Taylor said, “Look what I have.”
Kim looked at her and saw the butt of the Makarov in her coat pocket.
Taylor said, “We are not going with you.” She added, “You’re being used, David.”
“Don’t insult me.”
“Are you aware of the discrepancies in the fragments of the IED recovered at the blast site in Neukölln?”
He hesitated. “I am, but—”
“Are you also aware that one of the three Syrian supposed Islamic terrorists who died in the blast was a practicing Christian, and that none of the three men have any known extremist ties?”
Kim did not respond.
Taylor continued, “And I’m sure you’re aware that the German authorities are executing raids within hours on a right-wing extremist group called NordFaust that our own intelligence agencies suspect might have been involved in the Vance homicide.”
Kim looked uncomfortable. “Where did you get this information?”
“From our own inquiries and sources.”
Kim did not respond.
Taylor continued, “This whole investigation has been a clusterfuck, and that presser this morning was extremely premature. You’re a smart man, Agent Kim, but you got played on this one. We all did.”
“No. I did my job.”
Brodie said, “And your job was to put gold plating on a pile of bullshit. Well done.”
“Fuck you, Scott.”
Taylor’s job always seemed to be keeping Brodie from making a bad situation worse. She asked Kim, in a soft voice, “Do you know why we are here, David?”
Kim looked at her. “You think a retired American army colonel, Charles Granger, who is on the board of this firm, is the Stasi spy Odin.”
“Do you think we’re right?”
“I don’t know, but I know you have both crossed the line.” He added, “This needs to be handled by the embassy and the Bundeskriminalamt.” He nodded toward Ulrich in the idling Mercedes. “Last chance to come with me before I call the angry Germans with the assault rifles and arrest powers.”
Brodie said, “This is your last chance to show some balls and either leave or come with us.”
Kim did not reply.
Taylor said, “Scott and I have been tailed by members of this groupNordFaust, and they attempted to detain and maybe kill Scott. They staged the bombing in Neukölln. They killed and mutilated a man there this morning, the same man who provided information to Harry Vance that led to his going to Körnerpark on the night of his murder. They also murdered Anna Albrecht. And they have gotten their hands on a dozen mortar-fired cluster bombs that they plan to use in this city in the very near future.”
Kim did not respond, but he appeared taken aback.
Brodie said, “You are a counterterrorism agent, David, and we are telling you there is an imminent attack coming. The Germans are aware of this and are acting on it, but they are missing a big piece of the picture.” He pointed to the Titan Genetics building. “An American traitor who has eluded justice for thirty years might be in this building. Or at least there might be a clue here to his whereabouts. Come with us and see if we’re right. And then we’ll go with you to the embassy, or a German jail, or wherever.”
Kim hesitated, then said, “You really think you’ve found him?”
“That’s why we’re here.”
Kim looked up at the Titan Genetics building. He actually seemed to be considering Brodie’s invitation to do something crazy, and Brodie gave the guy credit for that. David Kim was a counterterrorism specialist brought in to assist on a homicide investigation that had now officially named the perps, who were Islamic terrorists. It was all bullshit, of course, but David Kim’s career—not to mention his worldview—depended on him believing it.
After a few more moments of contemplation, Kim said, “You’ve earned about fifteen minutes of my time before I bring you in. Let’s go.” He signaled to Ulrich to stand by, and crossed the street with Brodie and Taylor.
The three of them entered the plaza in front of the Titan Genetics building. A few people wearing Titan ID badges sat at umbrella tables with heat lamps eating lunch. The Germans were weird. Brodie looked at the entrance, where a row of revolving glass doors led to a soaring atrium. Near the doors was a security camera pointed at the plaza. Through the glass frontage Brodie spotted a large reception desk in the lobby and a row of security turnstiles. He didn’t see anything that looked like a metal detector or other security screening.
