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“Mr. Sloane is under the impression that he would make an excellent dictator. That power can only go to the person who controls the Passover Project.”
“And what if I refuse to meet your demands?”
“Then I’ll keep your woman alive.” His voice rang with the promise of truth. “She’ll be begging for death by the time I’m through with her. And while I’m at it, I hope you’re not too attached to the boy wonder you’ve got stashed away in that fortress of yours. My men have been busy in your absence. He’s only got a few minutes left before he’s just another part of the rubble. It’s a shame, really. I’ve heard he’s quite brilliant.”
For the first time he heard the urgency in Gabe’s voice, and he smiled.
“When do we make the exchange?”
“Oxford Park Station at noon. Platform seven.”
“I’ll be there.”
The line went dead, and Kimball wished he’d be able to see Gabe’s face when he realized he was too late to save his wife.
ChapterTwenty-One
Iran
“Ethan,” Gabe said into their com link. “Evacuate now. Sound the alarm so the guards will know, and use the emergency exit. Don’t argue. Start running.”
He mouthed the wordbombto Jack and Logan, and they stared back at him with identical looks of gravity on their faces. They’d been in situations like this before, and sometimes there was nothing you could do but wait and listen.
Gabe listened to Ethan’s muttered curses just before the line went dead. He tossed his phone on the table and willed it to ring. He knew it would take Ethan a few minutes to work his way through the underground tunnels that ran beneath the building and get to the safe house he’d designated for any agents who might be in trouble.
The phones wouldn’t work in the tunnels since they were made of reinforced steel, but ten minutes passed—and then fifteen—and he still hadn’t gotten the all clear from Ethan.
“Not good,” Jack whispered. “Who was on the phone, Gabe, and what the hell was that conversation about? Listening to your end wasn’t reassuring.”
“Shawn Kimball,” Gabe said. “And he has Grace. He wants the painting.”
He tried to keep his emotions locked away. Grace needed him, but he couldn’t slow his frantic heartbeat, and he couldn’t help but imagine what Kimball was putting her through. His fist tightened at the thought, and he struggled to ignore the pounding in his skull. He couldn’t lose her again. He wasn’t strong enough to deal with it. And for the first time he could remember, he was about to say to hell with the mission and put something else as his priority. Something he should have done a long time ago.
His phone buzzed on the table, and Gabe let out a slow breath when he saw the number. He hit speakerphone and waited to see who he’d be talking to.
“This is crazy,” Ethan said, his voice higher pitched than usual. “That was a hell of a bomb. For a minute there I didn’t think I was going to make it. I thought the tunnels were going to cave in on me.”
“Where are you?”
“A coffee shop for now,” Ethan said. “They’ve closed off all the streets in a half-mile radius around the detonation site, and it’ll be a while before I’ll be able to make it to the safe house. The city is going crazy with panic.”
“A coffee shop is fine,” Gabe said, letting out a slow breath. “Just stay put.”
“I’ve got my laptop, but I don’t know how I can help you with all these people around.”
“Logan will have to do it from inside the hotel room. You need to stay hidden. Put the computers away and just act normal for a change until you can get to the safe house.”
Jack interrupted them, his voice harsh. Gabe knew they were in for a hell of a night. Sometimes friendship only went so far.
“Get back to Kimball wanting to trade the painting for Grace. Do you want to elaborate on that?” he asked.
“Kimball has taken over the Passover Project from his employer. I was informed during our conversation that he already had a new scientist working on re-creating the first part of the formula. And he also mentioned that his employer had the second painting with the hidden formula. He’s the private collector we couldn’t uncover the name of.”
“Which means that we can’t under any circumstances let him complete the formula,” Jack said with warning.
“We’ll have time,” Gabe said. He was only speaking to Jack now. He had to make Jack understand. “If Kimball follows his MO, he’ll auction the weapon and sell it to the highest-bidding terrorist. I know from experience it takes a couple of weeks to set up an auction like this. Not to mention the added time it will take for Kimball’s scientist to complete the formula. We have time,” he said again.
“You’re speaking in code, Gabe,” Logan said. “And skirting the issue. What are you not saying?”
