Smoke and Shadows Read Online Free PDF

here, Lockwood. We’re not done.”
    Derek sighed heavily, pushed back from his chair, and went after Jack.
    “Tim, can you tell us about the six gunmen, plus the RPG handler?” Viktor invited.
    “They were all French citizens with ties to families in Syria,” Tim said. “We believe their families were the ones who received the payoffs.”
    “We’re trying to figure out the source of the payoff,” Marissa spoke up for the first time. “It’s not going to be easy, because, for starters, the families are in Syria. Our closest station is in Lebanon. The payouts were most likely made in cash. We need boots on the ground to follow this lead.”
    “And do you?” Edmunds asked. “Have boots on the ground?”
    Marissa smiled mysteriously.
    The door opened. Derek walked in followed by Jack, who sank into his chair but had his eyes averted, obviously still seething from their blowup earlier.
    “Jack, I want you to take a look at the picture of Rafiq Shadid. He’s Mustafa’s son,” Viktor said. “He’s the only one I could see needing revenge for what happened to his parents. Mustafa died a few years ago.”
    Viktor did not want to add that the man died while in CIA custody, the circumstances he never wanted to know.
    Still not looking at Viktor, Jack opened the folder that was pushed in front of him. At first he looked disinterested, but an expression of recognition dawned on his face before turning into disgust.
    “I know those eyes,” Jack said grimly. “Well, congrats, Viktor, you’ve manage to turn a—” McCord paused to look down on the information on Rafiq Shadid and added sarcastically, “—seventeen-year old boy into a twenty-five year old torturing prick. I hope you can live with your shit.”
    Jack stood up and glared at Viktor. “I’m done here. I’ve a wife who’s coming out of a coma, no thanks to this bastard.”  
    After McCord left for the second time, Derek spoke up, “Give him time, Viktor. He’ll come around.”
    Viktor nodded. “I’ve been branded worse than a bastard, Lockwood. I don’t give a fuck if he holds me responsible for the rest of my life. He keeps on forgetting what he signed up for when he married Maia.”
    “Jesus fucking Christ, Viktor,” Manning muttered. “The man just withstood three weeks of torture, all the while thinking his wife was dead. Could you show some humanity here?”
    “Agreed.” Viktor clipped. There was no use defending his words or actions. He’d always accepted that he operated on a different level of empathy than most people. Turning his attention to Tim. “I want you to check the encryptions on all our databases. Our NOC database should receive top priority. If it falls into the wrong hands, every agent we have out there, active and retired, could become a target. Let’s not have that happen. We protect it with everything we’ve got. Understood?”
    “Roger that, Viktor,” Tim said.
    Viktor stood up. “I’ll send out further briefings if we hear anything. Everyone be extra vigilant, especially you two—Manning, Edmunds. Ms. Cole, I’ll see you in my office.”

    *****
    Marissa lightly knocked on Viktor’s office. She had stopped by Tim’s station to exchange some intel and get her security badge processed. Apparently, she was going to be a regular visitor here until they had the situation under control. But because she was with the CIA clandestine service, her visits needed to be logged in a separate database.
    “Come on in, sweetheart.”
    Marissa froze. She wished he would stop calling her that. She had not agreed to any relationship with him, sexual or otherwise, and he needed to stop assuming she would do whatever he mandated.  
    “What do you want to see me about, Viktor?” Marissa asked. “Unless you’re willing to use your connections to Jiro Matsuda, there’s nothing new I can tell you.”
    “When will you move in with me?” Viktor asked. He wasn’t looking at her, but rather seemed occupied with the stacks