Free Off the Grid (A Gerrit O'Rourke Novel) by Mark Young

received permission to share certain classified information with you.” He stood, gesturing to Gerrit. “Come with me. Let’s mosey downstairs.”
    Frustrated, Gerrit stood, watching Kane head toward the door. He felt this man would never get to the point. They walked out into the hallway and down the far end of the corridor, stopping in front of what looked like a service elevator. Gerrit realized this lift—like everything about this place—was more than it appeared.
    Kane peered into an iris scan and then placed his index finger on a print scanner. Once cleared, the door opened and he received authorization to navigate the elevator. Upon reaching a deep subterranean level, the door rolled open and Gerrit saw another whole floor—absent any windows—spreading out before him, much like a police squad room. Offices bordered an open bull pen that contained a number of workstations, each cubicle walled by three panels about five feet high. The offices must have been for those supervising the workforce, those minions stationed in cubicles under the watchful eyes of their bosses.
    “This is where our real work takes place,” Kane said. “That stuff upstairs—just window dressing.”
    Gerrit followed Kane along one wall of cubicles until they reached a corner office with Kane’s name stenciled on an opaque glass-paned door. Kane thrust open the door and beckoned him inside. “Okay, now we can talk. There is nothing—at least in today’s technology—that can intercept our conversation here.” He approached the far side of a desk.
    Gerrit sat across from Kane, the older man easing into the chair before speaking. “I need a man who can blend into the scientific community, into a specific field of which you are quite familiar.”
    “Nanotechnology,” Gerrit said. “I’ve been out of that field for more than a decade—a lifetime in my field of study.”
    “You’ve been gone, but you can still speak the language. I need a man who can talk the talk while sifting through the unimportant and extract the important.”
    “Extract the important? What do you mean?”
    Kane leaned forward, cupping his hands together under his chin. “I need you to get your hands on specific research material, pull out the important information, and then sabotage their efforts.”
    “Who are we talking about?”
    A rap on the door interrupted them. Kane leaned over, whispering, “We’ll talk about this later.” Then, in a louder voice, he said, “Come on in, George.”
    A ruddy-faced man nearing seventy entered, followed by a younger and slimmer gentleman. “George Lawton, kind of you to join us.”
    The older man extended a hand to Kane, glancing at Gerrit with interest. “Brought the other chap with me that we spoke about.” George turned to the man next to him. “Henry, say hello to a friend of mine from across the pond. Richard Kane and—”
    “Gerrit O’Rourke,” Kane said, without looking at Gerrit. He seemed to be studying the new man Lawton brought with him. “Gerrit, I’d like to introduce Henry—”
    “Clarke,” the young man said. “
Doctor
Henry Clarke, actually.” Clarke shook Gerrit’s hand as the two men eyed each other. “Looks like you’re working for me, Dr. O’Rourke. You take orders well?” The man chuckled, but his eyes held no humor.
    Gerrit rose, slightly confused. “Glad to meet you, Doctor.” He turned to Kane for clarification. “I think Mr. Kane was just starting to explain my role in all this.”
    A sly smile emerged on Lawton’s face. “Keeping everyone in the dark as usual, eh, Richard?”
    Kane motioned for the others to have a seat, before looking at Gerrit. “I never got a chance to tell you. Y’all will be traveling to Vienna with Henry here in about a week. Sort of a security detail.”
    “Security? For whom?”
    Henry pompously waved a hand. “Afraid it’s for me, old chap. They think some terrorist may have it in for me.” The younger man crossed his legs and