Leaving no stone unturned, the debriefing seemed to go on forever. If it were not for Tammy Spencer and her homemade coffee and delicious sticky buns, Mitchell doubted that he would have remained awake much longer.
“The use of an electronic warfare burn over the ship was sheer genius,” said General O’Reilly, looking proudly at his fatigued people.
“Not really, sir,” replied Mitchell. “We used it a fair bit to fry the electronics inside IEDs in Iraq and Afghanistan. I hoped that it would work and thanks to the navy, it did.”
“Sir, what about the information on the rebels that was sent back here?” asked Fahimah, stifling a yawn.
“It was relayed to the State Department,” said Mike Donaldson. “They in turn fed it to the Russians who struck back at the insurgent forces all across the country. The rebels are finished. Romanov’s plot is all over the news over there. President Ivankov is looking pretty good right now.”
“The rebels are finished, thanks to you people,” said a stern-looking woman in a dark-blue suit from the State Department. “The Russians have them on the run and the information provided on Dmitry Romanov’s financing of the insurgency was the nail in the coffin for them.”
“What about the other daughter?” said Jackson, trying to remember her name. “You know, the one that got away.”
“Nika,” said Mitchell.
“Yeah, any news on her?” queried Jackson as he reached over for another donut.
O’Reilly looked over at the people from the State. None returned his gaze.
“I guess she’s still at large,” said O’Reilly.
The government people stood. The stern-looking woman smiled at O’Reilly, shook his hand, and then locked eyes on Mitchell’s people. “I need not remind you that this whole affair is to be considered a matter of national security. Any word of what has happened will be considered an act of treason with the penalty of life in prison should you be found guilty, which you would be,” said the woman harshly.
“Charming,” muttered Cardinal, who earned a sharp look from Sam.
“Have a nice day, Ms. Early,” said O’Reilly, as he ushered the government people out.
Ten minutes later, Mitchell and General O’Reilly sat alone in O’Reilly’s office drinking more of Tammy’s coffee. The remainder of the team had already scattered to the winds: Sam and Cardinal had gone to Sam’s parents’ place in Hawaii, Jackson to his wife and kids on the outskirts of New York, Fahimah to her parents’ home, and Yuri, as was his style, had simply vanished.
“I don’t mind telling you that you look like hell,” said O’Reilly, looking over at Mitchell’s bandaged wrist and bloodshot eyes.
“I feel a hell of a lot worse than I look,” Mitchell said honestly.
“Well, you’re all home now.”
Mitchell put his cup down and leaned forward. “Sir, what was with the all the muscle and the threat from the State Department?”
“No one’s happy about being played like a gang of fools, especially this administration,” said O’Reilly with a shrug of his shoulders. “Nuclear bombs don’t go missing every day and the thought that they could have fallen into the hands of terrorists would have started a panic. That’s why this never happened.”
“The Government of Iceland knows. They lost people on the island,” said Mitchell.
“Only a select few do,” O’Reilly said. “The story circulated in the press will be about terrorists using the island for training; the police and government will come out of this looking like heroes, in the long run.”
Mitchell shook his head; he was tired and had no time for the games played by politicians and bureaucrats.
“I see that look in your eyes, Ryan. Don’t let it get to you. If you do, you won’t last long in this business. The bureaucrats make the rules, and that is all there is to it. Be proud of yourself. You and your people worked miracles out there. You all deserve a long break,” O’Reilly said, consoling his protégé.
“If you say so, sir,” wearily replied Mitchell.
“Any ideas of what you might do now? You know you’re still on leave,” said O’Reilly.
Mitchell ran his hand through his unkempt hair. “I guess I owe some ladies a holiday. So, if they’re willing, I’m hoping to take Jen and her mom to Jamaica. It’s the least I can do for them.”
O’Reilly smiled at Mitchell. For the first time since he had met him, O’Reilly began to wonder if Mitchell was ready to settle down, but decided for now to keep such thoughts to himself.
“Sounds like a plan,” said O’Reilly warmly. “Come on, Ryan, I’ll give you a lift into the city myself.”
Five minutes later, O’Reilly was on the road, and Mitchell was slumped over in his seat snoring loudly enough to wake the dead.
50
The doors to the darkened warehouse closed behind the Hummer SUV, blocking out the sandstorm racing through the city, covering it in a thick brown haze. Two of Romanov’s remaining loyal bodyguards warily got out of the SUV and scanned around for any sign of a threat. Seeing they were alone, the closest guard reached back and opened the rear passenger door. Nika Romanov stepped out, dressed in a tight-fitting dark gray leather outfit, her hair pulled back on her head.
“We leave for the airport in ten minutes,” said Nika curtly to the guards before striding over to a staircase leading up to the second floor. The clicking sound of her high heels on the concrete floor echoed through the cavernous hangar. Reaching the top of the stairs, Nika turned and walked towards a locked office at the end of the hallway. Looking back over her shoulder apprehensively, Nika opened her purse, dug out a key, and then quickly opened the door. Stepping inside, Nika reached over, flicked on the light switch, and froze in her tracks. Her father’s picture was not in the middle of the wall where it always had been. Instead, it lay on the floor. The door to the hidden wall safe was open and the contents of the safe were missing.
The sound of a pistol’s safety being unlatched made Nika turn her head. Instantly, her blood turned to ice. Sitting in a darkened corner of the room was Colonel Chang. In his hand was a silenced pistol aimed right at Nika.
“The last time I checked, there were just over twenty million US in that safe,” said Nika calmly.
“Nineteen million, eight-hundred thousand, to be precise,” replied Chang.
“A small price to pay,” said Nika. “I can get more, plenty more if you need it.”
“I don’t need any more,” said Chang coldly. “I came for the remainder of the money you people owed me, which I now have. I have outstanding expenses and one too many widows to pay off, thanks to you and your family.”
Nika tried to swallow, but fear had turned her mouth dry. “Don’t play me for a fool, Colonel Chang. You knew what you were getting into when you agreed to serve my father. Losses are an inevitable part of your business.”
“You are quite right, Miss Romanov; losses are to be expected,” Chang replied. “However, betrayal is not. You cannot deny it. You did not intend to pull me or my men off that volcano before it exploded, wiping us all out. I was just too slow to realize it and it cost me and my organization dearly in men and material.”
Nika’s stomach gripped itself in knots. “Think about it, Colonel, you can’t escape. My men downstairs will surely kill you if you shoot me,” said Nika insolently.
“Wrong,” said Chang, firing one bullet square into Nika’s forehead, blasting out the back of her skull. Blood and brains splattered the wall behind her as her body fell to the floor. “Your men are dead already,” said Chang, as he removed the silencer from his pistol. Standing, Chang placed his pistol away into his shoulder holster. Stepping over Nika’s lifeless body, he switched off the light and quietly closed the door behind him, ending his contract with the Romanov Corporation.