Page 30 of Maximus

“Affirmative, I know,” Max said. He’d checked the bastard’s location before returning to the office that morning.

“How? How do you know when I only just got that confirmation about five minutes ago?”

“Con, stop being jealous.” Reaper chuckled. “What about the event where we take him out?”

“We’ve rescheduled the showing for two weeks from now. Same location.”

“I copy,” Reaper said. “Same game plan?”

“Minus Merlin, and Elena is to be protected at all costs.” He stared at Elena, who looked up at him. “She cannot be placed in danger.”

“Noted.” That was Malice. “We can exit her before the mission starts. Val, will you be able to do that?”

“And miss the fun? Guys, you’re killing me here.”

“I can do it,” Smith said.

“No, you’re the surprise element. Malice is the sniper, and Reaper is Maximus’ backup. I’m the logical one to get her out.” Val sighed. “I hope someone tries to stop us. I need to dismember someone.”

“Why?” Smith laughed as he asked the question.

“Because someone shot you because of Molchalin.” Val made that growling sound in her throat again.

“I was shot because I was a big target in a very small tunnel.”

“You know what I mean,” Val huffed. “I’ll keep your woman safe, Maximus. You have my word on that.”

“I also have four addresses for you, Con. They all belong to Molchalin.” Maximus couldn’t help smiling. He loved making the guy crazy.

“What? How? Where?” Con sputtered. “How are you getting this information?”

“I’ll send it after the call. All are confirmed by Elena to be owned by Molchalin. She’s worked on the art collections in all four locations.”

“Oh.” Con was silent for a moment. “You had me doubting my talents for a moment.”

Max sighed. “I’m sure you’re good at what you do. I’m just better.” He lowered the phone while pulling out his earpiece. Both slipped into his shirt pocket.

“Why would I be in danger?” She stopped typing and turned to look at him. “You’re just arresting him, right?”

“He has proven he doesn’t want to be arrested, and his people have initiated gunfire on numerous occasions to give him a chance to escape. They’ve killed to remove him from situations where he should have been stopped.” Max opened his computer and sent the addresses to Con along with the provenance that Elena had just sent to his duped email account.

“Could you be injured?” Elena asked, and he lifted his eyes from his computer screen.

“There’s always that possibility, but as I said, I’m not an arresting authority.”

She nodded and turned back to her computer. “How can you call on your cell phone and send emails when your jammer thing is working, and you’re not connected to my internet?”She glanced over at the small box he’d placed on the desk that morning. “You said my desk phone wouldn’t be affected, but I couldn’t use my cell.”

Max shrugged. “Different frequencies. Most cell phones operate on frequencies the government sells to wireless phone companies. The frequencies of my systems are not accessible by the government, Russian or American.”

She stared at him for a moment. “Are you a spy?”

He barked out a laugh. “No, and I don’t drink martinis, stirred or shaken.” He assumed a British accent. “Stryker, Max Stryker.”

She laughed. “When will you tell me your real name?”

“When we have taken care of Molchalin.” He couldn’t compromise her or himself by divulging that information.

“Taken care … you mean arrested, right?” she asked.

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