Catalyst (Breakthrough Book 3)(122)

Qin clearly wanted to know what was inside, but Clay doubted Qin would even let these two soldiers remain in the room. A secret like that would be hard to keep. If anyone understood that, Clay did. And the best secrets were best kept only when everyone else was dead.

Qin would find out, one way or another. But did the man know that some of it was already in Li Na? It was possible he still hadn’t made the connection with Li Na yet. Which would leave him only what was left in the case.

Clay wasn’t sure how much Qin knew, but he suspected the man didn’t understand exactly what he had stumbled onto. Wei’s discovery was one thing. What was still in South America was another.

But some secrets were too important to give up. Some were even worth dying for. What General Wei had sent from South America was something everyone would eventually go after. Something millions would kill for, whether they believed in its effects or not. And now, there in the warehouse, the only person standing in the way of all of it…was Clay.

With his eyes closed, he never saw the anger suddenly swell in Qin’s eyes nor his step forward driving a boot into Clay’s midsection. He only felt the impact when two of his ribs broke.

Clay’s eyes shot open and rolled back as he gasped in agony.

“Tell me!” Qin yelled, just inches from his face. “Tell me, or I promise you, this is just the beginning.”

Clay fought again to focus through the pain. To focus on Qin and his cold dark eyes. He had to stop it here. It was bigger than Clay. Bigger than Li Na. This was about the future of the human race and a potential level of greed unmatched throughout all of history.

He continued staring at Qin, trying to come to peace with the inevitability of his own death. And the hope that it would serve a bigger purpose. He thought first of Caesare, then Borger and Admiral Langford. They would have to keep the secret safe now.

Finally, as the pain once again began to overwhelm his concentration, Clay’s thoughts focused on Alison. A girl unlike any other he’d met.

And the woman he was sure he would have spent the rest of his life with.





80





There was no other way to describe Admiral Langford’s face than “frightening.” With eyes ablaze and teeth clenched, he stormed down the wide hallway with a look that made several people jump out of his way. His feet marched deliberately over the carpeted floor, heading for a large office with closed doors.

The secretary outside leaped to her feet but was too late. When he reached the double doors, Langford forced them open, slamming them hard against the inside walls.

In the middle of the room, standing next to a large window, CIA Director Andrew Hayes barely looked back over his shoulder.

“You’re wasting your time, Langford.”

“The hell I am!”

Behind them, Hayes’ secretary nervously grabbed both doors and pulled them closed.

The director turned around. “It’s not going to happen. You don’t have authority over me or this agency and you know it. Besides, you’re not the first one to storm in here and start making demands. It didn’t work for them and it sure as hell isn’t going to work for you. I suggest you turn around and leave with whatever credibility you have left.”

“I don’t give a damn about credibility! But mark my words, you are going to do this.”

Hayes smirked. “Is that so?” He stuffed his hands in his pockets and smugly returned to his desk, which he circled before sitting down. “According to who? You? You barely have the authority to get inside this building. We’re everywhere, Admiral. We know everything. Including all about the disappearance of your man Clay. And I’m not about to compromise the power of this entire agency, of the entire country, to save your boy scout.” He picked up a mug from his desk and took a sip. “It’s too late anyway.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Neither do you. But we’re not going to give everything up for someone who’s probably already dead.”

Langford leaned angrily onto the desk. “Now you listen and you listen good-”

“No!” interrupted Hayes. He bolted out of his chair and stared icily at Langford. “In case you’re not aware, this is a big goddamn deal! I told you it’s NOT going to happen, and there’s not a damn thing you can do about it!”

They both stood, staring at each other in silence, when the phone on Hayes’ desk beeped. The voice of his secretary spoke over the intercom.

“Sir, I have an important call for you.”

Hayes kept his eyes on Langford. “Take a message.”

“Um, I can’t, sir.”

The director peered down at his phone. “What the hell does that mean?”