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She moved slightly so she could have a clearer view of them as they stood and approached the archbishop at the baptismal font, accompanied by the McKinnons and the other set of godparents. Seeing the archbishop’s mouth moving but not hearing the words. Watching as the baby’s head was bared and holy water was sprinkled on top of it. Casting out original sin, if you believed the church. But a baby has no sin in his heart, a small part of her brain insisted.
Then her eyes zeroed in on the man directly in her line of sight on the right, stationed behind the altar. And suddenly she knew. Knew the royal family was in imminent danger. Because at this angle, with the light hitting the large television camera just right, she could see the gun half hidden within easy reach of his hand, artfully concealed as part of his equipment. The setup was beautiful—no one would suspect him...until it was too late.
She couldn’t just draw her weapon and shoot to kill—not only did she not have a clear shot, she couldn’t just open fire. All the security details here—so many men, all of them armed—and someone innocent was sure to be wounded, perhaps killed. Maybe more than one. She couldn’t start a bloodbath. And there was no guarantee the royal family would be immune from harm, which was the only thing she cared about at this moment.
Don’t look at him, she warned herself. Don’t let him suspect you know...anything. She had to get closer. Close enough to take him down without firing her weapon—if she could.
Suddenly a cold feeling gripped her. If there was one assassin, there could be more, disguised exactly like him. If one man had smuggled a weapon into the cathedral, what was to prevent a second? Or a third? Or a whole contingent?
She moved again, as if merely shifting position restlessly, but really to bring another man clearly into focus, this time on the left side behind the altar. Confirming her suspicion. He, too, had a lethal weapon close to hand.
Her gaze darted left and right, searching for other would-be assassins, but then she remembered yesterday’s security briefing and the practice run-through. Those two television cameras were the only cameras not operated remotely from the control center set up in one of the cathedral’s offices. So maybe—maybe—the two cameramen were the only potential assassins she needed to worry about.
When? her brain was frantically trying to reason out. When will they attack? And who is their target? When the answer came to her, she marveled that no one had thought of it before. The baby. The crown prince. He is their target. Of course. If the king or queen was their target, the assassins would have had a clear shot at either or both of them long before this. So it could not be them. That meant it had to be the baby. And that meant there was only one moment when the assassins would have a clear shot at the baby.
The ancient ritual unique to Zakhar. Everyone knew what it was. Everyone knew it was coming soon. Everyone knew the king would raise his eyes to heaven as he raised the baby above his head in both hands—one hand supporting the baby’s head, the other beneath the little posterior—as he turned toward the people assembled in the cathedral and presented the baby to God and his subjects, reciting the ancient words acknowledging his son and heir before God and man. The assassins would have a perfect opportunity in that moment. The baby would be completely vulnerable. No one could protect him. Not his father. Not his mother. No one could protect the baby...except her. If she could get there in time.
But she couldn’t do it alone. Not with two—or more—assassins. Angelina tapped her earpiece and uttered Captain Zale’s name in an urgent undertone. “Yes?” came the reply in a voice that told her this had better be important.
“Sir, the two cameramen. One is stationed on the left side, behind the altar, the other on the right. They are armed. Repeat, they are armed. They should not be, but they are. Look closely at the steering ring beneath each camera. That is not auxiliary camera equipment, sir, those are weapons.”
Two seconds passed, then three. Then four. Finally, “I see them,” came the calm reply. “You have good eyes, Lieutenant.”
“The baby is their target,” she continued in that same intense undertone. “Why wait otherwise? Why not open fire immediately? That is the only thing that makes sense. They are waiting for—”
“The ancient ritual,” agreed Captain Zale. “Good thinking, Lieutenant. I will notify the heads of the other two security details, but we cannot wait for that. Move in...quietly. I will take the one on the right, closest to me. You take the one on the left.”
“The king wishes nothing to disrupt the ceremony or detract from the religious solemnity of the occasion,” Angelina heard Captain Zale say in her mind. And she knew she had to do her best to comply with the king’s wishes...if possible. Not at the risk to the royal family, but...
