The Poseidon Initiative Read Online Free PDF

situation as himself. And he had known where to look.
    Tanner held Jasmijn’s gaze with his own. “I have some familiarity with Hofstad from my FBI days. I may be able to help here. But first let me ask you a question.” Her quizzical expression said she wanted to hear it.
    “Based on your estimation of how much STX they stole from your lab, how much of that do you think they already used in last night’s attack?”
    She answered with no hesitation. “Hardly any. Unless they spilled some during the transfer process. But from what I saw on television, perhaps two percent of what they took, if that.”
    Tanner tried not to let his concern show on his face. He kept the conversation moving so as not to dwell on this disconcerting fact. “Do you think they have the ability to make more of it?”
    Again, her response was decisive and swift. “No. The process is highly technical and requires specific source compounds. They did not press me for it. They probably knew that what they were taking was more than enough.” She shuddered.
    “More than enough for what?” Tanner wasn’t sure he wanted to hear the answer.
    Jasmijn shrugged. “More than enough to kill…” Her eyes looked up and to the right as she mentally calculated…” Let’s see, if last night’s plume in the halftime show killed 700 people, then they probably have enough, if they don’t waste or lose — or sell— any, to kill…millions.” She hung her head as she concluded her grim estimation.
    “There’s a group of people I’d like you to meet.” Tanner’s words hung heavy in the air.
    Jasmijn raised her head as though its weight was almost more than she could bear. “Who are they?”
    “They’re a team of special people I work with to handle situations like these.”
    She raised an eyebrow. “
Special
people? Did they ride the short bus to school?”
    Tanner blushed, close to embarrassment. He wasn’t used to explaining his organization to outsiders. He pushed his chair back from the table and stood.
    “I’m glad you haven’t lost your sense of humor. Listen, it’ll be a lot easier for me to explain once we’re in the meeting. Not to mention,” he said, glancing at his G-shock watch, “that we don’t have a lot of time before Hofstad acts again.”

SIX
    Bethesda, Maryland
    Tanner led Jasmijn down a flight of stairs in his house.
    “I thought your garage is outside on ground level?” she said, recalling the quick tour he’d given her.
    “It is. We’re meeting down here. I saved the best part of the tour for last.” He opened a heavy steel door at the bottom of the staircase and flipped on a light switch. Jasmijn stared cautiously inside.
    “Your group is down here already?” Understandably, the idea that a bunch of people were hanging out downstairs that Tanner had only just told her about made her somewhat uncomfortable. Tanner gave her a good natured laugh.
    “In a manner of speaking. C’mon in…” He walked into the converted basement, waving an arm for her to follow. Jasmijn entered and then stood still, taking in the space that served as Tanner’s office area and war room.
    “Wow.”
    While the main house had more of a rustic, almost-but-not-quite farmhouse quality to it, with a lot of natural wood and unpolished stone, this underground space was a sleek, ultramodern affair. Lots of glass, LED lighting, LCD screens and thin blue carpet. A glass, rectangular conference table occupied the center of the room on a sunken floor. Ergonomic mesh desk chairs surrounded it. Two conference phones sat at either end of the table, and there were cables and outlets built in to the table in front of each chair to plug in laptops and other devices. Ceiling mounted video cameras pointed at the table from either end. A large whiteboard and a retractable projection screen occupied one wall, while a glass etched map of the world graced another.
    “This is your private office?” Jasmijn looked around, confused.
    “I think of it