“We’ll have to expose him another way then,” Alex said.
There was another brief pause.
“What about Blunt?” Hawk finally said, addressing the elephant in the room. “We can’t just let him twist in the wind, especially for what he’s done for all of us.”
“That wouldn’t be right,” Black said.
Alex sighed. “I agree, but I think we need to topple Sinclair first and reveal his deep dark secrets before we can even think about Blunt.”
“I’m not so sure,” Shields said. “I believe Blunt is in grave danger. Every day that goes by, I think the less likely it is that he’ll ever see the light of day again. And I mean that literally.”
Hawk threw back the rest of his bourbon. “Then we need to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
“So, how are we gonna do this?” Mia asked. “Because I’ve got an idea on how we can expose Sinclair.”
“What are you thinking?” Alex asked.
“I have two hackers that could be coerced into helping,” Mia said. “I’m sending you their contact information now in case you need to employ them as well and to see which one you think might be the best fit. They’re some valuable assets for any operation you might have that would require a legion of hackers.”
“They run groups. Lord Override works solo, while Gimli has a dozen hackers at his disposal.”
Alex laughed. “I like the names.”
A ringing sound from the kitchen arrested Hawk’s attention. He held up a finger. “Hold that thought.”
Hawk hustled over to a satellite phone and brought it back into the dining room.
“Who is it?” Alex asked.
Hawk frowned as he stared at the number on the screen. “I don’t recognize the number.”
“Just pick it up already,” Black said.
Hawk answered and waited for the voice on the other end to speak. For a few seconds there was dead air.
“Who is it?” Alex whispered again, her eyes widening.
Hawk shrugged. “Hello?”
Then he heard a familiar voice, and a wide smile spread across his face.
“It’s Blunt,” Hawk mouthed to everyone.
CHAPTER 24
Sydney, Australia
FALCON SINCLAIR LIT a cigarette and watched the end burn before flicking the ashes into a tray. He checked his watch and sighed. His appointment was already ten minutes late, but not that Sinclair minded much. During his rise to power, he learned that patience was the key to victory.
As he approached one of his first big deals as the CEO of a toy company, one of his mentors told him that the best way to negotiate was through silence. “Most people will grow uncomfortable with the silence and will tip their hand or will concede something extra, giving you a better deal,” the wise businessman had explained. That was the way he leveraged his company into getting a contract that helped it triple its value in less than two years. He quickly moved on from company to company, accruing massive wealth along the way. Then he decided to put everything he’d learned together and start his own global conglomerate. If he would’ve rushed in, he knows it wouldn’t have gone well. But his patience paid off in an unfathomable way. He just needed a little bit more of it.
Australian Prime Minister Oliver Kelly waved at Sinclair upon entering the room. The country’s top decision maker scanned the room as he strode over to his host’s table.
“I thought you said nobody else would be here,” Kelly said as he eased into his chair.
Sinclair looked around and shrugged. “Nobody here even cares who you are. That’s how this place works. No cell phones. No interruptions. Just a comfortable place to conduct business that doesn’t put us at the mercy of the press or any other bloke with a camera and a social media account.”
“But there are other people here who could see us together,” Kelly protested.
“And they know if they were to dare say something, they’d be outed and destroyed. That’s the agreement. And that’s how we all live in harmony around here.”
Kelly nodded and relaxed his shoulders.
“Lighten up,” Sinclair said. “In fact, why don’t you light up?”
Kelly waved dismissively as Sinclair pushed a pack of cigarettes toward the center of the table.
“Go ahead,” Sinclair said. “It’ll help relieve the stress.”
“I’m fine. What will relieve my stress is finalizing our deal.”
Sinclair sucked in a drag before releasing a stream of smoke from the corner of his mouth. “I’m ready to finalize the deal. The real question is … are you?”
Kelly took a deep breath. “Look, I told you I’d do it, and I will. I just need a little bit more time.”
“I’ve given you plenty of time. All you have to do is get enough parliamentary members in line and pull the trigger. You’ve done it before under far greater duress. Get the law passed within the next three days.”
Kelly’s eyes bulged. “Three days? Are you mad?”
“On the contrary, I’m quite sane. You’re the one bordering on insanity for not taking action on my proposal much earlier. I came to you three months ago with this proposal, and it appears that you’ve done nothing.”
“No, that’s not true. I’ve phoned a few allies.”
“Apparently, it’s not enough if the law isn’t changed within the time frame I’ve given you.”
“I need a few more days.”
Sinclair shook his head. “I’m a patient man, Mr. Prime Minister. However, you’re trying me right now. I presented you with a simple plan. All you had to do was execute one little task. But that must’ve been too much to ask of you.”
“Please, Falcon, give me more time.”
Sinclair snuffed the cigarette out in the ash tray on their table. “You’re the last domino that needs to fall. But if you don’t budge, there are other ways I can handle this situation. I can assure you that they are far less pleasant than doing what I originally asked you to do. That option is going to disappear in three days, and I’ll have to apply a different kind of pressure, one that I think you’ll loathe and despise.
