Black Rose

CHAPTER 30

The contents of Gutenberg's computer were a bombshell. Stephanie had just finished briefing everyone on what she had found and on the contents of his diary.

"People like him make you wonder if there's any hope for the human race," Ronnie said. "How can someone write a business plan for killing millions of people?"

"It's been done before," Nick said. "You ever hear of the Wannsee conference?"

"No."

"It was a meeting of high-ranking Nazis, where they planned the extermination of the Jews. A business meeting."

Ronnie shook his head.

"I think those names mentioned in Gutenberg's diary are the people running AEON," Elizabeth said.

"There's nothing that tells us exactly who they are," Selena said. "We know about Gutenberg and Krivi. Why do you think the others are part of AEON?"

"For one thing, each is wealthy and powerful and that's a requirement for membership in AEON's top tier. Take Kamarov, for example. Aside from the President Gorovsky, Kamarov is possibly the most powerful man in Russia. Nobody knows his real wealth. He has his hand in everything. Even the Russian Mafia stays clear of him."

There it is again, Stephanie thought. As soon as Elizabeth mentioned Russia, Selena looked like she'd swallowed a lemon. Something's going on there.

Elizabeth continued. "Thorvaldson is probably Aapo Thorvaldson, the shipping magnate. He's in the same money league as Gutenberg and Krivi. De Guillame could be the French Foreign Minister, although that's just an educated guess. Mitchell is a common name but it feels like he might be an American, judging from what Gutenberg wrote."

"Lots of Mitchells out there," Ronnie said.

"How many of them have the kind of money and clout the others carry?" Nick asked.

"I can think of one," Selena said. "Senator Randolph Mitchell. He's rich and powerful and his political philosophy fits right in with AEON's goals."

"I hope you're wrong," Elizabeth said.

"What about the other one, Halifax?"

"I'm not sure," Elizabeth said. "It could be the British Secretary of the Exchequer."

"Oh, that's great," Lamont said. "We're up against three powerful government officials, a Nazi banker, a legal drug lord and two of the wealthiest men in the world. How about a partridge in a pear tree, just for fun?"

"We don't know that Gutenberg is a Nazi," Elizabeth said.

"If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck…"

Nick said, "Clichés aside, what's our next move? We can't go after these men publicly."

"We have one advantage," Elizabeth said. "They don't know that we know who they are."

"The Russians have the same information we do, if Steph is right," Nick said. "That means they know Kamarov is an enemy of the regime. They might take care of him for us."

"It's possible, but that still leaves the others. We might be able to work with Vysotsky on this. It's just like before, we have a mutual enemy."

"The Russians are our enemy."

Selena's voice was hard and flat. Everyone looked at her.

"The only reason we were able to work with them before was because Korov proved himself our friend and we trusted him. He's dead. We can't trust Vysotsky or any of his people."

"We don't have to trust them," Elizabeth said, "but if the devil himself was useful I'd make an agreement with him to stop Gutenberg and AEON."

Selena sniffed. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

Elizabeth was annoyed. "Let me worry about Vysotsky."

"So what do you want us to do, Director?" Nick said.

"Gutenberg's diary says they're going to release the plague to test it out. Until we know where, all we can do is monitor Gutenberg's computer and hope he reveals the location."

"And when we know it?

"Then you go in and stop them."