Activated, p.16
Activated, page 16
No… I tense up. Chan is far better at bluffing than I remember. He’s also pushing through those doors far more aggressively than I calculated. Which is what I asked him to do. I still remember what he said: I’ve dealt with men like this before. Either you get in and get on top, or they crush you.
I sit back and force myself to trust Chan’s instincts. He clearly knows what he’s doing. Even if this is a game, if he plays it the way I instructed him, he’ll likely still come out on top. Unless they suspect him. Kai’s worried face comes to mind. I wince.
Palermo narrows his eyes. “Companies like mine require much more than just money,” he says plainly. “My vision for Scale Tech is global, revolutionary, and long term, which is why my partnership with my company is very selective. Once you’re in, you’re in for life.”
“Live together, succeed together, die together,” Chan laughs. “Often it takes all of them for a real vision to be achieved.”
Palermo grunts a laugh. “Si. Vero. Tell me, Mr. Chan, how long are you in town?”
“After the Celebration Rocket, I return to Shanghai. Enough time, I’d say.” Chan’s offer is on the table.
Palermo’s head barely nods, but his eyes are calculating Chan’s next move. Then a bend in his frequency tells me he’s buying it. He leans forward. “We’re having a private meeting tomorrow with some other investors before the ISC launch.” Palermo pulls out a card. “You should join us.”
All the blood drains from my face as Chan receives the card respectfully with two hands. “Tomorrow it is.”
His eyebrows rise ever so discreetly. He’s done exactly what he’s supposed to do, just like I asked, and the exact opposite of what Kai asked. If Kai hated me earlier, he’ll never forgive me now. If Chan attends that meeting, he’ll be marked for life. I’ve put him in more danger than ever before.
Palermo offers a tainted smile. “Enjoy your dessert…and the show. It should be what sweetens the night.” He stands and walks to another table at the back of the room.
Snapping around, I spot my father and my heart nearly fails for the second time this evening. Just like Mr. Chan, he’s talking with his intended target: Dr. Juho Salonen, and dominating the conversation. My confidence in what they could accomplish wasn’t misplaced, but now, we’re in much more of a jam than before.
Dinner plates are being cleared, and platters of desserts are being placed at every table. Rich mousse with gooseberries; chocolate tartlets with salted caramel and cranberries. I bite into a tartlet, while keeping an eye on my dad. Harrison tunes into my visual cue, and a second later I have my father’s audio in my ear.
My father is primarily talking innovation and vision—the things he loves. He poses new questions to Dr. Salonen, while everyone around the table listens. His passion is envisioning everyone. Dad’s not the least bit nervous—which makes me nervous—because he may have forgotten why he’s here.
But the way he watches Dr. Salonen, I decide that’s not true. As Dr. Salonen explains new projects, my father listens attentively. They, too, are connecting on a deeper level—but completely different to Chan and Palermo.
My father has always believed in other people’s visions. It reminds me of the Infinity Dome, and I wonder if Noble knows about it. Cracking his code on electromagnetic frequency manipulation was how I designed my emp-bracelet, the BFG. I sigh. Noble should be here right now. Not holed up in some refuge in the middle of nowhere.
“…iVision always seeks out the right partners…” My dad explains to Dr. Salonen. “We’re not so much interested in money as we are supporting true visionaries.”
“Agreed.” Dr. Salonen nods his head. “You have an impressive background, Jason, and have resurfaced in miraculous ways.”
Off to the side, waiters come in serving coffee and tea, wine and champagne. Everyone is in high spirits eating dessert. But I’m on high alert, watching. Waiting.
“After the ISC launch, Scale Tech will launch its own constellation of super satellites, am I right?” my dad asks Mr. Salonen. “What is Scale Tech’s true vision?”
Dr. Salonen frowns slightly, a knot bobbing in his throat. He considers my father then his voice drops an octave. “That’s complicated.”
After a minute, Pens is in my ear. “What do you need us to do? Call the dads out? By the way, Ms. T is livid you ditched Tank and Miles.”
I touch my earring, about to say yes, when I change my mind. “No.” We need to stay just a bit longer. We pull out after dessert.
Seven men shift in the room all at once. It grabs my attention. They’re getting themselves into place. I tense up, as if a countdown has begun. But for what?
A moment later, the Banquet Hall’s chandelier lights dim to black, then bright colors of red and green, gold and blue flash on the ice rocket sculptures, dancing with rainbows of light.
Gasps of delight ripple through the room. “A light show!” People clap as the beautiful strobe lights unfold a magnificent performance.
But to me, everything about it feels wrong. My skin tingles, my numbers go berserk. First, there’s a drop in temperature. Then, a loss of energy. Frequencies in the air go haywire, spiking in all directions—until they snap. I know what’s coming, but no one else does.
I slip off my chair, heading to the wall, memorizing the room before the room is engulfed in darkness. The lights begin to flicker.
I brace myself.
Three.
Two.
One.
A tidal wave of electricity sweeps the room, and all power goes out in a zap. The room is swallowed in darkness, an unsteady pause where the light used to be. A thousand frequencies fade away.
Applause erupts all over the room, a stunning end to the performance they think. They have no idea what this is. But I do.
Numbers storm my mind, a heart-hammering trail of dangerous threats…Kai was right. Palermo sure knows how to put on a show.
Chapter 29
EVERYTHING IS BLACK and silent.
It takes two minutes for people to understand the power outage is not part of the show. But this blackout is not caused by a solar flare. It was planned, and a deliberate demonstration of power. If Palermo can cause a blackout anywhere, anytime and make it look natural, then he controls a weapon that is far more dangerous than I ever imagined.
“Please remain calm,” a voice in the room repeats in three languages. “Lights will be back on in a minute.”
I doubt it. If Palermo is using this moment as a demonstration, then he will drag this out just long enough to be uncomfortable. In the dark, each passing minute feels like an eternity.
Everyone in the room stays in their seats except me. Although my tech has also blipped, my numbers are alive and well. I’ve already mapped out the room. I maneuver in the dark around tables and people fidgeting nervously, sneaking closer to Chan and my father. I need to talk to Agent Ramos immediately. My father and Chan, however, will have to stay here. If they leave now, it would look suspicious.
The room rumbles with hushed and panicked whispers. “Look! Not even my phone is working.”
“The solar flares are getting worse.” A woman’s voice is distressed.
As I pick my way across the room, I spot ten faint electrical frequencies, which means certain people didn’t lose their power.
I pull Chan over to my dad. “After the lights come on, finish eating dessert, then regroup in the Empire Room. I have to leave. Do not make deals with anyone else, ok? Be careful.” My voice shakes thinking of Kai. He knew this was going to happen.
“You don’t sound like yourself,” my dad observes, worried.
Chan leans down, too. “What’s wrong?”
If Chan is this concerned about me, what would he do if he knew his son was working with Palermo?
“I’m fine. I just need to talk to Agent Ramos,” I say.
After I help them back to their seats, I slip out of the Banquet Hall. Still in the dark, I weave my way through hallways where people are plastered in place, afraid to move in the inky blackness.
An ISC host’s voice rings out from an intercom in the wall. “Apologies everyone,” she says. “Solar flares have been causing temporary blackouts all week. This is why the Super Satellite launch is so important. Thank you for your patience.” How much do they know, I wonder?
Regardless of what the ISC knows, when their chief scientists came to PSS they made it clear—the Super Satellite can’t afford to fail.
Chapter 30
EMPIRE ROOM, THE LION BLOCK
WHEN I ENTER the Empire Room, the lights flicker and external frequencies return. With an audible zap, electricity is restored. Lights and tech blink back on.
The team is gathered with Agent Ramos, Ms. T and two bodyguards, who are hyper vigilant.
Agent Ramos is speaking to Ms. T. “I just got an update. Another satellite went down. Three more are malfunctioning. Telecommunications are being hit hard. Iran is blaming England now. It wasn’t just in Finland. Blackouts are happening in six countries right now. Russia’s northwestern minor power grid is fried.”
Ms. T nods solemnly, then glances my way. “Josephine. You’re back.” She gives me a tight smile. “I heard you ditched your bodyguards. You had a good reason?” She’s not happy.
Teeth clenched, my eyes seek out Agent Ramos. “A very good reason. One that I hope wasn’t on a need-to-know basis.” My eyes are weapons. “Kai’s here. With Palermo, who just effectively demonstrated what he’s capable of.”
Ms. T’s face goes white. Agent Ramos, however, doesn’t look too surprised.
My heart is pounding as I stomp over to him. “If you knew he would be here when you invited me—”
Agent Ramos throws up his hands. “Whoa, calm down. I found out the moment you did. I sent an agent to stop you from meeting him in the garage—by the time he arrived, you were nowhere to be found.”
“Why would you stop me from meeting him?” I snap. “If he’s here, we’d better know why, or it could jeopardize everything and everyone. He has intel about the blackouts, about Scale Tech!”
Agent Ramos stands, surprise flickering on his face. “He told you what he knows? He was willing to work with you?”
My eyes dart to the table circling three knots in the wood grain. “Not exactly.”
Agent Ramos goes still. “I suspected as much from what Bai told me.” His jaw locks as he studies me. He’s considering his next words.
He’s dangled that info long enough. Now I press him. “It’s now or never, Ramos.”
Agent Ramos looks me square in the eyes. “Bai’s not convinced Kai can make it through this job.”
“What do you mean make it through?” I ask. Those words could mean anything.
“Kai has always been extremely focused during every other mission, except this one. His head is not in the game. He’s been making small mistakes. Whatever kept him balanced and laser-focused before isn’t there.” He folds his arms across his chest, and breathes in. “I’ve been at this game a long time, Jo. Kai’s good, but to thrive in an undercover environment, you have to be hard, totally in control of your emotions. Harder than Kai is. Seeing you again might unbalance him even more, which could do two things: he’ll be caught or he’ll break. If he breaks, he turns into someone else. Vicious. Violent. Paranoid. Someone you won’t recognize. The real him won’t surface for a long time, if ever. If he’s caught, they won’t let him live. If he makes any more mistakes, Director Kane will pull him out.”
Kai, the November Romeo…a never return…
This is my fault. In Tunisia, he admitted to it, “You’re my center. You’re what keeps me alive out there…” The blurry frequencies pulsing around Kai’s chest scrape my insides.
“Kai doesn’t fail.” I’ve said it many times with confidence, but now, there’s a stain of doubt. Kai isn’t himself. That much is clear. And I’m the reason.
I push my feelings aside and numbly explain what Kai told me in the underground about Palermo, Scale Tech and the coming mafia war. Though I’m not ready to disclose what he said about going north. They might not let me go if I do.
No one speaks while I talk. Pens takes notes. Eddie watches me with concern. Harrison pulls up several mafia thugs’ mug shots on his screen. The innocent twist on Felicia’s lips tells me she’s hacking into something illegal.
Ms. T paces the room. Agent Ramos is still trained on me.
“Kai made a request,” I say. “Chan can’t know he’s here. It would blow his cover.”
“Agreed.” Agent Ramos says. Then he moves in close, his voice low and stern. “If you see Kai again, you walk away. You let him do his job. Don’t interfere or get involved. Don’t bring up the past. Let him conquer this, ok?”
Kai’s voice rings in my head. People move on, Mila… A bit late to walk away, but the reasons behind Ramos’ command are clear. “Understood,” I say.
A walkie-talkie type device in Agent Ramos’ hand buzzes. He speaks into it. “Let them through.” He clears his throat. “Chan and your father are back.”
The room goes silent as my dad struts in with a big smile. Chan, less obvious than my dad, follows with the same victorious grin. Their swagger can only mean one thing.
“We’ve done it,” my dad says. “I have a personal invitation to visit Scale Tech from Juho.”
“And I have been invited into the private meeting with Palermo. It’s tomorrow,” Chan says. They give each other another victory grin while my stomach sinks.
Agent Ramos sucks in a large breath. “You’ve done what no other agent could do.”
Any other agent except Kai, I think to myself.
“Jason?” Ms. T says, folding her arms on the desk. “What was your impression of Dr. Salonen?”
“Nice guy.” My dad sighs. “Dr. Salonen may be the CEO, but he’s not running the show. He’s a man who’s lost his vision and his company. He’s powerless. If he’s involved with anything illegal, it’s not voluntary.”
“Are you sure?” I ask.
“Jo, I know what a man looks like when he’s lost everything.” The frequency in my dad’s voice shakes. He doesn’t need to remind me of when he lost iVision, his reputation, and me. My heart sinks.
I nod.
Ms. T turns to Chan. “And your impression of Mr. Ricci?”
“Eyes of a shark, tongue of a snake.” Chan declares. “Everyone is below him in the room. But not their money. He is a man of much power. Tonight was his night.”
I cringe. Kai asked me to get his father out of here, but I just helped him get deeper in. I stand. “You’ve both done an excellent job. Now we should consider someone else taking over from here. These guys are far more dangerous than we thought.”
“No, it has to be done,” Chan says, a solid resolve in his voice. “I know a strategic deal when I see one. I looked in Palermo’s eyes. Whatever he is doing needs to be stopped. We have until tomorrow to prepare.”
Dad nods, clapping Chan on the back. “I agree with Chan. Someone stole Dr. Salonen’s company from him. I want to steal it back.”
Jiche. I mentally slip into Chinese, my jaw clenching so hard it hurts. Now both of our dads are in trouble. They’ve been invited into a deal with the mafia and nothing I say can stop them.
Chapter 31
SISU DEN, SOFIANKATU, HELSINKI
A PATH OF light shifts between the shadows in my mind. My equations led me here. To Helsinki. To the Mafia. To Kai. Into a mess…a mess I hope can be resolved when I find Noble.
The window in our private suite faces north. With bare feet, I pad over the heated floors to look outside. Fractional dimensions and proportions spill out over everything going on in the square above and below it. Now that I’ve been in the tunnels, my mind pairs them with the square’s dimensions above, giving me a multi-dimensional perspective, as if I can see through the ground. The position of the Celebration Rocket stage still boggles me. Kai and I passed right under it tonight. The crossroads of numbers that intersects in my mind is always present, but for now, all I see clearly is another dot on the path leading me to the Arctic.
I let out a large sigh and grab a cup of hot tea and my maps. Sitting on the couch, I study the Arctic Circle and the remote wilderness we are about to fly into. A helicopter would be nice right now.
Dad knocks on my door before peeking in. “Our flight to Lapland is set. We leave bright and early.”
“Thanks, Dad.” I say, setting an internal wake-up call in my head. He’s still standing there. “Anything else?”
He folds his hands. “I talked to Marigold…Kai being here definitely throws a wrench into things, huh? I can’t imagine. How was it seeing him?”
I put my tea down. The blurry frequencies buzzing between Kai and me flood my mind. His distant eyes, a frequency of pain. How was it? Colossal. Comforting. Confusing. I’m about to answer when my father stops me. “Actually, tell me later. Eddie’s here.”
My father and I walk out into the apartment’s living area. Eddie’s spreading all the usual gear out on the table. “Tech time for your trip up north.”
I offer a weak smile. “My favorite part.” I want to tell Eddie about Kai’s frequency, get his take on what I saw, but I don't know how to summarize all that I'm thinking into a few minutes. I’ll tell him when I get back, depending on what I find.
“First things first,” Eddie says. “A contact of Ms. T’s claims to have critical information on the NASA Tipper. She’s trying to contact this person. When we know anything, you’ll know. Second, Ms. Mines spotted your dad and Chan. If she sees our team, she’s likely to fabricate yet another theory.”
I groan.
“Alright, let’s get started.”
Eddie has brought us Arctic gear: insulated boots with extra grip for icy conditions. Arctic suits—made with the same thin, but brilliant, material as my sleeping bag in Namibia. They are water and windproof, designed to keep the wearer comfortable in sub-zero weather. Goggles, facemasks, gloves, hats, and sleeping bags complete the kit.
