Bogdan shrugged. “I knew when I agreed to come to the U.S. that there would be strings attached to the help my family received. It’s the way the world works.”
“It still sucks,” Darwin insisted.
Lennox couldn’t argue with that. “But if the CIA is so keen on your cooperation, why were you so hesitant to get this stuff to the dock like Keller wanted? Were you seriously trying to bluff your way into a meeting with Keller’s bosses at Sentinel?”
Bogdan did a double take. “How do you know about that?” He shook his head and held up a hand. “It doesn’t matter. Just know that my bluffing is all on Boyd and the CIA. They know next to nothing about who’s running Sentinel, and this was their way of trying to learn more.”
“Even if it means putting you at risk?” Colt asked with a frown. “They had to know that if you pushed Keller, he might push back. Which is exactly what he did.”
“My family and I are the least of their concerns,” Bogdan said. “That call I got outside was Boyd telling me to keep pushing Keller for a meeting with his superior. They think that if I imply Maria and Talia’s abduction is of no concern to me then Keller will give in and concede to my demands for the meeting. I don’tknow why he’d be stupid enough to think Keller would believe that.”
It was Lennox’s turn to look stunned. “How do they already know Talia and Maria were kidnapped? It’s barely been more than an hour since Keller left.”
“I assume they have someone inside the police department,” Bogdan said with a shrug. “Regardless, I asked if they were planning to help get Talia and Maria back and they simply said that the CIA’s involvement isn’t necessary at this time.”
Lennox cursed. “They’re willing to let Talia and Maria get hurt on the off chance they get some intel on this Sentinel group? I’ve never thought much of the Agency, but this is a new low, even for them.”
“We’re not going to go along with this, are we?” Darwin asked, though Lennox could tell from his tone that it wasn’t a question. “We’re going to rescue them out on our own, right?”
“Damn right we are.” Lennox gave Bogdan a pointed look. “But you already knew that, didn’t you?”
Bogdan looked like a weight had lifted from his shoulders. “I hoped.”
“For this to work, we’re going to need your help,” Lennox said. “You’ll need to lure Keller out into the open with Talia and Maria.”
Bogdan nodded. “The only thing that will get Keller’s attention is to offer him exactly what he wants.”
“Which is what, by the way?” Colt questioned.
“A state-of-the-art genome sequencing computer,” Bogdan explained. “It’s the only reason that Keller wants Dayton McDaniel involved. His bio-tech company specializes in advances to genetic research. This computer system is worth ten million dollars and is one-of-a-kind.”
Lennox frowned. “What the hell does Keller need with a genome sequencing computer? Not that I know what a genome sequencing computer does. But it doesn’t seem like something in Keller’s wheelhouse.”
“I have no idea what he wants with it,” Bogdan admitted. “While there seems to be several items on the Sentinel agenda when it comes to the San Diego area, acquiring this computer, getting it through port security and onto the ship Fredrickson has waiting is at the top of their list.”
Lennox exchanged looks with Colt and Darwin to see that they looked as baffled as he was.
“Do you think Sentinel is trying to create some new biological weapon?” Darwin asked. “Like some kind of super-bug?”
Bogdan lifted his shoulders in a shrug. “I have no idea what it can do. Dayton attempted to explain to me what the computer does but it was over my head. I suppose it’s possible.”
That was a frightening thought.
As plans went, the one to rescue Talia and Maria was pretty basic. Bogdan would contact Keller and set up an exchange of McDaniel’s fancy sequencing computer for them. Once a time and place had been established, Lennox and his Teammates would slip in and set up an ambush. When the exchange went down, they’d get Talia and Maria out of there while hopefully preventing Keller from getting what he wanted.
Piece of cake.
“Boyd and the CIA can’t catch wind of what we’re doing or they’ll stop us, regardless of what that would mean for Maria and Talia,” Bogdan said, getting to his feet and coming around the desk. “I’m going to talk to my wife and Sofia and somehow try and convince them that this is all going to work out okay, then I’ll make some calls and set up the exchange with Keller, aswell as convince Boyd that I’m still playing the game the way he wants.” He looked at each of them in turn. “Thank you.”
After Bogdan left the room, Lennox flopped down onto the leather couch, rested his elbows on his knees, and put his head in his hands. As a SEAL, he’d been in dozens of situations like the one tonight, but none had ever left him feeling this drained—or terrified.
“She’s going to be okay,” Colt said as if reading his mind. “We’re going to use this big fancy computer to set up an ambush and we’re going to get Talia and Maria back safe and sound.”
Lennox lifted his head and looked at his friends. “I know we’ve gotten people out of worse situations, but I can’t help feeling different about this because it’s personal. There are two people out there who are very important to me. I can’t screw this up and I can’t lose either of them.”
“You won’t,” Darwin said firmly.
Lennox shot to his feet with a curse. “It’s my fault Talia and Maria got kidnapped. If I’d gotten here thirty minutes earlier, if I hadn’t been so wrapped up worrying about Talia breaking up with me, she and Maria would be here right now.”
