Alexander King Thriller Series: Books 1-3

by Bradley Wright

  “Please, I don’t have time to explain.”

  “I-I don’t know. But I can ask him.”

  “And I need to know who he flew there. At the very least a description of what he or she looks like.”

  “O-Okay. I can do that. Give me a couple of minutes and I’ll call you back.”

  Kuznetsov walked back into the room.

  “Cali, how well do you know your father?”

  The question gave King a chill. The horrible situation with his own father came flooding back to him. He shook it from his mind and tried not to let his own experience muddy what he was trying to accomplish.

  “I mean, we live together, X. I know everything he does, and vice versa.”

  “And you’ve never seen anything that would make you think he’s doing something wrong . . . or illegal?”

  “Where is this coming from, X—”

  “Just answer the question!” King shouted and immediately regretted it. But he needed an honest answer.

  Cali was quiet for a second. “Okay, okay. I know you’re in a tough spot. I’m telling you, my dad is a good man. He just flies people where they tell him to take them. He doesn’t ask questions. But he does log all his flights. I’ll ask him about Atqasuk and call you right back.”

  “Thank you.”

  King ended the call. Kuznetsov took a seat on the couch and opened his notebook. “Everything all right?”

  “Peachy,” King said. “Now tell me what you have about the samples of the virus leaving your lab.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Kuznetsov thumbed through the pages of the notebook, dog-earring a few of them. King noticed his own leg was bopping up and down in anticipation of what Kuznetsov was going to say. If it all lined up, he had a lot of information to work with on what exactly was going on there in Barrow.

  “All right. First time virus sample was taken was January 7.”

  Alarm bells rang. King’s meeting with the president at the speakeasy about coming to Alaska was the day after his inauguration on January 22. By that time, the first of the small towns had been ravaged. The timing lined up. Check.

  “Let me see . . . yes, the second time virus sample was taken was two weeks later.”

  Bing bing bing. More alarms. While King was just getting to Barrow, Director Lucas had informed him that a second town had been getting sick. Two for two. There was little doubt left in King’s mind that Kuznetsov was telling the truth, and that the viral outbreaks were stemming from his work. One more big one to go.

  “And then just a week later, more samples were taken.”

  Bingo.

  “Then the last ones just two days ago.”

  The samples Sam ran into in Moscow. Kuznetsov had hit on all the instances King knew about. Every single one.

  Kuznetsov went on. “And this is why I almost left last night. I was beginning to be very concerned about why this was happening, and if I was being told the truth.” He looked up from his notebook and pointed to King. “Now I know for sure. And I should have left last night.”

  “I’m glad you didn’t. Because now we have a chance to stop this thing. Let me ask you this. Each time the virus samples were taken, did they also take vaccine samples?”

  “Yes.”

  “And each time they took the samples, was it after you’d made some significant discovery or progress?”

  Kuznetsov stared off into space for a moment. “Well . . . yes. I believe this is true.”

  That’s all King needed to know. It was clear to him that they were taking the samples, both of the virus and the vaccine, and going to the remote towns to test it. He needed one last hole to be filled.

  “Each time the samples were taken, was there someone on the team who consistently left for a period of time?”

  “Yes, every time. I have made note of this as well. One of the scientists, Doctor Abramov. He left every time, and is still gone from a few days ago.”

  “He’s letting the virus loose and then testing the vaccine.”

  “Testing it? On . . . people?” Kuznetsov was appalled.

  “Yes, and so far it hasn’t worked.

  “That is because it wasn’t ready before.”

  “Before?” King leaned in. “Meaning you think it is now?”

  “I know it is ready now. It has not been tested on humans, but our animal tests are 100 percent. It stops the virus from being contracted every time.”

  A revelation hit King like a ton of bricks. This virus and vaccine wasn’t about a weapon. At least not at its inception. It was about money. Someone created a virus so they could sell a vaccine.

  King’s phone began ringing, breaking his train of thought. It was Cali’s number. “What’d your dad say?”

  “He said he flew a guy to Atqasuk just a few days ago, someone he’d taken to a couple of other places before. Does that help?”

  “More than you know. Thank you. I’ll call you back.”

  King knew all that he needed to know about what was going on in Barrow. And now he knew that whatever Sam got caught in the middle of in Moscow, someone there was trying to finalize a deal. That is why there were so many people there to interrupt the transaction.

  “Is there any of the vaccine and virus left in your lab here?” King said.

  “Yes. The only reason I stayed was to move to human testing. It’s the last phase before the vaccination is complete.”

  “The vaccination is already complete,” King said. “And someone has already been trying to move it, or sell it. But it had a little problem in shipping. Who has access to your lab?”

  “Just me and the two other scientists left here in Barrow.”

  “They were supposed to be working today?”

  “Yes, they are working right now. Getting test patients ready for trial.”

  King rose quickly from the couch. “They’ve already been doing human trials. They are going to clean out your lab. I’ve got to get over there now!”

  “I’ll get my coat,” Kuznetsov said as he stood.

  “You can’t come with me. All the Russians they’ve brought here will be waiting to make sure no one else gets their hands on those samples. I’ll have someone come pick you up and take you somewhere safe.”

  Kuznetsov rushed around the couch. “I must go with you. You have no idea what you are looking for.”

  King didn’t like it, but Kuznetsov was right. If they were lucky enough to get to the lab before the other scientists cleaned it out, King would have no clue what to take and what to leave behind.

  “Okay,” King said. “But don’t even think about bringing your gun. I believe you, but that doesn’t mean I trust you around me with a firearm. Leave that to me.”

  Kuznetsov stopped for a moment and stared blankly at King. Then he nodded and went into his bedroom. King’s mind shifted to Moscow. He thought about Sam saying they were holding Zhanna hostage. The reason they must have been doing that was because they needed the vials that Zhanna had in order to make their deal. Whatever their deal was. If it really was this unknown deadly virus and its vaccine, they would go to any length to get it all back. Which meant Zhanna might still be alive for a “trade.”

  But if she was, she wouldn’t be alive for long. And Sam would be walking right into the fire. There was no way these people would let either one of them live. The powers that be, whoever they were, wouldn’t hesitate to tie off every loose end.

  King couldn’t let that happen.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  The twilight grew brighter as morning moved toward afternoon. The snow had trailed off quite a bit, but it was still below zero. Kuznetsov’s vehicle had finally started to warm after five long minutes into their drive. King was going over the conversation with Kuznetsov in his head. The biggest thing he was trying to reconcile was whether or not Kuznetsov had actually met with CIA Director Lucas. Since King believed the virus and the subsequent vaccine had nothing to do with the United States government, he figured that the man Kuznetso
v met with was an impostor.

  Maybe.

  It wasn’t that King was convinced Director Lucas was incapable of turning on his country. If he was being honest, he didn’t know Robert Lucas that well at all. It didn’t seem like his character to turn on his government, but King had been burned by people enough to know that almost anything was possible. The more King thought it over, though, the more the entire thing seemed orchestrated by someone either trying to cash in or trying to rise to power. Neither seemed likely for Lucas. He was a career military man. His father had also been a wealthy businessman who left Lucas quite a bit of money. So money would not have been a motivator for the man. Not to mention, if he really were involved, after the president had sent King to Barrow, Lucas surely would have tried to have King killed. Instead, he’d been nothing but helpful, including having the president call to keep him out of jail. If he wanted everything to be all wrapped up in Barrow at Kuznetsov’s lab without incident, jail would have been the perfect place to keep a skilled man like King. King wasn’t at all buying into the CIA being involved in wooing Kuznetsov. However, it did raise the question, who was?

  The obvious choice was Nigel Warshaw. After all, he brokered the meeting between Kuznetsov and Director Lucas. But could a man as intelligent as Warshaw—smart enough to bring a software company from nothing to billions—be dumb enough to think no one would find out that he was involved in getting Kuznetsov to help him? Had Warshaw been tricked as well? That was something King couldn’t begin to investigate for the time being, so he would have to let it go. But someone needed to, and they needed to get started on it immediately. His go-to in this situation would have been Sam. But she already had her hands full. He couldn’t go to Director Lucas, because his loyalty was, at the very least, in question. The only other person he could call was his tech wizard, Dbie Johnson. She didn’t have any connections with government or agency people, but she knew everything there was to know about digging up information. If King could steer her in the right direction, maybe she could find something. King dialed her number.

  “Hello?”

  “Dbie, it’s X.”

  “Everything okay?”

  “Is it ever when I call you?”

  “Right, no. How can I help?”

  “I need to know everything there is to know about Nigel Warshaw. And I don’t mean his life story, his net worth, or how much his wife got in the divorce. I mean the stuff he doesn’t want anyone to know about.”

  “Okay,” Dbie said. King could hear keys clicking in the background. “Can you give me some direction to start with? Anything?”

  “I need to know if he has any involvement in anything that has to do with the medical field. Ownership, extravagant donations, et cetera.”

  “Not a problem. If he does, how deep in the dark web do I need to go?”

  “All the way down the rabbit hole.”

  “You got it. Last used secure email for you work?”

  “No, go to the next on the list. Number five, right?”

  “Right. I’ll send what I find your way and vanish the old email account.”

  “Thanks, Dbie, and sooner the better.”

  “Yeah, I kinda figured that.”

  King ended the call. If there was something going on with Warshaw, and it was out there, Dbie would find it. For now, King had to put all of that aside and focus on the task at hand. He made one more quick phone call to Josiah.

  “X?” Josiah answered.

  “You know anyone who’s good with a rifle?”

  “X, it’s Barrow, Alaska. Some people here, the only thing they eat is what they’ve killed.”

  “Is that a yes?”

  “Almost everyone here survives by shooting things that move, at long distances. How many men do you need?”

  “All of them. Deputize as many as you can. Make sure they understand it’s for their country, and that’s all they need to know. Will they be willing?”

  “All I have to do is tell them they are allowed to shoot Russians. They’ll drop everything. That work?”

  “I don’t give a shit what you tell them. As long as they can shoot.”

  “Done.”

  “Get them there ASAP and wait for my call. Make sure they have plenty of ammo.”

  “You got it.”

  King ended the call.

  “Sounds like you are preparing for war? You think that is necessary?”

  “I have no idea what we are about to walk into. People were killed in Moscow earlier trying to get to your samples. I’d venture a guess they might be a little on edge here because of it.”

  Kuznetsov was quiet. As they drove toward Volkov Mining, King studied the old man’s profile. He wondered why an accomplished man such as Kuznetsov would get involved in such a top secret operation in the middle of Frozen, USA. It was the only part that made some of the things he was saying hard to believe. King knew all too well that motivation was a funny thing. Some are driven by money, some by revenge, and some by simply fulfilling a sense of purpose, doing something they were convinced was good for humanity. King had met a lot of people in his time, from all walks of life, and very few of them did things out of the kindness of their hearts. This is what worried him. Kuznetsov did say he was paid handsomely, but to turn a blind eye to what seemed obvious corruption? It just wasn’t adding up for King.

  “Why did you come here, Kuznetsov?”

  Kuznetsov glanced over with a raised eyebrow. “I told you. I couldn’t pass up the money. This will be the last bit of work I ever have to do because of it.”

  King waited a second. “I don’t buy it. Did you even check to make sure that the man you met with was actually CIA Director Robert Lucas?”

  Kuznetsov shot him a look. His eyebrows were raised, and his mouth hung open a little. It certainly didn’t seem like he’d ever considered it. “It’s not possible. It had to have been him.”

  “Why?” King shifted in his seat to better face Kuznetsov. “Because Nigel Warshaw sent him? Because he had a CIA credential and a couple of ‘bodyguards’? Let me guess, they don’t send you checks for your work. It’s strictly wire transfers, right?”

  Kuznetsov may have answered, but King didn’t hear him. He had just given himself a good idea of where to send Dbie next. While he knew whoever was actually pulling the strings of this entire thing would most certainly have an untraceable account sending the money, there was at least a trail. And giving Dbie a clue was like giving a hound dog a scent. Only, she could sniff around all over the world with today’s technology.

  “Mister X?” Kuznetsov said.

  “What?” King shook his trance.

  “We are almost there. Do you—”

  “Pull over in this driveway. I need that bank account info where your money has been sent. You have it on your phone?”

  “No,” Kuznetsov said as he pulled over. “But I can call someone who can get it for you.”

  “Call them,” King handed over his phone. “But Kuznetsov?”

  King made sure Kuznetsov looked up at him.

  “Yes?”

  “No Russian. Or I will kill you.”

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Washington, DC, 5:00 p.m.

  President Gibbons shut the file that Director Lucas had given him on Nigel Warshaw. Before reading it, he was surprised when Lucas had told him the CIA already had a file on him. After reading it, it all made sense. And Gibbons did not like what he saw. The holdings some of his company had in labs in places like China and Japan instantly sent up red flags. He wasn’t one to jump to conclusions, but this had foul play written all over it.

  Gibbons picked up the phone and dialed Director Lucas.

  “You’ve read the file?” Lucas answered.

  “I see why you were watching him.”

  “Until Sam brought it up, the thought never even crossed my mind that he could be involved with all this.”

  The president stood and paced the Oval Office. “What do you have on the Seattle holding com
pany Sam said the plane was linked to?”

  “Sithjohn Industries. Looks like they have investments in a few smaller software firms. Warshaw’s name isn’t listed on it. But one of his former board members has a minority stake. Not sure if that’s enough to be rotten, but it’s enough to make it stink.”

  “Sure is,” the president said. “I need Warshaw on the phone immediately.”

  “Sir, all due respect, but I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  “Why not? You just said yourself, it stinks.”

  “But we don’t know anything yet.”

  “Robert, we don’t have time for a full-fledged CIA investigation,” the president said, raising his voice a notch. “I didn’t send Alexander King and Sam Harrison out on this mission because I was worried about bureaucracy. Get him on the phone now.”

  “Sir, you are not equipped for that conversation. And frankly, neither am I. If he is involved, all we’ll do is spook him. If he isn’t involved, what are you going to say? What if you piss him off and he takes this public? This is the age of social media. He could bury you. And I’m not sure his political alignments are with you.”

  “I don’t give a hairy shit if he voted for me or not. There are lives at stake here. Lots of them!”

  Both men were quiet for a moment.

  The president let out a sigh. “But you’re right. I wouldn’t know how to handle that conversation other than to accuse him. So what do we do?”

  “We’ve begun monitoring. He moves, you’ll know. And we are doing a deep dive into recent activity across all his personal and business accounts. If Warshaw has anything to do with this, we’ll know. You have my word.”

  “All right. I just can’t stand sitting here with my thumb up my ass.”

  “Welcome to my entire existence,” Lucas said with a laugh.

  The president wasn’t in a laughing mood. “What about King? Have we heard from him?”

  “Not yet. Last check-in, he was on his way to Kuznetsov’s supposed home.”

  “Supposed?” the president said.