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“If you aren’t on your way to a lift, you’re wasting time.”
The call ended, so I eased the door open and looked around for Max. When I didn’t see him, I followed Typhon’s instructions to get on the nearest lift. I took it to the lowest level, got out, and found the door marked twenty-seven. Just as I walked through it, an SUV pulled up.
“Get in!” Typhon shouted through the open window.
“What the fuck is going on?” I said when he sped off as soon as I closed the door behind me.
“Let me get out of here, then I’ll explain.” He handed me a comms set. “Tank? Blackjack? Over?”
“Right behind you, boss,” Blackjack responded.
“Good. Follow me into the next parking structure.”
Once there, we got out of the SUV we were in and got in the one Tank was driving while Blackjack got in the one we’d abandoned.
“Start. Fucking. Talking,” I seethed.
“A hit has been put out on Maximo de Rossi.”
“By who?”
“The Sicilians. I was already on my way to the airport when I received the order. Right after that, I got an all-call alert from Nemesis saying Penelope Ramsey was missing. I was about to make contact with you when you called.”
“You think Pen’s disappearance has something to do with the hit on Maximo?”
“I’m certain of it.”
“Why?”
“Because he believes you have the power to either get it called off or him out of the country and under SIS protection.”
“Are you saying he already knows there’s a contract out on him?”
“Affirmative.”
“And he took Pen to get to me? But why? I was within reach. I was literally standing right next to him.”
“They already had Pen. I’ve no doubt his plan was to get you to ask him for help, then once you were out of the airport, make his demands.”
“This doesn’t make sense.”
“A marked man usually doesn’t. And, like the message said, he knows who you are, which means he knows the real reason you’re in Italy.”
“Fuck,” I said under my breath. “What do we do now?”
“Call in a favor.”
“Where are we going?” I asked when Tank got on the highway, heading south.
“Castello Vicchiomaggio.”
I recognized the name. The estate belonged to Valerio Scaglione. I shook my head. “No! Take me back to the airport. I need to get to London and find Pen.”
“She isn’t in London. She’s here.”
“You’re wrong. She never got on the plane.”
Typhon shook his head. “She did. We believe she was intercepted before she exited the aircraft.”