Page 265 of Roberto

I smiled grimly as I dropped the putty in the suitcase, zipped it up, and pocketed the detonator. “Don’t worry. Just get me inside the building – I’ll handle the rest. By the way, I need your phone.”

She handed it over, and I called Niccolo.

When he first came to work for my family, Lars had set up a protocol for contacting each other from unknown numbers.

I was supposed to text Niccolo a code first, but since it was about 3 AM his time, I didn’t think he would care.

It took six rings, but my twin finally answered.

He didn’t say anything, though.

That was part of Lars’s protocol.

I said in Italian, “It’s me, and I’m outstanding.”

‘Outstanding’ was code to let him know I wasn’t phoning under duress from an enemy.

“Thank God,”Niccolo said, and I could hear the relief in his voice.“I’ve been trying to call you, but you don’t pick up – what the fuck is going on over there?!”

“Lau took my phone. I need you to wipe it with that remote software program we installed.”

“Was I right? Were they working with Fausto?”

Rather than the usual self-satisfaction I might have expected, all I could hear in my brother’s voice was fear.

“You were right. But I have a shot to turn it around.”

“What are you going to – ”

“I don’t have much time and I need you to write something down. Have you got a piece of paper?”

Niccolo grabbed one and told me to go ahead.

I recited a long string of letters and numbers – one of my many Bitcoin accounts – and a 15-word recovery password, along with instructions on how to use them.

“Why are you telling me all this?”

“If negotiations go well, you’ll need it to access any money I recover.”

“Why can’t YOU access it yourself?”

“In case negotiations don’t go wellenough.”

“…are you fucking with me right now?”

“No.”

“Are you saying you could DIE?!”

“It’s a distinct possibility.”

“ROBERTO – ”

“There’s no time. How’s Massimo?”

“He came out of surgery okay, the doctors think he’ll live – Roberto, what the FUCK is going on?!”

Mei-ling pointed ahead of us, and I looked up.

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