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“Yes,” he said.
“I’m Agent Monica Sanchez. We spoke on the phone.”
“Agent Sanchez. Yes. This is my assistant, Illari Chaska.” He gestured to the young woman. Monica reached for her hand, but Illari wouldn’t accept it. She looked away. She looked very uncomfortable. Worried even.
“This is Jonathon Roth,” Monica said, indicating Roth. “And his boys.”
As soon as his name was said, Illari started and looked at him with recognition. He gave her a nervous smile.
Lund went to the bald guard and whispered something to him that prompted him to leave.
“Make yourselves comfortable. Do you need any water? Anything to eat?” said Talbot Glenn.
“We’re fine,” Lund said. “Can we have some privacy, please?”
“Of course. Let me know if you need anything.” He left through the study doors and shut them behind him, and Jordan walked over to stand guard.
“Sit on the couch over there,” Roth told the boys, indicating the one farthest from the window.
“I thought we were going to FBI headquarters?” Dr. Estrada said. “I wasn’t expecting to be brought here.”
“Sorry for the confusion,” Monica said. “It’s for your own protection.”
Estrada looked confused and glanced at Illari. “Why my protection?” His gaze shifted back to Roth. “And I take it this is the man the ransomware attackers want in order to decrypt the data?”
Monica nodded. “Yes. The hacker asked for Jonathon Roth. But we’re not going to hand him over to them. We need to find that temple in the jungle. The one you discovered.”
Dr. Estrada frowned. “Do you know how large the jungle is? I couldn’t find it again. Not without the data that’s been lost.”
“The LiDAR data,” Monica said. “I know. But you’re the only expert who can give us the rough area on a map. Even if you could narrow the search, it would help. This is a matter of national security, Dr. Estrada. We need to find that temple.”
Roth shifted his gaze to Illari. She was clutching a laptop bag with both hands, practically radiating discomfort.
“You still don’t understand,” Estrada said. “Even if I could give you a ten-mile radius, you’d never find it. The jungle is impenetrable. It would take weeks or months to comb through that much land, and that is only if you had the Mexican government’s cooperation, which you won’t.”
“Is there a backup copy of the data?” Lund asked.
“We’re trying that route,” Dr. Estrada said. “It’s taking time to get our supplier to provide it. I told you this on the phone.”
Roth watched Illari hug the laptop bag even tighter.
“Illari,” he said softly. “Do you have a backup copy of the data?”
She wouldn’t meet his eyes. Tears pooled in hers.
And he had his answer in her silence.
CHAPTER NINE
MARKET SQUARE RESIDENCES
WASHINGTON, DC
January 9
“Will someone tell me what’s going on?” Dr. Estrada bellowed. He rose from the stuffed seat and spread his arms. “Do you know Illari, Mr. Roth?”
“I do,” he said, not taking his eyes off the young woman. “I’m beginning to wonder if you know her.”
