen table in Utah sipping hot coffee with his second-in-command. It had been a very long night, but it had been worth it. They hadn’t been in communication with their team at the church since these men had scattered and could only hope for the best. But as for them, they were certain they hadn’t been seen or followed.
Volkov and Greshnev were both trained to operate effectively with little or no sleep, but even so, caffeine was the order of the day.
Volkov’s phone vibrated and he fished it out of his pocket, a deep frown on his face. If any of his men were breaking radio silence he would kill them himself. He stared at the screen. “Unknown caller,” he said to Greshnev uneasily. His number was as private and secure as it got. “Olga,” he said to his phone, “put it on speaker, audio only.”
The phone’s PDA did as he requested. “Yes?” he snapped brusquely, not one to display any timidity, regardless of his current uncertainty.
“Major Volkov, my name is John Brennan,” came the reply in English.
Both Russians glanced at each other and quickly confirmed that this name meant nothing to either of them.
“I work with Isaac Jordan,” continued the voice.
“Then you have my attention, Mr. Brennan,” said Volkov.
“Dr. Brennan,” he corrected.
“How did you get this number?” said Volkov. “There should be no way for an outsider to obtain it.”
“If you have to ask this question, maybe I have the wrong man,” said Brennan. “You believe Isaac Jordan is responsible for stopping Russia’s top-secret AGI programs, correct?”
“Correct.”
“A capability that you must know is beyond the current state of the art. Isaac has developed a number of advanced technologies. As one of his closest confidants, I have access, which explains how I was able to get your number.”
Volkov wrinkled his brow worriedly. Jordan should still be making his way to the Barents Sea, having no way to know that anything had changed. Not until they failed to deliver proof of life before he made the last leg of his journey.
Were he and Brennan aware of what had happened? Had the Utah safe house been made? The security here was top of the line, and the six men Volkov had recruited to join them, all muc
h fresher than he and Greshnev, were keeping close watch on all monitors and sensors.
But then again, top of the line didn’t seem to have the same meaning to Isaac Jordan as it did to everyone else.
“What do you want?” said Volkov.
“I obviously know what you’re after,” he said. “Isaac Jordan. And I want to help you.”
Volkov was taken aback. Not the reply he had expected. “Now why would you do that?” he asked.
“Because you need the help,” said Brennan. “Jordan learned you were holding his daughter at a church near San Diego. He was headed there—not to your rendezvous point in the Barents Sea—when he discovered a man named Carr had . . . dislodged her from your grasp. So you no longer have Melissa as leverage.”
Volkov frowned at this impressive display of accurate intel. “What’s in it for you?”
“I want Jordan out of the picture. You have the skills and the firepower to make this happen.”
“By out of the picture, do you mean captured? Or do you mean dead?”
There was a heavy sigh on the line. “Dead,” came the reply, regretful though it may have sounded. “I work with him, although we’re rarely in the same room. And I’m a scientist, not a killer. When you came on the scene, I realized we could team up and both get what we want.”
“I see,” said Volkov. “And why do you want him dead? To take over?”
“No. When he’s gone, Russian AGI initiatives will be safe. I have no interest in carrying on his sabotage. I joined him because I believed in his cause. But I’ve since learned things. I’ve been required to do things. Things I’m not proud of. Things I have no intention of sharing with you. Let’s just say that almost everything he’s told me is a lie. I thought he was a good man with good intentions. But I was wrong. He’s duplicitous. Possibly even evil.”
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