Critical Play (Michael Cailen Book 3)

by Mel LeBrun

  “Right now?”

  “The sooner the better. Where’s our guy?”

  “Lunch. They just got their meals.”

  “Hopefully that gives us enough time.”

  “Time for what?”

  “For you to buy a USB drive and laptop so Jessica can program a keylogger.”

  “I see. I’m on it. Call when I’m outside?”

  “Please.”

  Having worked with keyloggers in the past, Martin bought the most inconspicuous flash drive he could find and a basic laptop and carrying case. He returned to Ivchenko’s office building and called Michael from the street.

  “I have the supplies,” Martin informed him. “No sign of Ivchenko yet. I’ll keep a watch from here and call if he shows.”

  “OK, I’ll be right down.”

  Michael left all his things in Ivchenko’s office and headed to the lobby. He went to the security desk and told them he just needed to run to his car for his laptop and that he would be returning momentarily. They assured him it was fine and he went outside to meet up with Martin.

  Martin passed him the laptop case. “If you see me calling you, it’s because Ivchenko has arrived.”

  “Got it. Thanks.”

  Michael entered the building and started to walk back to the security desk, but they simply waved him on. He returned to the server room in Ivchenko’s office and connected the laptop to the router as he called Jessica back.

  “I’m ready,” he said.

  “That didn’t take long,” she said surprised and relieved.

  “I have good help.”

  “All right. Can you do me a favor and turn off your firewall and antivirus?”

  “Done and done.”

  “I’m going to give you an IP address. From there, I will be able to access your computer.”

  Michael entered the address Jessica gave him and within seconds she had taken control of the laptop. He put the USB drive in and a few minutes later she was finished.

  “You can take the drive out now and put it in one of the open USB ports in the back of the server.”

  “Is this going to work?”

  “I can’t say for sure, but in all likelihood, yes.”

  “Won’t his antivirus catch this?”

  “If he uses this server for nefarious purposes, I doubt he has antivirus.”

  “I guess we’ll find out, either way. The drive is in.”

  “Yep, I just got confirmation. It’s working.”

  “That’s great. I should probably get out of here now.”

  “Be careful, Michael.”

  “I always am.”

  “I love you.”

  Michael’s phone beeped as she said those words. He looked down to see Martin was calling him.

  “I love you too, sweetheart. I have to go.”

  Michael hung up the phone and raced to pack up the rest of his things as he answered Martin’s call.

  “I’m packing now,” Michael said.

  “He just entered the building. You only have a couple minutes.”

  Michael hung up immediately. He closed the door to the server room and checked to make sure it locked. He then stopped at the alarm pad and tried to remember the code. He entered what he thought it was but it was incorrect. He tried another number with no success. Feeling rushed, he struggled to recall the numbers. He felt time slipping away as he stared at the keypad. He envisioned Ivchenko exiting the elevator and weighed the risk of not resetting the alarm.

  Standing at the door with his laptop flung over his shoulder and his briefcase in hand, Michael took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He went back in his mind to the moment he entered Ivchenko’s office and attached the tablet to the alarm pad. He opened his eyes and entered the number that appeared on the tablet screen in his mind. It worked. He exited the office and used the same lock pick to relock the deadbolt. He walked briskly to the elevator, trying to move as fast as possible without looking as though he was fleeing. He saw the elevator was already going up and braced himself for the fact that he would come face to face with Ivchenko.

  As the elevator approached the 10th floor, Michael began drafting a text message. He continued typing away at it as the doors opened and Ivchenko and one of his bodyguards exited the elevator. Michael didn’t even look up at them as he slowly stepped into the elevator appearing too engrossed in his text message to pay any attention to what was happening around him.

  Ivchenko continued down the hall without so much as a second glance at him, and Michael knew he was in the clear. At least with Ivchenko. If the security guards were paying attention though, they may have noticed that Michael was on the wrong floor. Again, he hoped they weren’t that attentive.

  As Michael passed through the lobby and toward the exit he breathed a sigh of relief. No one seemed the least bit suspicious. He soon joined Martin in the car and filled him in on what happened while they drove.

  “Sounds like you had fun,” Martin said facetiously.

  “Oh yeah, barrels. Did you find out who Ivchenko was having lunch with?” Michael asked.

  “Another politician,” Martin answered

  “I wonder how much power this guy really has,” Michael thought out loud.

  “Based on body language, I would guess he's putting the feelers out. He's schmoozing. Most of these guys probably don't have a clue what he's really about.”

  “I hope you're right. Or this could get interesting.”

  Martin gave him a look. “Do we have an exit strategy?”

  Michael shook his head.

  “Good to know,” Martin quipped. “What's our next move?”

  “Assuming I wasn't caught on cam, I thought we could approach Ivchenko posing as FSB agents seeking a bribe. We could claim Grekov was our former employer and offer our services.”

  “Is your Russian good enough to pass as FSB? Because I know mine isn't.”

  “I don't know. I'm a little nervous about that myself. Being here the past few weeks has certainly helped. I'm just not sure it's helped enough.”

  “What if we approached him as CIA and gave him the same offer?” Martin asked.

  “I think he would be significantly more distrustful.”

  Martin thought for a minute and came to the same conclusion. “Yeah, and I doubt he would believe we worked with Grekov.”

  Michael's phone rang then.

  “Allo,” he answered in typical Russian fashion.

  “Allo,” the voice on the other end responded back. “Is this Michael?” the caller asked in Russian.

  “Who is calling?” Michael asked, wondering who this person was and how they got his phone number.

  “My name is Alexander Osin. Are you Michael?”

  “What do you want?” Michael asked. “How did you get this number?”

  “I want to speak to Michael. Is that you?”

  “What do you want?”

  “I spoke with your wife a few weeks ago at your home. She seemed very sweet. She was so helpful. If only your daughter hadn't overheard our conversation, I could have spent some quality time with her.”

  Michael's heart raced and his body tensed. “You touch my family and I will hunt you down and kill you,” he growled.

  “So it is you,” Osin said. “I have no intention of hurting your family, Michael. I just wanted to be sure it was you that I was talking to. I'm with your friends Dmitri, Ivan, Timur, and Lance.”

  Still fuming Michael remained silent, not sure how he should respond.

  “They played an interesting phone conversation for me. A conversation you intercepted.”

  “Do you mean the phone conversation between the real people behind the sale of the nuclear bomb?”

  “So it would seem.”

  “So what? Now you want to help us?” Michael asked not trusting him.

  “I want to recover the weapon and punish the people responsible.”

  “I want the same thing. What do you want from me?”

  “I know yo
u are still in Russia. I know my government as well as the Israeli government is looking for you. And in spite of that, you are closer to solving this mystery than anyone else.”

  “Are you offering to help?”

  “Possibly,” Osin replied. “I have come to an agreement with your friends. If you agree, we can move forward.”

  “What agreement?”

  “I'll let Dmitri tell you.”

  Osin handed the phone to Dmitri who proceeded to explain the situation to Michael.

  “Ivan, Timur, and I have agreed to turn ourselves in,” Dmitri informed Michael.

  “Dmitri, I did all of this to keep you out of prison!” Michael exclaimed. “Why would you agree to that?!”

  “Because Osin agreed to help you if we did.”

  Michael shifted uncomfortably in his seat and sighed heavily. “What makes you think you can trust this guy?”

  “Lance is free to go,” Dmitri continued. “He will be flying home later today.”

  “Dmitri.”

  “Ivan, Timur, and I will be escorted back to Russia to face charges. Osin can join up with you and help you continue your investigation.”

  “Dmitri!” Michael nearly shouted. “How can you trust this guy? How do you know he won't just arrest me on sight? How can you possibly trust him?!”

  “Michael,” Dmitri said calmly. “Do you trust me?”

  Michael grit his teeth and looked outside. “Of course I trust you.”

  “I would not have agreed to this if I didn't trust Osin. Neither would Ivan or Timur.”

  Michael was speechless.

  “Michael, will you have a greater chance of success with Osin's help?” Dmitri asked.

  Though he didn't want to admit it, he couldn't deny that Osin could be a huge asset. “Probably.”

  “Then I'm making the right decision,” Dmitri said. “I can't stay on the run forever, Michael. If you can't prove my innocence then I'm afraid I would have no choice anyway. They will eventually find us and kill us.”

  “I will not stop until I clear your name, Dmitri.”

  “I believe you.”

  After a long period of silence Michael finally gave his answer. “Tell Osin I agree.”

  “He's right here. He heard,” Dmitri informed him.

  Osin's voice came over the line next. “We will deliver Dmitri and his team to a military camp near Novosibirsk. After that, I can meet you wherever you need me.”

  “I'm in Moscow. You can meet me here.”

  “I will contact you in twenty-four hours. By that time I should be in the city.”

  “I'll wait for your call.”

  Michael hung up the phone feeling dread over the situation. He trusted Dmitri and trusted that Dmitri had good sense and likely good reasons for trusting Osin but it didn't do much to alleviate his anxiety.

  “I need a new phone,” Michael announced.

  “You want to fill me in?” Martin asked.

  “I will, but the sooner I can dump this phone somewhere, the better. I'll need to forward my calls.”

  “Should I be worried?”

  The look Michael gave him told him the answer; Yes.

  Chapter 40

  Unable to do anything until the keylogger captured Ivchenko’s login credentials, everyone was on standby. Michael and Martin passed the time by keeping tabs on Ivchenko. Jessica was still struggling to keep food down and therefore spent the majority of her time in bed. It had been twenty-six hours since Michael had heard from Osin and he had come to the conclusion that Osin tricked Dmitri. Michael and Martin were on their own.

  “I guess Osin is a no-show,” Martin stated as they sat outside Ivchenko’s office building listening to the bugs they planted .As of yet, they had not produced any evidence of wrongdoing. Though he discussed what they could only assume was business, he kept his conversations vague enough so they offered little in the way of proof. They did however, get the feeling that Michael was in the clear. There was no talk of an intruder caught on cam, so at least they didn't have that to worry about.

  “Can’t say I’m too surprised. I just can’t believe he won Dmitri’s trust is all.” Michael shook his head. “I wish he hadn’t done that.”

  “He’s a big boy, Michael. It was his decision. And he wasn’t alone, remember that.”

  “Yeah,” Michael agreed in a fog. “You see that silver Mercedes three cars back on the opposite side of the street?”

  “Yep.”

  “Is that guy watching us?” Michael asked.

  “I was thinking the same thing,” Martin said. “He walked by the car a few hours ago.”

  “That’s what I thought. So I’m not crazy?”

  “Nope.”

  “You hungry?” Michael asked.

  “A little. Why?”

  “Let’s see if this guy follows me,” Michael suggested.

  “All right,” Martin agreed. “If he moves, I’ll stay on him.”

  Michael stepped out of the car and began walking. He turned the corner hoping to spur the man in the Mercedes to follow him. Not long after Michael disappeared from sight, the man abandoned his car and jogged across the street in the same direction Michael went. Martin followed suit and the two men continued covertly trying to follow their targets.

  Michael entered a nearby restaurant and walked straight to the back and into the kitchen. Without a word, he walked past a stunned chef and exited out the backdoor before the man could even react. The man following him opted not to enter the restaurant. Instead he continued walking down the street and stopped to look in a store window. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Martin walking straight for him and realized he had been made. He turned to continue walking in an attempt to avoid Martin, but was now face to face with Michael.

  With Michael just feet in front of him and Martin quickly closing in behind, the man simply took a deep breath and smiled.

  “You must be Michael,” the man said.

  “And you are?” Michael asked.

  “Alexandre Osin,” the man replied. “We spoke on the phone.”

  “You said you would call when you got to town,” Michael chastised him.

  “Yeah, well. You forwarded your calls in an attempt to hide your location. So I thought maybe I should investigate a little myself before I stepped in over my head.”

  “I wasn’t sure I could trust you,” Michael said. “In fact, I’m still not sure.”

  “Well if it makes you feel any better, the feeling is mutual.”

  “Then why agree to help me?”

  “Because I am a man of my word. And because if what Dmitri says is true. If he truly was set up. Then it could just as easily be me in his shoes.”

  “OK,” Michael agreed. “So how do we work out our trust issues?”

  “Well, I haven’t eaten in almost a day. Perhaps we can talk over dinner?”

  They ordered dinner from a nearby restaurant that Michael selected and began discussing the evidence they had gathered thus far. Unfortunately, none of it absolutely proved Dmitri’s innocence. At best, it cast doubt on his guilt. They proved Grekov’s involvement. But since he was now dead, there was no way of getting a confession out of him that would vindicate Dmitri. They knew Ivchenko was the other voice on the phone with Grekov. Perhaps with the tape they may be able to get a conviction. But it would do nothing to help Dmitri. There was overwhelming, concrete proof that Dmitri and his team sold a nuclear weapon to terrorists but only circumstantial and vague proof that he might have been framed. It just wasn’t enough to clear him of the charges.

  “So what is it you are hoping to get out of this man, Ivchenko?” Osin asked.

  “A confession,” Michael answered.

  “And you think he’s going to confess?” Osin asked doubtfully.

  “With a little … encouragement,” Michael answered.

  “And what exactly do you think will … encourage him to confess?”

  “That’s where you come in. I think he's looking for people in posit
ions of power who he can turn to for help, protection, whatever. If we approach him as corrupt FSB looking for a handout, I think he might just take the bait. We can use Grekov as an in. He already knows Grekov was corrupt so it could only add to our credibility if we claim to have worked for him. We just have to get him talking enough to admit his involvement in setting up Dmitri to take the fall.”

  “What you propose sounds simple. However you are talking about psychological warfare, which is never simple. You have to know your target inside and out, but from what you have said so far this man is a mystery to you. You do not even know what his role is, his motivation, his end game. How can you possibly get inside this man’s head?” Osin questioned.

  “I never said it would be easy,” Michael replied.

  “I’m not talking about easy. I’m talking about possible,” Osin shot back.

  Michael sighed. “Well, I’d like to hear your idea.”

  Osin leaned back in his seat and remained silent.

  “We know enough to have a chance at success,” Martin spoke up. “We don’t know how much Grekov knew about Ivchenko’s operation. So we would have to appear ignorant of the details even if we knew what they were. What we do know is that Ivchenko orchestrated the sale of a nuclear weapon. So at the very least, he’s an arms dealer of the worst kind. We know he’s cozying up to politicians and criminals.” Martin leaned forward. “To me, he looks like a man trying to build his empire. If we approach him with the audio tape of him speaking with Grekov, claim it’s in the possession of Russian authorities and offer to dispose of it for him in exchange for coming onto his payroll, he might just bite.”

  “And how do you know he doesn’t already have FSB agents on his payroll who will tell him the tape is not in the hands of the government?” Osin asked.

  “We would use that to our advantage,” Martin answered. “If he has agents on the payroll who know nothing of the tape, we can make them appear unreliable and incompetent. Our value would go up.”

  “We have enough proof that he’s guilty,” Michael stated. “We just need proof that he set Dmitri up. That should be the goal of anything we do.”

  Martin nodded in agreement while Osin seemed displeased with the conversation.

  “So we do not care where the nuclear weapon went or have any interest in finding it? Is that correct?” Osin voiced his disapproval.