“I can assure you that’s not the case,” Black said. “We wouldn’t have flown all the way out here unless we had a solid reason to believe that you were behind all this.”
Kellerman glared at Black. “And what motive would I have for betraying my country?”
“Your stocks are soaring right now,” Shields said. “And just a few months ago, KindNet was on the brink of falling into bankruptcy.”
“So, you’re suggesting that I did this for money?” Kellerman said as he started to chuckle. “You’re crazier than you look.”
“People betray their country for all sorts of reasons, Mr. Kellerman,” Shields said. “I suggest you come clean, or we can make your life miserable.”
Kellerman poured another glass of scotch and drained it before responding. “You don’t know miserable until you’ve poured your heart and soul into a company only to see it die a slow death. And I’ll be damned if I’m going to let a couple of federal agents lecture me and accuse me of being a traitor.”
Kellerman paused when he heard a phone ringing and craned his neck to look back down the hallway.
“You need to get that?” Shields asked. “We can wait.”
“Get out,” Kellerman said. “I need to tend to some issues we’re having regarding the overwhelming inquiries we’re getting about FortressNet.”
Black and Shields didn’t move. “We’ll wait,” she said.
Kellerman growled as he raced back to his office with Black and Shields right behind him.
* * *
KELLERMAN hustled into his study and opened a drawer where a phone buzzed. He glanced up to see the two agents standing in the doorway, watching his every move.
“Would you mind giving me a moment of privacy?” Kellerman said.
He glanced at the number and uttered a few curse words under his breath.
“This is Kellerman,” he answered.
“Where’s the money?” the man asked.
“I already initiated the transfer,” he said. “I don’t know what’s taking so long. Maybe it’s because it’s such a large amount.”
“Per the terms of our agreement, if you’re late with the payment, the cost is doubled.”
Kellerman growled. “I’m not sure what else I can do, but I’ve initiated the deposit into your account. You should see it any time now, if not any minute.”
“Wrong answer,” the man said. “It’s too late. The cost has doubled. And if I don’t see that new full amount in my bank account within the hour, I’m going to activate a hidden code within the virus that’ll put the U.S. back into the stone ages. You understand?”
Kellerman said nothing.
“I said do you understand?”
“Yeah, I do,” Kellerman said before hanging up. He looked at the screen until it fell dark.
Kellerman’s hands began to tremble before his cell phone tumbled out of them and hit the floor with a thud.
CHAPTER 36
BLACK HAD LISTENED INTENTLY to half of Kellerman’s conversation. Whatever was said from the other end of the line visibly shook the tech mogul. He stared blankly out of the window, seemingly unaware that Black and Shields were standing in the doorway of Kellerman’s office.
“Trouble in River City?” Black asked.
Kellerman turned slowly toward the door, setting his jaw and cocking his head to one side. “I thought I told you to leave.”
Shields ignored his comment. “So, you’re certain that you weren’t receiving calls from DarkNite when you were in Washington?”
“Positive.”
“Uh, huh,” she said. Then Shields dialed the number. The phone that Kellerman had just answered buzzed across the desk. “Might want to get that.”
“Damn you,” Kellerman said. “None of this will be admissible in court.”
Black laughed and shook his head. “We’re not here to make a case for a prosecutor. We’re here to make sure that the world doesn’t devolve into chaos.”
“It’s too late for that,” Kellerman said with a thin smile.
“Doesn’t matter,” Shields said, gesturing toward Kellerman’s chair behind his desk. “You need to tell us what’s going on in order to keep things from getting worse.”
Kellerman slumped into his chair before throwing his head back and looking skyward. “I’m being blackmailed.”
“By whom?”
Kellerman shook his head and closed his eyes. “By the infamous hacker, DarkNite.”
“DarkNite is dead,” Black said.
“That’s a lie,” Kellerman said, rising to his feet. “He’s demanding payment for the work he did on the power grid updates one of my subsidiary companies shared worldwide.”
Shields stared at him, her eyes widening. “You hired him to write code for our nation’s power grids?”
Kellerman shrugged. “More or less. He has a legitimate business called StarLight Industries that companies the world over outsource work to. But I didn’t know that DarkNite was affiliated with StarLight until it was too late.”
“DarkNite, StarLight,” Shields said with a faint smile, almost in admiration. “A modern-day Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.”
“Right now, DarkNite is definitely the evil side of himself,” Kellerman said. “He’s threatening to activate another hidden virus within the virus if I don’t pay him double because he’s accusing me of being late on my payment. For all I know, he’s probably the one holding it up.”
“Well, that’s impossible,” Black said.
“What’s impossible?” Kellerman asked.
“That DarkNite is blackmailing you.”
“And why’s that?”
“Because he’s dead,” Black said.
Kellerman furrowed his brow. “I was just on the phone with him.”
“I watched him get shot and bleed out, right in front of me.”
Kellerman shook his head resolutely. “That’s rather impossible. He’s the only one who knows this phone number, and it’s sounded like the same person every time.”
“Well, whoever it is, pay them what they ask—or triple it even,” Black said. “Anything to keep the power from breaking down again.”
“And what are you going to do?” Kellerman asked, rising to his feet.
“We’re going to find the bastard and bring him to justice,” Black said. “And if I learn that you’re cooperating, things will go easier for you. Just remember that.”
“I’ll do whatever you want me to do at this point,” Kellerman said as he collapsed back into his chair.
Black gestured for Shields to follow him out the door. He was halfway down the hall when he heard Kellerman slam his fist down and break into an expletive-filled tirade.
“All things considered, I think Kellerman took that rather well,” Shields said.
“He knows he can hide behind lawyers in court,” Black said. “But he’s not going to get away with this, at least not if I can help it.”
They jumped into their rental and roared away from Kellerman’s property, headed straight for the airport.
Shields dialed Mallory Kauffman’s number and put the call on speaker.
“Christina,” Mallory said as she answered, “what can I help you with today?”
“You know the number of that burner phone we gave you a few days ago?”
“Uh-huh.”
“It’s active again, and I need your help tracing a number that just called it.”
Mallory clicked away on her keyboard. “Give me just a second here,” she said.
After a brief pause, she asked for the information. Once Shields confirmed the number of Kellerman’s burner, they waited for Mallory to pinpoint the origination point of the call.
“What’s taking so long?” Shields asked after a couple of minutes.
Mallory sighed. “Whoever this is, is good. They’re routing this call all over the place. So far, it’s bounced from locations on five continents and seventeen countries. Reykjavik, Iceland to New York City to Paris to London to
Prague to St. Petersburg to Melbourne to—”
“Wait, did you say St. Petersburg?” Black asked.
“Yep.”
“St. Petersburg, Russia?”
“That’s the one.”
“Anywhere else in Russia?” Black asked.
“Gimme a second,” Mallory said. “Ah, yes, there’s one from a town I’ve never heard of in Russia—Vaya. Why do you ask?”
Vaya.
Black’s mouth dropped open as he shook his head, realizing a sobering truth.
“That son of a bitch,” Black said through clenched teeth.
Shields looked at him and nodded knowingly. “Kozlov is DarkNite.”
Black nodded. “And I vouched to have that bastard granted asylum here with his pregnant wife and given new identities.”
“The CIA was right about Kozlov,” Shields said.
Black glared at her. “Too soon.”
“Well, maybe they can help us find out where the FBI relocated Kozlov.”
“I’m not sure I want to have this conversation right now,” Black said.
“Swallow your pride,” Shields said. “We’ve all made mistakes before.”
Black shook his head but stared blankly at the road in front of him. “But one this big?”
“So, you’re not perfect,” Shields said with a shrug. “This isn’t news to me. But fortunately, we’ve built up enough equity with the CIA’s deputy director that maybe he won’t go nuclear on you for helping DarkNite gain asylum in the U.S.”
“Fine,” Black said. “Call Robert Besserman. I’ll grovel for forgiveness.”
“You’ve saved his ass so many times, I’m sure he’ll be inclined to do so.”
Black shook his head. “I doubt helping the cyber terrorist who’s toying with the U.S. escape Russia and gain asylum here balances the scales.”
“Kellerman and his choice to utilize DarkNite’s company are where the blame needs to fall on this one, not you.”
“Either way, I doubt he’ll take it well.”
Shields dialed Besserman’s number and put the call on speaker. “There’s only one way to find out.”
After the third ring, Besserman answered. He exchanged pleasantries with Black before they dove into business. Black explained his strong hunch about who Kozlov really was.
“So let me get this straight,” Besserman said. “You found Kozlov but didn’t bring him in because you believed his story, and he helped lead you to a hacker that he told you was DarkNite. And now Kozlov and his wife are living in the U.S. as part of the witness protection program. Did I miss anything?”
“That about sums it up, sir,” Black said.
Besserman let out a string of expletives. “If you hadn’t saved the agency so many times, I’d have you defrocked for this. So, where do we go from here?”
“I want to make it right, sir.”
“And how do you intend to do that?” Besserman asked.
“We’re going to catch Kozlov and hold him accountable for what he’s done.”
“Good luck with that. Now, do you need anything from me?”
“Maybe a contact at the FBI who can tell us where Kozlov is living,” Black said. “He knows me, so there’s a relationship there to draw from in case things go south.”
“I hope it doesn’t come to that,” Besserman said.
“Me neither, sir. But desperate people do desperate things.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” Besserman said. “I’ll call you back in a few minutes.”
Shields ended the call. “That wasn’t so bad now, was it?”
“He said he would’ve had me defrocked,” Black said. “I’d say that puts me on the outs with him.”
“Well, good thing he isn’t your boss then,” Shields said.
Black arrived at the hangar, awaiting a call back from Besserman to determine where to travel next. He climbed aboard the plane to check the munitions stock with Shields in tow.
“You think it’s going to come to this,” Shields said, gesturing at all the weapons.
“I have no idea, but it’s always best to be prepared.”
She put her hand on his back. “Don’t beat yourself up over this. Anyone could’ve made a mistake like this. Kozlov is a con man.”
Black shook his head. “No, I should’ve seen it coming. We went to St. Petersburg and I know that’s where he clued his wife in on what was going on. Then I don’t know who the poor bastard was that Petrov killed in Turkey. But I have to admit, Kozlov was very inventive.”
“But why would he want to live in the U.S.? I figure he would want to get as far away from here as possible.”
“Revenge,” Black answered. “His father was killed by a CIA operative during the Cold War, at least that’s what he told me. Of course, that could be a lie too.”
“No,” Shields said. “That was the truth.”
“How do you know?”
“I found several articles about a KGB agent who’d been killed by the U.S. tucked away on his computer.”
“At least we know that’s true. And all I can guess is that he wants to be here to see this country burned down.”
“Then that means he must have more in store.”
Black nodded. “There’s no doubt in my mind that he’s about to unleash the real virus on the power system and bring this country to its knees. You saw how the country went to shit with just a few hours of rolling blackouts. Just imagine what will happen when the whole country loses power for a few days or weeks. It’ll be devastating.”
“And he wants a front-row seat to the meltdown.”
A half-hour had passed since Besserman promised to call back. When he did, he apologized for the delay.
“Is everything all right?” Black asked.
“Kozlov and his wife were relocated to Omaha, Nebraska. So, we had an agent call them and speak with them on a secure landline that we installed in their house. We monitored the home using infrared satellite images and nobody was home. One of our agents decided to check their phone and found out that it was forwarding to a pre-paid phone. Long story short, when we did a search for the number, we found its location when it received our call.”
Black took a deep breath before exhaling slowly. “So, where are we headed?”
“You’re not headed anywhere,” Besserman said. “I’ve got a team already deploying there to clean up this situation.”
“You can’t,” Black said.
“Actually, I can.”
“I mean, it’s not a good idea. If we use a large show of force, he could unleash that virus on us and cripple the country.”
“What’s to say he hasn’t already done that?”
“I don’t know, but give us a chance to make this right,” Black said. “I have a relationship with him. He might listen to me.”
“A psychopath like that? I doubt he’ll be interested in listening to anyone.”
“But we need to try. There’s too much at stake here not to.”
Besserman remained silent for a few seconds before finally responding. “Fine. I’ll have my team hold off and serve as backup for you in case things get out of hand.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“And Agent Black?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Don’t screw this up any more than you already have,” Besserman said. “I’ll make sure Blunt fires your ass if you do. Do you understand?”
“Absolutely. You won’t be disappointed.”
“All right. I’m sending you the coordinates now. Good luck, Agent Black.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Black hung up as a message with the coordinates for Kozlov’s hideout appeared on his phone.
“So, are we doing this?” Shields asked.
Black nodded.
“Then where are we headed?” she asked.
“It looks like Ash Fork, Arizona.”
She smiled. “Time to saddle up and ride, cowboy.”
CHAPTER 37
Ash Fork, Ariz
ona
BLACK PUT HIS FAVORITE disco mix on the sound system of the red Mustang Shelby GT 500 he rented from the airport. He cranked up “Disco Inferno” and started tapping the steering wheel to the beat of the music. The engine roared as he turned west onto I-40, which was a section of the old Route 66. Flat prairie lands appeared to stretch for miles into the distance, flanking both sides of the road.
Meanwhile, Shields was working on her laptop to get a satellite image of the ranch where Kozlov and his wife Katarina were hiding out.
Shields glanced up at him halfway through the song. “I hope this isn’t what you think is about to happen.”
“What are you talking about?”
“An inferno,” she said, pointing to the sound system. “I’m not interested in getting into a protracted gun battle.”
“I’d prefer a less violent solution,” Black said. “But I think we both know that’s not how it’s going to go. These two conned me like I’ve never been fooled before. And that’s not easy given my extreme cynicism.”
“It’s because you bonded with Kozlov,” Shields said. “You actually started caring about him. And that’s the best kind of con.”
“It also makes me want to rip his head off now.”
She smiled. “The cons always backfire. It’s just that they count on being far enough away from you when you figure it out that you won’t care anymore.”
“I’m not sure that Kozlov cares where I am. It seems to me that he just wants revenge. But he’s gonna get a fight instead.”
“Can you at least attempt a little diplomacy first?” she asked.
“Fine. We’ll try it your way, but I’m not hopeful.”
They rode for another five minutes before Shields pointed out the turnoff. Black navigated off the interstate and onto a frontage road. He then veered off onto a state highway north for a couple of miles before reaching the long driveway. After pulling up to the ranch gate, he put the car in park to assess the terrain.
A dirt road meandered down a small hill and then disappeared over another one. Sagebrush dominated the wide-open landscape with the exception of a few trees growing around a small drinking hole. Black got out to examine the gate, which was padlocked.
“Got any bolt cutters?” Shields asked as she got out to inspect the locks.
Power Play (Titus Black Thriller series Book 7) Page 18
