Read Online The Reckoning by Teyla Branton - Free Book Online Page B

sense of rightness asserted itself in my mind. I lifted my brows slightly, acknowledging the connection that ran between us.
    “I just got off the phone with the president,” Ava announced from her seat at the head of the table, drawing my attention from Ritter. “He’s not happy that I won’t give him the particulars of the plutonium transportation, but the leaders of the other Renegade cells agreed that we cannot risk him calling for any action that may alert the Emporium. The papers state that the plutonium is reactor grade and not just weapons grade. That’s a significant added risk. In an accident with the plutonium, the radiation would kill any mortals within miles and endanger the operation. However, I have given the president the names we found in the documents, and he will be discreetly investigating those. If we are successful with the plutonium recovery, he believes he’ll be able to permanently remove those people from office and perhaps have them jailed. We have identified twenty-two people so far, but he is still going through them.” She paused for effect. “Needless to say, getting rid of these political leaders will help our cause immensely, but without the proof offered by the plutonium, it’s highly doubtful we’ll succeed. Everything is riding on getting our hands on the plutonium.”
    “So we’re going to Iran?” I asked. “Or Lebanon?”
    Ava shook her head. “We thought so at first. The documents you photographed identified the plutonium as being produced in Venezuela, but we had no idea of the location, and given what happened the last time at Desoto’s, we can’t risk going back in to check his other files. However, we’ve had a break.” She looked at Stella, who sat kitty-corner to Ava, gesturing for her to continue.
    Stella brought up a photograph of a dark-skinned man on our monitors, this time using the keyboard that was built into her place at the table instead of her neural headset. “This is Shadrach Azima, who was born in Iran four hundred years ago but has been working in Italy with our Renegades there for the past century. He’s a healer, and he’s made a lot of friends in Iran using his ability, so he was, of course, briefed about what’s happening.”
    She paused as his picture slid to the side of the screen and a map of Venezuela appeared. “In comparing the names of the Iranian officials involved, he believes the plutonium is being made here.” The map enlarged, and a dot appeared in the northeast of the country. “It’s about thirty miles west of Guayana City in an old steel plant near the Orinoco River. By the way, that’s Guayana City in Venezuela, not to be confused with the nearby Republic of Guyana. We believe the factory is operating with full approval of government officials, which isn’t a real surprise since we know Iran has been courting South America to get around UN sanctions. We also know that Venezuelan authorities have been anxious to increase their nuclear infrastructure, which is probably what they’ve negotiated from the deal.”
    Ritter frowned. “The Russians could be involved as well, at least as far as a nuclear power station. They’ve been open about their aid to Venezuela in that respect.”
    “Maybe.” Cort leaned back in his chair and tented his hands over his stomach. “Though I doubt they’re aware of the end destination of any plutonium produced in Venezuela.” He gestured to the map on the screen. “With all the fuel reserves in Venezuela, it’s doubtful that those in charge are concerned about nuclear power. It’s clearly weapons they want.”
    “That’s understandable,” Jace said. He was also leaning back in his chair on Mari’s other side, with one foot up on the table. “I mean, that’s the only way to be considered one of the big boys, right?”
    “At any rate,” Ava said, “there are complications in having the factory located so close to a highly populated city.”
    “How many people are we talking