Free Deus Ex - Icarus Effect by James Swallow Page B

file, evidence of corruption and money laundering scrolling past
    his eyes.

    "Mission data is being downloaded to your personal stacks," said Namir. "Draw weapons for a covert urban assault from the armory, and
    assemble on the tarmac in five minutes for deployment."

    Saxon followed Hermann aft, turning the briefing over in his mind. "Taking down a member of the Russian ministry ... Am I the only one who
    has questions about that?"

    The German threw him a look. "If Kontarsky is a target, I trust the reasons are sound."

    "Do you?" Saxon hesitated. "You've been with the outfit longer than me. Don't you wonder who gives the orders?"

    "Namir gives the orders," Hermann said flatly.

    "But who gives them to Namir?"

    The other man walked on. "It is not something I trouble myself with, Saxon. Sometimes it is necessary to operate in the shadows to maintain
    the status quo. That is what we do."

    "But still-"

    "Still what?" Saxon turned to find Namir standing behind him. "Do you need a reason, Ben?

    Look at Kontarsky's files. He's not an innocent man."

    Saxon paused, studying the Israeli. "Who is?" In such close quarters, his thoughts couldn't help but turn again to wondering who would prevail
    if the two of them faced off. It would be an even match, Saxon thought. At first.

    Namir glanced over Saxon's shoulder as Hermann passed through into the aft compartment, leaving them alone for the moment. "Juggernaut is
    a clear and present danger to global stability. They have to be dealt with. You understand that, yes?"

    "I understand that someone is threatened by them," Saxon replied. "Tai Yong Medical? Others, maybe?" It was a clumsy attempt to gauge a
    reaction, and he knew it, but Namir gave him nothing.

    "Have you ever wondered why Belltower's intel during Rainbird was so wrong?" The question came out of nowhere, and Saxon blinked.
    "Juggernaut are info-terrorists, Ben. Along with all the other brushfire wars and proxy conflicts they have a hand in, they're working with the
    Australian Free States. Conducting pay-for-play cyberwarfare on their behalf, compromising data security, disrupting intelligence gathering.
    The men Kontarsky is working with are the ones responsible for your squad dying out there in the desert." Namir paused to let that sink in. "Is
    that reason enough for you?" he asked gently.
    CHAPTER FOUR

    NYPD 10th Precinct—New York City—United States of America

    The coffee helped, but not enough. It was strong and tar-black, and it tasted awful, but the stew of day-old caffeine and stale sugar gave Kelso
    something to focus on.

    The metal chair she sat upon, its twin across the way, and the table bolted to the floor were all the interview room had that could be considered
    furniture. The polymer cuff around her right hand was tethered to a loop in the tabletop, her other hand free to toy with the paper cup. Light
    came from a glow strip sealed behind armored glass, and high up over the lintel of the door across from her, the glassy fish-eye dome of a
    camera pod watched her, unblinking.

    Anna knew things were going poorly when the cop who escorted her up from general holding didn't ask any questions. He just secured her, gave
    her the coffee, and left. Now she was marking time until the door opened again.

    As if the thought of it were enough to make it happen, the metal hinges creaked and there stood the man she least wanted to see in the world.

    Ron Temple threw a weak smile at the man by his side. "Thanks, Detective. I'll take it from here."

    The other man eyed Anna, and walked away without a word. Temple dropped heavily into the vacant chair as the door locked shut behind him,
    placing a silver briefcase on the desk. He was tired, eyes bloodshot, still wearing the big, high-collared greatcoat he sported on the streets of
    D.C.

    Anna imagined he'd come straight here, after he heard.

    "What the fuck are you doing, Kelso?" he asked in a low, weary voice. Anna blinked; she couldn't recall Temple ever