“Not yet,” Adam said. “I don’t suppose you’re going to call Zachery, tell him Mike’s laid up?”
“Maybe, after I tell him the Kohath twins’ next plan.”
“And that is?” Adam asked.
Nicholas took a deep breath. “Here’s the deal, Louisa, Adam. The Kohaths are planning a massive weather attack on D.C. I heard them talking about a hurricane in the Atlantic, whipping it up, sending it to land, destroying Washington.”
“What?” Both Adam and Louisa yelled into the phone. “Destroy the capital? Impossible, isn’t it?”
Nicholas explained, leaving them in frozen silence.
“No,” Louisa finally said. “It’s not possible. That’s science fiction. The Kohaths are nutcases.”
Adam said, “I’m with Louisa. I still can’t believe weather control at this level is possible.” He paused. “But then again, look what they did in the Gobi Desert . . . and now they want to destroy Washington?”
“I can’t imagine how people will take that news,” Louisa said. “You and Mike will stop it, won’t you?”
Ah, such faith. “We’re going to try. You’ll know more when I do. Keep doing what you’re doing, Adam. Thanks, guys.”
When he’d punched off, Nicholas opted to call Savich and explain what he and Mike had heard, let him deal with the powers that be. And Zachery.
After ten minutes of grilling, Nicholas was aware of a headache pounding over his right eyebrow. He knew Savich would speak to the vice president, explain the inexplicable, and then Zachery. Thank you, Savich.
He found Dr. Sienza in Mike’s room, checking her vitals. He handed back the phone.
She said, “All signs are good for our patient. The polizia are here, my brother with them. I have explained she could be in danger. He will stand guard over Agent Caine.”
“I also need to report a murder on the mountain.”
“A murder? Why did you not tell me this?”
“Doctor, I’m still wrapping my head around everything that’s happened over the past two hours. I want you focused on Agent Caine. I should also tell you she will demand to be released tomorrow. If you refuse, she will simply walk out of here, in a hospital gown, if necessary, so patch her up as best you can.”
“Well then, you can tell the polizia all about this murder and they will get you back to your car. As for Agent Caine, I will get her well enough.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
Venice, Italy
The computer dinged, and Adam jolted awake. “I’m up, I’m up. What is it?”
He turned in his chair and saw Louisa stretched on the couch, asleep. In the next second, she jerked up, wide-awake. “Is it room service?”
Adam laughed at her. “You and room service. You were out for almost a full hour.”
Louisa rubbed her eyes and yawned. “Better than nothing. Did you hear any more from Nicholas while I was under?”
“Not a word. But my computer just came through. Take a look.”
Adam handed her his laptop. To the average person, it would look like nothing more than strings of numbers and letters, total nonsense. Louisa, on the other hand, was computer savvy and she saw it was sophisticated code, even though she couldn’t read it.
“Yeah, so what is it?”
“It’s designed to break Landry Rodgers’s financial history and download it to our servers. Remember? He’s the Genesis Group’s crooked wizard broker out of Singapore.”
“I don’t suppose what you’re doing is anywhere close to legal?”
“Nope,” he said cheerfully. “We’re Covert Eyes, remember? I like Nicholas’s motto: it’s easier to ask forgiveness than to get permission.”