Page 87 of The Cellist

“Did you know that he’s smuggling the Tsar’s money out of Russia and hiding it in the West? Or that he’s running a private intelligence service known as the Haydn Group from his office in the Place du Port?”

“We’ve heard rumors to that effect.”

“Why haven’t you done anything about it?”

“Because the president is allergic to operations against Russian financial interests. He turns purple if I even mention the wordRussia.”

“Which is why I didn’t invite you to the party, Morris.”

“So why are you telling me about this now?”

“Thirteen ninety-five Brickell Avenue. It’s a sixty-story tower in Miami’s financial district.”

“What about it?”

“Arkady and I bought it last week with money looted from Russia’s Federal Treasury.” Gabriel smiled. “It was a steal at four hundred million.”

“Which firms are handling the mirror trades?” asked Payne when Gabriel had finished the briefing.

“Actually, only one financial institution is involved.”

“American?”

“German.”

“RhineBank?”

“How did you guess?”

“You are aware of the fact,” said Payne carefully, “that RhineBank is the president’s primary lender.”

“I’m not interested in the president’s finances, Morris. I just want you to quietly ask the Treasury Department and the Fed to turn a blind eye to my activities for the moment.”

“You neglected to mention the name of the Geneva-based private equity firm you’re using.”

“Global Vision Investments.”

“Saint Martin Landesmann? That tree-hugging leftist?”

“That’s one way of describing him.”

“I hear he’s in the democracy business now.”

“He got into it at my suggestion. I created the Global Alliance for Democracy in order to place Martin on the Haydn Group’s radar.”

Morris Payne smiled in spite of himself. “Not bad, Gabriel. But what is the goal of this operation?”

“Once Arkady and I complete our shopping spree, I will ask the United States to seize the assets we purchased with looted Russian funds and freeze Arkady’s bank accounts worldwide. Given the pro-Russian sympathies of your boss, this reckoning will necessarily have to wait until after the inauguration.”

“What makes you think the new crowd will go for it?”

“Come on, Morris. Really.”

“And the British?” asked Payne.

“Downing Street will target Arkady’s assets in the United Kingdom, and simultaneously the Swiss authorities will shut down his operation in Geneva and expel his workforce, including the employees of the Haydn Group. Arkady will have no choice but to return to Moscow.”

“If you’re right about the Haydn Group, their computers are the intelligence equivalent of the Holy Grail.”