Page 103 of The Atlas Maneuver

That was not an idle threat.

Especially coming from Kelly.

Bitcoin ran through a collection of software programs that tens of thousands of computers around the world used, solving mathematical challenges and constantly adding to the universal blockchain. In the beginning Kelly had interacted with the bitcoin community through mailing lists, message boards, and emails using her Satoshi Nakamoto persona. She was the one who moved the Genesis block on January 3, 2009, which first started the chain. Catherine had been there, watching. Kelly personally maintained and developed the network for the next two years, all as Nakamoto. Then she backed off and encouraged other open-source developers to step in.

And they had. Many, in fact.

Which allowed bitcoin to take on a life of its own, now through its growing number of participants. To signal Nakamoto’s withdrawal from the process Kelly had sent out a message on December12, 2010.I’ve moved on to other things. It’s in good hands now.In the years since then, contributing developers had made the network better, more secure, more functional, or at least that’s what Kelly had told her.

“Satoshi Nakamoto doesn’t matter anymore. It’s all a collaboration now. The network runs itself.”

“Is that not dangerous? Should we not have more control?”

Kelly smiled. “Who says we don’t.”

Indeed. Who says?

“Did she mention anything else?” she asked Kyra.

“That’s all, besides wanting to know more about her daughter.”

“My plan is to get what I need from Kelly, provide her with what I know on her daughter, then have you deal with her after she leaves Morocco.”

She saw that Kyra understood what that meant.

But what Kelly said could not be ignored.

I can end this.

She had to be careful with what she revealed since Kyra was unaware of what was at stake. No need to involve her with such sensitive information. But that didn’t mean she did not need Kyra.

“This situation is fluid,” she said. “For now we must keep Kelly alive and well and cooperative. She’ll stay here on the estate until we come to an understanding. There’s plenty of security. But I have another problem that needs your immediate attention. Her name is Lana Greenwell. She’s here too.”

“I assume you want that problem to disappear?”

“Permanently. But it needs to be explainable. She came here for the event, with me, and plenty of people know she is here. I thought perhaps she leaves for a walk in the countryside, or a visit to a local village, and never returns. Her body is found. Say at the bottom of a cliff. An accident, a tragedy. Like with Samvel Yerevan.”

“When would you like that situation to be resolved?”

“All of the bank’s consuls are here for the event tonight. Lana wants desperately to believe all is forgiven. So she’ll cooperate.Everyone will leave tomorrow. Lana and I will stay. Take care of it in a few days.”

Kyra nodded.

She also realized that the task would be made much easier by the fact that no one, Lana included, would suspect the first consul of the Bank of St. George of being a murderess.

“There is an even more pressing matter, though,” Catherine said. “One I need you to handle in the meantime.” She stepped over to her leather satchel and removed a file folder, which she handed over. “That is a copy of all the information I have on Kelly Austin’s daughter. I want you to find the daughter, then keep her in your sights. I suspect we are going to have to exert extreme pressure to get Kelly to cooperate, and I have found show-and-tell to always be quite effective. I will need you nearby, ready to provide photos or video at a moment’s notice.”

Kyra opened the file and pursued a few of the investigative reports, surely searching for her destination.

“The jet is at your disposal, waiting in Marrakesh. Contact me when you have the daughter in sight.”

“And my fees for all these additional services?”

“Double the bitcoin you just made.”

Which had been the fee for finding Kelly Austin. That had not worked out, but now the opportunity was resurrected and she saw that Kyra appreciated the generosity.

“I can live with that,” Kyra said.