Their current positions demonstrated their success, and Cole made a mental note of the details:
JERRY ADAMS — DIRECTOR OF THE DEFENCE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
TIM COLLINS — CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF
WILLIAM CROZIER — DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL CLANDESTINE SERVICE
ALBERT FRASIER — CHAIRMAN OF AMERICAN AEROSPACE INC
ELIZABETH HARDEN — SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY
RICHARD JENSEN — VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
DONALD NORLAND — OWNER OF TRANSWORLD ARMAMENTS INC
DENNIS PITTMAN — CEO OF ALLLIED DEFENCE SYSTEMS INC
FRANKLIN RICHARD — NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR
CLYDE RUTHERFORD — SECRETARY OF DEFENCE
DIANA WESTLAKE — PRESIDENT OF WESTLAKE INC
It was almost too much to take in. The JMIC alumni list for 2000 was incredible. Richard Jensen, the Vice President of the United States of America himself was on the list!
But what did it all mean?
Cole interrogated the JMIC files again, looking for further information. When he found it, his stomach tightened reflexively.
MASTER OF SCIENCE OF STRATEGIC INTELLIGENCE GROUP MENTOR 1999–2001 — REAR ADMIRAL CHARLES HANSARD USN
So that was it. They were all linked, all — controlled? — by Charles Hansard himself.
Some of the most powerful political, military, intelligence and business leaders in the United States, all unified under one man, a man who had recently ordered the death of one of their own number, William Crozier.
So why had Crozier’s death been ordered if he was one of the group? It seemed quite obvious now, Cole thought sadly.
The attack in Sweden had obviously been concocted by this group, and the work had been farmed out to Crozier, as Director of the NCS. He had obviously run the operation effectively, but had then perhaps expressed opinions on the outcome which were contrary to the group’s own opinion. The result? Crozier’s execution, followed by Cole’s own death in order to get rid of any links.
It all started to make some sort of sick sense, but there remained one burning question –
Why had an elite, secret Washington cabal ordered an attack on the Russian President and sought to blame China? And how was this industrial-military complex enshrined in Hansard’s private little club going to benefit?
Cole knew he would not have time to make his conclusions now though — the CIA would register the security breech before long, and he wanted to be long gone from the café by the time they picked it up. He therefore downloaded every available piece of information to his pen drive, before completely purging the computer he had been working on.
Before leaving the small cyber café, he spent some time chatting to the heavily tattooed proprietor. When he left, it was with the pen drive and a new, secure laptop computer.
He would continue his search elsewhere, and he would get answers.
62
Sarah was now sure this must be the man from the yacht. He was relentless, that much was clear, and it was a realisation that made her stomach turn.
She tried her best to hide the reaction of recognition, and thought she had done a good job, even though her heart seemed like it was instantly trying to punch its way out of her chest.
No matter what, she promised herself, she was going to keep this man, and anyone else he was with, away from Ben and Amy. No matter what.
Albright could tell that Sarah Cole wasn’t watching the scenery — the focus of her eyes indicated that she was instead watching the interior of the carriage in the reflection of the window.
He wondered momentarily where the children were. Still on the train? Or had they got off at the station, been picked up by an unseen contact? At this stage, it would hardly matter anyway. Still, it was a shame they weren’t present — children could always be used effectively as extra leverage.
He sat down across from Sarah and smiled. She glanced at him, just another attractive, lone female passenger being admired by a lecherous male. ‘Do I know you?’ she asked him in German as he continued to stare, trying hard to keep her voice steady. Her hands gripped the ends of the chair arms, and she could feel her knuckles turning white.
All she needed to do was to string him along for fifteen minutes. Just fifteen minutes. She’d chosen her seat carefully, next to the emergency stop lever. A quarter of an hour, and the train would be in just the right place. All she had to do was hold out until then.
‘Mrs Cole,’ Albright said cheerfully in English, ‘please don’t play games with me. And let go of those arms before you tear them off the chair.’
Sarah looked at her hands, saw the way she was gripping them, and released them immediately. It was no good; she just wasn’t used to this. Get yourself used to it, she told herself. Ben and Amy are depending on you.
She considered the emergency cord nearby. They were several miles away from the RV, but they could hike the distance. She hoped it would distract Albright long enough to escape. The train would jolt violently to a halt and people — hopefully the blond man included — would be thrown from their seats, with total chaos presumably to follow shortly after. Sarah would then be able to grab Ben and Amy and jump from the train, escaping in the dark.
‘Please, don’t even think about going for the cord,’ Albright continued. Like a magician’s conjuring trick, a gun appeared in his hand, covered by the jacket laid over his lap. ‘I promise you, you wouldn’t like the consequences.’
Sarah looked at the gun. Shit. ‘You wouldn’t shoot me in front of all these people,’ she said, and even she could hear the lack of conviction in her voice.
‘Try me,’ he said coldly, and the smile was gone, his eyes glistening with anticipation.
Sarah believed him. What now? Sarah began to think of another plan, but Albright interrupted her thoughts. ‘Get up. Now,’ he commanded. When she didn’t move, his eyes grey colder, greyer.
Sarah could sense that this man in front of her was capable of irrational violence, and she got up out of her seat as he demanded. With her dead, her children would have nobody to protect them.
Albright ordered her to turn around, and she did so with no comment. He urged her to start walking, but the fear that was starting to flood through her body like iced venom caused her body to freeze on the spot, unable to move.
‘Move,’ she heard the blond man whisper and, slowly, she started to walk. She wondered where he was taking her, but then it hit her. The toilets. He knows they’re there!
Sarah felt the gun in the small of her back and carried on walking. What can I do?, she asked herself, the panic rising inside. I can barely put one foot in front of the other.
They got to the first toilet door — where Ben and Amy were playing their silent game — and Albright pushed it. Please don’t make any noise, she pleaded silently.
But Albright didn’t even wait for a response from behind the door, he just tried the next one along. It opened, and he ushered her urgently inside.
The relief hit her like a wave. He doesn’t know they’re there. And as long as they keep quiet, he won’t find out.
Okay, she decided, steeling herself. Don’t make any noise, Sarah. Whatever he does to you, don’t make a sound. If Ben and Amy hear your voice, they might say something.
Albright shut and locked the door behind them and turned to her. Without an introductory word, he raised the heavy steel pistol and cracked it straight down into her face.