“Let me add, it was my privilege to work with Mike and Olivia. Both of them put their lives on the line.” He grinned at Hendricks. “I asked them if they’d come into the light—to the FBI—but they told me they’re CIA to the core.

“It’s no surprise Claude and René aren’t cooperating, but it’s hardly necessary. We’ve found all the information we need on René Delos’s cell phone and the flash drive. French authorities and Interpol have already arrested Henri Delos on charges of crimes against the state, and a lifetime’s worth of others—theft, bank and wire fraud, money laundering, and tax evasion, for a start, tax evasion probably the offense to carry the most prison time.”

Carlton Grace smiled. “As it doubtless would be here as well. There is still, however, the big question. Who betrayed my agents’ mission in Iran? Who led Delos to Olivia?”

Olivia closed her eyes a moment, placed the cell phone on the table. “I’m very sorry, sir.” She punched up the recorder, hit play. Andi’s voice filled the room.

“I am so sorry, Olivia, for everything that’s happened. I ended up betraying you, my dearest friend, and everyone else I’ve loved and admired. I never meant for you and Mike to be in danger of losing your lives. They told me they would never contact me again if I helped them get the flash drive, swore no one else would be hurt. Yes, I was a fool to believe them. I suppose I didn’t, really, but it was easier to pretend. There were reasons, of course, there are always reasons, but the fact remains I betrayed you.

“On our mission to rescue Hashem, we weren’t supposed to be attacked. The Iranian captain was under strict orders to apprehend Hashem and retrieve the flash drive and not to engage us, but he arrived late, panicked and disobeyed. As I said, his orders were meant to keep all of us out of harm’s way, at least that’s what I was told his instructions were. A lie? I don’t know. As it was, we could all have been killed. We were all very lucky to escape, except for poor Hashem. I tried to get the flash drive from him, but we were under heavy fire and I couldn’t move. I saw him give it to Mike, saw you, Olivia, close by, trying to help Hashem. Then it was mayhem and you were wounded by the RPG and unconscious. Mike picked you up and Higgs grabbed Hashem, and we ran for it. We got to the helicopter and were flown to Balad. The three of us stayed with you until we made it to the hospital. I was so worried about you, Olivia, please don’t ever doubt that. But I also tried my best to steal the flash drive from Mike, and I failed.