Chapter 4

The ceramic coffee mug slipped from Andres's hand. It hit the marble floor of the Manhattan lab. It shattered into dozens of white shards.

Scalding coffee splashed onto his custom wool trousers. The heat burned his skin. He didn't flinch.

He gripped his phone. His knuckles turned stark white. The plastic casing creaked under his grip.

"Evalyn!" he yelled into the receiver.

Silence.

The lab door swung open. His assistant, Corinne, rushed in.

Andres ignored her. He lunged across the room to his computer terminal. His fingers hammered the keyboard. He typed in a Level 9 clearance password.

The screen flashed black, then green. A military-grade satellite tracking map appeared. He routed the incoming call signal.

A red dot blinked on the map. It locked onto a remote town in Pennsylvania.

He grabbed his suit jacket from the chair. He walked toward the door. He pulled a second phone from his pocket. He pressed the single red button. The family emergency line. The activation of that specific encrypted frequency sent a silent shockwave through a hidden global network.

On Wall Street, Barron sat at the head of a massive mahogany table. The CEO of a rival firm was speaking.

Barron's custom Patek Philippe watch vibrated. The face flashed a solid, blinding red.

Barron stood up. His thighs hit the heavy leather chair. It tipped backward and crashed onto the floor. He walked out of the room without a word.

At Harvard University, Elwin stood in front of a chalkboard. He was writing a complex economic equation.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out. He saw the red alert. He dropped the chalk. It shattered on the floor. He sprinted up the aisle and out the double doors.

In North Carolina, Colonel Johnie stood at the firing range. The smell of gunpowder hung in the air.

His adjutant ran up to him. He handed Johnie a flashing black comms device. Johnie looked at the screen. He handed his rifle to the adjutant. He turned and jogged toward the helipad.

In Hollywood, Finley stood on a dirt set. Cameras rolled. A massive explosion went off behind him.

His phone vibrated against his chest. He pulled it out. He read the screen. He ignored the director screaming. He sprinted past the cameras and the bewildered crew toward the edge of the lot, where his personal Ducati motorcycle was parked. He threw his leg over the leather seat. He twisted the throttle, the engine roaring to life, and sped off the lot into the California traffic.

Less than an hour later, on a private helipad overlooking the Hudson River, three black helicopters idled. The rotors spun, creating a deafening roar.

Andres stepped out of the elevator. He carried a silver trauma kit. He climbed into the lead chopper.

Barron walked up behind him. Ten men in black tactical gear flanked him. They carried assault rifles.

The downdraft from the blades whipped their clothes. It blew the loose trash off the roof.

The choppers lifted off the pad. They banked sharply to the southwest.

Inside the cabin, Barron's tablet screen showed Elwin, Johnie, and Finley connecting via a secure video link. They were already mobilizing their own private jets and tactical teams from their respective coasts, converging on the same coordinates. His eyes were dead, devoid of emotion.

Barron held a phone to his ear. He spoke to the Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner. The call lasted exactly ten seconds. Barron hung up.

The three helicopters tore through the cloud layer. They flew at maximum speed, cutting a straight line toward the target.