Steers pointed to the still-visible wound on her neck. “Here are all the details you need, gentlemen. If it were not for the head of my security who now stands guard out there, I would not be here today to suggest anything. And I can guarantee that none of you would be better off having no buffer between you and the Chinese. You all are tough, smart men who have been through much, as I have. But none of us has a three-million-soldier military, plus nuclear weapons and a twenty-trillion-dollar economy with tentacles that run to every country on earth, do we?”
There were mumblings among all the men now, along with nervous looks.
Ramirez said, “What you say is true, Ms. Steers. And my first act as chairman of the committee will be to present you a substantial reward for what you have brought to us today.”
Steers smiled warmly and bowed. “You do me too much of an honor, Señor Ramirez. I trust this will be a defining moment in all of our lives.”
* * *
After the men had left to fly back to their respective countries in their private jets, Nash asked her, “How did it go?” He had heard the clear, concise presentation that Steers had laid out, but he could not admit being privy to it.
“It went well, I think. But it is only a first step.”
“So there are other steps?”
“There are always other steps. Until each one of us takes our final breath.”
“I was surprised that your mother was not in attendance.”
“Were you? After telling me what you did about her?”
“So, you suspect something is up there?”
“Isuspectnothing,” she said cryptically.
“Okay, will those men be back?”
“Doubtful. Implementation of my changes will begin shortly. But we will have another visitor, and soon.”
“Oh, who is that?”
“You really must keep up, Dillon-san,” she said, and not in a joking way. “I thought that would be rather obvious.”
“Sorry. Who’s coming then?”
“The gentleman who imprisoned my mother and sent us the severed head, of course.”
CHAPTER
49
NASH WAS IN THE GUESTHOUSEwatching the security console that controlled and showed footage from all the surveillance cameras arrayed around the property. He was surprised when he saw on one of the screens a Porsche pull up at the front gates. The driver honked.
It was his former boss, Rhett Temple.
Nash hit a button on the console. “Can I help you?”
“Dillon, is that you?”
“Alive and kicking, Rhett.”
“Um, can you let me in? Steers called and said she wanted to meet.”
“Okay, give me a sec.” Nash texted Steers to confirm this was actually the case and received an immediate reply of yes.
He opened the gates and Temple pulled through and got out of the Porsche.
“Hey, Dillon, real glad you made it back to the States. I was working on it, I swear. But I hadn’t reached the end zone yet.”