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Of course he does. And it’s not like I’d be able to overpower him anyway. He’s too strong, and his guards are never far out of sight. Unless someone handed me a loaded gun, I simply wouldn’t have time to truly hurt him.
“People are looking at us, Kate.”
I’m not surprised. I’ve felt their gazes all night long.
“It’s the first time you’ve been seen out, acting like a normal person, for quite some time.”
It’s not a question, so I don’t respond.
“They think you’ve lost your mind, the kind of crap you spout on television.”
And who’s fault is that?
“I know you’re still sharp. So tell me: who do you think these Anarchy, Inc. people really are?”
“What?” I laugh. “How the fuck would I know? It’s not like I get to report actual news or investigate anything.”
“Take a guess,” he grunts. “These groups don’t show up out of nowhere. You’re knowledgeable about world politics and conflict. If you were trying to identify Anarchy, Inc., where would you start?”
It could be anyone really — Russia or China are obvious possibilities, but it could be what it seems: an actual independent terrorist network, funded by someone with great resources and a need for anonymity. There’s just not enough information out there yet. However, they are very well-organized and well-equipped — they’re not amateurs. If they say there will be more attacks, it should be taken seriously.
“I’d start by asking my sources within the government what they’ve heard,” I answer. “You have a few of those, don’t you?”
Anton nods.
“Of course. When they know something, I will. But they have no real leads, as of yet. The fire at the mansion burned everything: bullet casings, electronics, the dead bodies… everything. We’ll sort out the dead from their bones. The video was made well-enough to conceal the identities of the makers. It gave us nothing. So, if the official investigation was stalled, and you wanted to head off the next attack before it happens, what then?”
I sip from my water, thinking. This actually reminds me of when Ingram asked me for help figuring out who was trying to kill him: no evidence to go on, just speculation.
Is Anton wondering if he’s on Anarchy, Inc.’s list? If not, he should be. Even if they don’t know about the Masters, the CEO of Innovative AF more than likely has a lot of shady deals in his past.
“Without something material to go on, the best you can do is guess and hope you find something actionable. You would ask, who would want to kill Hamza Bin Khaled? That’s probably a very long list. So then, who would want to kill both Timo Thor and Lincoln Waterston? That’s a shorter list.”
“Yeah,” Anton mumbles. “I guess it is.”
He would be on it, of course. But unless this is a giant mind game, he didn’t do it.
My name would also be on that list, but he’s well aware it wasn’t me.
“Additionally, who would be capable of carrying out such a challenging operation?”
One name comes to mind right away: Ingram, if he was alive. Maybe someone from his organization is out there? That would be something…
“Ingram’s dead,” says Anton.
He got that from the barely subdued excitement on my face, I guess.
“I know,” I reply. “But if he was alive, he’d want Timo and Lincoln dead. He’d be capable of doing it. And…”
And Anton would definitely be on his list.
“I’m sure you think that’s a fun theory, but Ingram’s dead,” he snarls, his face darkening. “I shot him. There was no way off the island. He either drowned or bled out. There’s no way Ingram could have survived.”
I don’t have a response to that, so say nothing.
Our waiter returns with a basket of the golden, fried calamari and a cup of steaming hot marinara.
“Enjoy,” he says. “The main course will be out shortly.”
