base. Some within this organization even mentioned that a Utopia might be possible, a nirvana in which mankind could live in peace, harmony and accord. There would be no more struggles to survive. Man’s technology and research could feed, clothe, house, and protect the world. No more wars. To take advantage of others. He was not one of those dreamers. Nirvana could never be reached as long as human nature imposed itself, but they might come close.
For the last fifty years, he’d been working toward this goal. Finding others with the same interest, those with enough clout to make this happen. Politicians, business leaders, military-all the cogs of society that could be used to wield together one powerful force to create this new world. People not held back by provincialism and self- interested ideology.
His cell phone vibrated. Glancing down, he saw a text message from Collette. He activated the message.
Targets entered the trap. They are about to die.
Richard turned the phone off, smiling to himself. Now he could focus on more important matters.
Every time Beck came to the Pentagon, he felt in awe at the size of this place. Today was no exception. He finally reached the office he sought and tapped on the door. “Mind if I come in?”
Jack Thompson looked up from his desk. “I’m beginning to think you’re a ghost. How did you get past security? And how did you know I wouldn’t be down at SOCOM in Florida?”
Beck grabbed a chair and pulled it closer to Thompson’s desk. “It’s all about who you know.”
Thompson chuckled. “Well, I know for a fact you do business with a ton of people. I keep running into them all over this globe. What can I do you for?”
“Tracking down Richard Kane.”
The colonel nodded. “I’d like to know where that scumbag is right now. I’d be tempted to send in a drone to take him out.”
Beck’s eyes narrowed. “You may get your chance. I’ve got a hit on a boat off the Washington State coast. Somewhere in the waters between the U.S. and Canada-Strait of Juan de Fuca.”
“How did you manage that?”
“Remember that radio-frequency tracking program DARPA farmed out to private industry?”
“Enhancement of RFID chip batteries? Yeah, but that stuff is only good for close surveillance. Not good for long-range operations.”
“Old news, Colonel. An Israeli company came up with a battery-powered RFID chip that can send out a unique identification number read by our satellites. I had one of these chips planted on Kane when he was running around Vienna trying to recruit Gerrit.”
“You were watching him over there? How did an FBI agent stateside get clearance to monitor an operation overseas?”
“I’d rather not say, sir.”
Thompson smirked. “I’ll bet you don’t.”
Beck leaned forward. “I put a trace on him ever since. He left England just before Gerrit and his crew arrived. I’ve tracked him to this boat, and we should be able to get a fix on his exact location once he hits land.”
“Does Gerrit know Kane is gone?”
Beck shook his head. “I can’t seem to raise him on the cell phone. He may have turned it off before hitting Kane’s location.”
“Well, let him know as soon as possible. Since Kane is not in Harrogate, I wonder who he left in charge.”
Beck shrugged. “Even more important…where is Joe O’Rourke?”
Chapter 56
Harrogate, England
Alena whispered over his radio, “Gerrit. Incoming!”
He felt relief for a moment. She was still alive. And she just warned him she’d chucked the flash-bang. Quickly, he closed his eyes and covered his ears. He felt and heard the blast, even with his ears covered.
The gunmen below him must be temporarily stunned. He scrambled down the stairs just as one man rose from the ground. Gerrit fired two quick bursts before the gunman could swing his weapon around. The man slumped to the ground and remained motionless.
He heard movement to his left and swung around to face the next target. A second too late. The second gunman leaped from around the corner and aimed his rifle before Gerrit could zero in on him.
A burst of automatic fire opened up to his right. The muzzle flash gave him a glimpse of Alena coming through broken windows.
The second gunman fired wildly in the air as he fell back.
Four men down.
Alena crept toward him, rifle at the ready. “You okay?”
“Yeah. I was worried. Heard all that outgoing firepower and didn’t hear you firing back.”
“I knew they were firing wildly. Held my fire until I could get the flash-bang set up to cover you from the roof.”
“Thanks for having my back. I was a second too slow for that last guy.”
“Yeah. Saved by a woman. You will never live that down.”
He smiled. “I could get used to this…partner.”
Alena returned his smile for a moment. Then she frowned. “Do you think we have any more to deal with here?”
“Don’t know. Our thermal imaging showed these four. We need to take the elevator to the lower floor to check on any others and see if…”
They both knew he was thinking of Joe. She whispered, “They could be waiting down there. That elevator might be a kill zone they set up knowing we’d come for him.”
“I know. But we don’t have a choice. It’s where they might have Joe.”
They moved toward the elevator. Alena said, “How are we going to access the code?”
Gerrit held up a card. “Searched one of the dead guys on the roof. Same card I saw Kane use the last time I was here.” He slid the card through the reader, and the elevator door slid open. He entered and used the butt of his rifle to shatter the light bulbs in the ceiling. Darkness enveloped them as the elevator door closed.
They descended to the lower level. Gerrit tapped her on the shoulder. “I’ll go first. Let’s crisscross. I’ll move to the right, you to the left. Okay?”
“Yeah.”
The elevator shuddered to a stop. “Ready?”
“Hit it.”
He gripped his rifle, hit the Open button. He shot through the half-opened door, the tip of his weapon following the direction he scanned as he pressed himself against the wall. Alena moved to his left.
Only silence and darkness beyond. All lights have been extinguished on this floor.
“Stay put,” he whispered. “I’ll find a light switch.”
He worked his way along the wall until he came to a panel of switches. “Got ’em. Get ready.” He began to switch one after another. The entire lower floor burst with light. It took a few second for his eyes to become accustomed to the brightness. He scanned the room.
Not a soul in sight.
He crept forward, clearing one cubicle after another. Each desk was cleaned off. Not a scrap of paper left behind. Together, they moved in unison through the room, clearing each spot before going forward.
Still no one.
They came to a doorway. He swung it open and saw it led to a darkened hallway, with more doors leading off from the hallway. He groped on the wall and found another panel of light switches. Turning these on, he saw an empty hallway.
