ten-billion-dollar fortune in real estate. He treats the United States as one big shopping center. Fu comes here to buy hotels, restaurants, speedboats, racehorses, and American muscle cars. Apparently, there was a rare car that suddenly came up for auction yesterday, and he had to have it.”
“How much longer is Fu staying in D.C.?”
“He’s leaving tomorrow morning, as soon as his car is delivered.”
“Where is the rooster now?” Kate asked.
“In a safe in the cargo hold of Fu’s private five-hundred-million-dollar Airbus A380, which is parked on the tarmac at Dulles. It’s imperative that you make the switch before he leaves for Shanghai.”
Kate looked incredulously at Bolton. “How are we supposed to do that?”
“I’ve compiled detailed dossiers for you on Fu, his plane, his activities since he arrived in D.C., and the security measures at Dulles.” Bolton slid the Walmart bag over to Kate’s side of the table with his foot. “At this point, I think it would be prudent to remind you that if you are caught, you are entirely on your own. This meeting never took place, and I will denounce you as a rogue agent.”
Kate wiped her hands with her napkin. “What happens when Nick looks at this and says there’s no way we can pull it off?”
Bolton stood up. “That won’t happen.”
“The rooster is in a safe in the cargo hold of an airplane that’s behind the fence of the most heavily guarded airport in the United States. It’s eight thirty-five P.M. and Fu is leaving tomorrow morning. It can’t be done.”
“That’s why Nick Fox won’t be able to resist it,” Bolton said, and walked away.
She knew he was right.
Carter Grove sat on a stool in his casino, patiently feeding nickels into a vintage slot machine and pulling the lever. The mindless repetitive action was relaxing and helped him think through thorny problems, like plotting the military overthrow of a government or the kidnapping of a suspected terrorist from an enemy country. Tonight he was just enjoying the routine after the hectic day of filming in his house.
Rocco Randisi, an ex–army commando who was now a BlackRhino operative, joined Carter. Randisi had spent the previous day keeping an eye on the television producers and was now beginning his normal night shift heading household security.
“I hear you had some excitement today,” Rocco said.
“You’ll be able to watch most of it on TV soon. But if you want to see the outtakes, like the idiot who landed on the roof, you’re welcome to scan through the security camera footage.”
“I’d like to do that, sir, but it’s not there. That’s why I came to see you. I thought maybe you’d offloaded the video for some reason.”
“Why would I do that? It’s got to be on the hard drive somewhere.”
“I looked. The whole day has been wiped from the archive.”
Carter stopped feeding nickels into the machine and stared at Rocco. “Why wasn’t I told of this sooner?”
“It wasn’t noticed. There was no reason for it to be reviewed.”
“Are there any other anomalies?”
“No. We’re just missing a chunk of time systemwide.”
“I want you to comb the house for bugs and explosives.”
Rocco left, and Carter calmly and deliberately walked to the theater. He twisted the sconce that opened the hidden door to his secret collection, stepped into the room, and took inventory. All the major pieces were still there. It took him a few moments to realize the bronze rooster was missing.
The choice bewildered him. Although the rooster was worth twenty million dollars, it was hardly among the most valuable, beloved, or legendary pieces in the room. In fact, there were very few people who knew the real rooster wasn’t still on display in the Smithsonian. So why take the rooster and nothing else? Why take it at all?
Carter left the gallery, closed the secret door, and returned to the casino, settling in front of a slot machine.
Deposit the coin. Pull the arm. Let
“How much longer is Fu staying in D.C.?”
“He’s leaving tomorrow morning, as soon as his car is delivered.”
“Where is the rooster now?” Kate asked.
“In a safe in the cargo hold of Fu’s private five-hundred-million-dollar Airbus A380, which is parked on the tarmac at Dulles. It’s imperative that you make the switch before he leaves for Shanghai.”
Kate looked incredulously at Bolton. “How are we supposed to do that?”
“I’ve compiled detailed dossiers for you on Fu, his plane, his activities since he arrived in D.C., and the security measures at Dulles.” Bolton slid the Walmart bag over to Kate’s side of the table with his foot. “At this point, I think it would be prudent to remind you that if you are caught, you are entirely on your own. This meeting never took place, and I will denounce you as a rogue agent.”
Kate wiped her hands with her napkin. “What happens when Nick looks at this and says there’s no way we can pull it off?”
Bolton stood up. “That won’t happen.”
“The rooster is in a safe in the cargo hold of an airplane that’s behind the fence of the most heavily guarded airport in the United States. It’s eight thirty-five P.M. and Fu is leaving tomorrow morning. It can’t be done.”
“That’s why Nick Fox won’t be able to resist it,” Bolton said, and walked away.
She knew he was right.
Carter Grove sat on a stool in his casino, patiently feeding nickels into a vintage slot machine and pulling the lever. The mindless repetitive action was relaxing and helped him think through thorny problems, like plotting the military overthrow of a government or the kidnapping of a suspected terrorist from an enemy country. Tonight he was just enjoying the routine after the hectic day of filming in his house.
Rocco Randisi, an ex–army commando who was now a BlackRhino operative, joined Carter. Randisi had spent the previous day keeping an eye on the television producers and was now beginning his normal night shift heading household security.
“I hear you had some excitement today,” Rocco said.
“You’ll be able to watch most of it on TV soon. But if you want to see the outtakes, like the idiot who landed on the roof, you’re welcome to scan through the security camera footage.”
“I’d like to do that, sir, but it’s not there. That’s why I came to see you. I thought maybe you’d offloaded the video for some reason.”
“Why would I do that? It’s got to be on the hard drive somewhere.”
“I looked. The whole day has been wiped from the archive.”
Carter stopped feeding nickels into the machine and stared at Rocco. “Why wasn’t I told of this sooner?”
“It wasn’t noticed. There was no reason for it to be reviewed.”
“Are there any other anomalies?”
“No. We’re just missing a chunk of time systemwide.”
“I want you to comb the house for bugs and explosives.”
Rocco left, and Carter calmly and deliberately walked to the theater. He twisted the sconce that opened the hidden door to his secret collection, stepped into the room, and took inventory. All the major pieces were still there. It took him a few moments to realize the bronze rooster was missing.
The choice bewildered him. Although the rooster was worth twenty million dollars, it was hardly among the most valuable, beloved, or legendary pieces in the room. In fact, there were very few people who knew the real rooster wasn’t still on display in the Smithsonian. So why take the rooster and nothing else? Why take it at all?
Carter left the gallery, closed the secret door, and returned to the casino, settling in front of a slot machine.
Deposit the coin. Pull the arm. Let
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