The Last Second (A Brit in the FBI #6)(50)

“Look, Kiera, it doesn’t matter what the board thinks, it doesn’t matter how much money Galactus is losing. The world as we know it will end soon, right?”

Kiera gave her a long look and slowly nodded.

“You can say no one is able to work, they’re all too afraid Mr. Broussard is dead. You know he’s like a rock star to the employees. The media will eat it up.”

“And I’m not?”

“Of course you’re not. You’re their boss, you carry the whip, the bitch who makes them all show up every day and work their butts off to earn a healthy profit. He’s the owner, the playboy with a dozen mistresses, the exciting crazy man who is off chasing treasure.”

Nevaeh was nodding now. “Yes, yes, I have it—sabotage. We’ve discovered the satellite was sabotaged. In light of Jean-Pierre’s missing ship, and the sabotage of our latest launch, we fear for the safety of our employees. We will not be issuing any more statements until we know what’s happened to Jean-Pierre. Buys us another couple of days of silence, and by then, it will be too late.”

Kiera was now doing sit-ups. She beamed up at Nevaeh. “Yep, that works.”

She came up on her knees, picked up her coffee, and clicked her cup against Nevaeh’s.

“Kiera, bring me the phone. I’ll call in instead of telecon, so there’s nothing to see. Run a hairdryer in the background. It will sound like the plane’s engines.”

Nevaeh picked up her tablet and checked her messages. Dozens of emails, which she ignored. She looked over at Kiera, saw she was playing with one of her weapons, a Ka-Bar knife, and smiled. Her bodyguard, her confidante. She felt affection for her, real affection. Probably as much affection as she’d felt for her now-dead parents. She was right, Nevaeh couldn’t avoid the situation any longer. Kiera handed her the phone, then went to the bathroom, turned on the fan, and put a hairdryer on the edge of the tub, set it to medium.

Nevaeh dialed into the Galactus headquarters to speak to Claudette, Jean-Pierre’s secretary.

Claudette was obviously worried. “Oh, Dr. Patel. We are so concerned about Jean-Pierre. You’ve been fully briefed?”

“I have. Claudette, I have more information. I will be issuing another statement to the media, but I want you to shut down the campus. Send everyone home.”

“What? Why?”

“I have discovered something disturbing. The satellite we lost on Bastille Day was sabotaged. I fear for your safety, for the safety of our employees. Send everyone home, and lock the gates to the facility.”

“This will inflame the media, Dr. Patel. It is highly irregular. I don’t think—”

“I don’t care about the media, Claudette. I am only concerned with the safety of our employees, and the company itself. I will speak to the department heads myself if you are not comfortable doing so. If you need me to, gather them immediately.”

“Yes, ma’am. Hold, please.” Her voice was still doubtful, but a few minutes later, she came back on the line. “I’ve told the team. They agree, given what you’ve found. They are moving to shut down the campus, as you wish. It’s also true that no one has the heart to be here today. If Jean-Pierre is gone—”

“I fear he may be, and if so, we will all have a burden to bear. I will issue a statement to the media shortly, and once campus is shut down, you are to go home and await my instructions. I will be in touch as soon as I have a succession plan in place. I will be working with the authorities to determine who is behind this sabotage, and once I do, we will move forward with Galactus, stronger than ever.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Claudette hung up. Kiera grinned at her, gave her a thumbs-up.

Nevaeh laughed. “That girl is blind in her devotion to Broussard. Well, that was harsh. I must personally give him my most profound thanks for finding the Heaven Stone.” She thought to the Numen. See what I’ve accomplished? It’s nearly done. She said to Kiera, “Let’s draft a statement and be done with this. I need to check our satellite and make sure it is moving into the proper position.”

“What should the statement say? ‘Dear World, you may think you’re royally screwed, but we promise, all will be well’?”

Nevaeh shook her head, suddenly grave. “You shouldn’t make fun, Kiera. I know you’re enjoying this, you’ve always been too bloodthirsty for your own good. Everything—everything—we’ve done is to save these people from their mean little lives. They will erect statues in my honor. And, of course, statues of the Numen.”

Nevaeh was getting carried away, but it didn’t matter, Kiera knew all would be well soon enough. She said, “I will take care of it. You go look for the satellite. I will come back to you with a draft for the media.”

Nevaeh watched her go, then checked her watch. So soon, just as I promised you.

So soon, they said back to her. Just as you promised us.





CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN


T-MINUS 36 HOURS

Phuket, Thailand

Poppy Bennet stood with her hands on her hips in the doorway to the Blue Mountain Gulfstream. She greeted Jean-Pierre Broussard, introduced herself, and got him settled into a soft leather seat. He was pale, too pale, and she worried. She apologized on behalf of Blue Mountain for his troubles, covered him with a blanket, and patted his shoulder. Then she came back to the front and walked to Grant, seemed to breathe him in as she hugged him tightly. “We’ve all been so worried, even Fentriss, and you know he’s not much on sentiment. You’ve got to stop scaring the life out of us, Grant, promise?”