Page 24 of Red Zone Awakened

CHAPTER9

CommTECH headquarters

New York City, Northern Territory

“Doyou need us to send our security forces to supplement your efforts in securing the research facility?”Ju-long Lee asked.The CEO of Lee-Chan Medical, one of the four leaders of the territories, failed to mask the mockery in his tone.

“No, thank you.”Miriam remained gracious, despite it being clear to everyone at their virtual meeting she’d just been insulted.None of the leaders would ever let anyone else’s forces set foot on their soil.They may have formed a mutually beneficial alliance, but there was no trust involved.

Ju-long gave her a courteous bow.As usual, he wore a traditional black tangzhuang, and the fit of the silken suit combined with his stick-insect proportions made him seem like a portent of death.An image that fit perfectly with the way the octogenarian ruled his vast territory: an area that covered most of the Far East.

“What are the chances of these terrorists obtaining information about the faulty chip?”Serge Abramovich’s hologram showed him lounging behind his ostentatious desk in the European Territory.The marble-topped, carved wooden monstrosity had once belonged to King Louis XVI—before his unfortunate encounter with a guillotine.

“We won’t let that happen.”What right did they have to question her abilities?Miriam was the strongest leader on the planet.She might be their business partner, but that didn’t mean she had to answer to them.“My heads of security are minutes from Houston.They will handle this unfortunate situation personally.”

“Ah, the Mercer twins.”Sandrine Cherbourg, leader of the Southern Territory, which encompassed Australia and parts of South Asia, practically purred the words.Behind her, a view of the Sydney Opera House filled her office window.It was a spectacular sight that did nothing to make up for the fact that Sandrine was in charge of the smallest territory.Something that irked the deadly ambitious woman no end.She focused her catlike eyes on Miriam.“One day, I might succeed in wooing the twins from you.”

If reputation was anything to go by, Sandrine had probably already tried.But as both men were still alive, the rumor that she ate her prey after sex was obviously false.

“The question is,” Ju-long said as he paced his spartan office, “how did this happen in the first place?Have you contacted our partner in Freedom?”

Miriam bit her tongue to stop her sarcastic response.She hadn’t risen to the heights of leader of the most powerful company in the world without using every resource at her fingertips.In return for a hefty fee, their pet Freedom leader made sure any terrorist attacks his group planned were directed where Miriam and the other leaders wanted them to go.Which meant their competitors mainly bore the brunt of the protestors’ violence.

“Arnold James confirmed that this is an unsanctioned attack by a splinter faction of their group.”

“In other words, nobody ran their plan past leadership before implementing it,” Ju-long said.

“Perhaps they suspect that their leadership’s compromised,” Sandrine added.

“Or they’re just dumb,” Serge said.“I hope the data in the research facility is secure.If the plans for that data chip are made public, we can kiss goodbye to our hefty profit.Not to mention company stock will fall.Our positions are riding on that information remaining secure.”

“Why are you stating the obvious, Serge?”Sandrine drawled.“Is it because you’re sober?Maybe you should pour a glass of that whiskey you seem to like so much.You’re much more interesting when you’re drinking.And besides”—she cast a spiteful glance at Miriam—“CommTECH’s stock is already falling.”

“Careful, Sandrine.”Serge cocked his head and gave Sandrine a considering look.“Your claws are showing.”

“I agree with Serge,” Ju-long said.“You may have to sacrifice your people to ensure that data remains secure.”

Miriam fought the urge to roll her eyes.Oh, if only she’d thought of that all by herself.

A knock at the door drew her attention from the holographic people taking up virtual space in her pristine office.The door opened silently, and her personal assistant, Damien, came in.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, ma’am.”His voice was toneless as usual.Miriam wasn’t sure if Damien felt emotion.It was one of the things she liked best about him.“But we have visual confirmation that Keiko Sato is alive.”

Now, wasn’t that interesting?She supposed Freedom thought to exchange the press secretary for the rest of their demands.Amateurs.People could always be replaced.It was the research that couldn’t.She inclined her head, and her ever-efficient assistant brought up the newsfeed on the screens covering the wall opposite her desk.There was silence as each of her holographic counterparts tuned in to their own newsfeeds.

But instead of the Freedom leader threatening Keiko and making unreasonable demands, the screen showed the press secretary clinging to the outside wall of the sixty-seventh floor of the research facility.And she wasn’t alone.

“Who’s that man with her?”

Damien consulted his notes.“Mace Armstrong.Freelance newshound.”

“Is he with Freedom?”Ju-long asked, despite having no right to address her staff.

Miriam gritted her teeth.Now wasn’t the time to reinforce their tenuous hierarchy.As soon as this latest situation was dealt with, she’d ensure that her fellow leaders were aware of the boundaries she placed around them.

Damien glanced at her before answering, reinforcing her confidence in the man.“Not that we can tell.We’re still digging.”

“What of the scientists?Are they still alive?”Miriam asked.The other hostages meant nothing to her.However, although they weren’t irreplaceable, recruiting new scientists and getting them up to speed would be a tremendous inconvenience.

“We only have the broadcast that the terrorists made”—he checked his datapad—“almost an hour ago.There’s been no confirmation, visual or otherwise, since then.”

There was no need to ask if this latest information regarding Keiko had gone to the Mercer brothers.Damien knew his job.

The harried cry of the newscaster drew everyone’s attention back to the newsfeed.

“It appears there’s a disturbance on the ledge.Yes.There’s a… a bat.Keiko seems to be shooing it away.”The newscaster’s voice carried ghoulish excitement.“She’s slipped!Oh my goodness, she’s slipped from the building.Keiko Sato is falling!”

There was a moment’s silence before Miriam spoke.

“Well, that’s unfortunate,” she said as her press secretary toppled from the ledge.