Page 107 of The Pakhan

“No can do, boss. There’s been a development,” he said, obviously anxious.

“Meaning?”

“The jump drive was partially saved.”

As I returned to my office, my men stared at me. No, I couldn’t remember if they’d ever seen me in a bathing suit or having a towel wrapped around my waist. Well, it was past time for things to change.

“It would seem I have a full house,” I said as I glanced from Aleksander to Nikolay, Sergei and Maxim to Joe Myers. I’d hired the kid directly out of MIT. I’d followed him during his time in school, bailing him out when he’d been caught hacking the mainframe at the FBI headquarters in DC. And I’d made him an offer he hadn’t been able to refuse.

Of course, the kid was smart enough to realize the five hundred grand plus benefits I was paying him wasn’t just chump change. Now he ran a team of six, three men and two of the most intelligent women I’d ever come in contact with.

Not only did they keep my extensive computer and security and communications systems secure, they’d also developed several applications I used in everyday business as well. I was reminded just how young he was by the Pink Floyd tee shirt and jeans he was wearing. What did I care what he wore? As long as they ensured my world was kept private and without interference.

“Joe. You managed to glean some information?” I asked as I headed to the bar. This news was a good enough reason to have my kind of a drink. Even though the margaritas had looked tasty. I’d left the girls by the pool, although I’d seen the look in Caroline’s eyes. She wanted this nightmare done with as much as I did.

“Yes, sir. I’m sorry that it took me so long. I mean I had the entire team working on it as well as seeing if Blackbird, I mean Joshua had said anything on the dark web, but it took longer than expected. So I…”

“Relax, Joe. I’m not angry. Eager? Yes. Just tell what you got.”

He was cradling his laptop as if I’d steal it from him. “Can I show you, sir?”

“Of course you can. Make yourself at home.” I indicated he could use my desk, using the time as he set up to head toward Aleksander, teasing him. “So I heard you had that job interview. Trying to leave the fold?” Neither one of us could figure out why the governor would be stupid enough to think my best friend would be disloyal to me.

“Well, you and I might need to renegotiate.” He laughed then his face clouded. “I don’t know what these assholes are doing. Yep, they interviewed me like it was any other typical position but it’s not working for the big firm I thought it was.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning. It would appear a new corporation of some kind has formed and no, they wouldn’t provide any details. But they mentioned there would be traveling to ensure offshore projects weren’t tampered with.”

“This is about real estate?” I was slightly confused.

“Yes, but I think there’s more. They were very cautious and I was careful in the questions I asked. But at the end, one of them walked me out and as we shook hands, he said something that in my mind was a clear threat. He said I should leave a sinking ship before it was too late. I don’t like it at all.”

Well, well. It would seem the stakes were getting higher. And the dangerous situation was coming to a head.

“Here we go, sir,” Joe said from behind me.

Aleks, Nik, and I crowded around my desk, the other two men standing guard. Everyone was still reeling from Francois’ betrayal, but I had a feeling it was just the tip of the iceberg.

“I can tell you that Joshua was running scared at the end,” he said, the kid still excited.

“How do you know that?” Nikolay asked.

“He was asking for help to get out of a messy situation,” Joe answered.

“Had he said anything before?” I asked.

“Yep. Whoever hired him must have thrown huge dollars in his direction, or at least the promise of it. I captured a couple screen shots. See here? He was bragging he’d come into the promised land and soon, he’d be basking on a tropical island somewhere.”

“So, Joshua was hired to figure out a way to infiltrate all four mafia organizations, then he hired help to disguise a trail leading to himself.”

“You got it, sir. And if I had to guess, I’d say this Joshua was setting the girl up for a fall.”

“As in using her as a scapegoat?”

He nodded. “Now, I don’t think he counted on the fact someone found her trail and decided to take her out.”

Aleksander snorted. “If it wasn’t the Italians, then who?”

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