Hitman Damnation

TWENTY-ONE



Jade frowned as she took off her headset and checked the time. She muttered an epithet and quickly left her workstation. She moved across the Agency command center toward Travis, where he stood looking over the shoulder of the Middle East analyst.

“… and the handler is in place in Tel Aviv?”

“Yes, sir. We should be good to go,” the analyst answered.

“Excellent. Good work.”

Jade stepped up. “Sir.”

“What is it?”

She jerked her head slightly, indicating that he should follow her. “Client 432 will call in two minutes. I just received the transmission to alert us.”

“He doesn’t give us much notice, does he? All right, let’s go to my office.”

Travis led the way out of the central hub, down a corridor, and into the cabin that served as both his quarters and workspace, separated by a bulkhead. He sat at his desk and turned the computer monitor so they both could see it. Jade sat in one of the chairs in front of the desk, her notepad and laptop ready. Travis typed on his keypad, and the communications screen appeared. He then handed Jade a headset and they waited.

At exactly the appointed time, the call came through. The monitor displayed the caller’s voice as visual sound waves, which were recorded and analyzed in an attempt to decipher not only the client’s identity but his location and means of transmission.

Travis spoke. “This is the Agency, Manager Three.”

“Good afternoon.” The voice was electronically garbled as usual.

“Are you ready to proceed with phase two of your operation, sir?”

“Not yet. All the pieces are not quite in place. But I can assure you that it’s going to happen. It’s only a question of timing.”

Travis grimaced at Jade. “Well, sir, our operative is in place and awaiting the order. You realize that for every day that goes by, it is costing you?”

“Of course. I have already wired a second down payment—a retainer, so to speak—to the numbered bank account I was provided.”

Travis nodded at Jade. She immediately set to work typing on her laptop. “Then what can we do for you today, sir?”

“I need to know the identity and description of your assassin.”

Jade wrinkled her brow as she and Travis shared a look.

“And why do you need to know that?” Travis asked.

“I have my reasons.”

Jade studied her laptop screen and whispered, “I can verify a payment of two million was received this morning.”

Travis nodded and then spoke. “I’m sorry, I can’t give you that information. I’m sure you understand. I can’t reveal any details that might compromise our operative. But I assure you the hit will be accomplished with professionalism and secrecy.”

“Is he one of your best?”

Travis hesitated. “What makes you think the operative is a ‘he’?”

“Come now. I’m losing patience. I have paid the Agency a lot of money already. I have powerful friends in high places. And I know more about the International Contract Agency than you can imagine. In fact, I know that you are at this moment sitting aboard a yacht in the Mediterranean.”

Travis blinked. How was that possible? Again he looked at Jade, this time with concern. “Sir, I’m not sure I understand why you need to know who the operative is. Wouldn’t that endanger his security and anonymity? It could jeopardize the operation.”

“I’m the goddamned client. I’m orchestrating the goddamned hit. I can control the goddamned flow of information. Do you think I’m stupid?”

“No, sir.”

“Then tell me what I need to know. I would hate to expose the Agency to law-enforcement authorities.”

Travis sighed. He would have to report this to upper management. There was a security breach somewhere. It was also obvious that this client was turning into what could be a formidable enemy. Still, a contract was a contract.

“Very well,” he said. “The assassin assigned to your operation is the legendary Agent 47. If you indeed travel in the circles you claim, then I’m sure you’ve heard of him.”

There was a pause. “Yes. I have heard of Agent 47. I thought he was dead.”

“You are mistaken. Agent 47 is very much alive. So perhaps the name alone will give you everything you need to get a description of his appearance from other sources.”

“Yes. I can do that. And he is at the Church of Will compound in Virginia now? The hit must appear—”

“As an inside job, we know that. I told you, he is in place and ready to act on your orders.”

“Thank you.”

“Is that all, sir?”

“For now. I’ll be in touch.”

The communications link was abruptly broken. Travis slammed a fist on the desk. “Damn it! Who the hell is this son of a bitch? How in blazes does he have the ability to find out where we are?”

Jade shrugged. “I honestly don’t know, sir, but I will put someone on it right away.”

He pointed a finger at her. “Pull out all the stops. We have to find out who this is and act now. I don’t care if he’s a top-paying client. He’s a threat.” He narrowed his eyes at his assistant. “This has got to be that nutcase Cromwell. He bumps off Dana Linder and then kills Wilkins and he’s got all of America gunning for the government. He’s got that nationwide militia and who knows what kind of technical expertise behind him. He manages to lead small armies across America, and the ineffective government can’t find him. I’m going to make a call to upper management. And I want you to get a message to Agent 47. Tell him Cromwell is suspected of being the client and that he should be aware that the operation is starting to smell.”

Jade stood. “I’ll get right on it.”

“For God’s sake, can’t our analysts do more with that voice capture? We’ve got some of the best engineers on the planet and they can’t trace that call? Tell them heads will roll if they don’t get cracking.”

“Yes, sir.”

She quickly left the cabin as Travis sat there and steamed.

Was Agent 47 in danger? Perhaps it was risky after all to place such a singular person undercover in a tightly knit religious community like Greenhill. While 47 was a man of complexity, it was a hard truth that the assassin wasn’t “normal.” For such a lengthy undercover job, it was essential that one appear to be ordinary.

And yet, so far, the hitman was doing fine. He had been at Greenhill for two weeks and made much progress infiltrating the Wilkins inner circle. For a moment Travis considered recalling the hitman and aborting the assignment. After all, the manager wanted 47 alive, willing, and able to do the next job the Agency had in store for him.

Especially since a very important piece of his pet project was missing from the laboratory in Chicago. The most important piece.

That was what was really pissing him off.

And it had to be Diana Burnwood who was responsible. She was the only one who’d known what the package was and how to get to it.

Travis had to get it back. If Jade’s latest report was correct, then it was likely that Diana had hidden the package somewhere in the Midwest.

During the nerve-racking months since Diana’s defection, Travis had covered up what had happened. Upper management didn’t know about it. Travis had managed to convince them there was a scientific problem that was stalling his project’s advancement. He counted on finding Diana soon and retrieving the specimen before anyone was the wiser.

If he didn’t, his ass was on the line.