Niko resisted saying anything confrontational—it wouldn’t do any good. The CIA compartmentalized everything. Perhaps even Smith didn’t know what the program would be used for.
Vyper leafed through the pages. “Can I keep this, or do I have to commit it to memory?”
Smith reached under the breakfast island and opened a panel, revealing the door to a safe. “You can study it inside your apartment any time, as long as no one else is visiting. When you aren’t using it, store it here. Press your finger to the scanner to open it.” He moved aside. “Go ahead. Put it away. We’re done with it for the day.”
After Vyper stored it in the safe, she sat at the counter with a frown on her face. “You did not hire us to write a program for you. Niko will help, but this is primarily an assignment for me. It’ll only take a few days. What happens to us then?”
Smith removed a second document from his folder. The security classification was designated: TOP SECRET//STRAP3//TWILIGHT. He looked at Vyper. “You identified a Bahamian datacenter in Nassau that the Russians are using to attack the Rockefeller Petroleum network. You also told Homeland there were sections of the network you haven’t been able to penetrate remotely.”
“Correct,” said Vyper. “They have configured their firewalls very well. So far, I have been unable to slip past them. I believe somebody needs to physically enter the site and insert a probe on the protected side.”
A smile appeared on Smith’s face. “That’s exactly what we intend to do. The operation requires an accomplished con man. Someone who can gain the confidence of key operations personnel in Nassau. And this person will have to understand the technology nearly as well as Prixster. It would also help if they were familiar with Belenko, aka Zatan.”
Niko had no doubt who Smith was describing.
The CIA man steepled his fingers and locked his eyes on Niko. “We know about your life in Sevastopol and Philadelphia. You have the aptitude and experience required to mislead people.” He held up his hand. “Don’t worry. My organization is not part of law enforcement. With some training, you could be the most qualified person for this job.”
“You want me to be a spy? To break into a datacenter and attach a bug? Why me? Why should I do it?”
“That was more than one question,” said Smith. “You’re right. That’s what we expect you to do. We’ll put you through a fast-track training course to round out your skills. We have assets in Nassau for support. As to why we picked you—frankly, our people are perfectly capable of handling the job—but maybe not as well. But our government can’t afford to be accused of an aggressive cyber-attack.”
Niko looked at Vyper. “He admitted it. If I get caught, they can deny any involvement.”
Smith nodded. “It’s a dirty business, and you’re right. We require deniability.” He held up one finger. “Don’t forget about Sokolov. He’s after Vyper, which should give you a strong motivation to stop him. And we believe Belenko is not only working for the Russian government—he’s also secretly supporting Sokolov. We nail Belenko, we get Sokolov, too.”
Vyper laid her hand on Niko’s arm. “This sounds dangerous. Maybe you should not do it.”
Niko shook his head. “Sokolov sent five armed men to your home. He won’t stop looking for you as long as he’s free. We’ve got to nail him.”
“Okay,” said Vyper. “When do we move to Nassau?”
“You don’t understand,” said Smith. “Niko will work in Nassau, but you’ll be working out of one of our CIA offices in Virginia or Maryland, where we can guarantee your safety.”
Vyper’s hands began to flap. She pressed her palms on the counter top and stared at her hands. A few moments later she looked up. “No! I go with Niko. You will not separate us again.”
Niko didn’t want to take the risk, but he knew Vyper’s mind was made up.
Smith wrinkled his brow. “That’s not the plan. Only Niko goes to Nassau. This isn’t—”
“Change your plan.” Niko stood and walked behind Vyper. “You need our help. Those are our requirements.”
“It’s not that simple.”
“Then make it simple or find someone else.”
Smith stuffed the papers into his briefcase and locked it. “Give me a minute.” He grabbed his phone and walked across the room. He made a call, keeping his voice too low to hear.
Niko wrapped his arms around Vyper. “Are you sure about this? You’d be safer here.”
She hugged his arms tighter. “I am the safest when we are together.”
A chime rang out, and Smith opened the door. He took a silver suitcase from someone before shutting the door and carrying it to the kitchenette. “I’ll rework the plan.” He set the case on the floor next to Vyper. “Meanwhile, I want you to be comfortable here. Even though you’re staying in a safe house, we agree not to monitor anything you do—visual, audio, or electronic.”
Niko huffed. “We’re supposed to believe you?”
Smith nodded. “After I leave, go ahead and open this suitcase from Mister Bodnar. He told me Vyper’s fingerprint will unlock it. He didn’t say what he packed, and I didn’t ask.” Smith turned to leave. “We can discuss the new plan and your training program tomorrow.”
Once he left, Vyper opened the suitcase. Inside were their laptops, a game console, equipment to search for electronic bugs and hidden camera lenses, and a white noise generator to interfere with any long-distance surveillance.
Maybe they couldn’t trust Smith, but Bodnar always came through.
Chapter 25
Mission
Warrenton, Virginia
Niko lay face-down on a table in the medical offices of Warrenton Training Center while a male nurse pushed his hair aside and inserted a needle.
“That wasn’t so bad,” said Niko. “Can I sit up now?”
The nurse shook his head. “Stay right there. That was just to numb the area. I’ll be back in ten minutes to insert the implant.” He walked out.
Niko thought about Vyper, probably lying on a table next door getting the same treatment. They were both here because Mr. Smith agreed to a revised plan for Nassau—one that included Vyper. He said the CIA was serious about their safety and security, which meant they had to allow tiny transponders to be inserted under their skin. Smith also promised to remove these devices as soon as the Nassau operation was complete.
For the next seven days, they’d stay in the Tower Apartments in downtown Warrenton, only a short drive to the training center where they’d prepare for the mission.
The nurse returned. “You’ll only feel a little pressure. Your hair will hide the small scar.”
The poking and prodding were annoying, but it didn’t hurt. The nurse opened a bottle and brushed something wet over the cut. “All done. The liquid bandage will keep it from bleeding. Don’t wash your hair for a few days.”
At nine o’clock, Mr. Smith arrived to take Niko and Vyper to their next appointment. They walked across the parking lot to an office building. After going through three security checkpoints, they arrived at a small conference room with eight chairs around a rectangular table.
Mr. Smith sat in front of the only laptop in the room. “We’ll start the week with a mission briefing.” He motioned for them to sit across from him. A large screen covered the wall at the end of the table. When he tapped a few keys on the computer, the CIA seal appeared on the screen with the word MKSIGMA in bold letters below it.