Black Widow. Cliff Ryder

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СКАЧАТЬ and a deep jacket on Ajza Manaev. I want it at my workstation in an hour.”

      “I’ll have it there.”

      Samantha turned to the computer crew on-site. “Box it up.”

      Quickly and efficiently, the computer crew stowed their gear back in the protective cases. In minutes it was like they’d never been there.

      “Do you think she’ll get out of Istanbul all right?” the lead computer specialist asked when they reached the sidewalk outside.

      Samantha looked at the man and smiled a little. “Smitten?”

      He shrugged. “She’s pretty brill. Gotta give her that. I thought that bloody lot had her a couple of times.”

      “But they didn’t.”

      The man frowned. “I’ve worked ops where things didn’t turn out so well.”

      Samantha had, too. “As talented as she is, she’ll have a bolt-hole.”

      “Even if her mates didn’t show up to cover her back?”

      “When you’re out in the field,” Samantha replied, “you always keep two escape plans. One that your handlers know about and another that no one knows about.”

      The man nodded. “Hope so. Well, then, we’re off.” He grinned. “Thanks again for another exciting time.”

      “You, too,” Samantha said. She turned and walked into the shadows. Stifling a yawn, she reflected on the fact that she wasn’t going to get any sleep.

      By the time she put the car in gear and pulled out onto the street, she was already organizing her report to Kate Cochran in her head.

      12

      Istanbul

      Mustafa stared at the bloody man sitting in the straight-backed chair in the center of the shipping container on the dock. A single battery-operated light hung over the man’s head, but the angle left the man’s face in shadows. His rasping breath filled the close confines of the container.

      “Someone leaked information about the transaction I had a few days ago,” Mustafa said.

      “It wasn’t me,” the wounded man gasped. “Please, please, it wasn’t me.”

      “Only a handful of people knew what we were doing that morning. You were one of those, Hamid.”

      “I only did as you ordered.”

      “You handled the money,” Mustafa said. “You knew who I was dealing with and when I was going to do the deal.”

      The man cried. His shoulders jerked as the hoarse sobs tore from his dry throat. Bloody drool dripped onto his shirt. Two broken teeth caught the light and gleamed on his chest.

      “I would not betray you,” the man insisted.

      “You would do anything for money. Even sell your own mother.” Mustafa knew that because he was no different.

      “Please. I beg you. I did not betray you.”

      Mustafa sighed. He knew that discovering how the transaction was sabotaged was a long shot, but he’d felt compelled to try it. The immediate avenue to explore was the financial one. He was confident Hasan wouldn’t have betrayed him.

      “I have lost the weapons and my money,” Mustafa said. It wasn’t all his money, of course. His buyer had put up half the amount, but if things went badly and the man didn’t understand the circumstances, Mustafa would have to pay that back, as well.

      “I did not cause that to happen.”

      “Sadly, my friend, I believe you.”

      The man raised his head tentatively. Hope dawned in his swollen eyes. He made an immense effort to smile, but the result looked forced and false.

      “We are friends, Mustafa. I have told you this many times. What is good for you is good for me.” The man’s mouth and jaw barely worked after the beating, but he tried to fill his words with sincerity.

      “I know. We have had a satisfactory arrangement. You’re very skilled. I hate the thought of losing you.”

      “But you don’t have to lose me. I will still work for you.” Fear drowned the hope in the man’s gaze.

      “I believe you,” Mustafa said. “For a while, perhaps. But you’ve been badly beaten, Hamid. Soon, too soon, you will desire your pound of flesh for all that I have put you through. It is only human. Were I in your shoes, I would do the same.”

      The man shook his head desperately. “That’s not true. I understand why you did this to me.”

      “One day you will not feel so understanding.” Mustafa took a breath and gestured to one of the men standing beside him. The man handed him a slim black pistol. “Also, until I find the person truly responsible for my loss, I have to let others know that I am no fool. And that I will not suffer betrayal easily.”

      “Please, Mustafa. I beg you. Don’t do this.” The man wept openly now. His voice shrilled.

      “I must. Someone must be punished. Even if it’s not the right person. I have to kill someone.” Mustafa pointed the silenced pistol at the man’s head. “But I will miss you. I also promise you that I will kill whoever is responsible for your death.”

      Hamid tried to jerk in the chair, but it was bolted to the floor and the rope bound him too tightly.

      Mustafa shot the prisoner in the face. The round didn’t kill Hamid immediately, and Mustafa had to shoot the man twice more to get the job done.

      “Clean this up,” Mustafa said to the men as he handed the pistol back. “Leave his body where it can be found.”

      MUSTAFA PUNCHED numbers on his cell phone while he sat in the luxury of his private car. Two bodyguards sat with him and the driver. Bulletproof glass made the night outside the windows seem darker. Despite the additional weight of the armor, the sedan rode low and smooth and moved powerfully.

      The connection rang twice.

      “Yes,” a deep voice with a Russian accent answered.

      “I have found our leak,” Mustafa announced. Later, when he found the true leak, he could simply claim that person had acted in collusion with Hamid.

      “That’s good, but it’s too late to save my shipment. This is a big disappointment to me.”

      Mustafa held back a curse. He couldn’t blame the other man for feeling as he did, but he still didn’t want to carry the blame.

      “I’m hoping to replace your shipment very soon,” Mustafa said. “As a matter of fact, I have leads now that should—”

      “No.”

      Mustafa controlled his anger, fear and frustration. He wasn’t СКАЧАТЬ