Swift Vengeance - читать бесплатно онлайн полную версию книги автора T. Jefferson Parker (34) #34

34

CALIPHORNIA 2:35 A.M.

Your solicitation is an insult. Are you trolling for idiots? I’m genuine. I’m centuries ahead of you. I am Caliphornia. Know me by my dead. I need $50,000 to finish my journey and begin my jihad. Don’t waste my time, you alleged Warrior of Allah.

“Caliphornia” appeared at the top of the Telegram secret-chat screen, below it a clear circular graphic of a black janbiya and a crescent moon on a red background.

“Telegram secret-chat mode,” she said. “End-to-end encryption means only we will see his message. It will self-destruct when he wants it to. My heart is pounding, Roland. This guy is real. I didn’t make him up. What do we say back?”

“Our Warrior of Allah should be a tough sell,” I said.

“I agree. And you might be better at this than me. I’d just lose my temper and scare him off.”

I settled the tablet on the console between us and wrote:

WARRIOR 2:37 A.M.

We deal with thousands of liars and cowards. From that crowd we have to sponsor who is authentic. We hope that you are genuine. You are young so you brag about your actions. Tell us more about yourself, Caliphornia. We like your clever name. But we don’t know your dead. Impress us.

Taucher read it twice, hit send with a firm poke of her finger. My rebuke hit the screen immediately. Telegram is not only heavily encrypted, it’s able to synch messages to all your devices at once, and it’s fast.

I watched the fog coil and roll past the windows.

CALIPHORNIA 2:39 A.M.

I now introduce myself. Link to story and follow-up.

I linked to an article on page three of the Bakersfield Californian for December 12. It was a brief piece and a picture of smiling Kenny Bryce:

COUNTIAN STABBED TO DEATH IN HOME

Kenneth Bryce, thirty-four, a Kern County employee, was found dead of apparent stab wounds in his Bakersfield apartment yesterday...

The follow-up link took us to a page-seven article in the same newspaper, two days later:

NO TRUTH TO MURDER RUMOR, POLICE SAY

Bakersfield Police say there is nothing to substantiate a rumor that a recent murder victim had been decapitated.

Kenny Bryce, thirty-four, was found dead in his apartment Tuesday afternoon, victim of multiple stab wounds. Bakersfield PD says there are no suspects and no arrests have been made.

However, two Kern County Medical Examiner and Coroner’s Office contractors have said that Bryce’s body was decapitated when it arrived for autopsy. Neither contractor would speak on the record or give a name to this publication...

My turn again:

WARRIOR 2:47 A.M.

Do you claim responsibility?

CALIPHORNIA 2:48 A.M.

I claim glory.

WARRIOR 2:49 A.M.

But where is your proof? Maybe you only read these stories as we just did.

Caliphornia answered the Warrior of Allah with two brief and hideous video clips.

One of Kenny Bryce’s head dangling over his pillow, an anonymous hand clutching his hair.

The other of Marlon Voss’s head being set on his back, the head rolling off, then two gloved hands putting it back and getting it balanced.

A long silence.

Failure of words. Pause of will.

My anger building. Lure this cutthroat bastard in.

WARRIOR 2:52 A.M.

Why doesn’t America know you? Terror must be seen to be valuable. Where are your posts and Tweets? We do not sponsor crime, we sponsor fear. America must hear from you. If God allows. Inshallah.

Ten minutes passed. With a sinking feeling that I had asked him to do something he wasn’t ready for. And lost him.

CALIPHORNIA 3:02 A.M.

No publicity yet. Stealth and secrecy. One more U.S. drone killer to behead. Then I’ll bring the terror America has earned since 9/11. Inshallah, Warrior of Allah, whoever you are. I will launch my jihad with or without your bags of money!

WARRIOR 3:05 A.M.

Drone killers? American soldiers?

CALIPHORNIA 3:06 A.M.

Why aren’t you talking about my money? Why are you so slow? Are you believers or the FBI?

WARRIOR 3:10 A.M.

We ask the same of you. Life is risk. We have the money and are eager to invest in the right people. Acts in America are more valuable to us than acts at home. We need heroes and martyrs. We need great warriors, not shy killers. We need him who will take the head of the unbeliever and hold it high, dripping blood on the world!

CALIPHORNIA 3:12 A.M.

If you want real American terror, be ready to move very quickly. Fifty thousand. It must be delivered by an Arab man who speaks Arabic. A man of the book. I’ll message you with instructions when and if I decide to trust you. If you contact me before then, you will never hear from me again.

Half an hour of silence from Caliphornia, Taucher staring out the window, lost in something.

“He’s real,” she whispered. “He actually does these things.”

“We found him, Joan.”

Another deep breath from her. Decision time.

“You found,” she said. “But now I have to take him back to my tribe.”

“I know.”

“I don’t want to. There, in the tribe, I’m Taucher the paranoid. Taucher the haunted and hysterical, Taucher the beat up and made up. Soon to be promoted out of her job and her city. But before that happens, I need the Bureau for fifty thousand cash and a takedown team. What I want most on earth is to crush Caliphornia. I’ll do what I can to keep your hand in, Roland. You brought him to us and I need you to push his buttons.”