Midnight In Madrid

“What interests do the Chinese have?”

“Peter will get into that with you later today in a one-on-one,” McKi

“A wealthy individual buyer or the Beijing government?” she asked immediately, turning toward Peter.

“For now, let’s say both,” Mark said. “In China today, these things usually overlap.”

“Understood. Betrayed how?” she pressed.

“They paid,” Peter said, “and the bird, the pietà, was not delivered.”

“Hence, Peter’s presence in Europe,” McKi

“I’m flattered by the comparison,” Alex said.

“As am I,” said Peter, interjecting politely.

“But here’s where we get into the hardball,” Mark McKi

“But,” she said, picking up his line of thought, “if we were able to work through another agency, with Chinese help for example…”

“Exactly. There would be no tip-off to the opposition. It would look as if we’re just trying to get a chunk of granite back for the dumb Spaniards who were careless enough to let it get stolen in the first place. So let’s look at the big picture here,” McKi

She shook her head. “Still not with you,” she said.

McKi

“I understand you speak Russian,” McKi

“So do several million other people.”

“Forgive my subtlety,” McKi

The question jolted her. It took her a second to answer, to sense where he was leading.

“I wouldn’t call it ‘a relationship,’” she finally answered, putting aside any possible i

“Of course. Your last report suggested that Federov had withdrawn to Switzerland, possibly into a semi- or complete retirement. He has also dropped off the Agency radar screen, which would indicate that he has withdrawn from the business. That, or he’s dead. Have you seen him recently?”

“No. Not since I saw him in a hospital room in Paris,” she said.

He held her gaze.

“You’re sure?” he asked, seeming more sober than he had all day. The question was a direct challenge. “Good will is flowing through my veins by the quart today, LaDuca, so if you have seen him-”

“Right!” she said, cutting him off. “I’d forgotten! We had a late di

Unwavering, McKi

“I might. It depends on whether the information he gave me is good or not. So I don’t know if I do or don’t have a way to contact him, because I’ve never tried.”

“So then you have an address filed somewhere?” McKi

“Not so much an address, but a procedure.”

“Would you mind sharing it with us?”

“Seriously, I would. I have the procedure memorized, but right now, I can’t quite recall it.”

McKi

“Should I remind you that you’re talking to a superior?” McKi

“Should I remind you that you’re not acting like one,” she said. “Should I also remind you that as a member of the CIA you also have no hierarchical superiority over someone working for Treasury or the FBI? You’re in your world, I’m in mine, and I don’t have to do squat for you.”

“True, true. However, somewhere in this mess about the new black bird, we need some interagency cooperation and some access to Comrade Federov. We need access if for no other reason than to pick his disgusting mind. And the best girl to pimp that access for us would be a girl named Alex LaDuca. So consider this a cross-agency request already cleared by your ‘jefe’ Mike Gamburian in Washington.”

“You think Federov had something to do with the disappearance?” ignoring McKi

“Not necessarily do I think that,” McKi

“Sure,” she said. “But you haven’t told me how this co

McKi

“Alex,” Chang said, “if you don’t mind, Yuri Federov’s name came up when I did some business in Switzerland. The business was with a gentleman who most likely brokered the sale of the bird. A Colonel Tissot. And I use the term ‘gentleman’ very loosely.”

“And what was said?” she asked. “Between you and Tissot?”

“There was nothing specific,” Chang said. “Nothing damning, no particular bit of business,” Peter answered. “But from what I learned from Monsieur Tissot, it was as if Federov was someone that needed to be worked around. Maybe he was not involved in the case itself, but the case was in his orbit, his underworld hegemony.”

“Can you show me the reference?” Alex asked.

McKi

“Not to mention the fact that ships of that nature would be excellent conduits for any sort of contraband,” Chang added. “From weapons to stolen art objects.”

“So,” McKi

“He’s Russian, by the way,” she said.

“Okay, your Russian bottom pincher.”

“Now you want me to find Federov,” she said, turning back to McKi

“Not exactly,” McKi