Zero Day_ A Novel - Mark Russinovich [123]
“The cookies are delicious,” she said, referring to the tray. “When I’m alone, I dip them in the coffee. Marvelous.” She took a bite, glancing at the coffee as she did. “I’m spending some time here with my brother before returning to America. He’s retired from the U.S. army. It’s my first visit to Italy. I’m tempted to stay longer. It’s lovely. But you don’t want to hear that.” She shrugged. “Let’s see, where to begin. Ivana arrived here yesterday. She had no idea you were alive until her mother called. She was sure the gunman had killed you.”
“He’s dead. Those men in the hallway killed him,” Jeff said.
Annie nodded in approval. “Ahh. She’ll be glad to hear that. When I first met her, I never could have imagined she could be so tough. These Russian women…”
“How is Ivana?” Daryl asked. “I saw her go down and there was a lot of blood before she fled.”
“She’s fine. The wound wasn’t serious, though there was initially some bleeding. She had a terrible headache when she arrived. But she’s okay. Physically, anyway.” Annie sighed. “She spent a lot of time on my computer and didn’t want to be bothered. She’s very good with them.”
“When might we see her?” Daryl asked.
Annie folded her arms. “What do you want with Ivana? Don’t you think she’s suffered enough?”
“To be frank,” Daryl said, “what we really want is the external drive she took with her.”
“And why would you want that?”
Leaning forward, Jeff told Annie who they were and what they did. He explained about the concentrated virus attack and how Ivana’s husband had provided the essential cloaking portion of the virus. “If we can get his information, we still have five or six days to get it into the hands of experts who can prepare signatures and patches and distribute them while there’s still time.”
Annie looked stunned. “Do you really think it’s as catastrophic as all that?”
“They tried to kill us in New York City and again in Moscow,” Jeff said. “They killed the woman I was working with on the virus and her boss and even sent the same gunman to Moscow to kill Ivana’s husband. He tried to kill Ivana and us as well. I’d say that they certainly think they have something to protect.”
“Yes, I understand,” Annie said, turning quite sober.
“It’s important we speak with her,” Jeff said.
Annie set her cup down. “I understand and I believe you. But Ivana isn’t here, and neither is the external drive you want.”
64
PARIS, FRANCE
5ÈME ARRONDISSEMENT
GRAPHISME COURAGEUX
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5
6:51 P.M.
Dufour checked the front door to the offices to be certain it was unlocked. The visitor could arrive at any time. Dufour stood at the entrance and scanned the room. The employees had been gone for more than an hour, leaving behind their usual mess. It looked like what it was, a busy graphics company. It would arouse no suspicion.
He returned to the back office, leaving the doors between the rooms open, something he’d never before done. In the room from which he and Labib had launched the cyber jihad against the West, Dufour said to the two men, “I’m going to stay up front. She could come any minute. Are you ready?”
Labib was seated at his usual computer, but this evening he was ashen. He merely nodded. Fajer was half-sitting, half-leaning against a table. He was calm and, as always, in command. “Yes. We are ready. Be certain she is alone and lock the door behind her before she sees us so she has no escape.”
“It will be done.”
The e-mail had arrived early that morning. Someone claiming to be the wife of the Russian, Superphreak, said he had been murdered and demanded to know what Dufour had involved him in.
At first he’d been startled by the message. He’d forwarded it to Labib, busy on the computer behind him. “Read this. What should I do?”
Labib