Page 37 of Centurion

“Not one iota. Make that an extra big moving truck.”

“Shit.” Jason sighed. “Okay, get out of there, and we’ll figure something out.”

“You know I don’t get into the operational side of things, but one match and everything here is gone along with the house.” Jason sat back down in the chair. “I can wait for someone to relieve me or for that moving truck.”

Jason chuffed out a laugh. “Let me call in some favors. I’ll call you back in five minutes.”

“Take your time. There’s a lot to read. I won’t get bored.” Justin hung up the phone and lifted his ski mask. “Starting with you.” He reached for the folder on the desk and didn’t shield his penlight. There was no need. With all the blinds closed and boxes stacked to the ceiling in front of the windows, no one would see him. He lifted the first page and stared at the diagram, then the lettering. “Going to need a translator,” he said to himself as he turned the next page. All the same. Schematics for some type of device and in Russian. He closed that folder and grabbed what looked like a journal.

When his phone vibrated, he answered it while still reading. “Go.”

“I’ve coordinated the liberation of the documentation,” Jason drawled.

“I’ve been reading some of the stuff on the desk. Dude, is this guy a doomsday proponent?”

“I believe his thing was that the next world war would be started when hackers are able to deactivate digital banking. Why?”

“I have a book here. It’s in longhand, but what this guy’s talking about is scary shit.”

“Such as?” Jason asked.

“In a nutshell, it starts with communications breakdown, leading to financial chaos, then transportation disruptions, utilities and infrastructure failure, healthcare crisis, social unrest and crime, government response and martial law.” Justin closed the book. “Only this is written as a directive on how to do it.”

“Fuck,” Jason swore. “You mean a blueprint?”

“Yeah. Step by step, what will happen and the predicted social response. I’ve got to say, it looks pretty damn accurate from what I know about my fellow humans. The only thing that isn’t listed is the inciting act. How this all happens.” Justin looked around him. “If this guy is a prepper, he’s extreme, but why would he have a blueprint for destroying the world as we know it? This book is coming out with me along with the microfiche.”

Justin looked at all the paperwork. “Jace, from what I’ve seen in these boxes all the files in this room seem to be schematics, books, manuals, and other things that would be helpful to return to analog and manual processes. Anyone with this type of information would be in a position to survive. Maybe he’s just a prepper, but something about this book … it’s too specific … It lists geographic locations, timelines, anticipated responses … government resources, and government inadequacies. There was a lot of work put into this writing.”

“I’m going to need you to get that to … Con. Con’s in London. He’s at Centurion’s residence.”

Justin chuffed out a laugh. “Ah, you want me to go to an assassin’s house in the middle of the night? No thanks. Maybe they can pick it up from me at my hotel.”

“And that could expose you. Did you forget that nugget?” Jason asked.

“Well, no, but damn it, I don’t want to die either.”

“Then make sure she doesn’t hear you.” Jason laughed.

Justin frowned. “Oh, so this is funny for you?”

“Kind of, yeah. How about I call her and tell her you’ll be breaking in? That way, you don’t get shot, and everyone’s happy.”

“If you’re going to tell her I’m on my way over, I’ll just knock on the door. She knows me and knows what I do for Guardian.”

Jason continued to laugh. “That’s probably the best idea.”

“You think? When will your people be showing up for this stuff?”

“Anytime. Scotland Yard is sending two men over to secure the house until they can get an evidence retrieval team over there. All the documents will be loaded onto a plane and be flown home. I’ll have Jewell put together a team to work through it.”

“You’ll need a translator. There are definitely Russian plans here.”

“Russian?”

“Yeah.” Justin looked at the single folder on the desk. “Everything in the boxes I’ve opened seem to be English, but the folder here has schematics, and that file is definitely Russian. I can read basic words, but, dude, these words are not basic.”

“Grab that file, too. Open the front door for Scotland Yard before you leave, will you?”

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