Cloud Dust: RD-1 (R-D #1)(74)

"Three died before transport arrived," Richard answered my question. "I wasn't told where they were taken after that."

"You asked, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"Fuck."

"I agree wholeheartedly."

*

Corinne

When I woke, Ilya was up and gone already. He'd slipped away after I'd fallen asleep.

Shuffling toward the kitchen, I found Auggie, Rafe, James and Leo having dinner. I'd slept all day, almost. We now had a table, chairs, a portable island and Chinese takeout.

"Beef and broccoli?" I asked.

"Here." Auggie shoved a carton toward me. "Rice," Rafe offered another carton. I took both and loaded a paper plate. Rafe poured a plastic cup of wine for me.

"I hope we get wineglasses soon," I said, spearing a chunk of broccoli with a plastic fork.

"I'd like cutlery that doesn't break," Leo said.

"I agree," I said. "Plastic belongs at picnics. With the ants."

"Every city and town in the country is now prepared to guard their water supply," Auggie offered while I ate. "I'm worried they'll find another way to introduce the drug."

"Nick and Maye?" I asked.

"On their way," Auggie said. "They were having a sparring match when the food arrived, so they went to clean up, first."

"Somebody say food?" Nick walked in.

"There's plenty, help yourself," Leo said.

"Corinne, are you eating my broccoli-beef?" Nick pretended offense.

"I didn't eat all of it," I complained. He shocked the hell out of me by giving me a hug. "Thanks for the early warning," he said before pulling out a chair and filling a plate. "Since I didn't say that before."

"No problem," I shrugged.

"Hey, Corinne," Maye walked in and went straight for the kung pao chicken.

"How are you doing?" I asked.

"I'm good. I've lost two katanas in two bombings, but those can be replaced. What do we have to do to catch the creeps responsible for Montana?"

"I need to see their faces," I sighed. "Or have somebody tell me who they are."

"Baikov?" Auggie asked.

"Baikov doesn't know. What Baikov has is possible information on the ultimate jerk behind all the other jerks. The ultimate jerk can tell me who else is paying him to get what they want, or who works for him to make all the evil happen. Mary Evans could have given us something. She probably knew the ultimate jerk's minions were gunning for her the minute she got caught. She decided not to talk anyway."

"You think he'll find somebody else to do what she did for him?"

"Yeah, and that worries me. He and or she likes the ones who don't have an ounce of humanity in them. That's what I've seen in Mary Evans' eyes every time—cold, calculating cruelty."

"If he's so hard to find, how do these people contact him to begin with?" Nick asked.

"I think he contacts them," I said. "With the Internet and the media, it isn't hard to see who might want something. How tough would it be to send someone—say, Mary Evans or somebody like her—to make suggestions?"

"That's frightening," Leo shook his head.

"There's something else you should know," I said.

"What's that?" Auggie asked.

"James, look up Claire Fabre and Jean Caillot," I said. "Their obituaries should show up from six years ago in Paris."

"Yeah," James nodded. He tapped on his tablet for a moment. "Here it is—says they were killed by burglars in their apartment. Says they worked for the Louvre until a few months before their deaths, but they'd quit shortly after the terrorist attack there."

"They were in on it, and got killed for their cooperation," I said. "Probably had a Swiss bank account or something set up, which evaporated the moment they were killed. It doesn't say they were working anywhere since they left the Louvre."

"Corinne, you've been a busy girl, haven't you?" Auggie blinked at me.

"It's amazing what you can do with an alias and free Wi-Fi at the library or at a coffee shop. I've been particularly motivated lately, but my Internet access has been limited."

"Why are you telling us this now?" Maye asked.

"Because I trust everybody here," I said. "Do you remember Ted Ryan?"

"I can't get him and the Sacramento bombing out of my head," Leo replied. "Why?"

"Because he couldn't wait to brag about what he'd done. He wanted the world to know. I think the ones responsible for Montana won't be able to stop themselves from bragging either," I said. "I just worry about what else they might do before they start bragging."

*

"Honey, there's something you ought to know," I told Ilya the moment we were alone in our suite.

"What's that?" his arms curled about me and he pulled me close.

"It's about the drug. You know they call the Program Cloud Dust."

"I do. I wondered why."

"Me, too. I think I may have an answer, but it's scary."