A few more keyboard clicks before he raised his hands in the air and declared victory. “It’s done!”
Mia moved over the money as she watched the data download to her flash drive. It was at sixty percent and moving slowly.
“Got it?” he asked.
“Almost there,” she said before she heard a loud pulsating noise outside their window. “What is that outside? I can feel it in my chest.”
“It’s a helicopter,” he said.
Lord Override’s phone rang, and he answered it cautiously. “Hello.”
“This is the Police Intelligence Service,” a man announced in Danish. “Please come out with your hands up.”
Mia glanced at Lord Override. “What are they going to do?”
“They’re going to kill us if we don’t comply.”
CHAPTER 13
Milan, Italy
HAWK READ THE TEXT aloud again from Blunt and sat back down on the couch in Pierce Sterling’s flat in Milan. Alex and Hawk accepted an invitation to join Sterling after he explained his own situation.
The British agent disclosed that two weeks ago he was forced to become a rogue operative by his department’s standards. Someone framed him by planting evidence because he’d dared question his superiors on a series of decisions that resulted in the loss of two colleagues with impeccable records. According to Sterling, the charges were fabricated but returning to London would’ve kept him from uncovering who was behind all the odd behavior he had witnessed. His brief investigation pointed toward Falcon Sinclair’s secret organization called Obsidian. And when the Phoenix Foundation operation collided with his, Sinclair was able to escape.
Sterling admitted that he had no plans to interrogate Sinclair. Once he was kidnapped, Sterling was going to kill the Australian businessman, vigilante style.
Hawk and Alex expressed to Sterling that if they were to work together, Sinclair was to be detained, not murdered. There were still plenty of questions Hawk had that extended well beyond the nature of Obsidian’s end game. Once Sterling agreed, the three pledged to work together and formed an alliance.
But now instead of Hawk and Alex protecting Sterling, all three of them were likely to be wanted.
“At least you have a heads up,” Sterling said. “I had no time to react to anything. Before I knew it, all my MI-6 credit cards and passports had been frozen and flagged. But you have a chance to ride this out for much longer than I could with the limited resources I’d concealed.”
“This is new territory for us,” Alex said. “Any tips?”
“I have some banker friends in the British Isles who could help us,” Sterling offered. “If you’d like, I can make a few calls.”
“Do it,” Hawk said. “Blunt acted like this was urgent.”
In less than fifteen minutes, Sterling helped Hawk and Alex transfer the balance of the Phoenix Foundation’s funds into a series of accounts in the British Isles. Sterling suggested they spread them out as a way of muddying the money trail.
“They’re going follow the money,” Hawk said. “That phrase has become so popular in America that I think more people know that than they do the opening line of the Declaration of Independence.”
Sterling shrugged. “Maybe that’s why your entire nation consumes conspiracy novels like they’re sweets.”
“Or maybe it’s because the American people are tired of getting lied to and have seen so many conspiracies that they can easily spot them,” Alex countered.
“You have a point,” Sterling said.
“We also have sufficient funds to pursue Sinclair right now, thanks to you,” Hawk said. “But that’s not going to do us any good if we don’t get a move on.”
“Before we go anywhere, we also need to dispose of all the electronics issued to us,” she said. “And while I hate this for you, Sterling, this apartment is likely compromised.”
“It’s part of the job,” Sterling said. “I do have another place in Paris. It’s far less comfortable, but it’s a warm place to lay our heads while we make an attempt to solve what our next move should be.”
“Isn’t that already apparent enough?” Hawk asked.
Sterling cocked his head to one side and studied Hawk for a moment. “So apparent that … I’m not sure what you’re talking about?”
“We need to find Sinclair,” Alex said as Hawk nodded to her reply.
“I don’t think that’s the wisest decision right now,” Sterling said.
“And why not?” Hawk asked.
“He knows we’re coming for him, so we lose the element of surprise, which I’m convinced we’ll need to bring him down,” Sterling said. “I had that before you stumbled right into the middle of my operation.”
“Okay, guys,” Alex said. “Let’s not dissolve this partnership before it gets off the ground. But you’re both right. We need to go after him, but we don’t need to go in guns ablazin’.”
“Then what do you suggest?” Sterling asked.
Alex strode over to the table and picked up a copy of that day’s newspaper. She flipped the pages until she reached an article with a headline that read: “Way of the Future: Sinclair to Offer a Glimpse of How the World Will Live at Smart Symposium.”
“I’m not sure I follow,” Sterling said.
“There’s a Smart Symposium and Exhibit that’s attended en masse by the public tomorrow afternoon in Paris,” she said. “And our good friend Mr. Sinclair will deliver a presentation on how his new smart homes function.”
“Ah, yes,” Sterling said. “I’ve read about those. Freedom Houses, I believe is what he calls them. Should be fascinating.”
“And also a great opportunity to catch him,” Hawk said.
“Yes, and doing it together instead of working against each other,” Sterling added.
“Perfect,” Alex said. “Grab your things. We need to get to the airport as soon as possible if we intend to make it on time.”
In less than ten minutes, the newly formed gang was packed and walking out the door for Paris.
CHAPTER 14
Copenhagen, Denmark
MIA SWALLOWED HARD as she looked at Lord Override, her face begging for a solution. He closed his eyes and shook his head. A helicopter hovered just outside the window of his third-floor apartment.
