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John Paul II International Airport
Balice, Poland

 

If there was one thing Reading hated, it was waiting. And that’s all he had been doing for hours. He was still sitting on the runway in Krakow, in the wrong country, but there was still no point in flying to the Czech Republic. The pilot had explained that if they landed somewhere and needed to take off again, it would take longer to file the flight plan and wait their turn, than it would to simply wait and make a single trip.

It made sense.

He was still waiting for information on the hit Tommy had showing what appeared to him to be Acton driving the SUV he had been kidnapped in.

It made no sense.

If he had escaped, why hadn’t he gone to the authorities for help?

Reading shook his head.

Knowing him, he’s chasing the Amber Room.

And then there was the matter of—

His phone rang and he took the call, the display indicating it was his partner back in England. “Hey, Michelle, give me good news.”

“Well, I’m not sure if it’s good news, but it’s news at least.”

Reading tensed. “What’s happened?”

“Your friend, Professor Acton, has been arrested.”

“What! Are you serious?”

“Yeah. I’m looking at the report right now. He’s been charged with all kinds of traffic violations, and possession of an illegal firearm. It looks like they’re throwing the book at him.”

“Who?”

“The local police in Ostrava.”

Reading shook his head, beckoning the flight attendant to join him. “Don’t they know who he is? That he’s the victim?”

“All we know is that they responded electronically to our notice that we put out on him, and that’s it. Nobody can reach the station where he’s being held.”

Reading cursed. “Do we have a local agent there?”

“No. We’re sending someone from Prague, but he won’t be there for at least an hour.”

“Okay, keep me posted. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“Understood.”

Reading ended the call and turned to the flight attendant. “Tell the pilot we need to get to Ostrava in the Czech Republic as quickly as possible.”