Read Online The King of Fear by Drew Chapman - Free Book Online

there absolutely no part of my life that’s private? Am I an open book to the world?
    â€œYou had a top-level security clearance. We have to be careful with everyone who has ever worked for us. You can understand that.”
    â€œNo, I cannot understand that. My personal business is my own. Not yours. What the hell is wrong with you people? What is wrong with this country?”
    â€œI understand you’re upset, but—”
    â€œYou don’t.” An ember of rage glowed in his chest. “You understand nothing about me. You never have.”
    They sat silently for half a minute. Garrett’s mind raced. He replayed the conversation they’d just had in his head. Had he been too defensive? Yes. Well, no, the DIA had dug into his medical records. That was wrong. And illegal. On the other hand, he was taking too many drugs, even he recognized that. Maybe she was actually worried about him. No, no, and no. His thoughts were ping-ponging back and forth. He slammed shut his eyes and tried to focus on what he had told himself only moments earlier: He had to keep his distance from Alexis. He did not love her anymore. Keep. His. Distance.
    â€œDid you say something?” she asked, brow creased in concern.
    â€œWhat?” he asked. Had he said his thoughts out loud? He slapped his open palm against the sofa cushion, trying to jolt his mind to reality, to the present. He was a mess. His mind was a mess. “No. I was just—nothing.”
    She nodded slowly, as if to say, Okay, I believe you. Sort of. “Can you tell me a little more about this pool? And who you think is behind it?”
    â€œIf I had to guess, I’d say a nation-state. Not an ally. But maybe not a full-on enemy either. They’re sending someone into this country. To destabilize things.That’s what they’ve been doing now for weeks. In Europe. Hacking, stealing, causing a bank run.”
    â€œIf it’s cybercrime, why send someone into this country? Why not do it remotely?”
    â€œIt’s not just cybercrime. It’s social engineering. Conning people. You need to be here in person to do that. To make the dominoes fall in the right order.”
    â€œI saw an intelligence report on the bank run in Malta. You’re saying that’s a part of this?”
    He nodded yes.
    â€œBut Europe is not the United States.”
    â€œThey’re connected. Corporations in London, banks in New York, data centers in Hong Kong. Nothing is truly separate anymore.”
    â€œAnd who is this person they’re sending?”
    â€œAn assassin. A financial assassin.”
    Garrett watched Alexis’s reaction, how her lips tightened, how her eyes shot quickly high and to the left, looking out a window, avoiding his gaze. That was a tell. She didn’t believe him. She thought he was crazy; a deranged drug addict. Maybe she thought he did have something to do with the Steinkamp killing.
    â€œGarrett,” she said calmly, “why don’t you get Mitty to come up here. You guys can hang out in my apartment, and I’ll run your theory past Kline—”
    Garrett laughed. “And then he can call the FBI, and they can take their time coming down to your apartment to arrest me?”
    â€œIf I’d wanted you arrested, I wouldn’t have called you at your office,” she snapped.
    Garrett fell silent. She had a point. Paranoia was wrapping itself around his brain like a noose, cutting off his thoughts, limiting his ability to see the world as it was.
    â€œIt’s just—a billion-dollar fund? Targeting the US economy? A financial assassin? I mean, it’s pretty fantastic. What other sources do you have?”
    â€œHans Metternich. He found me last night. Left me a note. That they were coming. Coming to this country.”
    â€œHans Metternich? The man you said you met on a subway a year ago? A spy we could never find, no matter how hard we looked?”
    Garrett