Chapter 11
CHAPTER 11
C on finished his work and sent his findings about the embassy to the old grumpy fart. Basically, the number was a switchboard. He’d synced the phone calls into the embassy with the videos. So, they had a comprehensive view of who was on the telephone at the time of the call. He’d run facial rec on all the employees based on the badging system used by the embassy, which was ridiculously easy to hack. During the three-minute span of the conversation that Sophia had with an unknown person at the embassy, there were seventeen people actively talking on the telephone—from the ambassador’s secretary to the guard station at the front door. They had the names, but without more information, finding out who was the person Sophia spoke to, could be almost impossible.
He clicked his earpiece and used his keyboard to call Fury.
“What?”
Con sighed. “Dude, if Sophia could even just say whether the person she talked to was a man or a woman, we’d be infinitely closer to finding out who it was that arranged the meet-up between Trueman and Eisenberger. If the person is insistent enough, maybe her personal secretary could recall something Sophia doesn’t.”
There was silence for a moment. Con knew he’d been put on hold. When Fury came back, he said. “Done. Fury out.”
Con rolled his eyes so hard the nerve attached to his eyeballs stretched. The man was such a jerk.
He hit a few keystrokes. “Hey, man. How are you coming with the passports?”
“It’s slow.” Brando sighed. “Meticulous and slow. How are you doing with the embassy?”
“Done, wrapped in a bow, and handed over to Mr. Grumpy Ass.” Con checked on his video feed surrounding the government and banking districts. “I’ve set up surveillance, and the system will ping if any of the men on the passports are identified in the area. Abrasha’s crew could be lying low, but I bet they’re already out of the country. They’re useless to him now that they’ve been identified.”
“True. Still, we need to know if the names given are accurate or a deep fake.” Brando yawned. “I’m going to let the program work and take a nap. What are you doing?”
“Dude, I think I’m going to take her sightseeing.” He clicked on pictures that had populated the shared drive for the mission. “Look at that. She found out where he was hiding.”
“What?” He could hear Brando’s fingers pound on the keyboard. “Damn, I’m not really claustrophobic, but, dude, I wouldn’t be in that.”
“Right? A flying coffin.” A shiver ran up Con’s spine. “I’ll have my earpiece on and have the princess with me if you need me.” The princess was what he’d named his masterpiece of computing goodness.
“Don’t drag your computer with you. I can remote into her and access anything you need. Just go have fun, but remember, don’t push,” Brando chastised him.
“I got it. And thanks for last night. I wasn’t seeing what was happening.” Con and his brother were tight, and he needed Brando to know how much he appreciated being able to talk out the situation about Ronnie with him.
“Too close to the tree to see the forest, man. I talked to Dad yesterday.” Brando chuckled. “You’ll never guess what he’s working on?”
“I’m not even going to try. I’d never be able to guess.” Con laughed, too.
“A software-defined radio for his new bug. The catch is he’s using cell phone towers as his repeater. Now, he can listen to the bug he left in San Francisco under that table at the restaurant while sitting in his office across the entire country.”
“He’s getting damn good.” Con chuckled. Guardian’s system was what his father was playing with but on mega doses of steroids.
“Yeah, and he’s just having fun. He’s had offers on the tech for his little bug, but he said he’s not going to sell it. Little does he know what’s really out here in the big, bad world.”
“And you know what, Brando, I think that’s a good thing. He’s keeping himself amused while Mom is grinding that stone. Sooner or later, she’s going to retire and hand the reins over to Rob and Matt, and then they can travel like he’s always wanted to.”
“Do you really think Mom will ever retire?” Brando snorted. “She’ll work until the day she dies. That’s her passion, not Dad.”
“Ow. Harsh, dude.” Con winced at the truth, but he couldn’t argue that fact. “He still goes hunting and fishing with the guys. He’s not a hermit, you know.”
“He’s not, and he seems happy, but, man, if falling in love ends up with what they have, I’m not sure I’m game for the prospect, you know?”
Con was silent for a moment. “I can’t talk about Mom and Dad’s feelings, but let me tell you something … The way I feel now about Ronnie, I’d take a shot at following that feeling every single time. I don’t know if it’ll hold in the long run, but right now, I don’t care. I’ll deal with what happens in the future in the future. And I have you to thank for that.”
“Aw … shucks, you really need to stop pumping me up. I might get a big head or something.” Brando laughed.
“Nah, I’d never let it go that far. Get some Z’s. I’ll have my comms on silent, but I’ll be here if you need me.”
“Got it. Leave the princess connected, so I can use her if need be.”
“Done. Talk later.”
“Yep. Bye.” Brando cleared the channel, and Con immediately tapped into Ronnie’s comm device. When she activated it, he said, “Congratulations.”
She laughed. “That was quick.”
“I’m finished here until Mr. Asshat finds something else for me to do. What about you?”
“Same. I’m on my way back.”
“Wait. Why don’t we meet? I haven’t ever played a tourist in London. Let’s do that.”
She laughed again. “What are you talking about?”
“Girl, I want to watch the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, stroll down the Mall, take some selfies at Trafalgar Square, and go through the National Gallery. Then we could have dinner.”
“Dinner, too?”
“Sure, a real date. What do you think?”
“I’m wearing jeans and a T-shirt.”
Con gasped. “What a surprise, so am I!”
Ronnie’s laughter flowed through the connection. “All right. All right. I’ve walked that path so many times, but I can do it again. Where do you want to meet?”
“Royal Albert Hall. You should be able to find parking on Kensington High Street.”
“How are you going to get there?”
“Uber, baby!” He was calling up the app on his phone as they talked.
“All right. I’ll meet you there, and we’ll play American tourists.”
“Score!” Con yelled and fist-pumped the air. “Our first official date.”
She was quiet momentarily and then said, “If you’re counting this as our first date, that means you only get a kiss at the door when we’re done.”
Con sat up straight. “Second, no, it’s our third . I made breakfast for us this morning. That has to count, right? What do I get at the end of our third date?”
She made a sound that sent all the blood in his body straight to his cock, and then she said the one word that blew his fucking mind. “Me.”
The connection ended, and he stared at the phone. “Fuck.” He looked around the room and said the word again. Like a lightning bolt had jabbed his ass, he jumped out of the chair and headed to the front door. “Please don’t let Mr. Asshat need us. Pa-lease.” He checked for his wallet and then his phone, which he couldn’t find until he realized he was holding it. Con shut the door behind him and glanced down the street in the direction his ride should be coming from. “Come on, Uber dude. I have a lady waiting.”