At first, General Hale assumed that the young man acting intimately with Stephanie Malik was connected to the Malik family, and that Gideon Malick had brought him here merely to expand his connections. Such things were common. Marriages between old political families and financial conglomerates were as widespread as marriages between New Money and impoverished European nobles in the last century. Especially here in Washington, every politician was backed by vast industries, and the leanings of the financial powers behind the scenes determined political decisions. It had even given rise to an entire street dedicated to lobbyists.
She kept smiling and nodded at the young man in greeting.
She was already a powerful four-star general in the Ministry of Defence. There was no need for her to be overly warm toward a stranger unless the Malik family intended for that man to replace the person dealing with her. At present, that seemed unlikely. That old man Gideon Malick was growing younger the longer he lived, and rumors claimed it was the result of rejuvenation surgery.
When Gideon Malick suggested continuing their conversation at the Malik family estate in Washington, General Hale agreed without hesitation. It was not strange for a four-star general and a former Security Council chairman to have some dealings with one another. Even if the Department of Homeland Security investigated, they could call it "private contact arising from national security concerns." It was not a major issue. It was only after she entered the armored limousine, was asked to place her phone in a Faraday bag, and noticed that the young man was subtly the central figure inside the car that General Hale sensed something was wrong.
The car had already started. It was too late to leave now.
"What is going on, Gideon?" General Hale tightly