The Ajax Protocol-7 by Alex Lukeman Page A

for them to do much else. They don't know what we plan. By the time they figure it out, it will be too late. They won't be able to stop it."
    "Still..."
    "I'll talk with Edmonds and convince him the Project is interfering with a classified military operation. I should've done it before. He'll be so happy a four-star general is taking him seriously that he'll jump on the chance to do something he thinks is presidential."
    "He could be useful. You think we should leave him in office afterward? He's familiar to the public. It might lend an air of legitimacy to the new government."
    "I haven't decided that yet. Let's see if he'll cooperate."

 
    CHAPTER 24
     
     
    In Virginia, Stephanie waited until Elizabeth finished talking with Nick.
    "Well?" Stephanie said.
    "They're on the way back. Ronnie has cracked ribs and a bruised ego but everybody else is all right. They're bringing a hard drive and a logbook for you to look at. They didn't find anything of consequence on the bodies. Nothing to tell us where they came from. Whoever sent them won't be using that site anymore."
    "How did they gain access to a secret defense facility?" Stephanie asked.
    "I don't know. They had to know where it was and how to get into it. Not many people would have that information."
    "That should make it a little easier to narrow down," Stephanie said. "The hard drive Nick found could help."
    "If you can read it, it might."
    Harker picked up her pen and began tapping on her desktop.
    "We've reached the limit of what we can do on our own," she said. "This is getting complicated and there are too many implications for national security. It's been compromised. We can't risk making a mistake. I'm going to bring in Langley. We can't trust the White House to help while Edmonds is running things but we can trust Hood."
    "Lucas likes him. He's a pretty good judge of character."
    Lucas Monroe and Stephanie had been lovers for the better part of a year. He was on the fast track to become Director of National Clandestine Services. If he made it, he'd be the first black man to ever hold down one of the four top directorates at Langley.
    "See? That's a powerful endorsement, coming from him. How are you two getting along?"
    Stephanie twisted the bracelets on her wrist and took a deep breath. "We're going to move in together."
    "Steph, that's wonderful."
    "We thought we'd try it out." The words came out in a hurry. "Living together. If it works, we'll make it permanent."
    "You're the first person I've told," Stephanie said.
    "That's wonderful," Elizabeth said again. "Are you keeping your apartment?"
    "No, it's too small. So is his. We've begun looking for a place with more room."
    Harker set her pen back down. "It's good to talk about something normal for a change."
    "Isn't that why we do this?" Stephanie said.
    "What do you mean?"
    Stephanie gestured around the room, at the monitor on the wall, the files on Harker's desk. "So we can have normal lives. Our job is all about stopping people who think normal means doing whatever they want. People who start wars because they're rich, sociopathic assholes who want to get richer, or religious lunatics who think God is on their side."
    "I never thought of it quite like that," Elizabeth said, "but that sounds about right."
     
     
    "What are you going to tell Hood?" Stephanie asked.
    "Everything. That we're on the track of something that relates to Novosibirsk and that I'm waiting for more information. I want you to look at that hard drive Nick recovered before I talk with him. The more I know, the better."
     

 
     
    CHAPTER 25
     
     
    Stephanie was waiting for them when they got back to Washington. Nick handed over the salvaged hard drive and logbook.
    "Meeting tomorrow with Elizabeth at 0900," she said. "Ronnie, you come with me and we'll get those ribs checked out."
    Nick turned to Selena. "Do you want to stay at my place tonight?"
    "It's better if I go home. All I want is a hot bath and a good night's sleep."
    He