Page 98 of At Midnight

Rogue Revolution

Raphael Mirabaud

Secret chats.

After Raphael returned home that night, he strode off to the bathroom for privacy, powered up Bastien’s burner phone, and logged onto the Tor browser and dark website Blaise had directed him to.

He was using this phone too much. He couldn’t get caught with this backdoor communication with the Rogues.

A private chatroom opened. Raphael readied himself to type with his thumbs on the tiny screen.

Magnus was waiting for him.What the hell is going on, Schwarz?

The nameSchwarzthrew Raphael again. Basch’s constant references to Dieter Schwarz during the video-conference, the Rogues’ calls to him during the hijacking of the container at the Port of Rotterdam, and now Magnus’s typing unsettled him.

Raphaeltyped back,We have an operation tomorrow.

What is it this time? Drugs?

Worse,Raphael replied.

Magnus wrote,I know you’re compromised, Dieter, but the guys didn’t sign up for missions like this. You promised them adventure, private contractor money, and not being dicked around by whichever political party was ruling their country. You promised them moral leadership, and they believed youbecause you were Dieter Schwarz, as pure as the alpine snow.

Hatred surged in him, feeling like the old Raphael, the one who would turn on a person and beat them to the ground for looking at him wrong. Piotr Ilyin and Valerian were threatening Flicka and Alina, his soul and his heart. The Bratva and the bank with their dirty money and black-market crimes were contaminating Rogue Security, whichwas supposed to be a shining light in the world.

He breathed deeply. No use punching the bathroom walls. The jarheads in the living room might notice.

This operation will have adventure and moral leadership,Raphael wrote.We’re going to rescue a bunch of little girls from human traffickers and save them from being raped and eventually murdered. And then we’re going to take down an entire organizedcrime syndicate, from the rank and file to the head honcho.

No response typed in the chat room for long minutes.

Finally, words appeared.

Go on.