Free Poe by Brett Battles Page A

way?”
    “None, I’m afraid. Leaks are inevitable. It’s really only a matter of time.”
    “That’s pure speculation,” the voice on the speakerphone said. At fifty-one, he was the youngest—and least seasoned—member of the committee. “And even if she’s compromised, I doubt she’ll say anything.”
    The banker nodded in agreement. “He has a point. El-Hashim has been an extremely loyal and efficient operative. She knows what’s expected of her, and she’ll carry it out.”
    “What she knows is too much,” the woman said. “I don’t doubt her loyalty for a moment, and I’m sure she’ll do everything she can to remain silent. But if the Ukrainians find out who she really is—and speculation or not, I believe they will—they’re bound to turn her over to the British or the Russians or, God forbid, the Americans.”
    The mood around the table grew darker at the prospect.
    “Once that happens, gentlemen, she’ll be out of our reach. And loyal or not, she’s only human. If they can’t get her to talk, they’ll outsource the job, and sooner or later she’ll tell them everything she knows.”
    Silence. Darker than ever now.
    “We all know why we’re here today,” the woman continued. “We all know what has to be done. There really isn’t much more to discuss.”
    The man directly across from her leaned back, letting his gaze take in the rest of the assembly. He was the de facto leader here, a well-dressed man in his mid-seventies known as a financial advisor to presidents and kings. “She’s right,” he said. “We should put the motion to a vote.”
    Nods all around.
    “All right, then. On the matter of immediate termination, what say you?”
    “Yea.”
    “Yea.”
    “Yea.”
    There was nothing from the speakerphone, and for a moment the woman thought they had lost their connection. Then the voice said, “Yea.”
    The man across the table pushed himself upright and rose. “My vote is yea also. The motion is passed.” He looked at the woman. “You’ll handle this?”
    “Of course,” she said. “Everything has been arranged. I just need to give the go-ahead.”
    The man looked around the room. “Does anyone else have anything they’d like to add?”
    Everyone remained silent.
    “Good. Then we’re adjourned.”
    There were no goodbyes, no talk of exchange rates or bond yields or pending loans. The speakerphone disconnected, the other two men rose from their chairs, and they all walked out of the room, leaving the woman to do what needed to be done.
    She sat there a moment, feeling no remorse, no hesitance. And why should she? This, like most things in her life, was merely business.
    What she felt was relief.
    Setting her briefcase on the table, she retrieved one of the three mobile phones she carried. A burner, like the others, obtained specifically in case she needed to make this call. Once she was finished, the phone would be destroyed.
    She punched in a number, waited. Then a voice said, “Yes?”
    “Authentication: theta omega seven theta two two tau alpha nine.”
    “Recognized.”
    “We’re a go,” she said. “Send her.”
    “Understood.”
    The line went dead.

Chapter Nine
    Somewhere over the Atlantic
    They flew east on one of Stonewell’s private jets. Alex tried to sleep for the first few hours, but finally gave up and stared out the window into the darkness.
    She had to admit that the plan, as laid out by McElroy with details filled in by Fazakas, was well thought out. That didn’t mean it would be easy or even successful. More like risky and beyond dangerous.
    And yet, possible.
    El-Hashim had better know something about my father . Because if she doesn’t, I’m going to make McElroy’s life a living—
    “Thirsty?”
    She twisted around, startled by the voice.
    Cooper was standing in the aisle next to her seat, a small bottle in his hand. “I assume you still like orange juice.”
    “Yeah,” she said. “Thanks.”
    She took the bottle from him and