The Project 05 - The Tesla Secret

that we've pissed someone off?"
    "Number two is that whoever it is has a lot of money and powerful contacts," Elizabeth said. "Missiles are expensive and you can't order one out of a catalog. At least you can't unless you're a government."
    "It can't be a government," Selena said. "We aren't important enough to risk a war with the US by sending a missile at us. This is real overkill. It's an insane thing to do."
    "So we've got someone who is pissed off at us, has money and connections and is insane. Sound like anyone we know?" Lamont rubbed his nose with a knuckle.
    "Foxworth," Elizabeth said. "Adam said he has a brain tumor."
    "That son of a bitch." Nick's voice was flat. "It has to be him. Have they found the freighter? The captain can tell us something."
    "That's another thing. There was a seismic anomaly registered by underwater sensors off the coast right about where that missile could have come from. An explosion of some kind. The Coast Guard is looking for a ship. They haven't found anything in the area except oil slick and flotsam."
    "They sank it. It's at the bottom of the ocean."
    "That's what I'd do," Elizabeth said. "I think there's something more going on here. You remember, a few months ago Adam told us Henri de Maupassant was part of AEON?"
    "The French Minister of Finance? He was on that list in Foxworth's villa."
    "Maupassant had a heart attack last night at a restaurant he frequented in Paris. He's dead. A waiter said someone brushed against him as he came in. He collapsed a minute later."
    "That sounds like the KGB," Lamont said. "They were good at things like that. Remember that guy they poisoned with plutonium?"
    "The KGB is gone."
    "Gone but not forgotten. There are a lot of ex members of the sword and shield out there looking for work."
    "Why kill Maupassant?" Nick asked.
    Elizabeth picked up her coffee cup and set it down again. She took a piece of chocolate. "I think it's a power struggle inside AEON. There was another death two days ago. Julio Silva, in Brazil. He owned one of the largest energy corporations in the world. A big player."
    "You think Silva was part of AEON?" Selena reached up and touched the bandage on her head. The stitches itched.
    "I think he was. Silva was assassinated. A sniper got him as he was getting into his armored limo. The bodyguards and car didn't do him much good."
    "Foxworth is going after his enemies. Including us." Nick got up and poured more coffee. Lamont held out his cup. Nick reached out with the pot and felt something spasm in his back. The coffee spilled.
    "Damn."
    "You okay, Nick?"
    "Yeah." He set the pot down. "Just a glitch. I'll work it out in the gym. It'll go away."
    "Are we in agreement, then?" Elizabeth said. "We assume Foxworth is behind this?"
    "Yes," Nick said. Lamont and Selena nodded.
    "We'll get him. Our first priority is a temporary place to work. DCI Hood has offered space at Langley if we want it. Rice has suggested the Pentagon."
    "Can we access the NSA and CIA mainframes securely with remote access?" Selena asked.
    "Yes."
    "Then why not work here? Steph will be back tomorrow. There's plenty of room, a place to sleep if someone needs it, good security. There are two big screen TVs we can use for monitors. We can bring in anything we need. It keeps us out of sight."
    For a moment Elizabeth was quiet. Then she said, "That's a good idea."
    They were up and running.

CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE

    Valentin Dragonov was pleased with the way things were going. Two down. The Frenchman had been child's play. Sometimes the old ways were best. A simple pin prick, a fast acting poison and a problem was solved.
    Silva had been more difficult, but people always had routines that were their undoing. Silva had been smart enough to vary them. Dragonov had to admit it would have been enough to stop most enemies, but he wasn't like most enemies. Silva's downfall had been through a low level employee with a grudge and a need for money. He'd been happy to provide Silva's itinerary.
    As promised, Foxworth had transferred two bonus payments of 200,000 Euros each to a numbered account in Zurich. Valentin considered his next target, a banker in Hong Kong with close ties to Beijing. The logistics were difficult.
    Dragonov had taken a suite at the luxurious Upper House Hotel, looking out over Victoria Harbor. The service was the best in Hong Kong and the food in the hotel restaurant excellent in a city known for its culinary offerings. The suite was $900 a day. Dragonov