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“By burning civilian cities? Kidnapping children and marching them out to die?”

There was a pause. “That’s war.”

“Luke, listen to me. Even if you succeed, you think anyone will thank you? President Ramirez already wants to label you all criminals.”

“Up to her.”

“Hammond,” Leahy said, using his command voice, “I am ordering you to stop. This isn’t a discussion. You are acting against your country’s interests. You are wounding America. Maybe mortally.”

Luke laughed. “You know what the problem with politicians is? They always think they can control things they can’t. The genie doesn’t go back in the bottle, no matter what the story says.”

“Goddammit, listen to me. You’ve made your point. Turn your men around. Please. I’m begging you.”

Silence was the only response. A cold wind rattled the branches of the trees, dumping snow in a fine filigree like ashes. His socks were wet, his shoes ruined.

“Luke?”

More silence.

“Hello?”

And it was only then that it occurred to Owen Leahy that he’d been hung up on.

CHAPTER 29

The streets were jammed, cars and trucks everywhere, most filled to bursting, suitcases strapped to the roof, people piled in the back. Cooper had driven fast and disrespectfully, blasting through parking lots, jumping sidewalks, ignoring traffic lights. It was the way he used to drive when his car had a transponder identifying him as a DAR agent. Today he got away with it because the SUV belonged to the Holdfast Wardens. There was an irony to that juxtaposition, but he didn’t have time or inclination to savor it.

The crowd grew worse as they neared Epstein’s compound of mirrored buildings. It made sense; the pitchforks and torches were at the gates. The residents of New Canaan would feel safest close to their leader.

“You sure you want to be part of this?” Cooper spared a glance sideways as he squealed up to the door. “I’m not sure what kind of welcome we’ll get.”

“Are you kidding?” Shannon looked incredulous. “I rescued those kids. I planned the operation on the academy, I led it, I blew the damn thing up. You think I’m going to let a bunch of rednecks burn them alive?”

“Roger that.”

The lobby to the central building was airy and flooded with late afternoon winter sunlight. One whole wall was given over to a massive tri-d, the projection field showing children three stories high and terrified. People stood in the lobby staring, pale lips biting shaking knuckles. Cooper ignored the receptionist, strode across the floor to the unmarked elevator. No doubt the guard standing by it was normally very good at his job, but at the moment his attention was absorbed by the footage. Shannon smiled and faded back.

Cooper said, “Hey.”

“What?” The guard straightened. “Yes, sir?”

“I need to see Erik Epstein right now.”

“I’m sorry, but he isn’t seeing anyone at the moment.”

“He’ll see me. Nick Cooper.”

“I know who you are, sir. But Mr. Epstein was explicit. No one in at all.”

“Son, I’m sorry. But we don’t have time for this.”

The guard was about to reply when Shannon slid the sidearm from his holster, planted it in his back, and cocked it.

They left the guard cuffed to the elevator rail and sprinted down the hall, the thick carpet muffling their footsteps. He could hear the rush of the ventilation system, the air cold against his sweating skin, and then they were pushing through the door to Epstein’s private world.

It was different than the other times Cooper had been here. It was bright, and instead of constellations of data hanging in all directions, there was just one simple vector animation, a stylized blob intersecting a series of three concentric rings. Without the dizzying backdrop, the room looked cheap, the mystery deflated. A movie theater with the house lights up.

Three men stood in the center, their heads snapping around at the sound of Cooper’s entrance. The first was tan and wild-haired, with that skin-stretched-over-skeleton look. Slouching beside him, Erik Epstein looked paler than usual, his eyes haunted, his plump neck sweaty. In his usual five-thousand-dollar suit, Jakob looked like the adult guardian to a couple of precocious nerds. “Cooper? What are you doing here?”

“John Smith is dead.”

“We know,” Jakob said. “We watched the operation via the Wardens’ bodycams. Good work. But if you’ll excuse us—”

Cooper gestured at the animation. “Is that the Vogler Ring?”

The three men exchanged looks.

“Cooper,” Jakob said, “we appreciate your help, but you aren’t needed at the moment. This is an internal matter.”

“Tell me that you’ve turned it off.”

“Turned it off?” the third man said like he’d been slapped. “Of course not.”

“Who are you?”

“Randall Vogler.”

“Vogler? You’re the genius who developed this system?”

“Well, of course my whole team gets credit, but—”

“Erik, what are you doing?”

Epstein’s eyes darted to his, then away. “Protecting us. The data—”

“Cooper,” Jakob said, “we understand your feelings, but this system is all that’s standing between the city of Tesla and a lynch mob.”