Page 56 of The Atlas Maneuver

“More than you can imagine. So payback is hell.”

“I know that, too, from firsthand experience.”

“Thankfully,” he said, “my family worked our differences out.”

“And the boy?”

“He’smyson. In all the ways that matter.”

And he meant every word.

“Sounds like that selfish, cocky navy lieutenant grew up and became a man.”

“He did. And now here I am, standing in a Swiss grocery store, looking at a part of my past that doesn’t look anything like what I remember, who’s gotten herself into a world of serious trouble.”

“Comes from being the smartest person in the room.”

“That arrogance will get you killed.”

“Is the new and improved Harold Malone always so blunt?”

“It’s the truth.”

They had not, as yet, called Koger. He was waiting until he had a better handle on what was going on. There was definitely more to this than anyone wanted to say. How to find out more? That could prove difficult. He was no longer an active field officer with a high-level clearance. He was merely a guy doing another guy a favor. Throughout his career at the Magellan Billet he’d never been one to overburden Stephanie Nelle with minutiae. Some agents loved to constantly report anything and everything. Not him. He was a big-picture guy and worked best when he worked without interference. Stephanie ran the Billet with an iron fist, but she also was smart enough to allow her people the freedom to do their jobs. Never a micromanager. More an I’ve-got-your-back-when-things-go-to-hell-so-get-it-done style.

Which he liked.

Koger?

He was a help-me-out-while-I-keep-you-in-the-dark kind of guy.

He glanced at his watch. It was getting late in the day. “We need to lay low. And food would be good. Then we both will speak with Koger.”

“You’re irritated with me.”

“More irritated at myself for getting in the middle of this circus in the first place.”

“I changed the world, Harold. I invented something that has altered the way people use money. It’s turned into something magnificent. Beautiful. But it’s about to be misused by a woman who wants to control the economies of countries around the world. She’s going to mangle and manipulate what should be sacrosanct. People will be affected. Nations will be affected. And all so she can have power and profit. She was my friend, but I don’t think I ever really knew her. She can’t be allowed to succeed. I thought I was doing the right thing by going to the CIA. Koger said he would help. But now I’m not so sure.”

Finally, a little truth. And some new information.

Mangle and manipulate?

“It looks like all I’ve got is you,” she said.

“That isn’t much.”

“Don’t sell yourself short, sailor.”

He smiled. Her confidence had always been infectious.

“I’ll do what I can,” he told her.

“That’s good enough for me.”

CASSIOPEIA FOLLOWEDKOGER OUTSIDE AND THEY WALKED TOWARDthe lake, away from the house. Nighttime had arrived. Citrone was somewhere inside. They needed privacy.

“Tell me what you’re thinking,” he said to her, his voice low as they walked.