Chapter 63
**Third POV
Undisclosed Location.**
"This is out of your jurisdiction," the deputy director of the CIA says to the assistant director of the FBI. "This is no longer a domestic case. It started being out of your bounds the moment they crossed international waters."
"If we release their profiles to the public, we can instigate a global man-hunt. They won't be able to show their face in the street, train station, let alone an airport. We got word that Torin Moon's jet is parked in a private hangar bay. If we keep that information, it will make finding them that much harder."
The deputy shakes his head with ardour, removing his glasses. "We've already apprised the German authorities. Fortunately, we have an extradition treaty with them and they have agreed to set up roadblocks, supervision on all ports and borders in and out of the country. They are not going anywhere."
"What are you so scared of?" the assistant director probes. "This clandestine operation that you can't share with us. The information they pilfered from the cyber breach. You're worried that if you antagonise them by making their fugitive status known to the public. They'll retaliate by releasing the information to the media. What do they have on your agency?"
"Ours?" the deputy pauses to rein in his frustration. "This is about the integrity of our national security. The information they are in possession of can dismantle a foreign government. And it will put this country in the midst of it all. I'm talking about black covert operations, sanctioned assassinations of high-value targets, immunity deals with the lowest of low. If this makes the papers, there's no cover we can use. All the evidence they need is on that drive."
The assistant director eases back in his seat, rendered speechless.
"It's settled then," the director of national intelligence says. "You locate them, and neutralise all threats." His eyes draw to her. "Commander Acheson, this was your operation. What are your thoughts?"
"You can't just kill them," she says bluntly. "You have to detain them and make sure they are the only ones who know the truth. If they already sold that intel, them and the recipients can hold leverage over your entire government and make the president their own puppet."
"You're the one that lost them," the assistant director accuses. "And since when did we allow foreign intelligent assets to have any contribution to our national security?"
"Since you royally screwed up," she retorts with a goading half-smile. "So bad they enlisted my aid to clean up your mess. So here is my counsel. Hadassah Moor is the key. She has this mysterious ledger that has these crime lords salivating. If we can bring her into custody, she can be the bait we need to ensnare all of them."
"The ledger can't be worth exposing their positions."
"But it is. She single handedly tore the Moon brothers apart and now the Blood and Bone cartel are after their blood for executing Gaza and his men. This presents an unparalleled opportunity. The cartel and the Yakuza both have an eco-system of deviants and a roster of dirty officials and operatives. It's why they are untouchable. But in their greedy attempt to grasp for more power and wreak vengeance, that is when we intercept them."
"That's if she cooperates," the chief of staff says to add her voice. She makes a gesture to Acheson's face. "And by the look of that giant bruise. She doesn't seem willing."
"She doesn't know who to trust," Acheson defends. "One of our own was compromised, Ellison Jones, he works for Orian, allegedly. We need to show her that we are not a threat and we're her best chance at survival."
"And how do we do that?" the deputy asks, only to muse her counsel.
"The computer boy, Calum Taylor," she answers. "I underestimated his skill. He cracked through your firewalls in record time, like he was typing in the password to his Netflix account. He is our messenger. We can't track him or his apparatus, but we can follow his digital footprint, then I can send an encoded message. However they respond, we can take it from there."
The director nods somberly, evaluating his choices. "If this fails, I deem it as all diplomatic alternatives have been exhausted. She and her hacker friend become liabilities. And they will be considered in league with the criminal entities that hold them captive, thus they will be treated as such. We will take no prisoners, they will be taken dead or alive."
"But sir—"
"We have to mitigate the damage done by this breach." He points a beefy finger at the deputy director. "I hope your people reinforced their cyber security, so a foolish fault like this doesn't happen again, not during my administration. There are too many variables already, we need to make sure that we contain this. None of them must make it out of Berlin."
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