Breece raised an eyebrow. “We have proof?”

Kate nodded. “Enough. They had dossiers on the targets. Movements, photos, potential means and locations for hits. It’s compelling.”

Breece heard a snick, looked over to see the Nigerian slide parts of the pistol back together. He looked up at Breece and smiled.

“Have you seen this?” Kate asked.

Breece turned. She tapped something on her slate, and the wall screen came alive. An image of a large building with a dome, ornate and exotic looking, its walls tinged red, a reflecting pool in front of it.

A British-accented woman’s voice spoke over it. “…Rumors continue to fly that the Indian Government is considering leaving the Copenhagen Accords. Evidence surfaced months ago of research programs in violation of Copenhagen restrictions, drawing criticism from the US and China.”

The scene changed to a newsroom, a blonde female newscaster, in a smart suit and with the looks of a model, a BBC logo in the corner. “Tensions are running even higher between India and the US,” she said, “since the Indian government granted asylum earlier this week to fugitive American scientist Kaden Lane, convicted of multiple violations of Copenhagen-related laws, and wanted in connection with terrorist bombings…”

The screen froze, the newscaster/model’s face frozen in mid-sentence, just another attractive talking head spewing propaganda.

“Aparna Gupta,” Kate said.

Breece smiled. She was quizzing him. He knew these names. They’d burned themselves into his memory. When your parents are murdered as part of the war on the future, you remembered the other victims.

“AI researcher,” he said. “Self-healing systems. Or self-adapting. Something like that. Academic. She was killed in a car bomb. 2033. Muslim extrem…”

The words died on his lips. He turned to look at Kate.

She met his eyes.

“The ERD,” she said. “Operating in India. Teetering on the edge of leaving Copenhagen.”

His eyes grew wide.

Behind him he heard another solid chunk as the Nigerian slid the last piece of the pistol home.

“Just one good push,” Kate said. “That’s all it’ll take.”

They gamed it out for the morning and into the afternoon.

There were risks. Leaking evidence of the assassinations would give away data. It would reveal to the ERD and others that certain information was public. Suspicious minds might draw a connection between the leak and Barnes.

But there were also positives. Fracturing Copenhagen. Tainting Stockton, who’d been VP when the assassinations happened.

“I support it,” the Nigerian said slowly.

“Me too,” Breece said. “Great stuff.”

Kate smiled.