Contents ( 84)
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-FOUR
- FORTY-FIVE
- FORTY-SIX
- FORTY-SEVEN
- FORTY-EIGHT
- FORTY-NINE
- FIFTY
- FIFTY-ONE
- FIFTY-TWO
- FIFTY-THREE
- FIFTY-FOUR
- FIFTY-FIVE
- FIFTY-SIX
- FIFTY-SEVEN
- FIFTY-EIGHT
- FIFTY-NINE
- SIXTY
- SIXTY-ONE
- SIXTY-TWO
- SIXTY-THREE
- SIXTY-FOUR
- SIXTY-FIVE
- SIXTY-SIX
- SIXTY-SEVEN
- SIXTY-EIGHT
- SIXTY-NINE
- SEVENTY
- SEVENTY-ONE
- SEVENTY-TWO
- SEVENTY-THREE
- SEVENTY-FOUR
- SEVENTY-FIVE
- SEVENTY-SIX
- SEVENTY-SEVEN
- SEVENTY-EIGHT
- SEVENTY-NINE
- EIGHTY
- EIGHTY-ONE
- EIGHTY-TWO
- EIGHTY-THREE
- Acknowledgements
‘Sir,’ Eden Grace’s voice broke through Meyer’s thoughts. ‘Do you mind if I ask—’
‘Who is he?’ The same speaker as before interrupted her abruptly.
‘His name’s Joe Dempsey,’ Meyer replied, choosing to ignore Grace for now. ‘He’s the primary agent with the International Security Bureau of the United Nations.’
‘And the mission is?’
‘What do you think the mission is?’ It was not an attempt at sarcasm. They were against the clock and Meyer had no time for stupid questions. ‘Look around the room, Braddock. If it’s you four on the team then it’s your speciality, isn’t it?’
Special Agent Braddock smirked in reply, as a murmur of understanding ran around the rest of the room occupants.
Except for one.
‘Sir.’ Grace’s look of confusion was rapidly turning to a look of concern. ‘I really need to know—’
‘Within twelve hours, sir?’ Once again Braddock interrupted. And once again Meyer allowed it. ‘You know that’s not long enough to do this the right way? Not if you want it to look like an accident?’
‘Sir, I—’
‘What it looks like is not as important as time on this one,’ Meyer replied, still ignoring Grace. ‘The president has his reasons. This absolutely has to happen today.’
The murmur rolled again. Fuelled by the few words each man needed to consider the offer. It was efficient, and it was over almost as soon as it had begun.
Meyer was unsurprised. This particular group – or his four agents, at least – were well used to these briefings. For years and for successive presidencies, they had been doing what their superiors deemed to be both necessary and necessarily discreet.
To them it was a patriotic duty that just happened to include a significant source of extra income into the bargain.
‘How much?’ Braddock asked. He seemed to have appointed himself spokesman.
‘The usual bonus,’ Meyer replied. ‘Paid in the usual way.’
‘Sir, I really need to know what’s going on.’
For the first time there was no interruption. Which meant that Meyer’s team were satisfied that they knew enough.
That left only Special Agent Eden Grace.
Time for her education.
The room fell silent as Meyer focused on Grace. Flanked by large, physical men, it was inevitable that she would seem small in comparison. But equating that size difference with weakness would be a mistake, Meyer knew. Grace was as well-trained in the field as any of her colleagues.
None of which made her any more suitable for the task Knowles’ had appointed her today. What they were here to do was not about physical ability. It was not about strength or speed. It was about willing. It was about trust. It was about obeying orders without question.
And Meyer sensed that this description did not fit Eden Grace.
‘Agent Grace, you’ve been included in this briefing at the direct instruction of President Knowles. He wanted you brought up to speed on a threat that has arisen against the security of this presidency, and he wanted you involved in the . . . unorthodox steps we will be taking today to neutralise that threat.’