“I don’t see a single light anywhere.”
“Me either,” Black said.
Hawk nodded at Black. “We’re going in for a closer look.”
Black found a door on the backside that was padlocked. He shot it off and then picked the lock. Hawk followed Black inside as they scoped out the empty space.
“There’s not even a stray bolt in here,” Hawk said. “This place is as clean as a whistle. Going upstairs now.”
They found a stairwell near the front and slowly ascended, moving stealthily. Hawk didn’t hear anything. They glided from room to room, clearing each one with precision. In less than a minute, they determined the building was devoid of any people.
“There’s nothing here,” Hawk said. “Are you sure this is the place?”
“According to my calculations, there isn’t another facility they could’ve used in the general vicinity,” Alex said. “That has to be it.”
“Well, it’s another dead end.”
Hawk froze when he heard the sound of metal clanging against the concrete floor.
“Someone’s here,” Black said.
They raced downstairs, guns trained straight ahead. When they tore through the door leading to the open area, they found a man lugging a box as he sprinted toward the door.
“Hold it right there,” Hawk said.
The man didn’t even look back, continuing his getaway. Hawk and Black dashed after the man, catching him after about fifty meters in the parking lot. Tackled by Hawk, the man squirmed as he tried to escape, but Black trained his gun on the man’s head, ending any more struggling.
“Who are you, and what are you doing here?” Hawk asked.
“Don’t hurt me, please,” said the wiry man. He appeared to be in his mid-twenties. Hawk could barely see the man’s eyes as his long brown hair was strewn across his face.
“I’m not making any promises,” Hawk said with a growl. “Now answer the question.”
“Okay, okay. I just answered this ad I found online, and it was an easy five hundred bucks. All I had to do was turn on this machine for a few minutes at a couple locations whenever I got a phone call from this lady. I don’t even think it does anything. Maybe this is some kind of prank. I don’t know. But it’s five hundred bucks, man.”
“Yeah, well, you’re aiding and abetting terrorists,” Hawk said. “Give me your phone.”
“It’s not going to help you,” the man said. “There’s no number when she calls me. It’s all blocked.”
"Just give it to me," Hawk demanded, holding out his hand.
“What are you going to do with it? It cost me more than I’m making on this job.”
Hawk glared at him. “You better be thankful I’m not carting your ass to prison. Now, I’m not going to ask again.”
“Fine,” the man said as he slapped the phone into Hawk’s hand.
Hawk released the man. “Alex, are you still with us?”
“Yeah, what’ve you got?”
“I’m going to call your cell from this guy’s phone. He’s been receiving calls from Evana Bahar, instructing him where to go and when to turn on the Electro 451.”
“So, it’s all been a diversion?” she asked.
“That’s what I’m thinking right now. But see if you can trace where those calls have been originating from.”
“Can I go now?” the man asked.
Before Hawk could answer, several black SUVs skidded to a stop nearby, and agents poured out. They rushed over to Hawk and Black.
“You’re not going anywhere any time soon,” Hawk said to the man, turning toward the leader of the team that had just arrived.
“I’ve been getting updates on the situation developing here,” the leader said as he flashed his credentials.
“Look, stick with this guy, and if Evana Bahar directs him to activate his machine again, let him,” Hawk said. “I’ve got everything out of him that I need, but I don’t want her to think one of her minions has been compromised. It’ll keep the element of surprise on our side.”
“You got it. Mind if we inspect the facility before we leave?”
“Be my guest,” Hawk said.
He and Black made their way to the car. “Alex, you got anything yet?”
“Just as I feared,” she said. “It looks like she’s routing all her calls through her phone’s browser and has a VPN that’s masking her location. The first call looks like it came from Pakistan, while the other one came in from South Africa.”
“Well, a lot of good that does us,” Hawk said as he got inside.
“At least we can switch up our search,” she said.
“Yeah, but we don’t even know what to look for now.”
“The CIA has recorded that feed,” Alex said. “I’m going to analyze the footage and see if I can determine where they were broadcasting from. There might be something in the images that give us a clue as to where they were—or maybe still are.”
“Whatever you do, do it in a hurry,” Hawk said. “Evana has gone dark, which means she’s getting ready for her grand finale with the president.”
CHAPTER 24
ALEX LOOKED AT WOOD, who was pacing around the room. She finished the rest of the bottled water he’d given her and stood to stretch. While the night had been full of adrenaline-pumping excitement, she was growing tired of the frenetic pace as well as the number of dead ends.
“How are things going?” Blunt asked.
Alex turned around to see her boss standing there with a faint grin on his face. “You’re okay,” she said as she gave him a hug.
“And so is Laura,” he said, gesturing toward Black’s sister.
Alex embraced her. “Are you all right?”
Laura nodded. “I’ve had enough drama tonight to last me a lifetime.”
“You and me both,” Alex said.
Wood scowled as he approached the reunion. “Look, not to be a spoilsport here, but we need to let Alex get back to work. We’re running out of time to find Evana Bahar before she does something terrible with the president.”
“Catch me up to speed,” Blunt said. “Maybe
