The enemy, p.13
The Enemy, page 13
“Very good, Schmidt. You have validated my trust in you. I’ll see that you are well rewarded.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“How does it feel?”
“How does what feel?”
“How does it feel to know you’ve done something to show those Swedish snobs on the prize committee what a big mistake they made?”
On the screen, Schmidt smiled, a smile that did not reach his eyes.
“They will come to regret their mistake, I think.”
Chapter 33
Charles Fournier’s brutal murder was big news in Europe. In America, it was barely a blip. The only in depth coverage appeared in the Wall Street Journal, analyzing the consequences for investors in Fournier’s company.
Elizabeth and Clarence were in her office, discussing what it meant. Late afternoon sun streamed through the windows, giving the room a golden glow.
“What do you think the chances are of this being a random attack?” Elizabeth said.
“None. This has to be a power move within the cabal.”
“But why kill Fournier? Everything we know about this group indicates that they’ve been working to get to this point for years. Once they decided to use Kezri’s research, the satellites he controlled would have been part of the plan all along.”
“I agree. There wouldn’t be any reason to kill him, unless he’d decided not to go along with the plan.”
“You think he changed his mind?”
“It’s the only reason I can think of for eliminating him,” Hood said. “If this virus is as bad as we think, releasing it will kill millions. Fournier was Catholic. Not a good one, by all accounts, but he still attended mass. Perhaps planning to commit mass murder started him thinking about what he might be in for after he died. A genuine fear of hell would definitely give him second thoughts.”
“Do you think this was Hauser’s doing?”
“Probably not on his own. He’d need support from some of the others. Breitenbach, for sure. Maybe Romanoff. That would be enough.”
“Killing Fournier sends a message to anyone in that group who might be feeling hesitant about going ahead,” Elizabeth said.
“Murdering dissenters has always been an effective tactic,” Hood said. “It does create a chilling effect, no doubt about that.”
“If we’re right, Fournier was an obstacle. It means Hauser and the rest of them have decided to go ahead.”
“Which means we’re running out of time.”
“I’m surprised about Nick,” Elizabeth said. “Disappointed, too. He’s never refused to take on a mission before.”
“Don’t let your desire to stop these lunatics affect your judgment. Nick knows what he’s doing. He and the others are the best chance we’ve got to stop them. No one in government is going to do a damn thing about these people. They’re too wealthy, too powerful, too connected. They own the governments.”
“Sometimes I wonder how we got to this point.”
“I don’t think you’re alone in wondering that,” Hood said.
Elizabeth clasped her hands together. “I’m tired of fighting this battle. How many times have we stopped something terrible from happening? It’s like being caught up in a myth. Every time you chop off the head of the Hydra, two more pop up and it starts all over again.”
“Yes, but in the myth the Hydra is eventually killed.”
“By a Greek hero who was the son of the gods. I’m not feeling very godlike these days.”
“Just as well,” Clarence said. “I like the human part of you.”
“That’s sweet, but flattery won’t solve our problem with the cabal.”
“Nick was right, you know. About what actions we can take. Our best shot is to find out where Hauser is manufacturing the vaccine and shut it down. Then go after Fournier’s satellites. We have to make sure they can’t activate that protein regardless of anything else.”
“I wonder if Fournier’s equipment is their only option. Couldn’t they gain access to satellites controlled by another source?”
“Like a government? I suppose so, but that would be much more difficult. It could get complicated. Fournier may be dead, but I’d lay odds the cabal now controls his network.”
“All right. I agree, the priority is preventing Hauser from obtaining a vaccine. We need to find out where he’s manufacturing it. Once we have a location, we can plan a mission against it. When that’s done, we’ll go after the satellite control center.”
“It can’t be done without inflicting casualties,” Hood said.
“I know,” she said. “That doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
“If you liked it, you wouldn’t be the person I care about.”
Elizabeth looked at him, surprised.
“I care about you, too.”
“Liz, there’s something I want to say.” He took her hand. “We were doing pretty well for a while. As a couple, I mean. Then work seemed to get in the way. Do you think we could pick it up again between us? I miss the intimacy we had. Not just the sex, all the rest of it.”
“Clarence...”
“Look, don’t say anything now. Promise me you’ll think about it.”
“All right. I’ll think about it.”
“That’s all I ask.”
Hood looked at his watch.
“I have to leave, or I’m going to be late for a strategy session at the foundation. Will you be meeting with everyone tomorrow?”
“Yes, in the morning. We’ll discuss options.”
“Let me know what you decide.”
Chapter 34
Nick woke at four in the morning, old wounds throbbing. Selena lay dead to the world next to him. She’d gotten back late from the hospital. There’d been no change with Valentina.
He rolled out of bed, his back stiff, and threw on a robe. He used the toilet, then went into the kitchen and turned on the coffee machine. While he waited for the coffee to brew, scattered fragments of a dream came back to him.
He’d been standing somewhere, somewhere he didn’t recognize, having a conversation with someone. He couldn’t remember what it was about, only that he felt a vague sense of dread.
Great. That’s really helpful.
The coffee was ready. He poured a cup and sat down at the kitchen table. The first sip burned his tongue.
Damn it.
It was one of those mornings when he felt time creeping up on him. He could remember waking in the morning without pain, but it was only a memory. A time when he woke up full of energy, ready to take on the day.
It had been a while since he’d felt like that.
Well, pain came with the territory, given the life he’d chosen. Someone had told him once that pain was good, because it meant you were alive. He supposed that was one way to look at it. Just the same, he could have done without it.
The caffeine began working. As his mood improved, he thought about how the day was shaping up. There was a morning meeting to plan next moves against Hauser and his cronies. They seemed determined to kill most of the world’s population. He’d never understand how anyone could contemplate such a monstrous act. It was irrational. By any definition, it was insane. But then again, the lust for power was never rational.
World history fascinated Nick, especially the sagas of vast empires long turned to dust. History was littered with people like Hauser. Men and women driven by ego and the quest for power, who’d left a legacy of death and destruction behind them.
A lot was at stake in this hidden war. Hauser and his cabal wanted to create a totalitarian government to rule the world. For people like Hauser, compassion and empathy didn’t exist. They believed in an ideology contemptuous of life, one that despised individual freedom. They had no feelings to speak of, except contempt for those who weren’t like them. If Hauser got his way, there would only be rulers and slaves.
In a twisted way, his plan to unleash death across the globe made sense. If you killed off enough people, it would be a lot easier to gain total control. It was a classic example of narcissistic thinking. Dictators like Mao and Stalin had murdered millions, but their actions paled in comparison to what Hauser and his allies had in mind.
Nick thought about what Hauser represented. His warped philosophy and enormous wealth made him dangerous, but he wasn’t unique. There were others like him, people convinced of their superiority, their right to decide what was best for everyone else. They pretended to be concerned with the good of all. In reality, they had only contempt for most of the world’s population. What mattered to them was personal power. They were expert at manipulating human fears and emotions, good at convincing people of their lies. They had the technology of totalitarianism at their fingertips, and no scruples about using it. They ran corporations and governments. Collectively, they posed an existential threat to humanity.
They were the enemy of every person on the planet. There had never been an enemy like them, or one more necessary to defeat.
Selena came into the kitchen. She looked worn, tired. The strain of waiting to see if Valentina would come out of her coma was getting to her.
“That’s a pretty serious look,” she said. “Something wrong with the coffee?”
“Morning, hon. The coffee’s fine. I was thinking about Hauser. What he represents.”
“That would make anybody serious.”
She poured a cup of coffee and sat down.
“Valentina squeezed my hand last night. I thought she was waking up, but the doctor said it was just a reflex. Nick, I don’t know if she’s going to make it. If she doesn’t pull through, I’m not sure how I’ll handle it.”
“She’s really tough, you know that. That coma is her body healing itself. My money’s on her.”
“I suppose you’re right.”
“You know I’m right. Hang in there, she’s going to be okay.”
“You’re meeting with Harker today?”
“Yep. We have to figure out what’s next.”
“As soon as I wake up a little more, I’m going to head over to the hospital again.”
“Want to get together for lunch?”
“As long as it’s not in the cafeteria. What is it about hospital food, anyway? It’s pretty hard to mess up a grilled cheese sandwich or something simple like that, but they always managed to do it.”
“I’ve never figured that out,” Nick said. “Sometimes I think the people in charge do everything they can to take all the taste out of the food.”
“They probably think if it tastes awful, it’s good for you.”
“Right. Food as medicine. You can’t have medicine that tastes good, everyone knows that.”
Selena finished her coffee.
“I have to get ready.”
“I’ll call you when the meeting’s over.”
Chapter 35
Hauser was at his desk in the library. Strecker entered the room and waited to be acknowledged.
Hauser gestured at a chair.
“Have a seat.”
Strecker sat.
“Well? What have you discovered?”
“The source of the hack on our servers came from Virginia. Specifically, from something called the Harker Group. It appears to be a security consulting firm. It’s run by a woman named Elizabeth Harker.”
“You said ‘appears to be.’ What does that mean?”
“The consulting business is just a cover. She’s in charge of what amounts to a covert operations team. At one time they worked for the former president. He used them against terrorists and the like.”
“So, experienced?”
“Yes, very. Most of what they did is classified. The details I was able to discover suggest they are professional and good at what they do. I believe they’re the ones who went after the facility in Germany.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Whoever attacked the lab was efficient and well trained. They knew exactly what they were doing. When you combine that with where the hacking attempt came from, it’s too much of a coincidence. For whatever reasons, Harker and her people are involved.”
“This woman, Harker. You are sure she’s the one in charge?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Very well. Eliminate her. Make that your priority. I will not tolerate interference with our plans.”
“Do you have any preference as to how I do it?”
“Just get it done, Strecker. The sooner the better.”
“Yes, sir.”
“That’s all.”
Hauser waved him away.
Strecker showed no sign of the sudden anger he felt at his abrupt dismissal.
Treats me like a servant. One day he’ll regret it.
Strecker walked to his rooms, thinking about how to kill Harker. From what he’d learned about the people working for her, it would be a bad idea if they got involved. He needed to take her when she was by herself, away from them. He’d observe her, find out her routines, and set up a shot from a good distance away. There had to be times when she’d be out in the open and alone. He’d take the shot and be gone before anyone knew what had happened.
He hummed a little tune to himself and began packing.
Chapter 36
Elizabeth sat behind her desk, ready to begin the morning briefing. Hood sat off to her right. Stephanie was at her usual place behind her computer console.
“Let’s begin,” Elizabeth said. “This morning we learned that Charles Fournier has been murdered. Clarence and I think it’s a power move by Hauser and his allies.”
“Why kill him?” Nick asked.
“We don’t know. It’s possible Fournier got cold feet about their plan,” Hood said. “It’s the only reason we can think of that would motivate them to remove him.”
“With Fournier gone, who controls the satellites?”
“Theoretically, his company does. But we think the cabal will take control, one way or another.”
“Something’s bugging me,” Nick said. “If the virus carries the protein and the vaccine kills the virus, does it kill the protein too?”
“Good question,” Hood said. “I don’t know, but I doubt it.”
“Hauser must have thought about that. I don’t think he’d want to have that protein floating around in his brain, so any vaccine he took would have to exclude it.”
“Where are you going with this, Nick?”
“His plan is to infect people with the virus to get the protein into their brains. It’s the protein that gives him the potential to control people. If the vaccine takes care of both, what’s the point?”
“You think he’s got a way to kill the virus and leave the protein at the same time?”
“He has to.”
“I’m not sure it matters,” Hood said. “What matters is making sure he doesn’t release that virus. We do that, his plan doesn’t work.”
“There’s another way to make sure it doesn’t work. We take him and the others off the board.”
“I agree with you,” Elizabeth said, “but getting to them isn’t going to be easy. It will have to wait. First we have to stop production of the vaccine. After that, we make sure they can’t use Fournier’s satellites. Then we go after Hauser and the others.”
“I still don’t see how using satellites can affect everyone at once,” Ronnie said. “I mean, a beam from a satellite is pretty specific, right?”
“I can answer that,” Hood said. “He could use cellular networks to activate the protein worldwide. There are places where service isn’t available, but it’s not that big a factor. Take Washington, for example. There isn’t any part of the city without a tower nearby, especially with 5G. Those antennas are everywhere.”
“Don’t you just love progress?” Lamont said.
“Makes me think about living in Fiji,” Ronnie said.
“Wouldn’t work. Fiji has cell service, too,” Nick said.
“Let’s get down to business,” Elizabeth said. “We’ve located the facility where Hauser is working on the vaccine. Stephanie, would you take over, please?”
“The location was in the files that came from Germany. It’s in Constanta, on the Black Sea.”
“Constanta is a major port. Lots of industry, good infrastructure. That makes it ideal for Hauser. It also makes it easy for us to get to. Freddie, please put up a satellite photo of the city.”
My pleasure, Stephanie.
They studied the satellite picture.
“It’s a typical Eastern European city,” Stephanie said. “Lots of narrow streets and interesting sites. It’s one of Romania’s top tourist destinations.”
“You have an exact location for us?” Nick asked.
“Freddie, please zoom in on the vaccine manufacturing plant.”
The building was three stories high, made of reddish brick. A two lane highway ran in front. It sat on the end of a high promontory, overlooking the Black Sea.
With a shock, Nick recognized the building.
Shit! It’s the one I saw in my dream.
“Looks like one of those old textile mills in the South,” Lamont said.
“That’s what it used to be,” Stephanie said. “During the second world war they made uniforms there. It kept going for a while after the war, before it shut down. It stayed empty until two years ago, when it was purchased by a company owned by Andrei Radu.”
“Radu” Nick said. “Isn’t he one of the bad guys?”
“That’s right. It’s another reason I’m certain this is the right place.”
“It makes sense they’d use Romania for this,” Hood said. “There wouldn’t be any nosy government inspectors making problems. Radu is a powerful man in that country. Nobody’s going to ask him what he’s doing inside that building.”
“It’s an industrial area,” Lamont said.
“Probably not much going on at night.” That was Ronnie.
“Maybe,” Nick said. “We need plans for the building.”
I have obtained a set of architectural plans, Nick. Would you like to see them?
“Yes, Freddie. Thanks.”
