“What’s this?” said Burley.
“Open it.”
Charles Burley grasped his envelope, ripping the edge off with one clean motion. Georgia Tuttman carefully opened hers and gasped as she looked inside.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” said Burley.
“What is the meaning of this?” yelled Tuttman.
Burley reached into his envelope and took out the severed finger of one of his agents. He scowled in disgust and flung it onto the table, then reached into the envelope again and took out the photo of his agent sprawled on the floor with a bullet hole in his head. He looked up sharply at Kalakia.
“That’s one of our men,” he said. “Why did you do this?”
Tuttman now had out the photos of one of her high-ranking people, who Kalakia had ordered killed the same way.
“I want to ensure that you appreciate the seriousness of this situation. I will not tolerate complacency. You claim to have had no part in these attacks. Demonstrate your commitment to stability by helping bring these terrorists to justice.”
“What terrorists?” said Tuttman, throwing up her hands. “We don’t even know what you’re dealing with here.”
“I understand your political position,” said Kalakia. “Deny all knowledge and remain neutral. Wait until the worst has passed. This would be wise under normal circumstances. However, let me assure you; these are not normal circumstances. Neutrality is not an option.”
Kalakia’s words ushered in a tense silence. Charles Burley began shaking his head. Georgia Tuttman sat back with her arms crossed, her face flushed red.
“This is ridiculous,” muttered Burley to himself.
“Mr. Burley,” said Kalakia. “If you have something on your mind, share it. But I warn you, be careful with your words. My tolerance is running dangerously low after the events in Berlin.”
Kalakia and his fellow titan faced off. Burley’s hands were quivering, his nostrils flared. Kalakia dug into him with his stare, sensing himself nearing the edge. He and Burley both possessed enough firepower to devastate the other completely, except it was the Americans with the most to lose. The United States could cripple The League any time they chose, but the cost to them would be so colossal that they would never attempt it. The ensuing conflict would shatter the world economy and destabilise society for years. The modern world was a machine whose momentum was not permitted to stop, and it was Kalakia who had his finger on the off-switch. He was not looking to go to war with the global powers. That would be suicide. It was Stirner he wanted. Yet since the attack on the Grand Luxus, his darker impulses had risen like evil spirits, and he found himself close to the point of no return. His desire to lash out was almost irresistible. From the moment the explosion went off in Berlin, Kalakia knew he would annihilate anyone who did not cooperate.
Georgia Tuttman uncrossed her arms and leaned forward.
“Tell us what you need, and I’ll see what MI5 can do,” she said.
Kalakia extended his fingers out to release the tension and took a deep, calming breath. He nodded at Francois to hand Tuttman the next envelope. Tuttman opened it and began sifting through the photos of Stirner as Burley reluctantly reached out and snatched his envelope from Francois’ hand.
“Both of you know who Horst Stirner is,” said Kalakia. “It is in everyone’s best interest to locate him quickly. If we do not, then this conflict will escalate, and innocent people will die. There will be more disruption caused to the global economy than at any time since the Second World War. This act of terrorism in Berlin is only the beginning.”
“Ok,” said Tuttman. “We’ll keep an eye out for him. Anything else?”
Kalakia recalled Stirner’s words. You forgot to look in the shadows.
“Yes,” he said. “I want profiles on your most wanted criminals, and I want them by midnight tonight. I expect your partners in the Five Eyes to cooperate, as well as all nations you collaborate with.”
“Which criminals exactly?” said Burley. “This is a long list you’re talking about.”
“Use your common sense. I have no interest in wife killers and petty thieves. Focus on those who are capable of extreme violence. Those associated with organised crime and drug cartels, anyone on your terror watch list, those associated with guerrilla groups, and so forth.”
“You think this is blowback from the underworld?” asked Tuttman, leaning forward while rubbing her chin.
“Yes. The League has extinguished their influence over the years. Our demise opens the door for them to reassert control.”
“I can give you a list of influential figures who would have plenty of motivation to want you dead,” said Tuttman.
“While we have given the world’s elites ample reason to support Stirner, they are not the tip of the spear. We must address the threat directly.”
“There’s no way we can meet your deadline,” interjected Burley.
Kalakia leaned back and steepled his fingers.
“Is that so?” he said. “Your collective is the single most efficient espionage alliance ever devised, with almost a century of cooperation. You are above national law, able to act with total impunity. You have coordinated countless coups, brought down numerous governments, and you have outclassed the Soviet Union. I trust you can scrape together some documents in one day.”
“Why are you coming to us?” said Tuttman. “The League’s intelligence is second to none. You’ve already taken our brightest people, and your technology is light-years ahead of ours.”
“Ms. Tuttman, The League has co-existed with your respective governments for almost three decades because we know our mission. We police inequality, and we do so because you cannot, or rather, will not. We are the only line of defence against greed and corruption. Policing your criminals was never our job. As a result, many have slipped through our net. This was a critical mistake, but be assured we will correct it. In the meantime, global stability is at stake. The files, by midnight. Otherwise I will count you as an enemy and will
