The 14th Colony: A Novel by Steve Berry

“You’re retired from the government?”
    “You never really quit. You just stay out of the line of fire more often than not.”
    “So you’re helping Stephanie Nelle simply as a friend?”
    “Shocking, isn’t it?”
    “Not at all. In fact, it’s entirely consistent with your personality.”
    “How do you know about my personality?”
    “I’ve learned a great deal about you. I have friends in your former profession. They all spoke highly of you.”
    “Glad to know folks remember.”
    “Do you know much about me?” she asked.
    “Just the thumbnail sketch.”
    “I have many peculiarities.”
    That she did, the worst of which was an inability to say what she felt. Cotton suffered from the same malady, which helped further explain why they found themselves currently estranged. They cared deeply for each other, but neither was willing to admit it. There was that one time, though, high in the mountains of China, after another ordeal, when they both gathered the courage to say how they felt.
    “No more games,” she said.
    He nodded and cupped her hand in his.
    “Cotton—”
    He silenced her lips with two fingers. “Me too.”
    And he kissed her.
    She remembered that moment, both of them knowing without either actually uttering the word love. But she did love Cotton. The past month had made that abundantly clear.
    Was it too late?
    With all her heart, she hoped not.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN
    V IRGINIA
    Luke stood propped against his Mustang, watching as a black SUV eased through the open gate into the tow lot. He’d just checked his watch, which read a little after 5:00 A.M . The predawn air was freezing but he felt only anger at one, being bested by a stranger, and two, the demise of his most prized possession. The tow truck operator had just shaken his head when he arrived at the scene, loading the Mustang’s hulk onto the back of his truck and ferrying it here among a litter of other cars that had definitely seen better days.
    The SUV came to a stop and Stephanie emerged on one side, another man in a dark overcoat from the opposite side.
    “Tough night?” she asked.
    The Mustang sat with the passenger side facing out, which bore the evidence of his encounter.
    “Anya Petrova,” the other man said, “is quite dangerous. She was trained by the police and worked as one for several years.”
    Which explained some of what had happened. She definitely knew how to handle herself. “And who might you be?”
    The man introduced himself as Nikolai Osin, then Stephanie added, “He’s head of station for the SVR.”
    “Officially, I am a trade delegate and know nothing of any SVR.”
    “I like that,” Luke said. “We’ll go with it. But would you mind telling me more about Anya Petrova?”
    They stood alone in the lit lot, among a deserted heap of cars.
    “She is connected to a man who could cause this country many problems. He sent her here for a reason, which is why I advised Stephanie to watch her carefully. Apparently, Petrova did not appreciate that.”
    Luke was still trying to figure out how she’d made him. He’d been real careful, but sometimes crap happens. And though his question had not been fully answered, he decided to let it pass and said, “We need to check out that house.”
    They drove back south into the Virginia countryside and found the same wrought-iron-topped entrance. At any other time Magellan Billet headquarters could have traced ownership in a matter of minutes, but he knew that was now impossible. Of course, the White House could accomplish the same thing, but that required his reporting in. Stephanie had suggested they wait before making that call and he hadn’t argued. Perhaps they might even learn enough to soften the sting sure to come from Uncle Danny over screwing up the one thing he’d asked him not to do.
    The SUV stopped in front of the abandoned dwelling and they climbed out.
    “Virginia’s loaded with relics like this,” Stephanie said.
    “Such a large place,”