AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I went to her. “What is it?”
She met my eyes and whispered, “What does an EMP weapon do? What would it do if used even on just one city?”
“Kill our power grid and make technology useless,” Griffin answered somberly.
“And also,” I began, understanding Diana’s train of thought, “instill fear in people.”
65
DIANA
Carter drew his hand up and down my back while continuing to stare at me as if we were the only two in the room.
“Why is a defense company so concerned with stopping cold fusion as an energy source? Isn’t that what we should be asking ourselves?” Jesse spoke for the first time, and I peeked over at him as he continued to pack up weapons alongside Jack and Oliver.
“What if it wasn’t just the Novaks meeting with the Barclays that Christmas of the crash?” Jack asked, gaze sweeping my way for a brief moment. “What if it was some bad-guy super club? A bunch of rich dicks—no offense, Carter—that work together in different sectors of society to influence their interests?”
I thought Carter might blow Jack off and tell him to stop watching so many movies. When he didn’t, I started to worry he believed Jack was onto something. And what’d that mean for the future?
“The Barclays had energy covered. Novaks, defense,” Mya said, picking up Jack’s train of thought rather than shooting down his idea as ridiculous. “But then Rebecca’s father deviated from some set plan they had in place, pushing for clean energy before they were ready for it to happen.”
“Cue the oil and gas industry as part of the secret meeting,” Jack offered.
I volleyed my attention around the room, listening to their speculations, putting it all together. Recognizing that a group of people may have been pulling everyone’s strings. Not one puppet master, but a team of them.
“So, if this group had the Barclays killed in one massive coverup, who knows what else they’ve done over the years,” Oliver added.
“I mean, is it really that shocking that a bunch of billionaires are orchestrating everything from wars to stock market crashes for their own motives?” Mya folded her arms, peering around the room, the investigative reporter in her taking over. “Probably working hand in hand with spy agencies when their interests aligned. You know, overthrowing regimes and installing dictators when it benefited them.”
“That means even if we take down Karl and his family, we’re only scratching at the surface,” I said, finally breaking my silence. “Stopping the Novaks might not stop the use of the EMP weapon on election day either.”
“Election day, right,” Mya whispered. “They’re probably trying to change the outcome of the election, too. President Bennett’s not a man who can be bought or controlled.”
“It may take us time to round up every asshole involved,” Carter began, eyes steady on me, “but your laser will stop their weapon. They won’t win. No chaos. No fear. No more fucking division in this country. Enough is enough.” His voice kicked up at that.
“And how do we do that?” Mya asked him.
“We start with finding out who has the most to gain from an attack,” Carter said, holding my arms.
“Whoever’s making bank off building secret bunkers around the world is one possibility. Throw in pharmaceutical companies, for a number of reasons,” Jack tossed out. “The fact this group has disrupted alliances could mean something, too. They might even want us at war with Iran or China. Or back in Syria, based on who they’re trying to pin this on as well.”
“Also, we can rule out industries who’d take a financial hit if an EMP weapon is deployed. Electric vehicle companies would be a victim,” Oliver added to Jack’s list of theories.
“It’s also possible these assholes wanted Diana alive for when they deemed the world was ready for cold fusion as an energy source. They’d hold all the cards, be the ones to control its delivery to the market and world stage, come out on top as heroes. Assuming Rebecca’s father had once been part of this group, they had him there for a reason,” Mya suggested.
It was the first thing that made sense about why they hadn’t just killed me. It was always about more than trying to keep me from stopping their attack.
“Right, they’re not opposed to cold fusion as energy one day. They’re just not ready for it yet. Gotta milk the oil and gas cow a bit longer.” Oliver’s words earned him an eye roll from Mya.
“I’ll get both Craig and Karl to talk. If Jared’s still alive, him, too,” Carter gritted out. “I’ll get answers.” He kept hold of me, but turned his attention toward the others in the room. “If we can determine who the hell else was going to be at that meeting the Barclays never made it to in 2008, we’ll have our target list. Then we pick them off one by fucking one.”
“Starting with Karl, and saving Sierra and her daughter from him, right?” I can’t lose anyone else. At Carter’s nod, I couldn’t help but ask, “Why can’t the President send the FBI or our military after them? Why is this up to you all? I mean, I get why he came to your team in the first place, but with this kind of national security threat from within our own borders now on the table, can’t the President get approval for military intervention?”
A few uneasy glances passed between his teammates before Gray took point. “Homeland and the CIA could put together the most exhaustive and thorough case against the Novaks, but Congress would still shut it down. We’re talking about a company that supplies a third of our nation’s weapons. Let’s just say a lot of politicians would have a vested interest in not seeing a company like that tank.”
“Not to mention the Novaks more than likely have a network of people in D.C. aside from the few traitors we’ve uncovered who’d run their mouths about the plan the second it was walked up the chain,” Jack pointed out.
My shoulders slumped, wishing it wasn’t true. Then again, I didn’t want to believe anything I’d learned tonight was true, not just this. “You said I’m not really going home, we’re just letting the bad guys think we fell for the trap the terrorists set. So, where are you sending me?”
