“Bro? You’re ready to move our relationship to that level now, Sis?”
Alex laughed. “I always wanted a brother, and now I’ve got one. I must say I’m still a little surprised I got what I wanted after all these years.”
“Be careful what you wish for,” Samuels said. “You may not like me making fun of you.”
“You may not like me kicking your ass if you try,” Alex shot back.
“I’ll take that into consideration, Sis.”
* * *
AN HOUR LATER, ten floors below Petrov, Hawk listened in on the transmission coming from the bug that Alex had hidden beneath the cart. Petrov was discussing plans with the little Russian man who served as her assistant and confidante, Anatoly.
Hawk never could determine if Anatoly and Petrov’s relationship went anything beyond the professional realm. Petrov was an attractive woman, especially for her age. But Anatoly was pug faced and balding, even at ten years Petrov’s junior. While Hawk hoped to verify the intel they’d received about the plane, he secretly wanted to find out the nagging question of whether there was something more to Petrov and Anatoly.
“Well, Anatoly, it looks like the time has finally arrived,” Petrov said.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked.
She was silent for a moment. “Let me ask you a question. If you had the opportunity to seize the throne without any repercussions, would you do it?”
“Depends on what needed to be done to seize it.”
“Murder, Anatoly. Cold-blooded murder.”
“In that case, I don’t think I could.”
“Come now. We all have murder in our hearts. There isn’t anyone you dream about sliding a knife into their heart and twisting it? There must be someone.”
He laughed. “Why would I need to do that when I could simply have you do it for me? Besides, I have much more enjoyable fantasies.”
“Such as?”
“You’re going to make me blush.”
“It wouldn’t be the first time,” Petrov said. “Now, do tell. I want to hear about your fantasy.”
Anatoly was quiet for a moment. Hawk pressed the headphones tighter against his ears, straining to hear what was being said, if anything.
“What is it?” Petrov finally asked.
“It’s a message from Bannister.”
“Is he still coming?”
“Yes, he said he’s been delayed but he’ll meet everyone at the airport tomorrow at eight-thirty, just as we’d planned.”
“Excellent,” she said. “I really liked that man.”
“Yet you’re still proceeding as planned at the chalet?”
“Of course, Anatoly. Now about that fantasy of yours . . .”
A knock at the door interrupted their conversation again, this time by a hotel employee announcing room service. Everything sounded like it was being consolidated onto one cart, the new cart. The cart Alex had wired was pushed out of the room, transmitting only a squeaky wheel as it rolled out of Petrov’s suite and down the hall.
Hawk sighed and put down the headphones.
“So, did you get confirmation?” Alex asked.
Hawk nodded. “Tomorrow night, 8:30.”
“Then why do you look so down about it?”
“There was something else they were talking about that I was curious about.”
“Care to enlighten me?”
“It was nothing important. Just me being a little voyeuristic, that’s all.”
Alex eyed him closely. “I never would’ve pegged you for the type.”
“I work in espionage,” he said. “What else would you have pegged me for?”
Hawk shifted his weight from one foot to the other, antsy to leave.
“Look, I’ve got to go out,” Hawk said. “I need to meet someone.”
“Need me to tag along?” she asked.
“No, you and Samuels bond over your family heritage while you get ready for tomorrow. I can handle this alone, and it’s safest that way.”
“Suit yourself. Don’t hesitate to call me if you need anything.”
* * *
HAWK TURNED DOWN THE ALLEYWAY and once again checked the address he’d written down earlier. He was on the right path, though the area felt a little sketchy. Prostitutes had attempted to allure him on every corner, while drug addicts huddled near the doorsteps of back entrances. The smell of urine and sewage almost choked Hawk at times. It was the side of Paris that never appeared on any tourism brochures. It was also a great place for one of the world’s best hackers to hide.
Hawk rapped on the door, using the prescribed cadence.
“Name,” said a man through an intercom system.
“The Pied Piper,” Hawk replied.
Hawk glanced up at the inconspicuous security camera just above the door and waved.
The door buzzed. “Enter,” said the man.
Hawk pulled the door open and entered a dimly lit hallway. Waiting a few seconds for his eyes to adjust, he studied the brick walls. He could only guess how long they’d been standing but assumed at least a century or two. Overhead, wooden beams served as high arches, supporting the white roof.
What was this place?
With his vision attuned to the dark environment, Hawk moved forward down the hallway until he reached an open doorway. He stepped inside and found what was likely a banquet hall of some sort. The ceiling soared above as the room sprawled in every direction. Tall windows towered over the hall every few feet but had been covered with a dark material. Hawk studied the chandelier above that used what looked like at least a hundred candles. He was still looking at it when he heard footsteps approaching.
“When you use as much energy as I do for your computer servers, every little bit of savings helps to avoid detection,” a man said.
Hawk turned to see a middle-aged man shuffling toward the center of the room. He offered his hand to Hawk.
“You must be SnyperNet,” Hawk said, shaking the man’s hand.
“In the flesh, though I prefer to be called Bob when meeting with people in person.”
“And that happens very often?”
“It’s only happened once before, but J.D. Blunt is a dear friend of mine.”
Hawk nodded. “He must’ve done something very significant for you.”
“He broke my brother out of a Turkish prison, but that’s another story for another time. Come. Let’s talk.”
Bob led Hawk down a hallway and then into a smaller room teeming with electronic equipment. Monitors covered the far wall,
