Black Widow. Cliff Ryder

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      “Ma’am, I’ve identified the woman. She belongs to MI-6.”

      That was unexpected.

      Samantha walked over to the woman’s computer. She studied the face on the screen but didn’t recognize it.

      According to the file, Ajza Manaev held a position as a field agent with considerable experience for someone so young. Evidently she performed well at what she did.

      “Orange,” Samantha said.

      “Yes,” Kate replied.

      Samantha watched the convoy thread through the winding streets of the Kadikoy district. More people were up and starting to fill the sidewalks, streets and cafés. The potential for unplanned losses was increasing exponentially.

      “We have a problem,” Samantha said.

      8

      New York

      “Remove his gag,” Kate said.

      Without a word, Jacob Marrs hooked a finger in the sock he’d used to silence Hirschvogel. The German sat tied to a chair near his desk. He spat when the gag was clear, then cursed Kate.

      While Hirschvogel vented so colorfully, obviously given some courage about being held captive for nearly an hour but not killed outright, Jake casually reached out and backhanded him in the face. The blow silenced Hirschvogel immediately.

      “That’s not how you talk to a lady,” Jake stated affably.

      Shocked, Hirschvogel glared at Jake. “If I ever meet you again, you’re a dead man.”

      Jake smiled and spoke softly. “Just one more reason to heave you over the balcony before I leave. I didn’t much care for you before you decided to make this personal. But promising to be a threat in the future?” He shook his head.

      Visibly afraid, perhaps remembering that Jake had killed three of his bodyguards without breaking a sweat, Hirschvogel looked to Kate for support.

      “Tell me about the weapons in Istanbul,” Kate said.

      Hirschvogel licked his lips nervously. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. “I know nothing.”

      “If you don’t know anything about them,” Kate said conversationally, “you’re not worth anything to me.”

      “Balcony’s looking better and better all the time,” Jake said.

      “What do you want to know?” Hirschvogel asked.

      “I know you regularly supply Hasan with drugs that he sells to Mustafa in Istanbul,” Kate said. Her primary objective had been to shut down the supply route and break the bank of the terrorists Hirschvogel supplied. The man held a position as a mover and shaker in the black market with drugs and weapons. “Normally you sell drugs to Hasan, which he transports to Istanbul and sells again.”

      “Yes,” Hirschvogel admitted. “You realize that you can’t try me here in the United States for that? I’ve committed no crime here.”

      “I’m sure that’s not true,” Kate told him. In fact, she knew it wasn’t true. Hirschvogel sold merchandise everywhere there was a market.

      “Are you with the government?” Hirschvogel asked.

      Jake slapped him again.

      Hirschvogel cursed, but tears of pain coursed down his cheeks.

      “Where did you get the weapons?” Kate asked.

      “American military shipments in Turkey,” Hirschvogel said. “A recent resupply. I arranged for it to go missing.”

      “Not without help.”

      Hirschvogel shrugged. “I have some contacts within the army’s civilian support agencies. I knew when the shipment would arrive by truck. I had a team take the weapons.”

      Kate hadn’t heard anything about that, but no one liked admitting he’d been made a fool of. The United States military had their own investigative bodies. She made a mental note to go through channels and contact the army’s criminal-investigative division regarding the stolen shipment.

      “Why did you sell them to Hasan?” she asked.

      “I’d heard Mustafa was looking for weapons. Particularly American weapons.”

      “Why?”

      Hirschvogel glanced at Jake and flinched as he answered. “I don’t know.”

      Jake didn’t move.

      “He believes you,” Kate said. “So do I. But I’m going to need to know who your contacts were in the military.”

      Hirschvogel scowled. The side of his face still glowed red from the slaps. “Those contacts have proven very expensive.”

      “And profitable,” Kate said.

      “Perhaps we could negotiate.”

      “All right.” Kate folded her arms. “Give me the names of the men who helped you arrange the theft, and I won’t let my friend throw you over the balcony.”

      Defeated, Hirschvogel gave her the names.

      When he was finished, Kate nodded at Jake.

      He took a spray from his pocket and squirted it into Hirschvogel’s face. The German tried not to breathe, obviously afraid of being poisoned, but the spray worked on mere contact, as well. He fought the effects of the drug, then his head slumped forward.

      “Personally I think it would be better if I dropped him over the balcony,” Jake said. “Guy like this, he’s gonna be a problem somewhere down the line.”

      “No,” Kate said. “We’ll let him run and keep a leash on him. Taking out Hasan and Mustafa will help shut down his organization, but there’s still a lot of information we can discover.”

      She looked around the apartment to make sure they hadn’t left anything behind. Both of them were too professional for that. But always checking was part of being professional.

      “Indigo, are we clear?” Kate asked.

      “Affirmative. We show you clear.”

      Kate left the apartment and headed for the elevator.

      “What’s being done with the young woman driving the truck?” Jake asked.

      “For the moment,” Kate said, “we’re going to let her run.”

      “One of Red Team’s snipers could take her out. Even on the fly. Don’t have to kill her.”

      “She’s MI-6. We have to check and see if they’ve got a play in place.”

      “I’m СКАЧАТЬ