Cade’s initial thought was to try to use the reacquired satellite connection to communicate to Uncle Bill at NSA. They’d been cut off for over a day and not even the new SIM cards Pete Buck had slipped them would work to call off the island. It had been maddening. But no matter what Cade tried, his connectivity was still blocked.
A chirp came across the laptop’s tiny speaker.
“Here we go,” Cade said as Jana and Stone leaned over.
Ames kept his distance. He was trying to tread lightly where Jana was concerned.
Lawrence Wallace’s smug face appeared on the monitor. They could see his lips moving but heard nothing. A few moments later, the sound became audible.
“. . . there’s not much time. You’re going to have to move right now.”
“Wallace,” Cade said. “We didn’t get that. Your connection was broken. Say again.”
“If you want to get Agent MacKerron out, now is your only opportunity.” Wallace fidgeted in his seat. “Do you hear me? I said you have to move now.”
The three looked at one another. Jana said, “Wallace, what’s the sudden rush?”
“It’s nothing that concerns you. The timetable has . . . shifted.”
“Timetable? What timetable? And when are you so concerned about Kyle?” she said. Her tone was accusatory.
“The sole concern of the Agency has always been the safe return of our agent.”
Jana shook her head. “That’s crap and you know it.”
“Whatever our differences, Agent Baker, the life of Kyle MacKerron hangs in the balance. Do you want him to end up a star on the wall at Langley? You are the only asset that can get to him.”
“That’s bullshit too,” she said. “What about that team of operators that popped by last night to pick up Gaviria? They didn’t exactly look like they were on the island to pick up a little sun. Why don’t you send them in?” Jana was testing him.
“Baker!” Wallace said as he fidgeted with his hands. “You are the only one that can get in that compound and pull him out. If a raid were attempted, Agent MacKerron wouldn’t stand a chance. Now I am ordering you to—” He stopped midsentence and spoke to someone just out of the camera’s range. “He’s what? How did that plane get so far so fast?” He turned back to his monitor. “Baker, you have to trust me. If you don’t go now, Agent MacKerron will be dead within the hour.”
“Dammit!” Jana screamed. “How the hell do you know that? What has changed?"
“It’s on a need-to-know basis.”
“You want me to go into a den of drug lords and you don’t think I have a need to know? I swear to God, Wallace. When I’m done with Rojas, I’m coming for you.”
From the back of the room, Ames said in a low, almost reverent voice, “Hidden agenda.”
Jana looked back to the monitor. “Wallace, you’ve got five seconds to tell me what’s going on. Otherwise, get him out yourself.”
Wallace became stone-faced. “Get him out now, or his blood will be on your hands.” He disconnected the call.