Jerome nodded. “This is the address Sheng gave us. Assuming Kane shows up.”
“Let’s just hope she doesn’t hold a grudge.”
“She never seemed the type to forgive and forget.”
Leopold sighed and stuffed his hands into his pockets. The city’s dense architecture kept the place warm during the day, but the temperature had dropped significantly since they had left Sheng’s clubhouse.
His mind wandering, Leopold wondered whether Mary had enjoyed better luck back home. He felt a pang of regret and tried to shake it off. Things had been strained between them for a while, and Leopold was beginning to wonder whether there was any hope for reconciliation. Beyond even that, he wasn’t even sure what had changed or what had gone wrong – though he felt pretty sure it was mostly his fault.
Always a safe assumption.
The breeze changed direction and Leopold caught the scent of women’s perfume. He glanced at Jerome, who seemed to have noticed it too, and both men scanned the darkness for any sign of movement.
“You’re out of your depth, Blake,” a female voice said, making Leopold jump.
He wheeled around and noticed Jerome do the same. A woman stood in the alleyway in front of them, dressed in what looked like a knee-length coat, the shadow of the apartment complex shielding her from the dim street lamps. Leopold couldn’t see her face, but he recognized the voice.
“Kane, a pleasure as always,” he said, as earnestly as he could manage. “Glad you could make it.” He saw Jerome’s hand drift down toward his belt.
“I wouldn’t, if I were you,” said Kane, taking something from beneath her coat. Leopold heard a metallic click.
“Consider it a professional courtesy I didn’t shoot you on sight,” she said, stepping forward into the light. She held a semiautomatic pistol in her right hand, what looked like a Beretta. “Keep your hands above the waist, please.” She glared at Jerome.
“Ms. Kane,” said Jerome, nodding. “Nice to see you again.” He held both palms up. “Relax. We’re here in an official capacity. Sort of.”
Isabel tilted her head, apparently considering her options. Finally, she holstered her weapon and buttoned up her coat. Her hair looked longer than it had before, but still the same shade of fiery red Leopold remembered. She looked like she’d packed on a few pounds of muscle, but she was still lean and trim, and a little under five-seven. An imposing figure, even when not holding a lethal weapon.
“Sheng got in touch,” Kane said. “Why are you in Shanghai? I assume it’s not a vacation.”
Leopold told her. He expected a reaction, but Kane remained as impassive as always.
“Sounds like karma finally came back to kick you in the ass,” she said, when Leopold had finished. “What’s this got to do with me?”
“There are people I care about who could get hurt. I can’t just sit here and wait for them to sort out my mess.”
“Why not? That’s your usual method of approach, right?”
Leopold sighed. “What happened to you wasn’t my fault.”
“Bullshit. You compromised an ongoing investigation to suit your own agenda.”
“Your investigation was flawed.”
Kate gritted her teeth. “This isn’t the time or the place. We need to find somewhere more private.” She glanced around the dark alleyway. “This area isn’t secure.”
“Fine,” said Leopold. “Take us wherever you want. The only thing I care about is are you going to help us?”
“Sure, I can help,” said Kane, smiling. “But you need to do something for me first.”
Chapter 44
KANE HAD A vehicle waiting nearby, an old VW Passat with a broken heater. She drove them across town and parked up near an office block just on the outskirts of Sonjiang’s central business district. Killing the engine, she climbed out and waved Leopold and Jerome out of the car.
“What is this place?” asked Leopold. “I’m guessing the CIA isn’t looking to set up a recruitment office.”
“Let’s just call it our interview room,” said Kane. “You’ll find it more than adequate.”
They walked around to a side door and Kane punched a code into the wall-mounted keypad. She pushed through and led the two men upstairs. On the second floor she unlocked another door and ushered them through into an empty rental unit. There were some desks and chairs and sofas set up.
“Nice place,” said Jerome. “Homey.”
“Sit down here.” Kane gestured toward a pair of facing leather couches set either side of a glass coffee table.
Leopold and Jerome obliged, settling into one of the sofas. Kane sat down opposite.
She said, “How much do you know about the 14K Groups?”
“Only their Triad affiliations,” said Leopold. “Based mainly in Hong Kong, but with operations across the world.”
“As I’m sure Sheng mentioned when you saw him, the Liang Shan family is the dominant group in Songjiang. But they’re not the only players in Shanghai. Not by a long shot.”
“He might have mentioned it.”
“What he probably didn’t mention,” she continued, “is that the Liang Shans are just the tip of the iceberg. Sure, we keep an eye on their human trafficking efforts, but that’s not a huge concern for us. At least, relatively speaking.”
“I assume this is leading somewhere?”
Kane nodded. “Our biggest concern, long term, is the effect Chinese interests might have on US economic stability. I’m sure you’re aware of the current level of borrowing...”
“Over fourteen trillion in the red?” said Leopold. “Yes, it’s hard to miss. And so is the fact that China is our largest creditor.”
“Right. It hasn’t escaped our attention that the level of US debt that China has been purchasing has stepped up significantly in recent years. Add to that, Chinese corporations buying up huge chunks of American businesses, and it starts to ring alarm bells.”
“So, what’s this got to do with me?”
“Chinese corporations are state owned, obviously. There is some... concern about the level of economic clout that the Chinese government has over US interests. Political tension aside, if the shit ever hits the fan...”
Leopold sighed. “China potentially has the ability to destabilize our economy.”
“And I don’t need to tell you the effect that would have.”
“Complete chaos. And that’s putting it mildly. Freezing credit, removing capital from the system, sending prices skyrocketing, bankrupting businesses and eliminating jobs – essentially forcing the U.S. to fall into a depression. But we’re not at war, Isabel.”
“We’re always at war, Blake.” Kane leaned forward in her seat. “And I’m dangerously short of soldiers.” She smiled. “That’s where you come in.”
Leopold shook his head. “I’m supposed to be out of action, remember? What can I do? More importantly, what’s in it for me?”
“You need a way to sort out your mess back home, I need a way to sort out my problems here.” She paused. “What I’m about to tell you is classified. I’m sure I don’t have to remind you what that means.”
“Yeah, yeah. Who am I going to tell anyway?”
Kane hesitated a moment before continuing. “The Liang Shan family forms part of the Liugong group, one of the larger 14K Triad organizations operating outside of Shanghai and Beijing. Aside from the usual activities, particularly counterfeiting of US currency, the Liugong group is heavily invested in the American stock market.”
“What kind of investment?”
“On the surface it all looks perfectly legit. Overseas investment is hardly a reason for concern. The problem is the way they handle their buy side activity.”
Leopold grinned. “Let me guess; we’re talking about a different kind of hostile takeover.”
“Correct. They recruit graduates from Project 211 finance and economic universities, China’s equivalent of the Ivy League. These graduates are courted by the Liugongs, then recruited int
o the 14K Group and sent overseas. Thanks to a few well-placed assets, these graduates get the top analyst jobs on Wall Street, which gets their foot in the door for positions with plenty of influence.”
“Sounds tenuous, Isabel.”
“It’s nothing new. The Soviets planted moles in the US during the Cold War and the Iranians have sleeper agents all over the world. It takes years to see results, but that makes it all the more difficult to detect. This is the same thing – only it’s focused on one specific goal: funneling financial data back to investors in China. It’s insider trading on a global scale.”
“And this insider information gets used to strengthen China’s financial hold.”
Kane nodded. “Right.”
“So, this brings me back to my original question: what the hell do you want me to do about it?”
“We can’t hope to wipe out the problem overnight. But, like you, we need eyes on the ground.”
Leopold frowned. “You mean you need a spy?”
“We have a candidate. I spent six months bringing him over to our team, and now we need a way to install him in a more useful position.”
“You’re planning a coup d’état?”
“It’s a violent business,” said Kane. “Group leaders get taken out by rivals all the time. We just want to use the situation to our advantage. But we need a way to get our foot in the door. That’s where you come in.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“You know the American stock market. You know how to manipulate the numbers, see the investments. The Liugongs don’t have anyone on native soil that can do what you do. That will make you useful to them.”
“Get to the point, Isabel.”
“I’ll get you a meeting with the Liugong bosses. If you pass muster, they’ll present you to the Dragon Head. He’s their link to the main Triad leadership ring. Once we know their location, we move in. Take out the whole lot of them; make it look like a rival group. Our man moves up the ladder.”
Jerome shuffled uncomfortably on the couch. “Dragon Head?”
“It’s a cute name, sure,” said Kane. “But he’s the leader of the local group. And he’s a ruthless bastard.”
“This is just sounding better and better,” said Leopold. “And if I refuse?”
Kane shrugged. “Then you’re on your own. Good luck getting reliable intel from the US without someone noticing you. I assume the whole point of being here is to stay under the radar.” She smiled. “Well, that’s what I do for a living. The choice is yours.”
Leopold glanced over at Jerome. The bodyguard shrugged.
“You want to make things right, I don’t see we have much of a choice,” he said. He looked at Kane. “What protective measures will you have in place?”
“We’ll have eyes and ears on Blake’s location and a tac team on standby. But once he’s inside, we can’t do anything to protect him.” She addressed Leopold. “You’ll have to convince them you’re worth keeping alive.”
“How?”
“They’ll want proof you know what you’re talking about, so make sure you bring your A-game. We’ll provide you with a cover.”
“Then what?”
“Once they’re satisfied you can make them some money, they’ll need sign off from the Dragon Head. Once he’s in the room, we make our move.”
Leopold stood up. “And how will you know when that happens?”
Kane remained seated. “We obviously can’t put any kind of bug on you – they’d find it. But our man will be there. He’ll get the message out.”
“And then you’ll help me get a comms channel back to the US? Help me track down my father?”
Kane smiled. “Oh, I can do better than that,” she said, getting up from the couch. “I can help you take the bastard down.”
Chapter 45
“I NEED AN update. Make it quick.”
Hawkes watched Robert Blake pull a bottle of expensive-looking Scotch down from a shelf above his desk. He had two crystal tumblers out. He poured himself a measure and left the other glass empty. They were in Blake’s private office, at the bow of the ship. The room was a little smaller than the bridge, but more comfortable. It had a thick carpet and old wooden furniture, the tall windows offering an unobstructed view of the harbor outside.
“I have a meeting in five minutes,” Blake said, lifting the drink to his nose. “Tell me it’s good news.”
Hawkes nodded. “We dealt with the New Jersey issue. The technicians sent a kill command using the same connection the intruders set up. The whole place is just a pile of smoking rubble by now.”
“Confirmed?”
“I had Schwartzman check the satellite feed.”
Blake took a sip of his Scotch. “And will this be traced back to us?”
“Unlikely,” said Hawkes. “The computer down there won’t have anything useful on it, even if they can recover the drives. And the devices are molten steel by now.”
“And the payloads?”
“The compounds were unmixed when the blast hit. We designed them so they’d burn up in their separate forms. Even if there’s trace residue, it’ll take the forensics team days to isolate, then even more time to connect the dots. If they’re even looking. They’ll be chasing their tails for weeks trying to figure out what happened.”
“Is there a chance the chemicals mixed before detonation?”
“No, sir. Otherwise, we’d know about it. It’s all part of the self-destruct safeguard. It’s designed to prevent anyone figuring out what the payload was.”
Blake nodded. “Good. And have you managed to track down who breached our systems?”
“Hard to be sure, sir,” Hawkes said. “We’re assuming they had physical access to the computer station, otherwise they wouldn’t have been able to get it on the grid. Assuming the explosion took them out, we’ll know as soon as the coroner identifies the bodies.”
“And if they got out?”
Hawkes sighed. “The self-destruct protocol was designed to operate on a countdown coupled with an alarm. It was supposed to prevent any accidental detonation. If they got out in time, we don’t stand much chance of tracing them.”
“No matter,” said Blake, taking another sip of Scotch. “Dead or alive, they won’t figure out what’s going on until it’s too late.” He paused. “To be sure, have someone check the local surveillance cameras. See if you can get access to the feeds. We might see them coming onto the site and ID them that way. I’d prefer to avoid unnecessary loose ends, but keep your focus on getting the next phase underway.”
“Yes, sir. My team has the devices en route to the drop points. Estimate four hours to get them in place. Another twelve to twenty-four hours to get the network initiated.”
“Good.” Blake downed the last of his drink and set the empty tumbler down on the desk. “I need to update the client. Go find out more about our uninvited guests and report back once the devices are primed.”
“Yes, sir.” Hawkes turned to leave.
Blake caught him as he opened the door. “It’ll be over soon, Hawkes,” he said. “More than two decades of planning. It all comes down to the next twenty-four hours.”
Hawkes nodded. “This country has a lot to answer for, sir. I know we’ll make it count.”
“I don’t expect all of us will make it, Colonel.”
“A worthy sacrifice, sir.”
Blake smiled grimly. “I’ve made enough sacrifices to last ten lifetimes.” He reached for the telephone. “It’s time to repay the favor.”
Chapter 46
THE EMERGENCY SERVICES had arrived as expected, and Mary had convinced Kate to let the paramedics check her injuries. She appeared to have suffered a sprain, but no broken bones. Marshall had called in to the field office and arranged a briefing session. Jersey P.D. had checked his I.D. and let them go. They had left Kate’s old Ford in the parking lot in case the forensics team needed to sweep the chassis for particulates, and then regrouped at Marshall’s Suburban.
Kate sat in the back still nursing her injured arm. Marshall headed out of the neighborhood aiming for the Holland Tunnel and lower Manhattan. He had ditched his shredded suit jacket in the trunk along with his tie and was talking to someone through his phone’s Bluetooth headset. Mary noticed his shirt looked a little tight, but she wasn’t complaining. She sat next to him in the passenger seat trying to ignore the stinging pain in her arm. The wound was superficial and the paramedics had done a good patch job, but it still hurt like hell.
Marshall hung up the phone and removed his earpiece. “They found Ward,” he said.
Mary felt a sense of relief flood through her. The first good news we’ve heard all day. She allowed herself a smile.
“Is he okay?” she asked.
Marshall nodded, keeping his eyes on the road. “He got picked up somewhere in Maryland. They brought him to the New York City field office, at his request.” He smiled. “Whatever happened to him out there, it sounds like he’s not ready to throw the towel in just yet.”
“That’s just as well,” said Mary. “We’re going to need all the help we can get convincing people what we saw back there. Can you set up a meet?”
“Already done. Though your sister will have to wait outside.”
Mary glanced back at Kate, who rolled her eyes.
“Relax. I’ll survive,” she said. “It’s not exactly my scene, anyway.”
“Fine. Just stay out of trouble,” said Mary.
“Coming from you…”
Marshall steered the car onto the I78 and put his foot down. “We’ll be there in less than thirty minutes,” he said. “How about we try not to kill each other until then?”
Mary sighed. “No promises.”
***
The Jacob J. Javits Federal Building was an ugly gray tower located in Federal Plaza, just a short walk from the New York City Supreme Court. At forty-one floors, it was the tallest federal building in the United States, and the FBI field office looked out over the streets twenty-three stories up. Marshall eased the Suburban up to the security gate and presented his pass. The guard waved him through, and Marshall headed for the underground parking lot. He found a space near the elevators.
Fallen: A Leopold Blake Thriller (A Private Investigator Series of Crime and Suspense Thrillers Book 5) Page 17
