“So, are you just making stuff up now? Is that how you’re playing this?”
“I’ve got one of the best hackers in the world under my employ, and she’s uncovered enough illegal activity from you to put you away for years,” Blunt said. “But at the moment, I’m not interested in that.”
“Then what are you interested in?”
“Your cooperation in a situation we have brewing at the New York harbor.”
Wharton’s eyebrows shot upward. “What kind of situation?”
“The kind that Falcon Sinclair would call you about.”
Wharton looked down, staring at his feet. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I got a call from one of my friends at the NSA, and they have you talking to Falcon Sinclair.”
“Is that a crime?”
“It is if he asks you to do what he asked you to do for him.”
“Look, Sinclair’s a friend. He asked for a favor, much like you’re doing right now.”
Blunt nodded. “So, he blackmailed you?”
“I guess that’s what you’d call it technically.”
“Dammit, Wharton. Are you doing something you’d normally do for someone else, or is this a special favor?”
“Well …” Wharton paused, clearly calculating how to answer.
“I don’t have all day, Senator. Just spit it out.”
“I may have helped him get some people into the country through the port.”
“Is that all?”
“Yeah. I secured some passes for a number of men he requested to gain access through the port.”
“And where are these men?”
“How should I know? I just called the port authority and asked them to help.”
“To do what? Look the other way?”
Wharton put his hand on Blunt’s chest. “Like I’m the first one to do a favor for someone. Come on, man.”
“These men are dangerous, and they have nefarious plans, the kind that could kill thousands of your constituents. Is that the kind of decision you want to live with?”
“You’re just trying to scare me,” Wharton said, waving dismissively at Blunt.
“Where are they?” Blunt asked.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Stop playing dumb. I’ve got so much dirt on you I could spread out enough soil and plant a garden on forty acres of land.”
“Okay, okay,” Wharton said as he held up his hands. “I’ll tell you where I sent them.”
Wharton gave Blunt an address.
“Senator, it’s your turn,” one of the men in the foursome called out.
“I’ve gotta go,” Wharton said. “But we’re done, you understand?”
“Of course. Thanks for your help, Senator. I may have just saved your job. Better be thanking me instead of shooting darts at me with those eyes of yours.”
“Go. Now,” Wharton said. “Do it before I change my mind and call security on you.”
Blunt jumped into his golf cart and threw it into gear. He picked up his cell phone and dialed Hawk’s number as he hummed over the cart path.
“What is it?” Hawk asked. “Did you get something?”
“You’re going to New York City,” Hawk said. “Wharton even gave me the address.”
“We’ll get on the next train headed there,” Hawk said. “See you there.”
Blunt hung up and sighed as he pulled into the member parking lot. He could taste revenge—and it was sweet.
Just one more thing to do.
CHAPTER 42
New York City
HAWK SIGNALED TO ALEX and Big Earv as they approached the boarded-up building in East Harlem. From half a block away, Hawk noted two men panhandling on the sidewalk near the front steps. He was almost certain that they were Nazari’s men in disguise.
“You see what I see?” Hawk asked.
Alex took a deep breath and nodded slowly without saying a word.
“Are you all right?” Hawk asked as concern spread across his face. “You look pale.”
“I’m fine,” she said. “Maybe I shouldn’t have eaten that hotdog from the street vendor earlier.”
Hawk held her gaze. “Can you do this?”
“Yeah. Let’s go. I’m fine.”
Hawk wasn’t sure he believed Alex. For the past hour, he’d noticed that she’d been short in her responses and somewhat lethargic. Maybe the fatigue of the past few weeks was starting to catch up with them. And he wasn’t about to let her put herself in danger.
“Why don’t you go back to the car and monitor the operations from there?” Hawk suggested. “Big Earv and I can handle this.”
“You have no idea how many men are inside that building,” she fired back. “You need me more than ever right now.”
“You don’t look well right now, definitely not someone who’s able to handle herself in a protracted gunfight,” Hawk said. “We don’t know what we’re going to find in there.”
“He’s right,” Big Earv said. “If you’re not a hundred percent, we can use your seventy or eighty percent better on your computer.”
“And if something goes wrong?” she asked.
“At least you’ll be able to alert the authorities about it,” Hawk said.
“Okay, fine,” she said before grabbing his hand. “Be careful in there, and I mean it.”
“I’ll make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid,” Big Earv said.
“Promise me, Hawk,” she said, her eyes narrowing.
“I promise,” Hawk said. “Now get back to the car and let us know when you’re ready.”
Hawk and Big Earv acted casual as they stood on the corner, waiting for Alex to give them the signal to proceed. Their research into the building had shown that it was most recently used fifteen years ago as an event center. But the place fell into disrepair, and the owners went bankrupt. The bank that owned the building seemed content to sit on the property until its value skyrocketed, unwilling to offload it at a nominal price. Hence the reason the facility was empty.
Around the back, there was a fire escape leading up to the top of the four-story building. That was how Hawk and Big Earv planned to enter.
In the distance, Hawk heard a faint sound check occurring in Central Park.
“If we take care of these guys quickly, you might still have time to make the Rolling Stones concert,” Big Earv said.
“I might still have time?” Hawk asked incredulously. “We might still have time.”
“Oh, no. You’re not getting me to a
