The Project 05 - The Tesla Secret

anything like this. She wasn't the kind of woman who took it well when a man told her what to do. Somehow Dragonov was different.
    "Malcolm wants me to go to an event with him tonight."
    "That won't be a problem."
    "All right."
    "Why don't you go have a cigarette? Come back in ten minutes."
    She watched him go into the inner office. She heard Foxworth's voice raised in surprise.
    "What are you doing here?"
    The door was thick and soundproof. Dragonov closed it behind him. Mandy took a cigarette and lighter from her purse and hurried from the room.
    Foxworth looked up from his desk, annoyed. His head was throbbing. Morel was late. His hand trembled as he reached for a glass of water.
    "Well? What is it? I thought you were in Hong Kong."
    "I was."
    "Is he dead?"
    "No." Dragonov drew a pistol from under his jacket.
    "Ah. I see," Foxworth said. "What did he offer you?"
    "More than you," Dragonov said.
    "I'm disappointed, Dragonov. Money is no object. Here, I have another 50,000 for you."
    He reached in his desk drawer and took out his Walther and fired, just as Dragonov shot him between the eyes. Foxworth's head snapped back. He tumbled from his chair. Dragonov clutched at his chest and took his hand away, covered with blood.
    He shot me. The bastard shot me.
    The strength went from his legs and he fell to the floor. Blood gushed between his fingers.
    He shot me.
    Darkness descended.

CHAPTER SEVENTY-ONE

    Nick put down the phone. Selena watched him.
    "That was Harker. Foxworth's dead."
    "How?"
    "His security chief shot him. Foxworth's assistant went out for a smoke break and when she came back they were both dead."
    "Both of them?"
    "Foxworth killed him. It looks like they both fired at the same time."
    They were in Nick's apartment. Miles Davis played in the background. He took down a bottle of Jameson from a cabinet over the wet bar and a glass.
    "Get me one," Selena said.
    He got another glass and brought the bottle and glasses over to the counter where she sat.
    "I love this album," Nick said. " Kind of Blue . Davis, Cannonball Adderly, John Coltrane. Bill Evans. There's no one like them around anymore."
    "It's a different world now." She drank. "What do you think Elizabeth is going to do?"
    "You mean about the Project?"
    "Yes. Where will the new headquarters be?"
    "She's not happy with all the publicity. Maybe somewhere away from the city."
    "I never thought it would be like this."
    "Yeah." He looked at her. "What are you going to do? About the Project? About us? No one would blame you if you stayed out of the field after what happened in Mexico. Or if you left."
    He looked down at his drink as he said it.
    "I won't be ready for the field for months." She considered her words. "Would anyone blame you if you got shot and left?"
    "What do you mean?'
    "It sounds like you think there are different rules for me than there are for you."
    "That's not what I meant at all."
    "You didn't answer my question. Would anyone blame you?"
    "It's different for me."
    "See? That's how you and Ronnie and Lamont think." She poured herself another drink.
    Nick could feel tension settling on his shoulders. What she'd said was true. He did think it was different for her.
    Selena said, "It's important. Do you think getting wounded makes any difference? Excuses me if I quit?"
    He looked at the ice melting in his glass. "I don't know."
    She took a breath. "We're a team. If I quit, I'd be letting you and Ronnie and Lamont down. And I resent the fact that you think I might do that."
    He was silent. She toyed with her glass, turning it on the smooth stone countertop.
    "I admit, getting hurt like that scared the hell out of me. More than Pakistan. But I'm not quitting."
    "You almost died."
    "I didn't. Because you saved me. Just like I'd do for you." She looked at him. Her voice betrayed her emotion. "The team is important to me. It's not just what we do. It's everything. We depend on each other. We're a family. How could I give that up? You think I don't understand after what we've all been through in the past year?"
    Nick reached out and took her hand. "You're right. I'm sorry."
    "All right, then. So shut up about not going back in the field." She took her hand away.
    "You didn't answer my second question. About us.
    He waited. She was working up to saying something.
    " I'm not sure about us right now. How do you think I'd feel if you were killed? Did you ever think of that?"
    The words stunned him.
    "No. I never thought of that."
    "Well, I do.