COLLAPSE PROTOCOL

ngton, Virgini

d Person-

long the rim of her coffee c

vernment-issue furniture, reinforced windows, and enough

ary homes she'd inhabited during

, displaying a heavily redacted f

sion that had offic

had gotten he

he'd been quietly investigatin

James Bolt died in a helicopter cras

ic acc

death and

of

ounted on his daughter digging thr

ything u

making her jump slightly. She hated that he could s

e laptop. "Nothing that

nce said with

urance of a man who had survived three admi

ately trimmed, his navy suit perfec

ified files that have nothin

s gaze. "Just

ons, Rachel." He crossed the room and sat acro

would under

lt her ja

Quantico and had been her fat

gun to question eve

ad," she said, changing

specifi

eep cover operative we hav

ork has been expanding into

amid Al-Fayez gives us an unprecedented opportuni

ctly is Colla

tching his fa

Vance's eyes-surprise

nswered. "For now, focus o

sultant for Al-Fayez's newly acqui

ra's trust and access thei

than to push further. "And the

our briefi

s ago. He's now among our most dangerous targets-arms de

ybook because he

eclared dead

know how reliable death certifi

terrupted by Rachel's s

unknown number: Roof. F

slipped the phone back into her pocke

on't go far. Whe

solitary figure silhouetted against th

rmer handler and the only person

e," Rachel said quiet

ied without turning. "They're s

hat had nothing to do wit

the authorization codes

s barely abo

e directive came from somewhere else-a sha

run

cares me. I ca

ave. "Rachel, I pulled your father's unredacted au

stuttere

hit, made to look like he

ll metal object-a vin

ffects that were cataloged but

palm. Engraved on the bottom was a sequence of

y," Chen e

eneva. Whatever your father discovered, whatever got

g me this now? Righ

urity clearance was revoked this morning." His

ley for 'reassignment.' We

t. Silenci

eneva," Rachel sai

w we've spoken. Your cover will be blown before you even begin." He pressed a small device

a weathered-looking operative with cold e

tor now. If things go sideways in

o I fi

nds you." Chen de

tching Al-Fayez

Vance emerged. Chen immedia

air, sir," Chen said wi

my office at 0800, Agent Chen. We need

s,

whispered, "Trust no one. Not e

implications. Was Vance part of whatever had gotten her father k

fing?" Vance asked, his tone

ce she didn't feel. "I want to know everythi

g, Rachel's training took over. Compart

ck of her mind: somewhere in Geneva was a l

what Collapse Protocol really was-and why the name Lazarus Kito h

. Then Geneva

plicated the very agenc

e her father's silver lighte

venge