Loyalty in Death (In Death #9)(64)

“Apollo,” she continued. “Cassandra, Mount Olympus, Aries, Aphrodite, and so on. It all connects. Their expert manipulation of data banks, the high quality of the materials used in their explosives, the employment of a disenfranchised former soldier to manufacture their equipment, the tone and content of their transmissions all connect and echo back to the original group.”

Because it seemed so foolish, she let out a little breath before she spoke again. “In Greek mythology, Apollo gave Cassandra the power of prophecy. Eventually, they had a disagreement, and that’s when he fixed it so she could predict, but nobody would believe her. But I think the hook is she got her power from him. This Cassandra doesn’t really care if we believe her or not. She’s not trying to save, but to destroy.”

“That’s an interesting theory, Lieutenant. And logical enough.” Tibble sat back, listened, watched the facts and images flash on-screen. “You’ve made the connections, have at least partial motives. It’s good work.” Then he glanced back at her. “The FBI anti-terrorist team would be very interested in how you came by a great deal of this information, Lieutenant.”

She didn’t so much as blink. “I used what sources were available to me, sir.”

“I’m sure you did.” He folded his hands. “As I said, good work.”

“Thank you.” She moved past the second board to the third. “The current line of investigation corroborates our conclusions that there’s a connection between the old Apollo group and Cassandra. Fixer believed there was, and though any evidence he may have gathered in that area is likely destroyed, the connection continues to hold through this second line. The tactics used by both groups are similar. In Dr. Mira’s report, she terms Cassandra’s political creed as a recycling of Apollo’s. Following this angle, I believe that the people who formed Cassandra have connections to or were once a part of Apollo.”

Tibble held up a hand. “Isn’t it possible these people studied Apollo — just as you are — and chose to mirror that group as closely as possible?”

“It’s not impossible, sir.”

“If it’s a copycat,” Feeney put in, “it’s going to be tougher.”

“Even a copycat has to have a connection,” Eve insisted. “The Apollo group was essentially disbanded when Rowan and some of his top people were killed. That was over thirty years ago, and the public was never privy to any but the sketchiest of details about him and his organization. Without a connection, who cares? It was over years ago, a lifetime ago. Rowan’s not even a smudge in the history books because it was never proven — in reports to media — that he was the head of Apollo. Files verifying this are sealed. Apollo claimed responsibility for some bombings and for Arlington, then essentially vanished. There’s a connection,” she finished. “I don’t believe it’s a mirror, sir, but a personal stake. The people who head Cassandra killed hundreds yesterday. And they did it to prove they could. The bombs at Radio City were a tease, a test. The Plaza was always the target. And this echoes the theme used by Apollo.”

She nodded toward the screen again, shifted to new copy. “The first building Apollo claims to have destroyed was an empty storehouse outside of what was then the District of Columbia. The local police were alerted, and there were no injuries. Following that, the locals were tipped that there were explosives in the Kennedy Center. All but one bomb was defused, the building was successfully evacuated, and the single explosive discharged caused only minor damage and injury. But this was immediately followed up by a bombing in the lobby of the Mayflower Hotel. There was no warning given. Casualties were steep. Apollo took responsibility for all three incidents, but only the last was reported in the media.”

Whitney leaned forward, studying the screen. “What was next?”

“The newly refurbished U-Line Arena during a basketball game. Fourteen thousand people were killed or injured. If Cassandra runs true to form, I’m looking at Madison Square or the Pleasure Dome. By keeping all data out of the mainframe and within this room, there’s no way for Cassandra to know our current avenue of investigation. We should be a step ahead of them.”

“Thank you, Lieutenant Dallas. Lieutenant Malloy, your report on the explosives?”

Anne rose, moved to the middle board. The next thirty minutes were technical: electronics, triggers, timers, remotes, materials. Rate of detonation, scope of impact.

“Pieces of the devices are still being gathered on-scene and are under lab analysis,” she concluded. “At this time we know we’re working with intricate, handmade units. Plaston appears to be the material of favor. Analysis is incomplete as to the capabilities of distance on the remotes, but it appears to be extreme long range. These aren’t toys, no homemade boomers, but high-level military-style explosives. I concur with Lieutenant Dallas’s opinion on Radio City. If this group had wanted it blown, it’d be dust.”

She sat, giving way to Feeney. “This is one of the surveillance cameras my team swept out of Radio City.” He held up a small round unit hardly bigger than the circle made by his thumb and forefinger. “It’s damn well made. We tagged twenty-five of them from scene. They watched every step we took and could have blown us to hell in a heartbeat.”

He slipped the bug back into its seal. “EDD is working with Malloy and her people to develop a longer-range, more sensitive bomb scanner. Meanwhile, I’m not saying the feds don’t have good people, but so do we. And it’s our damn city. Added to that, this group contacted Dallas. They targeted her. You pull her back now, and us with her, you’re going to change the balance. Once it tips, we could lose it all.”