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“Wedding night?” she said, all color draining from her face. “I don’t have such a good track record with those.”
“I just wanted to say it out loud so you can get used to the idea. No rush. All in your timing. Or if we survive this. Whichever comes first.”
Eden felt like she’d just taken a cannonball to the stomach. Fortunately she didn’t have to think about it too hard because the sat phone started buzzing again.
ChapterFifteen
“It’s time to lock and load,” Cal said excitedly on the other end of the line. “I cracked her wide open. This is the moment where you all should be congratulating me.”
“Why don’t you tell us what you did first and then I’ll send you a fruit basket,” Nate said.
“Why do you want me to explain? You won’t understand any of it anyway.”
“You and I are due a round in the ring, my friend.”
“Bring it on, buttercup,” Cal said. “I’ve got youth on my side.”
Nate rolled his eyes. “You’re only two years younger than I am. You’re not exactly the picture of youth.”
“I’ll take whatever advantage I can get. Your fists are like ham hocks. Hurts like a—”
“I’m sorry,” Eden interrupted. “But you were talking about cracking her wide open, whoeverheris. Maybe you could expound on that a bit. Don’t get me wrong, we haven’t met in person or anything, but I’m starting to think you might deserve that ham hock to the face.”
There was surprised laughter from Atticus and Nate. She was starting to feel like she’d fit right in at Dynamis Security.
“I think I’m going to love you, Agent Kane,” Cal said. “Now listen close, because we’re going to be working on a time clock here. I’ve got complete schematics of the former KGB base. We’re talking a lead-lined bunker that goes into the ground almost fifty feet. That’s why Salt disappeared off the map. Once he goes underground there’s no heat signature.
“Salt has set up the ancient KGB computer system to piggyback off the CIA’s mainframe. It’s actually an ingenious way to go undetected because the technology is so old. My guess is he’s been there for a long time. This isProteus’s headquarters. He can keep a close eye on the devices he’s planted across the globe, and he’s got the detonation switch at the tip of his fingers. Every time one of these bombs detonates it’ll be traced back to US soil. He’s on the precipice of starting World War III and setting himself up to become the supreme ruler once all the dust and bodies are cleared.”
“So how do we keep him from blowing the tankers?” Nate asked. “I’m assuming he’ll know the moment we get near to his base. He has to have infrared technology in a place like that. Not to mention he’s got outside camera coverage. We’ve already found one of those.”
“I’ve got you covered,” Cal said. “I was able to piggyback off his piggyback, if that makes any sense. I’m running the shots as long as I’m tapped in. But here’s the problem. The detonators are set to explode automatically if he doesn’t log in and type in a password every six hours. It’s a failsafe in case something happens to him.”
“Lovely,” Eden said with a sigh. “Nothing is ever easy.”
“If it was we wouldn’t be making the big bucks,” Cal said.
“Again, still not on the payroll,” Eden said.
“To be fair, you kickstarted this mission,” Cal said. “I’d much rather be preparing for my fantasy baseball draft.”
“Getting back on point,” Atticus said.
“Yeah, yeah,” Cal said. “I can shut down Salt’s sensors without him knowing before you get into range, but I’m close to being able to reprogram the detonation codes so the ones he does have will become inactive. I’ve programmed the route he took into your watches. It’s not far. You’ll be able to make it on the snowmobiles of your dead Russian friends. I’ll follow your progress from here.”
“So we’re basically walking into the lion’s den without knowing how to get through the doors?” Nate asked.
“I’m still working on that part,” Cal said. “All you’ve got to do is capture Salt. Let me worry about disarming the tankers. Just get moving. By my estimation, he’s got a little over an hour before he needs to check in and type in the codes. Do you guys have comm units? The sat phone won’t be viable once you cross a certain point.”
“Yeah,” Nate said. “Joe set us up. It must be nice to be sitting behind a computer screen a couple thousand miles away right now.”
“I’m not complaining,” Cal said.
“Don’t worry,” Atticus cut in. “He’s up in the rotation for the next assignment.”
“It’ll probably be guarding some heiress in a five-star hotel somewhere,” Nate said. “Bastard has all the luck.”
“You know how much I hate the cold,” Cal said deadpan. “Kane’s lucky she got you for this round.”
