CHAPTER 188

MARTIN SEEMS HIMSELF IN A desperate moment, he did not know what the results of his apparently frustrated attempt would be. He had narrowed his own path until he found himself without options, and now he understood why Robert Payne avoided exposing himself.

He couldn't help but feel used by Robert and his unknown group, reduced to a mere instrument of action to protect them, but deep down he knew that when he worked for the government, he meant the same thing. He was just a disposable instrument to do their dirty work while thinking he was helping the country.

What would happen at the meeting?

What would happen to Greg and Tommy if they agreed to reveal the contact?

— Stay calm, boy. — Benedetti rested his hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort him. — You did what you had to...

Clooney was silent, typing endlessly on his laptop, focused on something that was a mystery to him, while the television, turned on in the corner of the room and tuned to CNN as Greg always left it, showed the early morning news.

— If I have made a mistake, I know we will suffer the consequences, — said Martin annoyed. — but what distresses me most is that I have no other way forward. I don't know what to do from this point!

— If Greg trusted you, it was because you were the person best able to get the information he needed.

Martin nodded.

— We will suffer consequences from here on anyway.

Benedetti replied, with a resigned look.

— As for your affliction, I've been through this a few times, son. Sometimes our best decisions are hidden in places where no others would be. You'll find a way out.

While they were talking, something was said on the television about an incident at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. Martin and Carl turned their attention back to the television:

"Today will be remembered in American history..." — said the journalist, apprehensive. — A few moments before the conference with the United Nations Security Council, already in the palace facilities, FBI Inspector General Floyd Kenagan was killed with a shot to the chest. There are indications that his death was the result of a terrorist operation. Two other agents were killed during the confrontation, in addition to American citizen Tommy Leone, who is believed to be responsible for the attack. Investigations have been initiated to determine whether the killer is linked to the terrorist cell responsible for the attacks that occurred in New York this month..."

— Tommy...! — exclaimed Benedetti, astonished.

Martin said nothing to the unexpected news. There was victory for that battle, but he felt no joy for it.

That young man had died because of his frustrated plan...

He died to give the problem the solution he had not found in time.

He rested his head on the pillow, silent, looking at the ceiling, while he weighed the weight of everything he had done, trying to find the answer to his actions. In everything he had done in the last few days, was it right or wrong?

Benedetti remained dumbfounded by the death of his beloved apprentice, the closest thing he had ever had to a son. He covered his furrowed brow with his hands and rested his arms on his knees, staring at the ground.

Suddenly, with a snap, Clooney stopped typing and exclaimed:

— Finally!

They both looked at him with a certain indifference. Had he not heard anything of what had happened?

— Finally! — he said. — I did a little dirty work here! I think we can get some attention for this case! I hacked into the websites of some newspapers around the world and anonymously published the recordings of the President about the military occupation plans on their homepages! I also uploaded the files to some public servers and published the download links on some well-known sites, like Wikileaks. By now, according to the recommendations I made, the recordings are also on the peer-to-peer network and on some darknets! I think we can make some noise, man!

— Kenagan is dead, — Martin said.

Brad Clooney was shocked by the news. On television, another news story was broadcast:

"The websites of the world's leading newspapers were taken down a few minutes ago. A coordinated cyber-terrorism attack is suspected. There are still no theories about the connection between the attacks and the death of the President and the attack on the United Nations council."

"I can't believe it!" Clooney exclaimed, checking his notebook. "All the sites I've posted on have been taken down! Even the most hidden ones! Either someone really good is working on this, or they're following my steps!"

As he said this, the laptop's screen went blank and the device began to make a strange noise, overheating. Clooney jumped back, knocking over the chair he was sitting in, only to have time to watch the computer burn through every component until it was completely destroyed.

— Shit! — Clooney shouted in frustration.

Dr. Payne 's words , but now I understand. We're fighting something much bigger than that. Much older. Much stronger...

MARTIN HAD FINALLY realized the magnitude of what Robert Payne had told him. In fact, Gregory Evans had been able to make the only effective decision to stop Kenan's missteps, which cost poor Tommy his life.

The two FBI and CIA agents, even when joined by the old mafia henchman full of flaws, were still children compared to the enormity of the enemy they would have to face. But the young agent Martin was finally learning the modus operandi of the real world, of the backstage, of the jungle behind the city.

There was no mercy...

Seeing the burned computer, he turned to Carl Benedetti and said:

— Come on! Help me up!

— You need to get over it, kid! — Carl said.

— Come on, Benedetti! There's no time! We have to get out of here now or they'll find us!