by Andrea Kane
A hint of a smile touched Vance’s lips. “It’s the only way to ensure the level of secrecy we require.”
“Does that apply to the executives, as well? Do you also have to forfeit your cell phones at the door?”
“Absolutely.” Vance nodded. “The cell phones we use outside of this office complex are quarantined in a special facility. Phone calls and texts are forwarded to our red phones that are only used within this facility.” He held up his red phone for Aidan to see. “This way, we can stay in touch with the outside world, but because the devices are quarantined, any potential for hacking, spying, industrial espionage is eliminated.”
Aidan found himself fascinated. “How can you be so sure? There’s always the next virus or Trojan horse that someone manages to sneak by even the best of systems.”
“Very simple,” Vance replied. “We change the form of each type of communication and then change it back. Say, for example, that you receive a text message. Let’s assume that somehow, the text message had a nefarious payload along with it. The first step in the process would convert the text message into speech, preventing any payload from being delivered. In the second conversion step, the now audible words of the text message would be converted using a speech-to-text algorithm in a separate system. We do the same kind of conversion for phone calls, as well. The process is just reversed.”
A corner of Aidan’s mouth lifted. “Got it. It’s like having my Siri talk to your Siri.”
“Exactly. Photos and videos are handled in a similar but different fashion. Incoming images are displayed on a high-resolution LCD screen. In the second conversion, a high-resolution video camera aimed at the computer screen captures a still picture or video of the incoming visual information. In this way, the form of the picture remains the same, but the air gap isolation keeps any potential computer viruses from entering Nano. Soundtracks from videos are played through studio-quality speakers, where they’re picked up by the video camera during recording.”
“I’m impressed. And I don’t impress easily.” Aidan cleared his throat and got down to business. “We’re both busy men. I’ll get to the reason I’m here.”
“Please do.” Vance’s brows drew together and he sat back, inclining his head. “Your assistant at Heckman Flax said this meeting was of an urgent nature.”
“It is.” Aidan didn’t mince words. “But it has nothing to do with Heckman Flax.”
A start of surprise. “I don’t understand.”
“Let’s just say that I work independently of Heckman Flax, as well, with some very well-connected, one-of-a-kind professionals all over the world. Our job is to identify high-level crises and to stop them before they get out of hand.”
Pennington took a moment to digest all that. “Is Heckman Flax aware of this enormous additional job you have?”
“No. But now you are.”
“Why tell me?”
“Because you’re in the middle of a crisis that you’re completely unaware of. It involves the new manufacturing technology that NanoUSA is about to commercialize.”
Vance’s eyes narrowed. “And you want to hear all the details of the technology in order to fix my problem?”
“It’s not what I want that matters,” Aidan said. “It’s what others want—and what they’ll do to get it. We already have a significant amount of data. We need more.”
“What is it you think you know?”
Aidan relayed all the information John had debriefed him with.
With a dubious shake of his head, Vance rose. “None of that is news to us, Mr. Devereaux.” It didn’t go unnoticed by Aidan that Vance had reverted back to the formal address. “I’m surprised that you’d come all this way to ask something of me you know I can’t reveal. If you’re right and the Chinese are stepping up their game to try to obtain our technology, we’ll handle it on our own. Now, if there’s nothing else—”
“They’ve got your daughter.”
Vance froze. “Pardon me?”
“Lauren. She’s been kidnapped. The Chinese hired an Albanian crime group to take her—which they did four days ago. They’re going to offer you a trade—the technology for Lauren. And they’re going to kill her unless we act now to prevent it.”
Vance gripped the edge of his desk. “What proof do you have of this?”
Aidan went on to provide some of the intel Zermatt had gathered, including the unreported kidnapping outside Hofbräuhaus.
“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t believe this,” he added. “Have you noticed any change in Lauren’s behavior over the past couple of days?”
The expression on Vance’s face told Aidan he’d struck a nerve.
He started to speak and then abruptly halted as wariness interceded. He stared at Aidan, his long, hard assessment a clear indication that he was waging an internal battle over whether or not he should trust a total stranger, compelling or not.
Aidan remained silent, keeping his own gaze steady as he waited for Vance to reach the inevitable conclusion that trusting Aidan was his only choice.
Sure enough, Vance gave a hard swallow and an almost imperceptible nod.
“My wife . . . I didn’t think anything of it at the time, but my wife has been concerned,” he said at last. “Lauren’s phone calls have stopped. So have her texts, other than a once-a-day, same-time-every-day check-in.” Vance shifted from one foot to the other. “In her last text, she told us that she was having a problem with the reception where she was. Also, that her cell phone was fading in and out. She was taking it in to be checked out, so we shouldn’t worry if she was out of touch for a day. She said she’d call soon.”
“Did her tone sound different?”
“You’re saying you don’t think she’s the one who sent those texts.”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying.” Aidan went on without so much as a blink. “I’ve given you more than enough data to convince you of what’s happening. Do you want to bring me into the loop so we can help you and Lauren? Otherwise, I can promise that you won’t be seeing her again—at least not alive.”
Vince winced at Aidan’s words. “I can’t divulge company secrets,” he replied on autopilot. “There has to be another way. We’ll call the police. The FBI. The damned White House if we have to.”
“And tell them what? There’s no tangible proof. And there won’t be until we’re out of time and Lauren is dead.”
Vance rubbed his hand over his jaw. He was clearly waffling. Aidan rose. “I’m leaving town in a few hours. What’s your decision?”
Before Vance could reply, his red phone vibrated.
Aidan’s gaze shifted and he gestured at the phone. “Go ahead. See what that is.”
Reluctantly, Vance looked down and took his phone out of sleep mode. He was greeted by five successive bings.
“Texts,” he murmured.
Each of the five texts appeared in a balloon message on his phone, all of them in rapid succession.
“Oh my God,” Vance whispered, sinking back down into his chair.
Aidan came around and read the texts over Vance’s shoulder.
You have: Seven days to comply.
You will: turn over all the details of your manufacturing technology.
You won’t: contact the police, the FBI, or make any changes in your routine.
You should: Wait for our instructions.
You must: do everything we ask or your daughter will be dead in a week.
4
Seven days left…
Silence permeated Vance’s office as he stared down at the texts, rereading them one at a time. At the bottom of the last message was a photo of Lauren, unconscious, stretched out on her back in what looked to be the rear compartment of a van, her face angled in such a way that there was no mistaking her identity.
With a hard swallow, Vance’s fingers traced his daughter’s face. “They really do have her,” he said in a strained, hoarse voice. Abruptly, he twisted around to look up at Aidan, his expression g
uarded. “You said you’re part of a well-connected group that resolves crises, but you’ve shown me no tangible proof that your group even exists—or that you’re not in on this somehow yourself! How do I know I can trust you?” His hand tightened around the phone. “I should call the FBI right now.”
“But you won’t,” Aidan replied quietly, returning to his chair. “Because, based on the information I gave you and your own gut instincts, you know I’m telling you the truth. Just as you know that one wrong phone call could incite a pack of criminals to kill Lauren.” He leaned forward, elbows propped on the desk, fixing his hard gaze on Vance’s rattled one. “I understand your ambivalence. But you’re a former Marine. So am I. Integrity is part of who we are. That should go a long way in eliminating your doubts.”
A heartbeat of a pause. Then Vance set down his phone. “It does.”
“Good. Now until we understand exactly who and what we’re dealing with, any blatant disregard for the kidnappers’ orders would be playing Russian roulette with Lauren’s life.”
Vance dropped his head into his hands. “I can’t give them what they want. But Lauren is my child, and I can’t sit still and do nothing.”
“I didn’t suggest doing nothing. I said that violating their instructions would be a huge mistake. The steps you need to take must be strategic and under the radar, taken with proper direction. My group and I will provide you with that direction while we’re simultaneously searching for Lauren. We’ll bring her home. As for who we are, I’ve told you what you need to know. We don’t exactly carry business cards. If you’re wondering about our skills, don’t. We’re all former military, former government agents, former specialists in more areas than I can enumerate. All exceptional. Trust me, we’re more than qualified. And unlike the FBI, CIA, and MI6, we have no limitations, rules, or hidden political agendas. We just resolve situations like Lauren’s.”
Vance blew out a breath. “I don’t see that I have a choice.”
“Yes you do. You can tell me to leave your office and then follow the conventional route.”
“Which you think will get Lauren killed.”
Aidan didn’t mince words. “I do. Any FBI involvement will be discovered. And while I think highly of our country’s law enforcement agencies, I think more of us. Your decision. One thing you should know up front. If you opt to work with us, we’ll be taking the lead and you’ll be following it. That’s unconditional.”
Per usual, Aidan’s certainty and confidence struck home, and Vance nodded.
“Okay.” His eyes were glazed and he was clearly still in shock. “Tell me what to do.”
Aidan sat back in his chair. “Your family is going to Lake Tahoe tomorrow for a family vacation.”
Vance didn’t even bother to ask how Aidan knew that. “Yes. But of course, we’ll cancel that now.”
“No. You won’t. As per the kidnappers’ conditions, you need to stick to business as usual, and that includes taking your family’s annual vacation. Any deviation in your behavior will be noted and acted upon.”
“How the hell am I supposed to go skiing with my kids when their sister is being held captive in some godforsaken place, enduring Lord knows what kind of hell?”
“Because, as I said, you and I are former Marines. Marines don’t quit. And we don’t leave team members or family behind.” Aidan plucked a Post-it from Vance’s desk and scribbled down a name and phone number. “With regard to Lauren’s physical condition, my experience tells me they’re not harming her,” he said as he wrote. “That would be contrary to their end goal. They need her alive and well to get what they want.” Aidan handed the Post-it to Vance.
“What is this?” Vance glanced down at it, seeing the name and the international dialing code +33. “Who is Simone Martin and why am I calling her in France?”
“Lyon,” Aidan clarified. “Simone works there as a managing partner for McKinsey. I want her out here ASAP. Use the guise that you need to reorganize your division, given all the pressures on growth. McKinsey will gladly send her to develop, explore, and implement ideas—for a healthy fee. She’s the best there is at recognizing and enhancing current talent and determining the criteria for hiring future superstars.”
“But you’re intimating that that’s not why she’ll really be here,” Vance deduced aloud. “She’s part of this team of yours.”
“She’s both, but yes. Simone is extraordinary at sniffing out friend from foe. She’ll be our inside person. We have to make sure there are no moles right here at NanoUSA who are being paid to find and leak information to whoever is trying to steal your technology—most probably the Chinese. An internal conspirator is always suspect in situations like this.” Aidan’s brows drew together. “I assume your relationship with your CEO, Robert Maxwell, is good?”
“Very good,” Vance confirmed.
Something in Vance’s tone told Aidan there was more to that answer. “What aren’t you telling me?”
The briefest of pauses. “This isn’t public information yet. It hasn’t even been released inside the company, and it won’t be until after the new technology has been rolled out. Seeing this achievement to completion is Robert’s dream. After that, he plans to retire.”
“After which you’ll be named NanoUSA’s new CEO,” Aidan concluded.
Vance had ceased looking surprised at Aidan’s perceptiveness. “Yes.”
“Congratulations.” Aidan tucked that tidbit away for later. Even though no announcements had been made, that didn’t mean someone didn’t know about this. There were no such things as secrets, not in corporate America. “Is Maxwell accessible today?” he asked.
“He’s in his office,” Vance replied. “I came from a meeting with him just before you arrived.”
“Good. Then, right after I leave, find a way to cut through corporate bullshit and hire Simone as a management consultant, scheduled to start on Monday. That’ll not only get her in place ASAP, it’ll explain the daily morning flights you’ll be taking from Tahoe to here during the week. You’ll be in meetings at NanoUSA until noon. Then, you’ll be making return trips to your family. It’ll satisfy the kidnappers and keep you in the loop.”
Vance gave a hard swallow. “I’ll take care of it.”
“Once Maxwell is on board, call Simone at that number.” Aidan gestured at the Post-it. “Fill her in on NanoUSA. As for the rest—I’ll have brought her up to speed by then.”
Vance was still staring at the Post-it. His head was obviously spinning and he looked like he was going to be sick. “What do I tell my family?”
“Tell your kids nothing,” Aidan replied. “They need to be kept completely in the dark for their own protection and for Lauren’s. As for your wife, it will be hard to keep this from her. I’m sure she’ll continue asking why Lauren’s communications are odd and/or absent. She’s her mother.” Aidan studied Vance carefully. “Tell me about Susan. Will she be able to hold it together and keep this between you? And will she accept the route you’ve chosen to take or will her emotions demand that you call the FBI?”
“She’ll do this.” Vance didn’t hesitate. “She’ll be a wreck. But she’ll pull herself together. She’d do anything for our kids. And in this case—it’s Lauren’s life we’re protecting. So she’ll accept and work with my decision.”
“Good.” Aidan hoped Vance’s assessment was accurate. But it was a risk that had to be taken. If Susan made the wrong move because she was uninformed, everything could blow up in their faces. This way there was a fighting chance that she’d cooperate and not get in the way of Zermatt’s ability to do its job.
“One last thing,” Aidan said. “I need to know if you have a photocopy of Lauren’s passport.”
Vance nodded. “I keep copies of all our important papers, including passports, in my home safe.”
“Good.” Aidan wasn’t surprised. Vance was meticulous and thorough, much like Aidan himself. “I need you to take pictures of that photocopy and text them to me.” He scribbled down
another phone number. “We’ll be providing you with secure cell phones. In the interim, here’s an untraceable number that is routed directly to me. Lauren’s passport has long since been discarded or destroyed. We’ll need to replicate it to get her home.”
“You have people who can do that?”
“We have people who can do anything.”
“I’m beginning to believe that.”
Aidan glanced at his watch. “I’ve got to get going and set things in motion. You’ll be here for a good part of the day, I assume?”
“Till at least dinnertime. Unless you want me to stay longer.”
“No, that works. I’ll arrange for secure cell phones to be delivered to your office this afternoon. Use them for all your communications to me and my team. Make sure to give one to Susan. That way, she’ll feel connected, which will prevent her from feeling uninformed and isolated. Let me know the moment you receive any further contact from the kidnappers. And Vance—” Aidan extended his hand. “Semper Fi.”
Vance rose from behind his desk and met Aidan’s handshake. “Thank you, Aidan. Semper Fi.”
* * *
Aidan waited only until he’d driven out of the parking lot before he accessed his own secure line. It was Saturday evening in France. Simone would be working.
She answered on the first ring. “Oui?” None of the Zermatt team used names until they were certain it was one of their own at the other end.
“It’s me,” Aidan said.
“I assumed it would be.” Yes, Simone had clearly been working— Aidan could hear it in the intent sound of her voice. Instantly, she stopped whatever project she’d been handling and switched into Zermatt mode. “You’ve wrapped up your meeting?”
“Yup.”
“And?”
Aidan proceeded to fill Simone in on what had transpired, adding that Vance Pennington would be calling her soon to request her assistance on revamping his department.
“My alleged role.” Simone had that voice that said she was mentally running through her plans. “I’m assuming Vance Pennington’s phone call to me is a fait accompli. I’m also assuming you want me in Silicon Valley tomorrow so I can hit the ground running on Monday, no?”