41 |
41 |Operations Center 3, CIA Headquarters Langley, Virginia
“It’s him.”
Leroux nodded at Tong as he adjusted his headset. The auctioneer had called quickly, their message only posted minutes ago after they had drained the account. Their new orders, direct from the President, were to acquire the Ark at all costs, and this man might be the key to that, for at the moment, the professors were lost to them in a huge country with few ways to locate anyone.
This call was critical.
“To whom am I speaking?”
The man wasn’t having any of that, though the voice stress analyzer on the display was indicating fear and nervousness. “To whom am I speaking?”
“I’m the man who has your money, and I’m the only one who can give it back.”
“That money is mine! I earned it!”
The display indicated the man indeed thought that was true. “Did you, now? From what I can tell, your little auction has failed. You have no bidders. Probably because you didn’t redact your documents properly. Very foolish. Next time use your computer to redact them, then make sure you flatten the layers. It will remove the original data.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Because you are clearly an amateur, and I don’t think you’ll ever have need of the knowledge in the future.”
“What do you mean?”
“I have a feeling you stumbled upon something and decided to try and make a little money.”
Child snapped his fingers and pointed at the screen. A map was displayed, a red dot pulsating in the center, their subject in Bedford Park, New York City.
Leroux muted his mike. “Roll units to that location, but have them hold back. And see if you can get him on camera.” He reactivated his mike. “Am I right?”
There was a hesitation, but he finally replied. “Yes.”
The trace data appeared on the screen, including the name the phone was registered to, reconfirming just how much of an amateur the man was.
Use a burner phone if you’re going to commit a crime.
But it did reconfirm one thing. It was Asrat Fida, one of their two subjects that had broken into the professors’ house.
“So, Mr. Fida, I need to ask you a few questions.”
The stress indicator skyrocketed. “H-how do you know my name?”
“I know everything about you. Your name, your address, your phone number. That you were born in Ethiopia, you immigrated to the United States over ten years ago, you got your citizenship three years ago. I know everything. Almost everything. What I don’t know is why you were in Professor Acton’s house. But I think I know that now, too. You were looking for those invoices. The real question is how did you know to look for them? Obviously, you were told there was something to find there, and you were told to make it look like no one had searched the house. So, I guess I know the answer to that question as well.” He paused. “What I really want to know, Mr. Fida, is who are you working for?”
“I-I can’t say.” If the stress analyzer could indicate an impending heart attack, the readings now shown were surely it. “I-I’m going to hang up now.”
“Hang up, Mr. Fida, and you’ll never see your money again.”
“You-you mean you’ll give it back to me?”
Got you now!
“Have you hurt anybody?”
“No.”
“Have you killed anybody?”
“Of course not!”
“Did you steal the money?”
“Umm, no, I don’t think so.”
“So, right now, all you’re guilty of is breaking and entering.”
“I suppose so.”
“Then I don’t see any reason why I can’t give you your money back. In fact, how about I give you ten grand back right now.”
“You’d do that?”
“Sure. As a gesture of good faith.”
He muted his mike. “Transfer ten back. This guy’s so blinded by the money, I have a feeling we’re going to get everything we want out of him without having to bring him in.”
“The money’s there,” said Tong.
He unmuted. “Can you check your balance?”
“Yes.”
“Do it.”
“Okay.”
Child snapped his fingers, pointing at the display, and Leroux smiled, a security camera showing Fida sitting on a bench, a laptop on his knees, a phone in his hand.
Fida smiled.
“When can I get the rest?”
“When you answer all my questions. Truthfully. If I think for even one second that you’re lying to me, I take it all back and buy myself a boat.”
Snickers filled the room.
“Answer honestly, and you’ll be rewarded. Okay?”
“Okay.”
“Your name is Asrat Fida.”
“Yes.”
“Why were you in professors Acton and Palmer’s house?”
“To look for, umm, evidence.”
“Evidence of what?”
“Of whether they told anyone what they were doing.”
“And did you find any?”
“No.”
“And what is it they’re doing?”
“They’re, umm, going to help preserve something.”
“Very good. You’ve earned another ten grand.” He motioned to Tong who tapped a few keys then nodded. “Check your phone.”
He watched as Fida swiped his phone, a grin appearing. “Thank you!”
“Units are in position,” whispered Child.
Leroux acknowledged him with a nod. “Now, what is it they’re trying to preserve?”
“Umm…”
Fida was looking about, clearly unsure of what to do.
“Tell me, or I take the money back.”
“It’s the Ark of the Covenant!” came the hasty reply, money clearly the most important motivator in Fida’s life.
Leroux closed his eyes for a moment, muting his mike, as the room exploded in murmured shock at the confirmation. He held up a hand, silencing them, then unmuted. “And how are the professors involved?”
“They’ve been hired by the Keeper to preserve the Ark. Apparently, it’s in danger of falling apart.”
“The Keeper?”
“He’s the man responsible for preserving the Ark.”
“And what’s his name?”
“Father Amanuel.”
“And what church is he at?”
“He serves several, I think. I’m not really sure exactly which ones. I’ve been gone for so long.”
So far, everything Fida had told them matched with what they already knew. But now came the real questions, the ones they had no answers for.
That meant a little more grease had to be provided.
“I think you’ve earned another ten grand.”
Tong gave the thumbs up and Fida checked his phone then smiled.
“Now, who do you work for?”
Fida said nothing, instead looking over both shoulders. “Umm, I, umm, can’t say.”
“You just lost ten grand.”
“Wait! Okay, I’ll tell you. It doesn’t matter anyway. Too many people know now. It’s all over.”
Leroux wanted to ask him why, but he had more important questions that needed to be answered and didn’t want to stop the man from spilling his greedy guts.
“I’m with the Sons of Tamrin.”
“And who are they?”
“We’re tasked to make sure the priests, the Keepers, keep their word.”
“Which is?”
“To never reveal the existence of the Ark to anyone.”
“And if they don’t keep their word?”
“Then we’re supposed to try and preserve the secret for them, or…”
“Or?”
“Or destroy the Ark before it’s exposed to the world.”
Leroux pursed his lips, not liking where this was going. “You said it’s too late. What did you mean?”
“The professors know, or if they don’t by now, they’ll know soon. Once they see the Ark, my order can’t risk them telling anyone, especially because they’re so well respected. People might believe them.”
“What does your order have planned?”
“We’re going to kill them as soon as they’ve completed their task.”
Leroux shook his head, suppressing a curse, though not surprised. “Why not kill them before?”
“Because the Ark needs to be preserved. If we kill the professors now, then someone else will be hired to do the job. They need to complete their task, then we’ll kill them to preserve the secret.”
“But don’t a lot of people know now? You tried to sell its location on the web to the highest bidder.”
“I-I just wanted to make some money. I figured between the priests and the order, the Ark would be safe, and if it wasn’t, then the order would destroy it and my job here would be done, and I could get out of this damned life.”
And now the question he had a feeling he wasn’t going to get an answer to. “Where is the Ark, exactly?”
“I don’t really know. They move it around. And I’ve been gone for over ten years.”
Exactly as I thought.
“Who would know?”
“Senior members of the order should.”
“Like Dawit Ganno?”
He watched Fida’s jaw drop. “You know about him?”
“Remember, I know everything. Would Ganno know?”
“Y-yes. He should.”
“Very well. Thank you for your time.”
Leroux ended the call. “Pull back the money, send the team in.”
Tong grinned. “You’re cold.”
“Threaten to kill Americans, and I always am.”
They all watched as the team rushed in, arresting Fida swiftly and without incident.
“Find me Ganno. I’m going to brief the Chief.”