Page 10 of Undercover Infidel
“Good morning,” Gus said, standing as I entered.
“Dr. Sterling,” Con acknowledged, his gaze lingering longer than strictly necessary. “I trust you slept well?”
“Better than expected,” I admitted. “Though not everyone starts their day before zero five hundred hours.”
His mouth curved slightly at one corner. “Time waits for no one, especially when chasing Russian scientists who should be dead.”
“Any progress with that?” I moved to stand beside them, glancing at the financial data scrolling across one of the multiple monitors.
“Gus has been tracing potential funding sources,” Con explained. “Following the money might lead us to the consortium’s infrastructure.”
“These transactions originate from the same accounts Sullivan linked to Tower-Meridian,” Gus added, pulling up a digital chart. “But instead of funneling money through their humanitarian aid fronts, they’ve created new shells specifically focused on research facilities. The financial architecture is identical—they’re using the same distribution methods Sullivan uncovered, just with different endpoint accounts.”
I was impressed by his competency. The analytical framework Gus used was a painful reminder of Dr. McLaren’s methodologies. My mentor would have appreciated his thoroughness. A momentary flash of doubt crossed my mind—what would Evelyn do with this data?—before I pushed it aside. I was on my own now, and I’d navigate this investigation my way. “You’re looking for microtransactions that aggregate over time rather than large, suspicious transfers. Smart.”
“Exactly.” Gus’s eyes flashed. “Tower-Meridian’s fall—via Chimera’s death—left numerous financial channels vulnerable. Someone’s been exploiting them systematically.”
I watched as the two men exchanged theories, finishing each other’s sentences and communicating with minimal words.
“Incoming call,” Con announced as an alert flashed across the main screen. “It’s Ash.”
The display shifted to reveal a striking blond man with piercing green eyes alongside a dark-haired woman I recognized as Sullivan Rivers, the investigative journalist whose work had helped expose Tower-Meridian. The scene behind them revealed they were in an ornate study, all dark wood and leather-bound books—the quintessential Scottish estate library.
“Morning.” David Evans—code name Savior, though everyone seemed to call him Ash—greeted us. His voice was measured and direct. “Thanks for reaching out, Con.”
“Appreciate you getting back to me so quickly,” he replied, shifting slightly closer to the screen before turning to Gus and me. “I sent a message, asking if Ash and Sullivan could meet with us this morning. I thought a firsthand account would be more valuable than my summarizing.”
“Dr. Sterling,” Sullivan said with a slight wave. “Good to see you again.”
The diamond on her left hand caught the light as she adjusted her position. “Likewise. I understand congratulations are in order regarding your engagement.”
She smiled. “Thank you. I’m still getting used to the idea myself.” The way she glanced at Ash spoke volumes about their connection.
Con cleared his throat, drawing my attention back. The subtle tension in his jaw suggested he was uncomfortable with personal topics. “I was hoping you could verbally brief Lex about the tunnels beneath Ashcroft Castle.”
Ash leaned closer to the screen. “Of course. Though I wasn’t aware of them until Con discovered them while updating the security infrastructure of Thistle Gate, the cottage closest to the shore of Loch Fyne.” He paused briefly. “At the time, I didn’t believe the tunnels were viable anymore.” He glanced at Sullivan. “Sully, perhaps you should tell Dr. Sterling what you found.”
She leaned closer to the camera. “Right. Based on records found in the former monastery’s library, there are tunnel systems that connect all threeestates—Glenshadow, Blackmoor, and Ashcroft. They likely date back to the Jacobite rebellion.” Her fingers absently traced the edge of an antique desk blotter.
“I’m still not convinced they exist in the suggested entirety,” Con added, his shoulder brushing against mine as he adjusted his position. The brief contact sent my pulse racing. “And if they do, like Ash mentioned, their viability is questionable.”
“We discovered the Ashcroft ones were—” Gus began, but stopped when Con shifted in his chair and their eyes met. Interesting.
The dance of half-truths was familiar territory in our line of work, but something about this particular evasion bothered me. Omissions from people who were supposed to be allies in what could be the most significant threat to humankind we’d faced in years didn’t sit well. We didn’t have time for territorial games.
“What exactly are you trying to hide?” I asked directly, looking between the faces on the screen and then to Con beside me. My tone carried the edge of someone who’d navigated enough bureaucratic mazes to recognize deflection when I heard it.
Ash cleared his throat and seemed about to speak, his expression shifting to one of reluctant admission, when Con intervened.
“What we’re not saying,” Con admitted, running a hand through his dark hair in a rare display of discomfort, “is that Fallon was the one who found the monastery records at Glenshadow, then shared them with Sullivan.” His voice tensed slightly at the mention of her name. “And the way we know the tunnels beneath Ashcroft are viable is because that’s where Fallon took Sullivan after abducting her from the library in Ashcroft Castle. We haven’t explored them enough to know the state they’re in beyond that section.”
I considered Con’s words silently, mentally mapping the new information against what I already knew. The MI6 briefing on Tower-Meridian had mentioned Sullivan’s abduction and Fallon’s death, but it didn’t contain additional details about the monastery records or the underground network’s extent. The idea that three aristocratic estates were connected by hidden tunnels dating back centuries was both fascinating and alarming.
“How long ago were these discoveries made?” I asked.
“Approximately ten days ago,” Ash replied, his gaze steady but guarded. I suspected there were still elements of the story being withheld.
As the call was drawing to a close, an elderly man wandered into frame behind Ash and Sullivan.
