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greeted her. She was Naomi “Nay” Washington, ex- Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms after thirteen years of experience investigating arson and explosives. Like her OUTCAST peers, she loved her country deeply and wanted to help it during its times of great need, but officially no longer had that opportunity. Yet unofficially, as a member of Tanner’s organization, she had been given a second chance to do just that. Tanner mentally pictured her long legs, slim waist and vaguely exotic looks.
    “Waiting on one more.” Tanner eyed the speakerphone incessantly.
    There was no small talk on the line while they waited. The team was far too disciplined to generate unnecessary signal traffic. There were those in powerful places — both abroad and here at home-who would love nothing better than to expose their identities, perhaps even take whatever actions might be necessary to put a stop to what some saw as a “ruthless rogue outfit.”
    Soon a new voice issued from the speaker. “Dante.”
    Dante Alvarez, thirty-two years of age. Ex-Secret Service agent. Eleven years Presidential Guard detail and international fraud investigation experience, all flushed down the drain when he was summarily dismissed without benefits for his alleged role in a prostitution scandal while in South America during the President’s visit. He had kept the Chief Executive safe even though it had ended up costing his job. Tanner had been surprised when he first met him how competent of a fighter he was with his very tall but lean, wiry physique. But his ropy muscles had translated to jujitsu skills that were superior to Tanner’s own.
    “I’ll get right to the point.” Tanner looked over at Jasmijn to gauge her reaction so far. She was watching him closely, alert, engaged. He went on. “If any of you are not aware of the news reports on last night’s football halftime show, speak up.” He paused for three seconds during which there was only silence.
    “Let me inform you that I have a guest here with me at headquarters. Her name is Dr. Jasmijn Rotmensen, and she is the scientist who developed the aerosolized neurotoxin known as STX used in last night’s attack. That toxin was stolen from her lab at gunpoint by members of Hofstad only one day before the strike. She was in close proximity with the terrorists during her ordeal. She is here to provide us with information so as to assess if we may be able to neutralize the threat before more innocent lives are taken, in…” He glanced at his watch. “Thirty-four hours.”
    He turned to Jasmijn and asked her to recap her work with STX as well as the lab break-in. She did so in meticulous, thorough detail, pausing at one point to hold back tears as she described Nicolaas’ excruciating death from the STX sprayed in his face. She also added what she had told Tanner earlier about how the quantity of STX used during the game likely represented a very small percentage of what was taken. When she was done, Tanner asked the group if they had any questions.
    Danielle’s voice came through the speaker. “Dr. Rotmensen, have you informed authorities that the deadly agent used in the attack was the STX from your lab?”
    “No, I haven’t done that yet. I will do that immediately following this call. A formal police investigation has been launched in my country based on my lab incident, but they may not have made the connection to the football stadium attack. However, although I can at least inform authorities as to what killed those people, there will still be nothing they can do about it. There is no known antidote for paralytic shellfish poisoning, nor for my particular saxitoxin derivative.”
    “You said Hofstad threatened you if you didn’t provide them with the antidote,” Danielle pressed. Tanner saw Jasmijn flinch at the word ‘said’—at the implication that what she claimed had transpired in her lab may possibly be different from the truth. But he knew that an operative was trained