Page 8 of Destroyed With You

“That’s pretty much the entire intelligence community’s take on the situation.”

Winston cracked a smile. “And you’re hoping to nip it in the bud before his organization gets as powerful as his role model’s.”

“Got it in one.”

“Which is how Bartlett fits in,” Winston said.

Seagrave nodded. “He’s this close to agreeing to testify for us,” he added, holding his thumb and forefinger just millimeters apart. “He’s key. The information on that computer is even more important.”

“What did he witness? Murder?”

A hint of a smile touched Seagrave’s lips. “No, but you could say he knows where the bodies are buried. And who buried them. He’s an accountant for Hawthorne’s operation.”

“An accountant?”

“Not sexy, but it was accounting that took down Capone. People forget that.”

Winston nodded in understanding. Bartlett had access to books and information that could put his employer behind bars, and that employer wanted to eliminate the risk. And Linda was hired to be the ax man. To take out a witness so that the masterminds of a criminal empire could go free.

“In Bartlett’s case, it’s not just the financials. It’s who he was doing the work for.”

“Explain.”

“Bartlett works with one of our covert organizations. His handler is Dustin Collins, one of the operational commanders in ID-9.”

“ID-9?”

“Intelligence Division Nine. The ID protocol was funded about the time you joined the SOC. The agents assigned to the various ID sections have even deeper cover. Longer term assignments.”

“Why is the SOC bringing in an ID-9 witness?”

“We’re not.”

Winston frowned, waiting for Seagrave to tell him the rest.

“Bartlett’s agreed to testify against both Hawthorne and Collins.”

“Collins?” Winston let out a slow whistle. “An operational commander is dirty?”

“I’ve been watching him for a while. Oversight of the ID divisions falls to the SOC.”

Winston’s blood ran cold. “So you’re positive Collins is a mole?”

“I am,” Seagrave said. “And we have the chance to nail him with Bartlett’s testimony and the evidence on the laptop. Which means you need to bring him in. I need Bartlett alive. I need Linda alive. And I need that machine.”

Winston studied his friend’s face. “You told me about Linda so that I’d take this assignment.”

“I told you about Linda because you have a right to know,” Seagrave countered. “But knowing what you do, I think you can empathize with the depth of Collins’ betrayal.”

Shit.

“Well?” Seagrave pressed.

No matter how much he might want to bury his head in the sand for this one, he couldn’t. Not for something as important as this.

“Agent,” Seagrave said, though Winston wasn’t officially an agent anymore. “Will you take this assignment?”

Winston shifted, looking back at the screen. The video had played past the image of Bartlett, returning to Linda standing on the roof, the gun in her hand. She was frozen there, and Winston was sure that Seagrave had the tech boys edit that shot right onto the end of the footage. A final punch to push him over the edge if he was undecided.