“Hello?” Kaden croaked, then cleared his throat.
“Kaden Bauer?” a man asked.
“Yes.”
“Is Snowdrop with you?”
“Yes,” Alistair said. “I’m here. Kaden wants to be sure he’s doing the right thing.”
“You absolutely are,” said the man. “We’re not in the habit of using civilians for this sort of work, but in this case, we needed to be extra cautious. Snowdrop assures me that you’re trustworthy. We’re very appreciative of those who take risks on our behalf.”
“How do I know who you are?” Kaden blurted, though it did sound like him.
There was the faintest pause on the line—not long enough to be suspicious, but long enough to feel deliberate.
“You don’t,” the man said calmly. “Not with absolute certainty. That’s the nature of this world. But you can verifythe number that called you. You can confirm the name of the Director General of MI5. And you can ask yourself one simple question—what would I gain from lying to you right now?”
Kaden swallowed. His mouth had gone dry. “People lie for less.”
“True. But people in my position don’t have the luxury of improvisation. Everything we do is documented, authorised, and accountable, whetheryousee that or not. If Snowdrop brought this to me, it’s already passed several layers of scrutiny.”
Kaden glanced at Alistair, who gave nothing away.
“And Blake?” Kaden asked. “Is he a threat?”
Another pause. This one heavier.
“He’s a person of interest. We believe he’s in possession of information that could cause significant harm if it were made public or passed to the wrong people. Your role is to help us understand what he knows, and how he intends to use it.”
“That sounds like surveillance,” Kaden said.
“It’s observation,” the man corrected. “You’re a well-known journalist invited into his home. Nothing more. You are not being asked to steal, break in, or endanger anyone. If at any point you feel uncomfortable, you walk away. Understood?”
Kaden hesitated. “And if I don’t do this?”
“Then you don’t,” the man said simply. “But there may be consequences beyond your control.”
Joe.
Silence settled over the kitchen. Joe had stopped playing with the camera.
Finally, Kaden exhaled slowly. “All right.”
“Good,” the man said. “Then I’ll leave you in Snowdrop’s capable hands. And Mr Bauer?”
Kaden stiffened. “Yes?”
“Don’t try to be clever. Just be natural. People reveal far more than they should when they believe they’re in control.”
The line clicked dead.
Kaden stared at his phone for a moment before lowering it onto the table.
“Well?” Alistair asked.
Kaden looked up at him. “If that wasn’t the Director General, it was someone who sounded just like him.”
Alistair smiled faintly. “I feel I should tell you that it could be someone impersonating him, though it’s not.”
