‘What about Chesapeake, or Norfolk?’ Dante said.
‘Perfect.’ Paul moved to the door. ‘If you find anything out, let me know. I’ll be in the conference room.’
♦
Special Agent Dante slammed the desk. ‘Who do you work for!’
‘The German embassy,’ the woman said.
‘Except they’ve never heard of you.’
‘So you keep saying.’
‘Your friend told us you work for the GMRC.’
The woman shrugged and said something in German.
‘So, you admit it?’ Agent Flynn said, walking past Dante to sit down on the desk next to their prisoner.
‘I admit nothing until I get a lawyer.’
Dante glared at the woman opposite him. She was small, for a German, but she wasn’t going to crack easily and Dante knew he was needed elsewhere. He got up and signalled to Flynn to speak outside.
The FBI agent followed him out and shut the door behind him.
‘What do you think?’ Dante said.
Flynn grunted. ‘We’re getting nowhere fast.’
‘Agreed. I say we have them flown down to Norfolk with a military escort.’
‘Sir.’
Both men turned to see a Secret Service agent walking towards them down the hall.
Dante excused himself and spoke to his subordinate, before dismissing him.
‘News?’ Flynn said.
Dante gave the FBI Director a look. ‘You could say that. It seems the big German has got the all-clear.’
‘Gerhard Beck?’
‘Yep, the EU president’s chief of security says he’s with them.’
Flynn’s expression remained dubious. ‘I had my agents, speak to the EU delegation. They said they’d never heard of him.’
‘I’ve got a recording of the conversation,’ Dante said. ‘Do you want to see it?’
Flynn nodded and followed Dante down the hall and into an office used exclusively by the Secret Service. The room was empty except for a row of lockers, a holographic computer and a single agent, who sat in front of it.
Dante gave the man a look and the agent took his leave.
The door shut behind him and Flynn peered at the screens. ‘Let’s see it then.’
‘It’s the top right file,’ Dante said, pointing.
Flynn reached out to press the screen, while behind him Dante withdrew his sidearm.
‘This one?’ Flynn said.
‘Yep.’ Dante reversed his gun, raised it high and then slammed it down with a crack onto Flynn’s head.
The FBI Director crumpled to the floor and Dante holstered his weapon, crouched down, grasped Flynn round the neck and twisted. Bone cracked and Dante let the body flop back to the floor.
Satisfied Flynn was dead; Dante dragged his corpse to a locker and manhandled it inside. He then locked the door, pocketed the key and moved back into the hall.
‘The FBI Director has been called away on urgent business,’ Dante said to the S.S. agent waiting outside. ‘Make sure his agents are given the runaround as to his whereabouts.’
The Secret Service agent gave him a knowing look and nodded.
Dante brushed himself down, straightened his tie and jacket, and then made for the interrogation rooms. It was time to move to stage two.
Chapter One Hundred Eighty-Four
Eric Wolf sat in glum silence in the room he’d been confined to since he and Jessica had failed to navigate the Capitol Building’s security cordon for the upcoming conference. What had happened to the Professor and Brett, he didn’t know, and since Jessica had been taken away for interrogation, he was left in the company of the brooding giant called Ophion Nexus.
Eric cast the assassin a hate-filled look. The man, dressed in a sharp black suit and crisp shirt, seemed impervious to their situation, his slow steady breathing indicating he remained in a deep sleep.
The door opened and Eric got up as Jessica was escorted back into the room.
‘Are you okay?’ he said in German.
She nodded.
Two Secret Service agents entered. ‘Mr Beck,’ one of them said.
Ophion opened his eyes.
‘You’re free to go.’
The assassin raised his eyebrows as if surprised, and then stood up and followed the two men out of the room.
The door closed behind them, leaving Eric and Jessica alone with their thoughts.
‘What’s happening?’ Eric whispered.
‘They think we work for the GMRC.’
‘Why did they release him and not us?’
Jessica shrugged. ‘I don’t know, but if Brett is going to make her move, she needs to do it now.’
♦
Special Agent Dante looked up at the tall man he’d just set free. ‘You’ll find what you need on the second floor, room two twenty-two.’ He handed him back his documentation and ID cards.
Ophion Nexus nodded and turned to walk away, but Dante grasped his wrist.
Ophion looked down at the contact and the Secret Service agent released his grip.
‘Whoever you are,’ Dante said, ‘when the time comes, I cannot guarantee your safety.’
‘Safety,’ Ophion said, ‘is an illusion of the mind.’
The S.I.L.V.E.R. assassin strode off down the corridor, turned a corner and disappeared from sight.
Dante stood there for a moment and then put a finger to his earpiece as a message came through. The president was on his way back from the Naval Observatory with the First Lady, while the EU president was pulling up in a motorcade out front.
Dante looked at his watch and then made his way to the holding room, where the two men posing as White House staffers were being held.
He motioned to his man on the door and then entered.
There was only one man inside, and Dante remembered the other imposter had been removed for questioning by the FBI.
He looked up at the camera on the ceiling and signalled he wanted the control room to cut all monitoring.
A second later a small red LED on the camera switched off.
Dante turned to his captive and said, ‘Who sent you?’
‘Dante, it’s me.’ The man went to stand up, but Dante reached for his gun.
‘No sudden movements,’ he said, and then frowned. ‘I got your message from security. Who are you?’
The man reached up and removed his prosthetics and Dante’s expression changed from suspicion to shock.
‘What the fuck. Brett, is that you?’
♦
‘In the flesh.’ Brett Taylor smiled at her old friend and thought, he doesn’t look any older.
Dante glanced back at the door. ‘Jesus Christ, do you know what will happen if anyone sees you? They’ll shoot you dead.’
‘Not if I’m with you, they won’t.’ Brett’s expression changed. ‘Will they?’
‘What are you doing here?’ Dante, said, avoiding the question.
‘I need to speak to the president.’
‘About?’
‘That’s between me and him. Can you get me to him?’
Dante’s face darkened. ‘Your friends are terrorists,’ – he flexed his shoulder – ‘they almost got me killed. Which means you almost got me killed.’
‘That was nothing to do with me, you must know that. And we’re here to save lives, not take them.’
Dante laughed. ‘And you expect me to believe you, just like that, after all these years?’
‘You know I only speak the truth,’ she said, holding his gaze.
‘I used to know,’ he said.
‘You still do. Nothing has changed.’ Brett reached out and took his hand. ‘Dante, if the past meant anything to you, you have to help me.’
Dante looked up at the disabled camera. ‘Not here,’ he said and held out a pair of handcuffs. ‘Put these on.’
Brett hesitated.
‘If you want me to trust you,’ Dante said, ‘you have to trust me first.’
Brett went
to put the cuffs on, but Dante shook his head. ‘No, put them on with your hands behind your back, it’s procedure.’
Brett did as he bid and then Dante said, ‘Say nothing and do as I tell you, understand?’ He knocked on the holding room’s door and it opened.
‘I’m taking this prisoner for questioning,’ Dante said.
The agent nodded and Brett was led down a corridor and into another room.
‘You know about the asteroid threat,’ Dante said, closing the door behind them. ‘Don’t you.’
Brett frowned. ‘Does the president know?’
‘No, and he won’t find out either.’
Realisation dawned and Brett said, ‘You work for the GMRC.’
‘I work for the real government, not this sham of democracy.’
‘The real government? You mean the one underground?’
Dante nodded. ‘I can get you there.’
‘What if I tell you there might be a way to stop it,’ Brett said. ‘To stop the impact. To stop them all. To save the surface.’
‘I’d say you were mad.’ Dante walked past her and pressed a button on a holographic display. ‘You see your friends?’
Brett looked at the screen. Jessica and Eric were in a room like the one she’d just been in, while Professor Steiner was in another, being questioned by two FBI agents.
‘They’re going to prison, and when civilisation goes to shit, they’ll be left to rot. Is that what you want? Do you want to die in a pool of your own filth?’
‘I want to do what’s right.’
‘Right?’ He gave a shake of his head.
‘Are you going to take these off?’ Brett turned to show him her handcuffs.
‘Sure.’ Dante removed the key from his pocket. ‘Turn around.’
Brett did so, but as she looked at the holographic screen before her, an image appeared showing the room she was now in and she saw Dante withdraw his sidearm.
Brett dived sideways as Dante swung his weapon.
He swore and Brett said, ‘What are you doing?!’
‘Did you think I was just going to let you go?’ He removed a silencer and screwed it to the barrel.
With nothing to lose, Brett launched herself at him head first, slamming him into the wall. Dante’s gun clattered to the floor and Brett kneed him in the gut and kicked the gun away.
Dante shook his head and stood up, parried another kick with his arm and then snapped Brett’s head back with an uppercut. Dante swung again and Brett crashed into a locker, denting the door. With her arms still bound, Brett struggled to get up. Dante grasped her round the neck with his good arm and squeezed.
Lights danced before Brett’s eyes and Dante grasped her chin as he sought to snap her neck.
‘Agent Dante!’ said a voice.
Brett felt Dante’s grip ease a fraction and he turned to look at the holographic display, from where a man with dark hair looked back at him.
‘I wouldn’t do that if I were you.’
‘Who are you?’
‘I’m your worst nightmare,’ Bic said. ‘Release her, or I’ll broadcast footage of you murdering FBI Director Flynn throughout this building and beyond.’
A video appeared. Dante watched it play out, then let Brett go and she collapsed to the floor, gasping for air.
‘Very good, Agent Dante,’ Bic said. ‘You’re a quick learner, excellent. Unlock Brett Taylor’s handcuffs.’
‘Da Muss Ich,’ Dante said, realising who he was speaking to. ‘You can’t stop what’s to come.’ He unlocked the cuffs. ‘None of you can.’
Brett rubbed at her wrists as she watched the video playback. ‘You killed Director Flynn?’ she said, looking at Dante in horror.
Dante said nothing and Brett picked up his gun and turned it on him.
‘What are you going to do? Shoot me?’
Brett walked up to him and put the gun to his chest. ‘I thought we were friends.’
He laughed, the sound full of irony. ‘So did I,’ – his smile faded – ‘until you and your little band of terrorists killed half my team.’
‘Agent Dante,’ Bic said, getting his attention. ‘I have a little job for you.’
Dante looked in the hacker’s direction, and Bic smiled. ‘And you’re not going to like it.’
Chapter One Hundred Eighty-Five
‘Get in,’ Brett said and opened one of the lockers.
Dante hesitated. He looked around at the four people he’d just been coerced into freeing. ‘You won’t get away with this.’
Professor Steiner removed his contact lenses and slipped on his spectacles. ‘I think you’ll find we already have.’
‘Shouldn’t we try and get information out of him?’ Eric said.
Jessica shook her head. ‘It’ll take too long. We need to do what we need to do and get out.’
‘I said, get in,’ Brett said, and raised her gun. ‘I won’t ask again.’
Dante squeezed himself into the locker and Brett said, ‘This could have turned out very different.’ She drew back her arm and punched him in the face. Dante’s head smashed into the back of the locker and he sagged forward, unconscious. Brett pocketed his weapon’s spare magazine and then pushed him back inside the locker and locked the door, much like Dante had done himself to Flynn some time before.
Brett turned to Bic, who remained on screen. ‘I owe you my thanks.’
‘Thank me later,’ the hacker said, ‘when we’ve completed our mission.’
Brett unlocked the next locker along and opened the door.
Her expression softened.
‘You were close?’ Steiner said, as Brett stared at the dead FBI Director.
She shook her head. ‘Not really, but he was my boss. I looked up to him. It shouldn’t have ended like this.’
Steiner nodded in understanding and allowed Brett a moment to gather her thoughts.
‘What do we do now?’ Eric said. ‘They’ll come looking for us, won’t they?’
Steiner nodded, as Brett removed Flynn’s security card and then quietly closed the locker door.
‘We’ll have five,’ Brett said, ‘maybe ten minutes before they notice we’re missing.’
‘Even when they do,’ Bic said. ‘They’ll have trouble finding you. I’ve gained control of their entire surveillance network. I can make sure you stay out of sight until you get close to the conference room itself.’
‘Is the president here?’ Steiner said.
Bic nodded. ‘And so are the EU president and the Chinese premier. The conference is about to begin.’
‘What about the assassin?’ Eric said. ‘He’s out there somewhere. Dante let him go.’
‘We’ll have to take our chances,’ Steiner said.
‘I know where he is,’ Bic said. ‘I’ll try my best to keep him away from you, Professor. As we know, he cannot kill John Henry until he has killed you first.’
‘Unless he decides to change the order,’ Steiner said, looking grim.
Bic frowned. ‘I believe he will not do so. He’s a professional and he was told the order was key by his employer, Selene Dubois. He will not break the order. It is his code.’
‘I hope you’re right,’ Steiner said. ‘Although, since you told him your location, if he does succeed in despatching me and the president, you’re next.’
‘It would appear so,’ Bic said. ‘And one more reason for me to keep you both alive.’
The room fell silent.
‘Then this is our shot,’ Jessica said. ‘It’s two weeks until the asteroid hits. If we want to get the president on his own, we won’t have a better opportunity.’
‘If you’re in danger, Professor,’ Eric said. ‘Shouldn’t we escape and try another time? If you’re not here, the president will be safe and we can try and get to him when the assassin isn’t around.’
‘He’s got a point’ Jessica said. ‘Perhaps we should cut our losses and come up with another plan.’
Steiner swapped a look with Brett and shook his
head. ‘It’s not an option, this is our best chance.’
‘I don’t agree,’ Eric said. ‘Jessica, tell him, it’s obvious. I can’t be the only one to see it.’ He looked at the screen. ‘Bic, back me up.’
‘I cannot, Eric,’ Bic said. ‘Professor Steiner is right.’
‘You need to tell them,’ Brett said.
‘Tell us what?’ Eric looked at Steiner in confusion.
‘Professor?’ Jessica said, looking from Brett to Steiner. ‘What’s she talking about?’
Steiner sighed. ‘You have to understand, I thought it was the best way. If you had known what was at stake, you might have wilted under the pressure.’
‘Known what was at stake?’ Jessica said. ‘What you do mean? We know what’s at stake, the surface of the entire planet. Isn’t that enough?’
‘It’s not what he means,’ Brett said.
‘Then what do you mean?’ Jessica said, sounding anxious. ‘Our time’s running out. We need to move.’
‘That’s it,’ Steiner said. ‘You’re right, time is running out, but faster than you know.’ He walked over to the rear of the room and opened a curtain, and Jessica and Eric came to stand by his side.
‘Professor, you’re scaring me,’ Eric said. ‘Tell us.’
Steiner gazed up at a light in the night sky, a light larger than any others around it. ‘The asteroid,’ Steiner said. He looked at Eric and then at Jessica. ‘I’m sorry, I’m so very sorry, but it’s not impacting in two weeks.’
‘No.’ Jessica shook her head in realisation. ‘No, that can’t be.’
‘It can, and it is.’
‘What? Eric said in shock. ‘Then when is it impacting? How many days have we got left?’
‘It impacts soon.’
‘How soon?’ Jessica said.
‘I’m so sorry,’ Steiner said again. He looked back up at the sky and the approaching asteroid, which shimmered like a jewel in the black. ‘It impacts tonight.’
TERMINOLOGY
USSB – United States Subterranean Base
GMRC – Global Meteor Response Council, aka the Council
The Committee – Secret organisation / society
Ancient Origins: Books 4 - 6 (Ancient Origins Boxset Book 2) Page 100