The Lost Key (A Brit in the FBI 2)

What choice did she have? She nodded and he lightly shoved her back into her chair. The plane hit another pocket of turbulence. “Put on your seat belt.”

She did, then watched him fasten his. “Where are you taking me? Where is this plane going?”

He glanced at the flight path on the screen in the table. “To London. We’re about an hour from the London City Airport. After we land, we’re headed north, to a safe house, where you’ll be protected by the Order until we get our hands on the key and the book.”

“Don’t forget the millions of dollars in gold bars. And after Adam tells you the exact location of the sub, I’ll be free to go?”

“Of course.”

“Where is Adam?” You bastard was unspoken but clear.

Grossman frowned a bit, stroked his chin. “I was hoping you knew. He called you last night, gave you instructions to run. Where were you heading, when I met you in the garage?”

“France.”

“Well, no matter, now you’re in England. Your disguise was top-notch, your passport as well. I was impressed. Adam does good work. He was going to meet you in France?”

“That’s none of your business. Who are you, really?”

“I work for the Order, it’s the truth.”

“That book I wrapped for you this morning, there was something inside, wasn’t there?”

“The SD card with the exact location of the sub, among other things. Your father was supposed to have it waiting for me.”

“What do you mean? It wasn’t in the book? Then where is it?”

“That big son of a bitch British FBI agent took it from your father’s apartment before he had a chance to put it in the book. I took the liberty of getting the files back. They do belong to us, after all.” He pulled Dr. Who’s Tardis thumb drive out of his pocket and waved it, nodded toward the laptop on the chair beside him.

“Where did that ridiculous Tardis come from?”

“Drummond had already uploaded all the information from the SD card onto this nifty thumb drive, easier to deal with.”

“Did Agent Drummond see your face?”

“Yes. There was the FBI woman as well, a good dirty fighter, but not good enough.”

Sophie lowered her head in her hands. “Great. The FBI had me under surveillance, and you stole the info from them. You know they’re going to come after us. How did you get me out of the garage without their seeing us?”

“In a diplomatic car, you were tucked nice and snug in the trunk. As for the FBI, we’re in England now. They won’t come here. You’ll be safe. Sophie, please, I’m telling you the truth.”

“Your American accent slipped. You’re British, aren’t you?”

“Yes. I’m from Cambridge originally, but my folks moved to London when I was a boy.”

“All right, keep talking.”

He sat forward, his hands clasped together on the small table. “Your father was the Messenger for the Order for years, as you well know. He was responsible for moving delicate information around to the members. However, as of yesterday, everything’s changed. Three members of the Order are suddenly dead, and our channels were compromised beyond repair. Here’s the bottom line. It’s up to us now. You and me, and Adam. You know what’s in the missing sub, don’t you?”

“Gold, a key, Marie Curie’s books, instructions, I heard Dad say.”

“The key is to a very powerful weapon, a weapon we can’t allow out into the world. No government can be trusted with it.” He thought of Manfred Havelock. “Nor any single individual. We must find the key and the book and destroy them.”

How could a weapon created by Marie Curie a hundred years ago be of any use today? Radium, yes, she and her husband had discovered both radium and something else—polonium. But what good would either do today? But she didn’t ask. She saw Grossman was still looking at her, studying her face. Did she believe him?

“You’ve known me for a couple of years, Sophie. You know your father trusted me. And now that he’s dead, my only purpose is to keep you and Adam safe and to protect the Order and what we stand for.”

When she remained silent, he pushed a can of orange juice her way. She cracked it and took a big sip.