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It didn’t surprise Farrell that the question had come from Nico. It was Nico Vitale who had reimagined the old-world mob into a modern army of coordinated, intelligent men capable of violence, but also well-versed in using technology and modernity to theiradvantage.
His belief in the new model had nearly gotten him — and Angel, his wife — killed, but it had proven to be visionary. Their first priority after taking down Raneiro Donati, the former leader of the Syndicate, had been to restructure the organization on a grand scale. The irony was not lost on Farrell that their current enemy was using the very tactics they were working toretire.
“I have no idea,” Damian said. “I can only assume they’re reverting to the old-school model of security, communications, transportation. Whatever they’re using, we can’t see it. Christophe and I pooled the capabilities of our cyber labs and the most they could find through their combined efforts was one flight in to JFK by a former low-level associate of Anastos and a stray email on one of the old encrypted channels that asked for a newchannel.”
Farrell raised his eyebrow. “And?”
“The inquiry went unanswered,” Christophesaid.
Nico sighed. “So we have an unseen enemy indiscriminately hitting targets to create chaos without any traceablepresence.”
“Fuck,” Farrellmuttered.
“I’d say that accurately sums up our position,” Christophesaid.
“I’m not hearing any solutions,” Luca said. “Are we saving those forlater?”
“I can only think of one,” Nicosaid.
Farrell looked at him. “Care toshare?”
“Locke Montgomery,” Nicosaid.
“Fucking-A,” Farrell muttered. “He’s amercenary.”
Yes,” Nico agreed. “One with experience in off-the-gridoperations.”
He had a point. Locke was a strange mix of modern technology, altruism, and recklessness. His targets were self-selected and isolated, seemingly random people who had subverted law and order, committing crimes for which they never paid aprice.
Locke’s targets only had one thing in common — they were people who had hurt innocents in one way or another: corporate crooks who wrongly foreclosed on the homes of hardworking people, murderers and rapists who walked due to technicalities in spite of overwhelming evidence, financial advisers who invested their clients’ money in doomed funds that ultimately bankrupted retirement accounts and collegefunds.
It wasn’t that Locke didn’t have cyber capabilities. On the contrary, his cyber team was at least as good as the ones run by Christophe andDamian.
But Locke’s team was used to working unconventional targets who were more careful than most, targets who attended Harvard Business School and Yale Law, who knew enough about modern technology to subvert or avoid it — or pay someone to do it forthem.
Locke’s specialty was finding a way in when it looked like all the doors and windows had been sealed. He was as likely to parachute into a target’s domain as he was to hack into their financials, as likely to tail a target himself as he was to hire someone else to do it. He worked with a small band of mercenaries like himself, men who had turned their back on traditional law and order, including Braden Kane, the former FBI agent who had helped get Farrell and Jenna out of the mess in Europe that had almost killed themboth.
“It’s not the worst suggestion,” Farrellsaid.
“Who the hell is Locke Montgomery?” Damianasked.
Farrell listened as Nico explained, glossing over the more unpredictable elements of Locke’s operation. Damian wouldn’t want predictable, not after the shooting of Aria on the night Primo had beenkilled.
“No offense,” Damian said, “but I don’t know this guy from Adam. No way am I letting him into ouroperation.”
“I haven’t personally worked with Montgomery, but I do trust Nico,” Christophe said. “Given our limited options, perhaps you should do thesame.”
Damian stood, his gaze traveling to the men seated around the table. “Pull rank if you want — you’re the boss — but as long as the New York operation is mine, I’m opting out of bringing in Montgomery.” He headed for the door. “I’ll keep youposted.”
The door shut heavily behindhim.
“That went well,” Farrellsaid.
“We can always force his hand,” Luca said. “He’s right: we’re incharge.”
“It’s more complicated than that,” Nico said. “We brought him in to lead the territory. Micromanaging his leadership will only undermine his trust in the organization. That damage will be worse than any that can be done if we wait himout.”
“Waiting bores me,” Farrell said, “but I agree, it’s the wisest move at thispoint.”
“He may come around,” Christophe said. “He can be reckless, but he’s one of the most intelligent men I’ve evermet.”
Farrell didn’t know whether to be annoyed or proud that Christophe’s gaze flickered hisway.
“Then we’re agreed?” Nicoasked.
Christophenodded.
“I agree,” Lucasaid.
“Me, too,” Farrell said. “But we can’t let it go on too long. Vegas is still a mess. We need to deal with it sooner rather thanlater.”
