Page 1 of Lethal Game

CHAPTER ONE

"This can't be about revenge, Jason," Flynn MacKenzie said as they met in the conference room before the briefing.

"It's about justice," Special Agent Jason Colter returned, meeting Flynn's gaze with an unapologetic look.

"Is it? Arseni Novikov killed your father."

"Along with thousands of other people."

"And he injured your partner."

"I don't need a recap," he said shortly. "What I need is a team to help me take Novikov down."

While he was officially assigned as a special agent to the LA Field Office of the FBI, because of security breaches the last time this particular Russian terrorist was on US soil, the director had moved the case to the elite task force run by Flynn, with Jason on temporary assignment.

He'd worked with Flynn several years earlier when he'd first joined the bureau. Flynn had been good then, and he was even better now with a top-notch team of experienced agents. He would need every one of them to catch one of the FBI's most wanted men. And despite Flynn's misgivings, he had no intention of sitting this one out.

He had been the one to receive the tip that Novikov wasback on U.S. soil. He was the one who knew more about Novikov than anyone. The only person who might have known more had been his father, who had spent thirty plus years chasing the terrorist—until he lost his life three years ago in an operation that was compromised by an internal leak. That leak was the reason this investigation now rested with Flynn's team.

"I just need to know where your head's at," Flynn pressed. "Emotion clouds judgement."

"I'm not known for my emotion," he said dryly. "Ask any woman I've dated in the last six years. My head is good. Now, can we get down to business? We don't have a minute to lose."

"My analysts have already been working since six a.m. I've briefed some of my senior-level agents. I'm going to bring them in now."

While Flynn called in members of his team, Jason turned on the monitor behind him and then clicked into his computer, bringing up several images, including one of Arseni Novikov's face. The silver-haired man with cold gray eyes and a mocking smile haunted his nightmares. Novikov was a man who believed himself to be invincible, and unfortunately, that had proved to be true. But that was going to change. Novikov was in LA, and he wasn't leaving this time—not alive, anyway.

Jason squared his shoulders as Flynn's team entered the conference room. Besides Flynn, he had also worked with Beck Murray, who was dark and unreadable, the perfect contrast to Flynn's blond and sunny look. The other two, a stunningly pretty blonde, who introduced herself as Savannah Kane, and a dark-haired, dark-eyed man named Nick Caruso, he didn't know.

After introductions, they sat down around the table, giving him their attention.

"As I'm sure you know by now," he said. "Arseni Novikov, who currently sits at number one on the FBI's most wanted list, arrived at LAX last night. The two pilots of the private plane who flew the nonstop flight from Warsaw to LAX were found dead in the cockpit. The plane's owner claims the planewas coming to LA to pick him up. There were no other passengers."

"Did anyone get off the plane alive?" Beck asked.

"There was no sign of anyone else in the security footage. Novikov vanished into the terminal. We’re still piecing together where he went." Jason waved toward the monitor, which displayed an image of Novikov from three years ago, the last time he was in LA. "As a quick refresher: Born in Leningrad—now St. Petersburg—Novikov followed his father into the KGB. After the Soviet Union collapsed, he moved into the Bratva, the Russian Mafia. He later formed his own criminal enterprise, dabbling in mercenary and terrorist activities. He’s known for aligning himself with extremist groups to destabilize governments, amass money, and gain power." Jason paused, ensuring their attention before continuing. "We need to find him fast. The only reason Novikov would risk coming back to US soil is for something big—something catastrophic."

"Have you identified potential targets?" Beck asked.

"The LA Book Festival on Saturday in Westwood. The global tech conference starts Monday in downtown LA, and the World Series is at Dodger Stadium on Monday as well. Those are all target-rich environments, but Novikov likes to be unpredictable."

"We'll be working with Homeland Security and local and state agencies to make the city as secure as possible," Flynn added. "But as Jason said, the sooner we find this guy, the better."

"Sounds like we have a lot of ground to cover," Nick commented.

"We do," he agreed. "We've been tracking previously known contacts. Last week, there was a message exchange between one of Novikov's top-level associates, Dominic Ilyin, and Novikov's former girlfriend, Tatiana Guseva, who runs a dance studio here in LA. Ilyin expressed concern about a rumor he'd heard that Tatiana had cancer. She confirmed the diagnosis and was afraidshe wouldn't survive. Ilyin asked her if there was anything she needed, and she replied that hearing from an old friend was the best medicine. She could have been referring to Ilyin or suggesting Novikov should get in touch with her. It's a reach, but we'll need to get eyes on her."

"Would Novikov risk entering the US for an old girlfriend?" Savannah asked doubtfully.

He met her gaze. "I doubt she's the reason he came here, but he still might contact her. They haven't been together in at least ten years, but they grew up in the same town. They have a lot of shared history. We interrogated her after the courthouse explosion. She insisted she hadn't seen Novikov in years, and we couldn't find anything to negate her statement, but she's still someone to watch."

"Jason has provided us with a long list of Novikov's other contacts," Flynn added. "You'll find that information in the case file."

As Flynn gave further directions to the team about breaking down the workload, Jason glanced toward the glass door and saw a familiar figure standing outside. He wasn't surprised. Whenever Novikov showed up, Mick Hadley wasn't far behind.

Mick was of medium height, with a fit, muscular body, and a sharp, angular face. He was in his late fifties and had worked at the CIA for over thirty years. Mick and his father had spent many years trying to bring Novikov to justice. Since Mick was the one who had sent him the footage of Novikov getting off the plane, he was clearly still determined to take Novikov down.

When Flynn finished speaking, the team got up and headed out to the operations center to work while he and Flynn stayed behind to hear what Hadley had to say.

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