“Who is The Chamber?” she asked. “I’ve never heard of this group.”
“They operate in the shadows, influencing prominent people, both in the private sector and government,” Hendridge said. “Not much is known about them, at least not the kind of information any of my contacts at Homeland Security were willing to divulge. The general consensus seems to be that they’re dangerous—and so is anyone who works with them.”
“Who’s their leader?” Carlisle asked.
Hendridge shrugged. “Nobody knows, or at least no one would tell me. I did a lot of digging into them but couldn’t find a thing about them anywhere.”
“But your bandit friends know about them?”
He nodded. “They didn’t say it outright, but that’s why they were there. They got a tip that they could eliminate these leaders and went for it.”
“If you could enhance the video footage, maybe you could identify who the people were supposed to be by the masks they were wearing,” Carlisle suggested.
“That’s what I thought too, but the video experts I spoke to said they couldn’t enhance the images any more.”
“So, this is as good as it gets?” Carlisle asked, gesturing toward the article print out on her desk.
“For now,” Hendridge said. “But I can keep digging with some follow up stories. The important thing is that this article could get them all released.”
“And you’re sure these are the same three being held in Paris? No media outlet has mentioned the names of the agents arrested. I haven’t even seen their names on any conspiracy websites.”
Hendridge cocked his head to one side. “You read conspiracy websites?”
She ignored him. “The point is you might be doing some killers a favor if this isn’t them.”
“It’s them,” he said. “I know it. I got one State Department official to tell me off the record the name of one of the agents arrested. They’re not even willing to help them at this point.”
“Fine,” she said. “I’ll post it this afternoon. If this story is really as big as I think it’s going to be, I definitely don’t want this to get lost in the Michaels’s coverage.”
Hendridge exhaled and smiled. “I promise you’re making the right call here.” He turned toward the door.
“Hendridge,” she began, “don’t ever threaten me to take a story to The Daily News again because I’ll let you go to that rag in a heartbeat next time.”
Hendridge smiled sheepishly. “You know they’d have a better headline than us on this story.”
She shook her head. “Get outta here, and start working on a follow up for tomorrow.”
* * *
WHEN NEWS BROKE in The New York Times about how secret operatives were targeting known terrorists in the bait and switch by the leader of an unnamed clandestine terrorist organization known as The Chamber, Washington was abuzz. Other media pounced on the story, while government officials worked to identify the three Interpol had arrested.
Blunt celebrated the news by pouring himself a glass of scotch far earlier in the day than usual and calling the head of Interpol, Jinjing Bao, a former Chinese UN ambassador who managed to ascend to the top of the law enforcement alliance of nearly 200 countries. Blunt had spent time with Bao in the past while drawing up trade legislation that affected the United States’ relationship with China. While considering Bao a friend was a long stretch, Blunt knew the Interpol leader would take his call and have a conversation.
“What a pleasure to speak with you, Senator Blunt,” Bao said, “though not surprising given the nature of what’s happened in Germany and France in recent days.”
Blunt took a deep breath. “I know you’re busy, so I’ll dispense with the small talk. I need a favor.”
“Hopefully this isn’t regarding the three Americans who were captured in Paris because I’m afraid I won’t be able to help you.”
“Did you read The New York Times article about the event?” Blunt asked.
“I did.”
“And?”
“And I find it’s some extraordinary propaganda.”
“It’s not,” Blunt said flatly.
“Can you prove this?”
“Those three agents are working undercover to combat terrorism. If you reveal their names and identities, it could jeopardize their future missions.”
“I appreciate your concern, Senator, but you have two problems here, starting with the fact that their images are posted at nearly all the Interpol installations throughout Europe. The second is what makes you think they’re ever going to get out of prison? They committed murder on an unsanctioned hit, I’m presuming, since the State Department hasn’t come to their rescue yet.”
“You have to trust me on this,” Blunt said. “You need to release them. Make up a story for the public that they all hanged themselves or were murdered in a prison fight. I don’t care. Just let them out so they can capture Katarina Petrov.”
“Katarina Petrov?” Bao asked, gasping. “Is she the one behind all this? She murdered my father.”
Blunt smiled at his good fortune. “I had no idea.”
“I’ve been searching for her more than a decade.”
“If you do as I suggested, I’ll make sure you get to have a word with her before we enact justice. Does that sound like a deal you can go along with?”
Bao remained quiet for a moment. “I’ll see what I can do.”
Blunt hung up and waited. Less than an hour later, his phone buzzed with a major news update: Three Stuttgart Massacre Suspects Murdered in Prison.
Ten minutes later, his phone rang. It was Hawk.
“I don’t know what you did, but thank you,” Hawk said.
“Don’t thank me,” Blunt said. “Thank Jinjing Bao.”
“You got the head of Interpol involved in this?”
“Turns out he has a score to settle with Katarina Petrov as well, which is kind of the deal.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Bao wants a word with her before we mete out justice, considering that you find her first.”
“Well, thanks to Bao we’ve got a chance now.”
“And apparently a lead as well,” Blunt said.
“How’s that?”
“SnyperNet sent me some footage he scavenged from French CCTV. I’m texting you the address now of where Petrov was last seen in Paris. It’s not much, but it will
