8:30 EST
One of Pearl Barnes’s associates arrived at Sunnydale in a Suburban. The man claimed to be with IT and was called by someone named Izzie to check out her computer. The guard phoned Izzie’s number that she had forwarded to her cell phone. She gave the guard the “all clear,” and he raised the gate. The man drove to an intersection, where he made a turn onto a narrower road, which led to Edith’s cottage. Once he was in place, he signaled Izzie, who phoned Clayton.
“Edith, I am in the office. I think there’s been a security breach.”
“This technology will be the end of me,” she shouted into the phone. “I’ll be right there.”
The minute she walked outside, Yoko and Izzie grabbed her. Yoko put her in a sleeper hold until the man could move her to the back of the large SUV. Once Clayton was prone, Yoko injected her with the pesticide. The man bound Edith’s wrists and ankles as the dangerous liquid was absorbed into her body. She, too, would awaken in a tent just like her sister, and in the exact same condition.
Washington, D.C.
9:00 PM
Two well-dressed men in their early forties approached the large, marble reception desk. The man behind the desk recognized them immediately. “Good evening, senator. Congressman. How may I help you?”
“We’re here to see Nikki Quinn. She is expecting us.”
“Certainly.” He phoned her office, nodded. “Take the elevator on the left.”
When the elevator reached their floor, it opened to a tastefully decorated reception area. There was no one in sight. Footsteps approached, and a striking woman appeared.
“Good evening, gentlemen. Nikki Quinn. Thank you very much for meeting with me so late. I’ve been trying to wrap up a few things before I leave town.”
“No problem. We do some of our best work after hours.” Gerber’s attempt at humor fell flat.
“Please, follow me.” Nikki ushered them into her private office. “Have a seat.” She indicated the sofa and club chairs. “May I interest you in a drink? I believe you gentlemen are partial to Macallan.”
Gerber sat up straight. “Yes.” He was slightly taken aback.
“I do my homework. I like to know who I’m dealing with.” Nikki raised an eyebrow. She got up and went to the outer office, where she prepared the concoction of ketamine with the scotch. She mixed it thoroughly and placed the tumblers on a tray, along with the bottle. She went back into her office with a warm smile on her face. She set the tray on the coffee table and handed each of them a glass.
“Aren’t you going to join us?” Hawthorne asked.
Nikki reached over to the sideboard, where a half-filled tumbler was sitting. “I’m a little ahead of you. It helps me unwind.” She raised her glass. “Cheers!”
“Cheers!”
“Cheers!”
“Tell me more about Sunnydale. Are either of you involved in any of the company’s finances? Administration?” She knew it would be a conflict of interest if they were. She simply wanted to hear how they would answer the question.
Gerber was the first to speak up. “No. No. But we do have an interest in the care of people who live in our districts.”
“Understandable.” Nikki nodded. And waited. She could tell Hawthorne was the more nervous of the two.
“Yes,” Gerber continued. “What’s important to our constituents is important to us.”
In a pig’s eye, she thought to herself.
“Let me tell you a little about my clients.” At this point, she could make up any story she wanted. They were on the hook. “They are looking to invest five million dollars.” She waited to see how Gerber was going to react.
He kept his cool, but it was not easy. He could barely speak, dazzled by the sum of money she proposed, and his head was getting a little foggy.
Hawthorne shook his head several times. He shut his eyes tight.
“Are you alright?” Nikki asked.
“Uh, yeah. I th—th—think so.”
