10:39 a.m.
Hardy and Cruz sat in straight back chairs, facing Isaac’s desk. The man worked his computer, occasionally shooting reassuring glances at them, telling the two that everything was going well.
Examining a life-sized knight’s suit of armor, Hardy shifted in his seat and tapped the tip of a sword.
“I must ask you to refrain from touching that, sir.”
Hardy eyed Isaac.
“That is real sixteenth-century armor.” The man paused. “As such, it was very expensive.”
Hardy sat back. “So you’re a collector?”
“I’m fascinated with all things related to the Middle Ages.”
Hardy shrugged. “Whatever floats your boat, I guess. So can we at least have a look at the software disk…or USB drive…or whatever it’s stored on? I’m kind of anxious to find out what sixty-two mil buys these days.”
Isaac stopped typing. “The program is not actually here…on the premises.”
Hardy glanced at Cruz. “What?”
“When you are taken back to where you started your journey, everything will be given to you at that time.”
Hardy uncrossed his legs. “That’s not what I was led to believe.” He thumped a forefinger on the man’s desk. “I’ve paid you a lot of money, and I expect to have my property,” he showed a palm and stood, “in my hand before I leave this place.”
Isaac stood and pumped his hands. “I assure you, Mr. Diamond, you will get everything in due time. Please be patient.” He motioned toward the computer. “The process is almost complete.”
A knock came at the door, and one of the guards entered, rushed to Isaac’s side and whispered in the man’s ear.
Isaac looked at the man. “Are you sure it’s that important?” He glimpsed Hardy and Cruz. “I’m with very important clients.” When the chisel-jawed man nodded his head, Isaac sighed and closed the laptop. “I’m extremely sorry for the interruption, Mr. Diamond, Miss Adams. I’m afraid there is a matter of utmost importance that needs my immediate attention. Please excuse me.” Isaac followed his bodyguard to the door.
Hardy dropped into his chair and raised his voice. “More important than losing out on sixty-two million?”
… … … … …
Isaac stared at the laptop of one of his top computer gurus. “How is this possible?”
Guru shook his head. “I ran it twice to make sure.” He pointed at the screen. “You know this software. You know what it can do. There’s no way this is wrong.”
Barely able to take a full breath without being gagged by the man’s body odor, Isaac squinted at the overweight and sweaty man in his early thirties. Sweat stains on Guru’s white t-shirt confirmed what Isaac’s nose was telling him. “But you ran profiles yesterday. How did this get past you?”
“Yesterday, I used our in-house program. It’s good, but it’s not the same as Trebuchet.”
Inwardly, Isaac smiled every time he heard the name given to the software that Hardy had purchased. Although Isaac did not understand how the program worked exactly, he knew the premise. Much like a Middle Ages siege on a castle wall, Trebuchet relentlessly attacked a firewall until a hole opened, allowing access to data. His name for the algorithm was an ideal fit.
Isaac turned around and shoved hands into pants pockets. How can this be happening? We’re so close to—he pivoted back, rubbing the back of his neck. “If you’re wrong about this, I’ll kill you myself.” He looked at the guard, who had provided the escort to Guru’s office. “Get me three more men, now.”
… … … … …
10:45 a.m.
Washington, D.C.
“We found something, sir.” Charity ran fingers through her long, dark hair before scratching her scalp. “We at least know where the haystack is now.”
Jameson stowed his phone and eyed the woman. “Let’s have it. We need a win and we need it fast.”
Dahlia regarded her father. “What’s going on?”
He waved her off and rolled his hand at Charity. “Out with it.”
“Dahlia brought up making a phone call, and that made me think of phones and the letters assigned to each num—”
“Charity.” Eyebrows arched, Jameson cocked his head.
“Sorry, sir. Long story short,” she aimed a laser pointer at a monitor, “we think this is Hardy’s message to us.”
Jameson followed the laser dot to the letters N-A-S-S-A-U-N-E. “What’s Nassaune mean?”
“Not Nassaune,” Dahlia scribbled on a piece of paper and slid the sheet toward her boss, “Nassau NE.”
Jameson frowned, lips pursed. “Nassau, Bahamas…Northeast.” He jumped up and, “Cherry, bring up a map of the Bahamas,” hurried to a monitor.
“Already done, sir.” She pointed at the correct screen.
“So they’re in the Bahamas—Nassau—on the northeast part of the island of...” he squinted at the tiny font, “…New Providence.”
“It makes sense.” Dahlia motioned, “Nassau’s in the flight path of the helo I saw heading out to sea. And I was able to match the photo I took of the bird to a Bell 429 Global Ranger, which has a range of four hundred and fifty miles.” She waved a hand at an area on the right half of the monitor. “There are some chains further east, but reaching them and getting back to Miami without refueling would be pushing the limits of the 429.”
Jameson nodded, “Good work…both of you,” and walked back to his chair, one hand in a pants pocket, the other massaging his neck. “That’s good news. Now I have some bad news.”
… … … … …
10:46 a.m.
Isaac rounded his desk and, “I must apologize again for the delay,” sat down. “It seems two of my guests have not been forthright with their true identities.”
Hoping she did the same, Hardy resisted the urge to look at Cruz.
“I have sent my men to,” the stoic man hesitated, “take care of the problem.” He opened the laptop and smiled at the auction winners. “It won’t take long for me to finish, and this will be all over. Please forgive the interruption.”
A few minutes later, Isaac stood, leaned over the desk and extended a hand. “Mr. Diamond…” Hardy rose and clasped the hand. Isaac shook Cruz’s hand. “…Miss Adams, the transaction is complete. It has been a pleasure doing business with you.” He motioned toward the door. “Please come with me, and I’ll escort you to the helicopter pad.”
Hardy and Cruz followed the man to the door. “Exactly where,” said Hardy, “will I get the software I purchased? I have to tell you, Isaac…I’m not happy I don’t already have it.”
“As I said, Mr. Diamond,” the man stepped out of the office, “you’ll get everything that’s coming to you.” He took a few steps forward and turned around. Four men in dark suits closed ranks and faced Hardy and Cruz, standing in front of their boss. “If that is, in fact, your real name.”
… … … … …
10:49 a.m.
Washington, D.C.
“There was another system breach,” Jameson raised a second hand and kneaded his shoulders at the base of his neck, “at the DoD.”
“What,” said Charity?
“Actually, several government databases were hacked.” He stared at his agents. “The U.S. Army was one of them.” He paused. “Nothing was downloaded, but the hackers performed a search, a query.”
Charity’s hands covered her mouth. “No, no…they didn’t…they couldn’t have…”
Jameson nodded. “The hackers accessed Cruz’s military file. Even though I ordered it to be sealed, they found a way in and…” he shook his head. “I think her cover’s been blown.”
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
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