"So what is your suggestion?"
She asked, even though she'd already guessed the answer.
"We need to stop the loss. Now."
Outside the window, the last sliver of sunset sank into the ridge, the sky shifted from deep purple to indigo.
On the driveway of the manor, car lights formed a string like a necklace of pearls, winding up to the main entrance.
"Horizon announced they obtained the documents from an 'anonymous source.'
Obama said, "But the Central Intelligence Agency's analysis suggests that the format, encryption method, and metadata characteristics of these documents align closely with parts of the files leaked by Duke. And all clues—I'm saying all—point in one direction, and that is 'Song Heping.'
Hillary's breath halted for a moment.
The name disgusted him.
"So, are you going to negotiate with him? The question is, where is he? Can you reach him?" she asked.
"That's the issue. We don't know. But he has provided the terms of the deal."
