Page 104 of The Game

Fabian takes me through his conversations with Adam, how he came across Konstantin Lebedev and how he became increasingly suspicious of what he was doing. He also tells me he found links to people he’d come across before in Russia, and about an ex of Anna’s called Pietr Petrov. “Anyone who gets to a position of power in Russia … they’re as shady as fuck. I managed to hack into Lebedev’s systems a couple of days ago. I started a virus running before I even stepped out of the house.”

“Christ, didn’t you think that would put Anna in even more danger?”

His hand comes down on his thigh in a sharp slap. “She can’t be in any more danger than she’s already in, Janus! Who knows what those psychopaths might do when she’s sitting in front of them? It’s my bargaining chip to get her safely out of there … These assholes … they think they can achieve anything by being thugs like this?” He shakes his head. “They are going to burn.”

He’s a maniac, Fabian, but one I’d always want on my side.

When we arrive at the hospital, there’s no sign of Kate or Adam. The woman behind the desk says she’ll get word to Kate as soon as she can, but Fabian messages her and she appears almost immediately and nods at the nurse, beckoning us through.

“How is he?”

“He’s in a coma,” she says.

When I make a horrified face, she shakes her head. “He hasn’t deteriorated since we brought him in.” She glances between Fabian and me. “Has he got any health issues that you’re aware of?”

“No. He’s pretty fit I’d say. What’s wrong with him?”

“We don’t know. There was nothing obvious on his CT scan. His heart rate is down, and his blood pressure is low. We’ve got him on a saline drip, and his blood sugar is very low so we’re giving him dextrose. Given the Russian connection, our poisoning specialist is on his way in. We’ve taken bloods and urine, and we’re doing a tox and infection screen. I’ve been on the phone with the specialist ever since we got here.”

“Oh fuck,” Fabian says, pacing across the floor. “The Russians have a bad history with polonium.”

Kate shakes her head. “There’s no trace of radioactivity. We’ve just got to be optimistic right now. We don’t know precisely what it is as yet, but we’ve probably ruled a few things out given how he’s presented. The profound hypoglycemia is very odd,” she mutters.

“Does your specialist know anything about Russian poisons?”

“Quite a bit. He treated two polonium cases.”

“Holy shit.”

“It’s going to be a while before we nail it down. Toxic substances are wide-ranging and varied, some take a long time to act, and it can depend on the dose.” She pats Fabian’s arm. “He’s in the best place he can be.”

38

ANNA

Konstantin’s face is red when he comes off the phone. “You and your little fuckboys. Who are you to threaten me?” he hisses, leaning toward me over plates of food.

Jesus, what did Fabian say to him?

Pietr frowns. “What’s going on?”

A man appears at Konstantin’s elbow and bends down to whisper something in his ear.

“Yes, yes I know!” he shouts, waving him away. Then the phone at his elbow rings, and Konstantin’s face gets redder.

He picks it up, and all I can hear is excitable squawking on the other end.

“I fucking know! What I need from you is how he got into our systems.” He hangs up.

He’s in some system of Konstantin’s?Holy shit. Am I elated or terrified? Will Konstantin try and exact revenge? With me, or …

Konstantin blows out a long breath, fingers drumming on the table. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him rattled before. A waiter appears by our alcove with a coffee pot and is waved away by one of Konstantin’s henchmen. It’s like we’re insulated in our own little bubble. I can see people at other tables, but we’re tootucked away to even attract their attention.You’re trapped, Anna.

“Who is this man?” Konstantin barks.

“Who?”

“This man on your phone.” He jerks his chin up.

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