Page 4 of The Knight

It’s a mask.

The realization hit her as a rush of clean air filled her lungs. Firm hands grabbed her and yanked her to her feet.

“Breathe slowly.” A calm voice spoke close to her ear. “You’re safe now.”

Safe? The word was meaningless. The world was a blurry, disjointed mess, but she knew one thing: she would protect her laptop with her life.

Light shifted, and she blinked as someone guided her past black shapes—men—writhing on the ground, coughing. Tall figures in the dark green of Hellisheidi’s security team stood above them, their faces obscured by gas masks.

Relief swept through her in a knee-melting wave.

“This way.” The grip on her arm strengthened, and she was hustled up the corridor. When she came to a stop, the tang of antiseptic told her she was in Hellisheidi’s small medical room.

“The table is here.” Someone lifted her onto a cold examination table.

The light was brighter now, sending spikes of pain through her abused eyes. Too bright. She squinted, trying to make out shapes in the blinding glare.

“I need to treat your eyes, Freya.” The voice of the base’s medic, Roger Britland was calm. “I need you to let go of the briefcase?”

“No.” She shook her head vehemently, immediately regretting the motion as nausea surged. She held the case against her chest like a shield. “This is what they came for.”

A soft tut from Roger. “Alright. Let’s work around it then.”

He laid a soft towel across her lap, covering the briefcase. Cool water cascaded over her eyes, bringing blessed relief and as the burning sensation subsided, the reality of what had just happened sank in.

“Who were they? How did they get in?” Freya took a painful swallow. Tiny knives patterned down her throat.Shit.

Roger paused, and cool liquid ran down her cheek. He dabbed gently with what felt like a cotton ball. “You don’t needto worry about that right now.” His voice was carefully neutral. “Security is investigating.”

Investigating? How on earth had anyone broken into Hellisheidi in the first place? Security had been ramped up for the archiving process. She had approved the arrangements herself, ensured they were watertight.

Her fingers hardened on the laptop. It was safe.For now.

3

Abe Knight pulledat the collar of his dress shirt. The stiff fabric hadno give.Even with the breeze coming off the water in Reykjavik’s old harbor, he was sure he’d run out of oxygen soon.

Reykjavik’s Harpa Concert Hall rose before him like a gleaming giant. Clad with geometric glass panels, the light split into blue, green and warm amber as the last rays of sun hit the building.

Abe adjusted the comms button in his ear. “Fox. This is Abe. Entering the concert hall.”

“Copy that. I’m above you on the mezzanine.”

As Abe stepped through the entrance, the outside world fell away. The vast atrium stretched up and out, a stunning cathedral of light and space. Several of the halls’ lecture rooms were being used for the conference, but right now the huge foyer buzzed with a throng of networking scientists dressed in elegant evening dresses and crisp black and white tuxes, milling between slick stalls set up to promote Iceland’s geothermal program.

Thom Fox was above him on the upper level. His team mate from Guardsmen Security, looked picture perfect and not at alllike he was being throttled by his tux.Hardly surprising.As well as being a former special forces medic, Fox possessed a Dukedom in England.Dude was probably born in one.

Fox turned his back on Abe and melted into the mezzanine crowd.

With a last tug at his neck, Abe headed into the ground floor hubbub, easing between people, his senses on high alert. Investors and scientists had flown here from all over the world, to be wooed for two days to invest in the growing geothermal program and Guardsmen Security had secured the contract to provide on-site protection.

His earpiece buzzed. “How’s the penguin suit?” Fox asked.

“Cutting off circulation to my brain.” Abe scratched his ear. “Remind me again why we’re playing dress-up at a geek convention?”

“Because cybercrime doesn’t sleep, and neither do we.” Fox’s sigh crackled over the comms. “At least it finishes tonight.”

“You just want to get back home to Abbie,” Abe murmured.

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