Massive Attack (A Guy Niava Thriller Book 1) by Dana Arama (diy ebook reader TXT) 📕

it will be an international and well-aimed assault. With all due respect to the anti-drug authorities, it can’t be compared to the war against terror. You haven’t felt what it is like when all hell breaks loose because of you. I am talking about bank accounts shut down in every possible place in the world, satellite tracking, viruses and Trojan horses that will be planted into every cell phone or computer you will ever open. Any device you know about and devices you don’t even know exists, because this time it will not be a war against an authority. This will be a war against all intelligence agencies around the world.”

“With all due respect to your intelligence agencies around the world, we are a dangerous organization too and very well-equipped.”

“With all due respect to your organization, my love,” Zorro answered him, “I am holding your equipment and am pointing it towards this woman and am dying to use it.”

El Desconocido moved his gaze between Zorro and Gail, and when he caught Zorro’s gaze, he said, “I will have a few conditions for my cooperation.”

“What are your terms?” said Guy.

“First of all, that my deals won’t be sabotaged. You won’t ask me about the essence of the deal, nor of the timetable or the transport of the goods.”

“Your conditions are acceptable to me.” I thought it was a bit presumptuous for Guy to accept the terms. After all, I was the law representative. But I kept quiet.

“Secondly, my business partners…” he stopped for a moment and asked, “Are you sure that you don’t want a shot of tequila? I have a lovely bar.”

“Another time. Go on, please.”

“Any crime my business partners commit has nothing to do with me. I am not liable for them.”

“Raphael,” Zorro interrupted. “We are only interested in information on the origin of the money in this deal with Murat Lenika. Give us this information and we’re out of here.”

“It is not so simple, Alex, not so simple.”

“Don’t try and complicate matters Raphael.” Zorro stood in front of him and at the moment her gun changed direction, Guy shifted his gun to point at Gail, as if they were a well-synchronized team. “I know you… You are capable of giving us this information.”

“It is not so simple. I am sure that this source is not the original.” El Desconocido turned on his computer and added, “But you insist, and because knowledge is power, I am prepared to check it.” Next to the computer lay a pair of gold framed glasses. He took them absentmindedly and put them on and then asked, “Can I sit down to check?”

Zorro said, “Yes,” and then shifted her position so she too could look at the screen.

Guy asked, “What makes you think that the source is not the original one?”

“Because we are talking about a legal deal, it has to go through some sort of guise.”

Guy checked his watch. He was feeling pressured and we had run out of time. The room was in total silence. I could hear the wheezing breathing of the man who held me. He probably smoked too much. I fixed my gaze on Gail, who stared at Zorro, who in turn stared at the flickering screen. I counted to three and, just as I had known, Gail started twisting her hair around her finger. She always did that when she wanted people to think she was indifferent but was actually feeling anxious.

The arguing outside got louder. Someone was yelling, “You are not going to do that.” Another voice yelled, “And what about the blood of your brother, bleeding at your feet?” I didn’t hear the answer because they walked away. What I did know was that every second we wasted here, more and more decisions were being made outside. I started thinking that if we were to come out of this alive, it would be a miracle.

Before my eyes, El Desconocido morphed into Raphael the accountant, and for the first time, I could see what my sister saw in him. His face was serious, and he concentrated on the screen before him. I could see the screens changing through the reflection in his glasses. Was he really trying to help? After a few minutes he leaned back and announced, “I think I have found the source.”

“We’d be happy if you’d share it with us…”

“The source that appears here is a private British school. I am sure that it is a guise.”

“Do you have the name of the school?”

“Not exactly…”

“How can a school afford to pay for drugs?” Zorro asked, still staring at the screen.

“It isn’t paying for the drugs. It is paying a charity that runs an orphanage in South America. One of these orphanages is in the Sinaloa area. Whoever looks closely enough will also find an indirect connection to my business.”

“So maybe the school doesn’t even know who it’s paying for and for what…” The reality of the business had hit Guy in the face. A look of despair crossed his features.

“Yes,” El Desconocido answered him. “That definitely could be possible. On the other hand, it could be a cleverly-planned laundering of money.” He smiled. “That is the type of thing accountants like to do.” He cleared his throat and added, “Who but me would know something like that.”

Nobody in the room said a word. As far as Guy was concerned, it was a total waste of two days. His nephew’s time was running out. Thousands of travelers flying the different airlines and Israeli embassy employees were also at risk. For two days, danger had hung low over our heads and now we were only further away from resolving the entire affair. As far as Zorro was concerned, she’d found an equal rival. As far as I was concerned, this was the end of a seven-month journey where I had found and lost my only sister.

“I need all the details about this school.” Guy was reinvigorated. I wondered what it was about El Desconocido’s answer