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Chapters (83)
  1. Cover
  2. ALSO BY TOM CLANCY
  3. PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. 51
  55. 52
  56. 53
  57. 54
  58. 55
  59. 56
  60. 57
  61. 58
  62. 59
  63. 60
  64. 61
  65. 62
  66. 63
  67. 64
  68. 65
  69. 66
  70. 67
  71. 68
  72. 69
  73. 70
  74. 71
  75. 72
  76. 73
  77. 74
  78. 75
  79. 76
  80. 77
  81. 78
  82. 79
  83. What’s next onyour reading list?

Paul stood and waited for Bai to gather his things and leave before he headed for the exit, hoping like heck that Gavin could save his bacon.

35

Paul saw the torrential downpour through the front-door entrance. He couldn’t stay in the building if he wanted to use his cell phone, and he was sure the landlines would all be monitored. He borrowed an umbrella from the security guard at the front desk, who remotely unlocked the door for him as he headed out into the heavy rain.

Paul surely must have looked like a fool to the security guard as he stepped outside for a walk, but he didn’t have an alternative. He figured he didn’t need to get more than a block away from the Dalfan building. He doubted the local authorities would allow Lian’s security system to rob the entire industrial park of cell-phone service.

The pounding rain beat his umbrella like a drum skin and the tires of the cars whizzing past him hissed through the standing water in the street. The slanting wind drove the rain beneath his umbrella, soaking his suit coat. At least it isn’t cold, he told himself. We’re too close to the equator.

Paul needed to find a quieter place to make his call. He spied a canvas awning on a building across from the Dalfan block and on a quiet side street. Paul waddled toward it as fast as his gimpy leg would allow.

Finally under cover, away from the traffic noise, Paul dialed Gavin’s cell phone. After a few rings, Gavin picked up.

“Paul Brown from way downtown. How’s it hanging?”

“Fine. How’s the foot?”

“In a boot for six weeks. Messes up my tango lessons, but other than that, not too bad. So what’s this about an emergency regarding Jack?”

“No one can hear this conversation, right?”

“I’m working from home. Nobody but me and the goldfish. So what the hell is going on?”

“I think we’ve got a security issue developing here,” Paul began. He’d carefully rehearsed the lies he was about to tell, but he’d memorized them in order, so he hoped he could keep them straight.

“‘Security’ as in national security?”

“I think so.”

“You’re full of it.” Gavin served as the IT director of both Hendley Associates and The Campus. Paul Brown didn’t know about The Campus or Gavin’s role in it.

Paul was startled by Gavin’s reaction even though he’d anticipated it. Of course it was a lie, and Paul wasn’t good at lying, but he had to make it work. “It’s a security situation involving Jack.”

“Jack? Why him? He’s a financial analyst, not a spy.” Gavin was covering for Jack’s role in The Campus—a piece of information Paul Brown need not be privy to.