The Hunters by Chris Kuzneski Page B

let’s say you’re Russia. You’ve got Germany in your face and France, Britain, and America breathing down your neck. What would you do with - let’s round it off to a nice, round number - a hundred tons of gold?’
    He watched the group ponder the question.
    Even Garcia was still. His fingers had nothing to check.
    ‘I’ll make it simple,’ Cobb said. ‘Would you keep the gold where it was?’
    ‘No,’ Sarah decided.
    ‘Neither would I. So the question is: where did they move it?’
    Papineau smiled. That was the billion-dollar question.
    ‘Indeed, Mr Cobb,’ Papineau said. ‘That is exactly what I would like you to determine.’ He paused, letting it sink in. ‘I want you to find it, secure it, and transport it to a safe location of my choosing. The gold and any other valuables you find along the way.’
    ‘Ohhhhh,’ McNutt drawled. ‘Is
that
all?’
    Sarah leaned forward in her seat. ‘And what if we fail?’
    ‘If you fail, I’ll pay you for your time, but you won’t get the five-million-dollar bonus,’ Papineau said flatly. ‘Your bonus comes from the treasure, not my pockets.’
    Sarah nodded her acceptance. That seemed fair to her.
    Intrigued by the mission, Cobb turned to face the group. ‘All right, everyone, listen to me. If I’m going to lead this team, here is what I require. First, what I say goes. I’ll accept short discussions on anything and everything except in times of danger. Agreed?’
    He looked to each team member for an answer. McNutt and Jasmine nodded. Sarah didn’t object. Garcia shrugged in submission. Cobb turned to the Frenchman. ‘You’re responsible for all of our expenses. You’ll pay for everything we need.’
    ‘That is a given,’ Papineau said.
    ‘I don’t think you understand,’ Cobb replied. ‘Your bank account is now
my
bank account. You’re going to trust me not to take anything more than we require. If I say we need something, we need something. You can ask me why, and if I have time, I’ll tell you. But if you decide against it, even once, I’m out.’ He let that sink in for a second. ‘Are we in agreement?’
    Papineau nodded.
    ‘Okay, Sarah,’ Cobb said, ‘let’s start with you. Jean-Marc, will you bring up the map of the area?’ With a click of the remote control, the wall became a modern map of Eastern Europe. ‘I want you to study the transportation routes and modes throughout the areas we’ve discussed - then blow it out, mile by mile, until you find a viable location for the cache.’
    ‘Sure, but do you have any suggestion on where I should start?’
    ‘I do,’ Cobb said, ‘but I want you to tell me what you think. That will vet my own findings. If we reach different conclusions, we’ll have to talk. Just put yourself in the position of a Russian politician when the tsar was the rock and Lenin was the hard place. Where would you put a hundred tons of gold?’
    ‘Damn good question,’ she said.
    ‘A gold filling for every Russian peasant!’ McNutt suggested. ‘Then have them spit ‘em out after the war.’
    ‘That’s just stupid,’ Garcia said.
    ‘Welcome to me,’ McNutt replied.
    ‘Where can she work?’ Cobb asked Papineau, ignoring the exchange.
    ‘Right here, if she likes,’ he said. ‘Mr Garcia can set her up with a laptop.’
    ‘Fine,’ Cobb said. He turned to McNutt. ‘While Sarah does that, and assuming you’re through joking—’
    ‘For the moment,’ McNutt said.
    ‘—make a list of the transport and armory requirements you think we’ll need once we’re on the ground in that region. We should be okay in the cities. It’s the rocky or watery countryside that we need to worry about.’
    ‘Artillery? Heavy as well as light?’
    ‘Whatever you think, as long as you remember that we’ll need to transport it once we’re there. Give me a wish list.’
    ‘I’ll do that on the terrace,’ McNutt said. ‘I think better in the open.’
    ‘That’s good to know,’ Cobb remarked.
    McNutt