Page 99 of Code 6

“No FBI on the next call,” he said. “Just you and Jeremy. Or someone is going to get seriously hurt.”

The call ended. Instantly, the screen on Agent Lang’s computer switched to video conference, and a tech agent’s voice came over the speaker.

“Triangulating now,” he said.

Lang’s LCD was a split screen. On the left was a satellite map showing the location of cellphone transmission towers in Colombia. On the right was a stream of numbers and other figures, which Kate could only assume were mathematical calculations. It was the key to triangulation, the process of collecting and interpreting the electronic pulse that a cellphone in power-on mode transmitted to surrounding cell towers.

“Got it,” he said.

The split screen vanished, leaving only the map. The target area was shaded.

“What are we looking at?” asked Kate.

“The city of Buenaventura, on the Pacific coast of Colombia. That’s where the call originated.”

“That’s the best you can do?” asked Kate. “Narrow it down to a city of how many people?”

“About half a million,” said Noah.

“I was hoping for better,” said the tech agent.

So was Kate. The FBI’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team was the best in the world. “Did I do something wrong?” asked Kate.

“You had nothing to do with it,” said Noah.

The tech agent explained. “A cellphone sends out a pulse in forty-five miles in all directions. If there are three towers within that radius, we can triangulate and calculate a fairly precise location of the phone. If we have two towers, we can at least narrow it down to a few hundred acres. Unfortunately, this call originated from a place where there was only one cell tower within forty-five miles, which is not unusual in this part of the world. So the call could have come from anywhere within forty-five miles in any direction of that tower.”

“So a circle of ninety miles in diameter. Basically, anywhere in the city.”

“I’m afraid so. Sorry. Anything else I can help with?”

“No,” said Agent Lang.

“Only if you can tell me who Olga is,” said Kate.

There was silence, both from the computer and in the room.

Kate looked at Noah. “How about you? Can you or anyone else in the DOJ tell me who Olga is?”

Noah didn’t answer. Neither did Agent Lang. Kate’s read was that it had nothing to do with keeping her in the dark. They had no clue.

“Sounds like I need to ask Jeremy Peel,” said Kate.

Chapter 45

Kate grabbed her coat and was out the door before Noah could even push away from her dining table. As she hurried down the hallway, she heard him call from behind to “hold the elevator.” She pushed thedoor closebutton and rode down alone. She was outside the building and on her way down the street to the Metro station when Noah caught up with her.

“Talking to Jeremy Peel is not a good idea,” he said.

“You lied to me, Noah.”

Kate continued through the crosswalk toward the National Mall. They were three blocks from the Smithsonian station.

“I’ve never lied to you,” he said.

“You just lied again.”

“Can you give me at least some idea of what you’re talking about?”

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