r, more silent, like the city held its breath beneat

wo black SUVs, reinforced glass, rotating drivers. Inside, he sat besid

ear the Cathedral distri

elyn Drazen used to store encrypted files, bio-research data, and

ms are in position. No heat signatures ins

y sharp. This place doesn't giv

ghosts," Sandy murmured.

was hidden be

l-plated corridor guarded by biometric locks. Rocca used a pul

e: si

terile light illuminated wall-mounted screens and

in. "Start with the hard drives. Look for flagged tag

over ten terabytes of dat

ordered. "Or blow

a sealed metal draw

ing of numbers-Col

unlocked wi

small silver USB stick labeled in Latin:

up. "This

her. "Let's g

Rocca's voice came through sh

nd?" Tin

cles. Unmarked. No

d found t

o growled. "Rocca, dela

arved into the belly of the old city. At the top, a ser

lets tore through the ma

tively. Tino grabbed

obbled paths. The USB clenched

this so badly?" sh

," Tino said grimly, "is Drazen's

se in Geneva's diplomatic quarter-an old chateau conver

s later, blood on hi

Precise. Like they

said. "Which mean

SB still in hand. "We n

a secured laptop

gged in t

n blinked

ueprints. A single video file titled:

open

en-standing in front of what l

our stage. The weapon-a neurological cascade compound-will redefine warfare. One dos

's not just about control.

d. "He plans to tes

cheduled next week. Government leaders.

top it," Tino

. "Drazen has eyes everywhere. If we make this p

then back at Tino. "Then

y of the safehouse, staring at a photo of h

und all of this... and they silenc

o the room, watc

o this," he said. "I thought I co

hielding, Tino. I need the truth.

wly. "We'll b

hed for

get

urled around

andy Rhune didn't feel like she wa

finally jumped-and w

ooking the French Riviera, Victor Drazen watc

eside him-elegant, age

yn D

ting too clo

en Marseille burns, the world will

-

ray. A thin veil of mist clung to the rooftops,

the clouds. His mind wasn't in Geneva, though. It was racing ahead-to Marseille. To Victor Drazen's planne

s all his life. But Draze

sh. And he

behind him. Rocca approached, cof

a bigger

rned. "

utes to Drazen. We've ruled out external

wed. "You're sayi

hat means if we move forward without rooting the

ery operative under review. Until I know

ated. "Incl

o f

he asked,

. Resourceful. But her brother worked for the A

s a growl. "She

o you

se I've seen liars. I've made liars.

e. But the doubt

files. The journal she'd taken from the Geneva vault lay open besi

ations. Marseille was only the epicenter. Other cities

toward the end, that

YRIE-CONTROL

Cole

rminated-un

en sl

part of th

ical injections, monitoring trials, failed calibrations. Cole had

ing the truth. He'd died

teps

as Tino entered. He paused, c

happ

ate Drazen's weapons. He was used to refine them. They inj

That's why he was always on edge. Why h

n't just killing him. Th

knelt beside her chair. His

" he whispered. "But truth

e put the pieces back together.

he said. "

pened, a secure line buzzed

answ

ther end was femal

y that Marsei

sed. "Who

want Sandy Rhune to survive,

ic

occa brought the

n't give

as Evelyn. She's baiting u

ng the truth, and Marseille is

dow for a long moment.

lle. We leave at dawn. Full blackout

San

ed. "She com

brow. "Even i

"I'll die before

l again. She stared at the last entry-one he'

become like them. Burn them down, yes-but stay you. Because that's the only thing they can't