Amira accepted the card, and said, “Thank you,” which had nothing to do with the card but the words and sentiments behind them.
Trevor nodded. “You earned it. Now, I’m going to leave you here to do something the rest of these people wouldn’t understand.”
“What’s that?”
Trevor smiled. “Enjoy the moment and the glory,” he said, and walked away.
Less than a year later, a call had been placed, and a new way of life had been offered and accepted, and Amira Cerone had never looked back.
Part II – Apex Predator
Chapter 5
Gaylord National Hotel
The Present
1545 EST
Assassinate Tooney? These people are crazy.
“And how pray tell do you plan to frame me for assassinating Director Tooney when he’s over at Langley, and I’m tied up here? I’m pretty sure you don’t have the technology to teleport.”
Trevor laughed, smiled, and shook his head. “You really don’t know, do you? I always find it astounding when the smartest, most talented people in the world – and you are one of those, Amira; I’ll admit that – miss the obvious when it’s right in front of their face.”
Amira didn’t respond, as she knew whatever came next, it wasn’t going to be good.
“Didn’t you notice all of the increased activity around the National Harbor? Large groups of people in suits, more than on any normal day of holiday shopping? Even the Harbor’s own contracted security company has more patrols today than usual. Want to take a guess why?” The smile reappeared on Trevor’s face, a mask of pure smugness.
What did I miss? She’d admittedly been so excited about her lunch with Beth that she hadn’t considered the environment. It was the National Harbor, after all. Minus one poorly planned conceptual terrorist attack that the Prince George’s County Police Department had foiled, it was a fairly low-threat environment. Amira remained silent in her refusal to placate her former mentor’s ego.
“Fine. Since you won’t play… Today, at the illustrious Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, marks the beginning of the annual Intelligence and National Security Summit,” Trevor declared. “And want to guess who one of the keynote guest speakers is for the final main discussion of the day, which starts in…” Trevor glanced at his watch. “…fourteen minutes, to be precise.”
The annual summit was the premier forum for unclassified discussions between members of the Intelligence Community and other government agencies and their partners in both industry and academia. The topics ranged from evolving global threats to current trends, with a focus on developing collaborative solutions. It was a who’s-who in the intelligence zoo and always garnered international attention.
The revelation hit like a physical blow, threatening to deflate what little hope she had. She should’ve known. Everything had been orchestrated to lure her into the trap that had been set, and she’d walked willingly into it. But that means… She’d dwell on that problem later.
“I know. It’s brilliant, isn’t it? And guess who has personal contacts with the private security company the Gaylord hired to protect this little soiree?”
“You’re pretty pleased with yourself, aren’t you?” Amira asked, even as her tactical mind reoriented itself to elicit more information on the soon-to-be-assassination attempt. “You thought of everything, didn’t you? You always were good with planning. Let me guess: there’s some look-alike of me running around downstairs in the convention center, likely with a back-up team in case something goes wrong?”
“See? I knew you’d figure it out. And like I always told you, the best plans are the simple ones. Less moving parts, the less that can go wrong.”
The main door to the suite opened and closed, and she heard a male voice, thick with the same Dinka accent of her captors. Jesus Christ, how many people are they bringing up here?
“Just tell me one thing, Trevor – who’s paying you to do this job?”
Trevor’s smile vanished, replaced with an accusatory stare. “How many people have you killed, Amira? How many enemies have you made? I told you on the day we met that sacrifices get made in this business, but what I didn’t understand back then – not really – is that to win in this business, you have to sacrifice your soul. And whether or not you realize it, you’re well on on your way to paying that price. But I think you know that. Look what this job has taken from you. You lost your father because of this business.”
Amira’s fears were swept away at the mention of her beloved father, and all that remained was the fury and righteousness she carried into battle. “How dare you mention him to me,” she said so quietly with such ferocity that all sound ceased inside the suite. “I don’t know how, but you’re going to die this day, and I pray I’m there to witness it.”
Trevor nodded. “I know you believe that, and you probably have reason to, considering all you’ve done, but your time is running out. In fact, you have less than thirty minutes before you become another star on the agency’s Memorial Wall. Goodbye, Amira. It’s been an honor.”
Trevor abruptly turned and left the room, abandoning Amira momentarily to her thoughts. This can’t be how it ends. I have to get out of this, somehow. But she also knew that every other captured operative, soldier, and civilian thought the same thing, usually right before they died. As her hopes dwindled by the minute, no matter what, she’d hold on to them until her last breath. It’s who you are, until the end of your time, her father whispered silently to her. Don’t give them anything else.
The conversation in the living room ended, and Nafisa, Samuel, and the newcomer entered the bedroom.
Amira’s mind froze for
