Dead in a Week

by Andrea Kane

  “Safe,” Lauren repeated, shock making it almost impossible for her to absorb anything.

  “Yes, safe.” Aidan felt that tightening in his chest, the one that reminded him he’d saved the life of someone’s daughter.

  “Oh my God.” Lauren covered her face, uncontrollable sobs shaking her body as she rocked back and forth on her heels. “Thank you. Thank you.”

  This time it was Marc who spoke into the microphone. “All secure. We’ve got the hostage.”

  “All clear in front,” Philip replied.

  Aidan moved forward, squatting beside Lauren. “Are you hurt?”

  She shook her head.

  “Then let’s get you out of here.” He scooped her up in his arms and turned to go. “Coming out with Lauren,” he said.

  “I’ll do a tech sweep,” Marc told him.

  Nodding, Aidan went to plan, heading for the front door since it was the shortest distant back to their SUVs. “Confiscate any computers,” he called over his shoulder.

  “Yup.” Marc did that by rote. He moved quickly, retrieving the kidnappers’ cell phones, grinding them beneath his heels so they couldn’t be tracked. “Did you take care of Mr. Smoker’s cell phone?” he asked Philip into the microphone.

  “Crushed,” was the reply.

  The only other electronic device in the house was a laptop—clearly the one they’d used for Lauren’s videoconferences with her father. That, Marc took with him, striding forward to join Aidan.

  Philip was waiting and they all raced for where the cars were hidden. Lauren was softly weeping, her face buried against Aidan’s vest, her body quaking with the aftereffects of her ordeal.

  They reached the SUVs, where Aidan wrapped Lauren in warm blankets and settled her on the back seat.

  Marc held out the laptop, and Aidan gestured for him to put it in Philip’s car, which Marc did.

  “Please deliver that to Danijel in Zagreb,” Aidan requested of Philip as they all shed their gear. “Besides the usual porn, games, and sports stuff, I’m sure he’ll find a gold mine of data, like other operations in Croatia that this scumbag Albanian OC group is running. Tell him I hope it helps, and thanks. Oh, and tell him there’ll be a case of Blanton’s coming his way. Fine bourbon is Danijel’s Achilles’ heel. I’ll have Terri get on it ASAP.”

  “Done.” A corner of Philip’s mouth lifted. “Then I’m heading back to the UK for some much-needed rest and recreation.”

  Aidan chuckled, shaking his colleague’s hand. “Enjoy both, particularly the latter. You’ve earned it.”

  Philip snapped off a salute to Marc, who’d hopped into the back seat of the SUV next to Lauren, both to offer her any reassurances she might need and to make certain she did nothing to distract Aidan while he drove.

  Settling himself behind the wheel of the other SUV, Philip pulled the door shut and flipped on the ignition. Then, he waited, per Zermatt protocol, until all team members were ready to go.

  Minutes later, both SUVs rolled out, Philip en route to Zagreb, Aidan and Marc en route to Osijek Airport.

  Lauren’s nightmare was at an end.

  28

  Crescent Woods Garden Apartments

  Palo Alto, California

  1 March

  Thursday, 7:35 p.m. local time

  Simone shifted in the driver’s seat of her car, itching to enact the plan to trap the mole.

  It had been almost two hours since she’d planted the bug in Jia li’s apartment. Since then, she’d been holed up in her car, cell phone on the seat beside her. Her Bluetooth-ed headset in place, she remained connected to Terri.

  This was the waiting part.

  The fun part had been when she first returned to her car.

  Terri hadn’t wasted a minute.

  “I need you to put on those anti-static gloves now.”

  “Why?” Simone couldn’t help but ask.

  “Because you and I both know that Aidan is going to want everyone involved to be brought to justice. And that means supplying the authorities with proof—anonymous proof. We can’t have your fingerprints on the USB drive with all the evidence I’m about to place on it for the benefit of the FBI.”

  “So that’s what you were working on earlier. Don’t keep me in suspense—what proof did you find?”

  “I hacked into Xu Wei’s cell phone carrier.” Terri sounded like the proverbial cat who’d swallowed the canary. “The images of the stolen technology were sent from Xu’s cell phone to Jia li’s. Also sent from his cell phone were numerous calls to Croatia.”

  “Bon.” Simone was both excited and impressed. She reached for the gloves and wriggled her fingers into them. “Gloves are on.”

  “Now remove the USB drive from the package and insert it into your laptop. Let me know when you’re done.”

  A few minutes of struggling with the packaging and the drive came loose. Simone inserted it into a spare USB port.

  “All ready.”

  Terri took over from there.

  She switched to the remote window where she could see and control Simone’s laptop. She copied the phone logs and images of the Nano confidential drawings that Xu had stolen. Then, she ejected the drive. “Simone, please remove and reinsert the drive so I can test it.”

  Simone complied quickly.

  Terri saw the drive reactivate. Then she double-clicked on each file to make sure they were readable. Satisfied with her workmanship, she ejected the drive. “Success. Now place the drive inside the padded manila envelope and seal it.”

  Simone dropped the drive into the envelope, removed the self-sealing strip, and closed the envelope. “All done,” she replied.

  “Great. We’ll be getting that to the FBI as soon as we’re done here. I’m sorry you’re stuck outside the apartment complex, but transmitters have a limited range and you need to be in close proximity to pick up their conversation.”

  “I expected that. But there’s another reason I’m still here. While it’s likely that things will go as planned, it’s always possible that Jia li and the mole will leave the apartment without revealing what we hope to hear, in which case I’ll have to see who the mole is with my own eyes.”

  After that, neither of them had much to say. The sense of accomplishment they’d experienced soon ebbed, and tension crackled cross-country, as they waited for news and waited to act.

  “It’s been hours, Terri,” Simone said, speaking their concerns aloud. “I’m worried. I know Aidan. And so do you. He wouldn’t wait. He’d move in the moment the opportunity presented itself.”

  “Which it might not have.” Terri was trying to be the voice of reason. “There’s a young woman’s life on the line. Aidan is strategic, highly intelligent, and well-trained. He’ll do this and do it right.”

  “I know. I just…” Simone’s mouth snapped shut. Who was this apprehensive woman? She always kept it together. Being cool under pressure was essential, both at Zermatt and at McKinsey. Yet here she was, seized by raw nerves and acting like a rookie.

  “I apologize, Terri. Let’s chalk it up to the fact that I’m not good surveillance material. I’m too type A proactive.”

  “Sitting on my hands and waiting is tough for me, too,” Terri replied. “And like you, I’m not ordinarily a worrier.” A discreet cough. “Plus, it’s worse for you. I’m not emotionally involved.”

  “You’re right.” Simone didn’t pretend to misunderstand what Terri was saying. Despite the total professionalism she and Aidan exhibited when doing Zermatt business, their personal relationship was hardly a secret to the team. “This investigation is high stakes, just like all of ours. But now we’re talking about a life-or-death mission.”

  “Aidan’s a survivor. He’ll be fine.”

  As she spoke, there was a beep on the line, followed by the audio announcement: “Joining conference call…” and then their team leader’s familiar voice: “Aidan.”

  Osijek Airport

  Osijek, Croatia

  2 March

&n
bsp; Friday, 4:38 a.m. local time

  “Hello, ladies.” Aidan’s voice was laced with satisfaction and still thrumming from his adrenaline high. “Just wanted to let you know we’re airborne. Marc and I should be landing with Lauren at twenty-one hundred hours—nine o’clock Pacific Standard Time—give or take air traffic and customs.”

  “You’re all safe?” Simone demanded.

  “All except the Albanians. They won’t be sending out Christmas cards this year—or any other year.”

  A chuckle from Terri’s end. “A shame.”

  “Yeah, life sucks.”

  Amusement gone. Urgency back.

  “We’re wrapped up at this end,” Aidan said. “Is the bug in place?”

  “Ready and waiting,” Simone replied.

  “Good. You’re out of harm’s way?”

  “Yes, and in record time. The magician’s daughter hasn’t lost her lock-picking talent.”

  “Never doubted it. Terri, send that text.”

  “Already composed.”

  A second passed as Terri hit the send button. “Gone.”

  “Terri, now that Lauren is safe, it’s time to bring down the remaining people involved. Add all the suspects to the TSA’s No Fly List.”

  “Will do. We should see action very soon, followed by audio confirmation of who at Nano we’re dealing with. Once that happens, I’ll add the mole to the No Fly List, as well.”

  “Nice work, both of you,” Aidan praised. He paused, his mind veering to his immediate concern. “Simone, stay in that car. And don’t use your weapon unless it’s absolutely necessary. In America, civilians have an obligation to attempt to flee from danger rather than standing their ground. You’re not in your home, where those laws are different. I don’t want you in danger. Nor do we want the fallout if you have to defend yourself.”

  “Fine.”

  Aidan ignored the patronizing tone of Simone’s reply. “I’m texting you contact information on a pal of Marc’s who handles industrial espionage at the FBI San Francisco field office—Special Agent Jeffrey Albertson. Without providing specific details, Marc’s asked him to hang out in Palo Alto tonight. He got him a reservation at Sundance the Steakhouse and bought him a prime rib dinner with all the trimmings in exchange for his availability. So he’ll be close by.”

  “Sundance the Steakhouse?”

  “Yup. Odd name, but the best steakhouse in Palo Alto. If push comes to shove, don’t hesitate to reach out to him.”

  “Push won’t come to shove. But having his nearby presence will make you feel better.” Simone went on to fill Aidan in on what Terri had found and what they’d done.

  Aidan let out a low whistle. “Terri, have I told you lately how indispensable you are?”

  “Not often enough.” Terri’s voice was filled with smug satisfaction.

  “Well, you are. After you wrap up there, Simone can deliver the evidence to the maître d’ at the restaurant and ensure that he passes it along to SA Albertson.”

  “I’ll do that,” Simone said.

  Simone’s terse answers finally elicited a response from Aidan. “Don’t be a cowboy, Simone. I mean it.”

  “Bon. Besides, I am French, not American. We don’t have cowboys in France. And if we did, I’d be a cowgirl, n’est ce pas?”

  Aidan rolled his eyes, realizing it was pointless. Simone was going to do things her way.

  “Changing topics,” Simone said, “thank Marc for taking care of you by addressing your unnecessary concerns. Now, can you fill us in on the rescue mission?”

  “I’ll conference back in a few minutes. Right now, I’m setting Lauren up for a videoconference with her parents. I called them on our way to the airport, so they know she’s safe. But they need to hear and see their daughter.” A pause. “And I need to call mine.”

  “Of course you do.” Simone didn’t need an explanation. “Tell Abby I want a stuffed Disney Princess. Her choice. It’s unfair that I should fly all the way from Lyon and not get the chance to see the original Disneyland.”

  “Will do.” This time there was a smile in Aidan’s voice. “Knowing Abby and her enthusiasm, she’ll have Emma buy you one that’s taller than you are. Be glad you’re flying home on the Zermatt plane.”

  Stanford Business School

  Palo Alto, California

  1 March

  Thursday, 7:40 p.m. local time

  Jia li went sheet white when she read the cryptic text.

  Xu Wei was here?

  A classified leak. One that was serious enough for him to fly to Palo Alto for an urgent person-to-person meeting with all parties. And not at his hotel. At her apartment, where they wouldn’t be seen or recognized. In a half hour.

  Something had gone very, very wrong.

  She stood up and mumbled something to excuse herself from her meeting. Grabbing her things, she tripped and nearly fell in her haste to get out the door.

  She made her phone call the moment she stepped outside the building.

  The person at the other end listened intently, as freaked out by all this as she was—and with a lot more to lose. “I’m on my way.”

  Crescent Woods Garden Apartments

  Palo Alto, California

  1 March

  Thursday, 7:55 p.m. local time

  Simone watched as Jia li’s BMW came tearing down the street and veered into the development until it disappeared into the underground parking.

  “Well, your text certainly worked,” she announced to Terri. “Jia li just broke every speed limit and nearly hit a tree on her way in.”

  “I expected no less.” Once again, Terri sounded both smug and pleased.

  “Our mole should be here soon.”

  “Yes, but don’t expect to spot him or her, not unless things go wrong and you have to relocate your car. Whoever it is will definitely not want to be seen. They’ll drive around back and tuck their car in an unobtrusive spot. Jia li will let them in via the back door. I’m sure that’s how they arranged any previous meetings they held here—assuming there were any.”

  “My guess is, there were,” Simone replied, her gaze darting everywhere just in case their mole was sloppier than Terri expected. “Jia li is an unknown chess piece to everyone but us. Her apartment would be the best choice for face-to-face interaction. Public places would be risky, and anything closer to Nano would be riskier still. So I think your theory is a sound one.”

  “I’m glad we’re in agreement.” Terri sounded as revved up as Simone felt. They were on the brink of a major discovery and they both knew it.

  A few more minutes ticked by, during which time they heard the muffled sounds of Jia li letting herself into her apartment, tossing down whatever things she’d been carrying, and then hurrying back out the door.

  Silence.

  “She’s on her way to let her colleague in.” Terri stated the obvious. “The back door is at the other end of the corridor and around the bend from Jia li’s apartment. I’m sure she’s running. But it’ll still take a couple of minutes. Let’s sit tight and take some deep breaths.”

  “Right.” Simone knew far better than to think Terri was either sitting tight or breathing deeply. She herself was perched so rigidly at the edge of her seat that her breasts were being flattened by the steering wheel.

  At last the apartment door opened with a whoosh, followed by some hurried footsteps and the door being shut.

  “Xu Wei will be here in less than five minutes.” Jia li’s hysterical voice came through Simone’s headset, clear and strong. “I’m frightened. I don’t even understand what’s happening. Or why.”

  “Neither do I,” came the reply. “But whatever it is, we have to fix it. Fast. My entire future is on the line.”

  Simone’s jaw dropped as she recognized the voice of the other person in Jia li’s apartment.

  “Terri,” she said in shock. “That’s Robert Maxwell.”

  29

  Crescent Woods Garden Apartments

  Palo Alto, Ca
lifornia

  1 March

  Thursday, 8:05 p.m. local time

  “Holy shit,” Terri exclaimed. Her fingers were already flying across the keyboard. “This is a game changer. We’ve been looking for a mole. But Robert Maxwell? If he’s the insider, then he’s the kingpin, not a mole.”

  “But why would he sabotage his own company?” Simone asked, her head still reeling. “Do you think the technology doesn’t work?”

  “I don’t know. I’m digging while we’re listening.”

  From inside the apartment, there was the sound of rhythmic pacing, followed by Robert’s muttered, “Where the hell is he? What could have backfired? Everything was on track—at least that’s what he said. The first set of drawings were the real deal—I checked them myself. Nano is set to go into production. We have to beat that deadline. Dammit!”

  Simone recognized the clinking sounds of ice and the slamming of a bottle that followed. Robert was pouring himself a drink.

  “What if someone from inside Jítuán figured out what Xu Wei is doing?” Jia li asked.

  Silence.

  “Robert, talk to me. I’m not an idiot or a child.”

  “I think my actions have shown that I regard you as neither.”

  “Then stop trying to protect me. From the minute I agreed to fly to Shenzhen and talk to Jítuán’s CEO on behalf of a mysterious friend of yours seeking VC funding, I knew something was up. No one invests millions to create a competitor to NanoUSA without knowing the people and the technology involved. And after your dinner with Xu Wei over the summer and my subsequent meeting with him last month, I became certain that my role as a go-between was part of a much larger scenario.”

  Robert was pacing again. “That’s more than you need to know. Leave it, Jia li. If anything goes wrong, I don’t want you in trouble.”

  More silence.

  “I didn’t do this for the finder’s fee or even the VP position at your new company. I did it because I love you.” Jia li’s voice broke. “I don’t want you to go to prison.”

  New company?

  “So there’s nothing wrong with the technology,” Terri muttered, the clicking of her keyboard momentarily at a pause. “Abandoning that search.” She resumed typing.