“I look forward to you cashing it in,” she said, smirking. “In the meantime, did you bring your badge?”
“Oh, right.”
As a Strategic Services board member, Stone had his own security badge. He retrieved it and slipped its connected lanyard around his neck.
They passed through security and took an elevator up two levels to the research department, where they entered a large room full of cabinets and tables and counters.
Two people were present—Mike Freeman and a woman wearing a gray lab coat with theStrategic Serviceslogo embroidered on the chest.
“Good morning, Stone,” Mike said.
“Hello, Mike. I hope you were able to get some sleep last night at least.”
“Whenever possible, I leave the all-nighters to others,” Mike said.
“Stone,” Tamlyn said. “Allow me to introduce you to Dr. Naomi Okamoto. She’s the head of our research department.”
“Dr. Okamoto, it’s nice to finally meet you.”
Okamoto had joined Strategic Services nine months earlier, and Stone hadn’t had the opportunity to cross paths with her until now.
“A pleasure, Mr. Barrington.”
“I understand you have something for me.”
“Heads up,” Mike said and then tossed a strapped stack of hundred-dollar bills to Stone.
Stone flipped through the bills, then examined the stack from every angle.
“Impressive, wouldn’t you say?” Tamlyn asked.
“More than,” he replied. “How does it work?”
Dr. Okamoto picked up what looked like a car key fobfrom the counter. “When you’re ready to turn it on, hold this within a foot of the stack, and press here.” She indicated a button on the side of the fob, but did not touch it.
“That’s all?” Stone asked.
The doctor nodded. “Once activated, you should be able to track its location for up to ten days.”
“Shouldbe able to?”
“As I mentioned before,” Tamlyn said, “it’s experimental. This will be the first time it’s been used outside the laboratory.”
Stone scanned the bundle again. “The bug is buried in the money?”
“No,” Okamoto replied. “It’s in the paper strap.”
“If I wasn’t impressed before, I am now.”
“Also, the billsarereal,” Tamlyn said. “So, we would appreciate getting our ten thousand dollars back when you’re done.”
“I imagine you would.”
“How is this to be delivered?” the doctor asked.
“With ninety-nine other stacks in a briefcase,” Stone said.
“Then I would suggest putting this one a few layers down and against one side,” she said. “It’s more likely that someone may check a stack on the top or somewhere in the middle. In the process, the strap could be damaged to the point where the tracker no longer works.”
