I looked toward Briggs.
He was still calm.
Too calm.
“Agent Briggs.”
His eyes met mine.
“Chief.”
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“Give me your communications unit.”
His expression barely changed.
“Why?”
“Because I ordered you to.”
A pause.
Then he reached slowly inside his jacket.
Cole moved beside me.
Briggs smiled faintly.
“You really think it’s me?”
“I think everyone is suspicious until proven otherwise.”
“Including Cole?”
“Especially Cole.”
Cole gave me an offended look.
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
Briggs handed over the device.
I inspected it.
Standard agency hardware.
No obvious modification.
Then Reed suddenly shouted.
“I found the signal!”
Everyone turned.
“Where?”
“Inside the aircraft.”
A cold silence followed.
Reed pointed toward the rear cargo compartment.
“Something back there is transmitting control commands.”
Cole immediately stood.
“I’ll check it.”
“No,” I said. “Pike goes with you.”
Owen Pike rose without complaint.
The two men moved down the narrow aisle.
Seconds later, we heard Pike yell.
“Chief!”
I ran toward them.
Behind an equipment panel sat a black control module wired directly into the aircraft’s avionics.
Someone had installed it before departure.
Cole stared at it.
“That wasn’t put there today.”
