Page 92 of The Atlas Maneuver

“President Fox needs to know,” he said. “The more the merrier here.”

“I agree. I’ll get Trinity to do that. But that’s not going to help your immediate problem.”

“I need to get to Morocco,” he said.

“And your newfound travel buddy?”

“I’m taking her with me.”

“Keeping your enemies closer?”

“Something like that.”

“You do realize there’s nothing the Japanese are doing that is good for us.”

“I get that. But she knows more than I do. And she has assets on the ground, in place. Besides, I’ve worked with trouble before.”

“That you have. It’s your call, Cotton. Make it work. I’ll have a plane there shortly. Keep me informed.”

He ended the call and found Aiko Ejima. “You and I need to have a talk.”

She stared at him.

“There’s a story. A little girl and her father were crossing a bridge. The father became concerned and instructed his daughter,Sweetheart, please hold my hand so that you don’t fall into the river. The little girl said,No, Dad, you hold my hand. The father was puzzled and asked,What’s the difference?The little girl answered him,If I hold your hand and something happens to me, chances are that I may let your hand go. But if you hold my hand I know for sure that, no matter what happens, you will never let my hand go.” He focused hard on her. “Are you going to hold my hand? No matter what?”

“I could ask you the same thing.”

Yes, she could. “You’ve been on this longer than me. And the only thing keeping me here, talking to you, is the fact that you’re smart enough to know that the gold is gone. Were you going to stop the bank? Take control of the Atlas Maneuver for the Japanese government? Or gain control to expose the CIA and embarrass the U.S.? I don’t know. Nor do I care. But I’m still going to trust you. I hope it won’t be a mistake. We need to work together. Now please tell me what’s happening in Morocco.”

“The bank has scheduled for some time a large gathering of representatives from countries considering a switch to bitcoin as either currency or their national reserve. That gathering is happening this evening in Morocco. Unfortunately, I have just learned thatCatherine Gledhill has rooted out the source we cultivated within the bank, a woman named Lana Greenwell, who is now traveling with Gledhill to Morocco.”

“A one-way ticket?”

“I would assume. Kelly Austin is being escorted by a hired assassin named Kyra Lhota, who is working for the bank. My assets here secured photographs that confirm this.”

So he got the picture. “We have everybody in one place, where they can be dealt with.”

She nodded. “Precisely.”

Including you, he thought.

He’d been to Morocco several times. The rules there were vague and loose, law enforcement dependent on who you knew. An ancient class society dependent on how much wealth you possessed. Not one of his favorite spots on the globe. But Suzy was in serious trouble, regardless of the fact that she’d gone voluntarily. And as Stephanie had said, he was working point on this one.

“This gathering,” he said. “Any way to get an invite?”

She shook her head. “No way. But we have eyes and ears on the ground.”

“Okay. We’re going to Morocco.”

CHAPTER 51

CASSIOPEIA WATCHED ASKOGER TOSSED A LIFE RING OUT, THEN HELPEDCitrone from the water, the big man struggling to climb back onto the stern platform, shivering. They were practicing, as Cotton would say,some tough love. But that’s what it took sometimes.

“You two are evil,” Citrone said. “Pure evil. I’m freezing.”

She harbored little sympathy for the lying bastard who’d just tried to have her killed, then shot at her himself. Citrone found a few towels in a cabinet near the helm and wrapped himself.

Koger adjusted the cabin heater and blower to provide more warm air. “Rob, neither one of us is in a good mood. I got banged on the head and Cassiopeia barely avoided being skewered.”