Free Finding Grace by Rhea Rhodan Page A

the two stationary figures.
“And here come Mr. Silent’s mercs, probably in a jeep or something.
The so-called engineer is on his way to meet them. He’s on foot.”
She moved her needle and pointed out the lone figure moving more
slowly, then the five together that moved faster.
    When she checked to see if Jack was following her,
she noticed that Farley had joined them. How did men that big move
so quietly? It was driving her nuts.
    Jack was studying the figures that moved quickly
from her left screen to the center screen where the two team
members were. His arms weren’t crossed any more.
    Thorne hurried now, afraid to lose him. “You’ll have
to trust me on the rest, Jack. They’re dressed like Afghans, but
they’re whiter than Mills. It’s supposed to look like a robbery,
but these are Silent’s men, not insurgents. They’re going to steal
the high-end materials, wait three months and then sell them on the
black market. With insurance, they cash in double and then
some.”
    She heard Jack say “shit” before she saw him pick up
the satellite phone he must have brought with him. “Gemini?
Bogeyman. Get the fuck out. Now. Trouble’s eight klicks north of
you. They should be there in…” He turned to her.
    She looked at the screen and tilted her head. “Ten,
maybe twelve minutes.”
    “Catch that…? He’s with the bastards. It’s a setup.
Go! Call me on the comm when you’re secure.” He closed the link.
“You’d better be right about this, Thorne.”
    They watched the five figures on the screen and the
single one on an intercept course. Once the five had joined the
lone figure, they moved quickly toward the pin she’d dropped to
indicate the tent, while two other figures moved away from it.
    Thorne saw the matrix on the third screen roll.
    “Uh-oh.”
    She hit the keyboard fast, and all the screens went
blank.
    “Hey!” Dagger and Farley yelled.
    “Sorry, boys, I had to. That was a very special baby
I borrowed to get those images. His momma just figured it out.
She’s a big bad momma—smart and fast. I just hope I broke the
connection in time or Paul’s gonna be pissed at me, and that’ll be
the least of my troubles.”
    * * * *
    Dagger didn’t know whether Thorne had broken the
connection quick enough or how it could possibly be the least of
her troubles, but Paul sure as hell was pissed. He’d come back from
his client lunch a half hour after the screens had gone dark.
Dagger’d filled him in with assistance from Farley. Thorne was
still in his office. They hadn’t heard anything from Hawks and
Markham yet.
    All Paul’d said was, “Get Thorne and meet me in the
big office with Farley,” in a voice that reminded Dagger of a crypt
outside of Prague he’d used as a meeting place once.
    It didn’t take a psychic to know Paul hadn’t bought
Thorne’s vision. If anything happened to Hawks and Markham…
    Standing outside Thorne’s door, Dagger could just
make out the song thumping out of the stereo. It was one he really
liked. He wondered whether they’d be playing it at Thorne’s
funeral, or his.
    He pounded.
    “They called!” The kid looked so hopeful, so
sure.
    Dagger shook his head. “Paul wants to see you in the
big office.” He felt like he was leading a lamb to slaughter. A
little purple-headed lamb.
    He didn’t think he’d ever seen Paul look quite like
he did right now. It was downright unnerving. Even Farley was
quiet. Thorne took one look at Paul’s face before the little purple
head tilted up to Dagger and the cracked voice whispered, “What,
Judas, no kiss?”
    No grin this time, just the trace of a sad
smile.
    He heard the panic in Thorne’s voice and moved to
block the door. But he hadn’t considered the window. Not until the
chair flew through it with Thorne right after.
    The comm phone’s beep made itself heard over the
tinkling of the remaining glass shards that followed, but Dagger
was already bent over the frame, watching Thorne struggle in