“They have billions?” Sami asked, obviously incredulous.
“Yes,” Dad replied. “If you add up all the property, stock, cash, investments, it’s considerable. Huisman won’t have any trouble buying whatever he needs with one exception.”
“The bombs.” It was time to stop worrying about her love life and concentrate. “Shannon Reed managed to make the ones he’s been using without giving up how she programs them. He can build them but he can’t replicate the protocols for detonation that would make the bombs even deadlier. He has used them but not in the fashion he would like to.”
“He didn’t kill as many people as he wanted,” Ben said flatly. “He’s been experimenting since he lost Shannon’s skills. He thought she’d properly primed those bombs, but she tricked him, and not eventhe couple he got out of her work the way he intended.”
“She wasn’t going to blow up half a country,” Cooper pointed out. “Not even to save herself and her sons. My biological mother is done causing harm. She never meant to in the first place. If he caught her today, she would force him to kill her rather than work for him. The only reason she pretended to go along with him was to spare Devi.”
Which was why it was a good thing she was in Colorado along with Kenzie’s brothers and nephew and cousin. They could use Zach, but she understood the need to protect family.
Tim nodded, taking up his partner’s explanation. “We believe the recent attacks on subways in Hanoi and the transportation systems in Kinshasa are all Disrupt.”
“Kinshasa is the capitol of the Congo. It’s a hub for minerals and gems coming out of Africa,” Lucy said, her eyes on the folder in front of her. “From what I’ve learned, Disrupt wants to do what its name says. Disrupt established authority and in particular unsettle the economies of First World countries by decimating supply lines. On the surface they say they’re doing it to make the world a more fair place, but it’s quite the opposite. Vietnam has one of the world’s largest deposits of rare earth metals, and they would like to disrupt those chains so their companies can buy them up and keep them for themselves.”
Rare earth metals powered the batteries for electric vehicles and had many other high tech uses. A battle for control of them was already beginning.
“But the authorities managed to stop the worst of those attacks, though they did send several of the world’s markets into a tailspin,” her mother continued. “He’s close to being able to destabilize whole parts of the global economy.”
“Because he’s stayed away from the First World,” Oliver said. “He’s able to grease the wheels in most of the places he’s attacked.”
Her father’s head shook. “Don’t be so arrogant to think he can’t do it right here in the UK. As we all found out in Liverpool a couple of months ago. Or the States. We have plenty of assholes who would love to take Huisman’s funds. I believe this is all a big play for money.”
“You’re wrong.” Ben held up a hand as if asking for time to make his point. “I will give you that it’s about money for his partners. They would love to tank the world economy and waltz in and buy upeverything they can in the fire sale, but for Manny it’s different.”
“You believe Emmanual Huisman is a sociopath,” Lucy said quietly.
“I agree with him.” Ariel gave Ben a nod. “I’ve looked over his records and I believe he was always a sociopath, though one who is excellent at mirroring the people around him. He learned to hide his predilections. He’s well aware that his thoughts and actions are not considered right in civilized society. I believe his fixation on Ian began when his father was murdered by Levi Green.”
“If I could kill that motherfucker again, I would,” Dad announced.
Ariel ignored the outburst. “He’s fixated on Ian and all the people around him. He’s fixated on Ben, but in a different fashion.”
“I assure you he hates me every bit as much as he does Ian,” Ben announced, and there was some offense in his tone.
Like he needed to be the one Huisman hated most.
“I don’t know about that.” Ariel sounded almost sympathetic. “I would like to know more, but from what I can tell he’s had many chances to kill you.”
“Manny enjoys playing with his victims,” Ben insisted.
“Huisman is a violent misogynist,” Ariel continued. “I actually liken him far more to a cult leader mentality, but he’s also a bit of a misanthrope, which is why almost everyone around him is paid. You told me the girls had a violent reaction to seeing a picture of him.”
“They did.” Her mother had been deeply worried about the young women. “Sosa said he’s an active client in all sides of the business. She’s worked for him before and he’s beaten the shit out of her. I don’t like to think about what he does when he’s in the brothel portion of the house.”
Damon sighed. “Damn it. They’re kidnapping young women and training them to be assassins or sex workers? Here in Europe?”
Penny reached over and patted her husband’s hand. “They are, my love, which is why we’re going to have a new challenge.”
Damon’s head fell back and he cursed.
“Dad, Sami, and I will handle the heavy lifting,” Oliver explained. “Ariel and Mum will deal with Sosa and Gabby and the others when we figure out how many there are and what it’s going to take to free them.”
“Hey, I’m working on this, too,” Lucy added. “I’ve got feelers out. I suspect between what the girls know and what I can discover, we canat the very least devise a plan to extract their friends. Also, from what I’ve discerned, it’s not just assassins or rape victims. Don’t call them sex workers. Sex workers choose their professions and provide something a lot of people need. They’re rape victims. Slaves. Sosa was trained to be an assassin, but they are pretty much a one-stop criminal shop if you’re looking for young women.”
Tim held up a hand. “I would think they would want some dudes, too. No offense to the many deadly women in this room, but men are still better at killing. All the stats prove that.”
“I would agree with you on a mass scale,” her father began, “but they’re not looking for some shooter. They have their weapons of mass destruction. I talked to Sosa on the plane. She admitted to a couple of her victims. All political or business enemies of the men who paid for her services. Every one of them needed surgical precision.”
