Chapter 25

           TheU.S.EmbassyinParisisacompactcomplexonAvenueGabriel,justnorthoftheChamps-Elysées.Thethree-acrecompoundisconsideredU.S.soil,meaningallthosewhostandonitaresubjecttothesamelawsandprotectionsastheywouldencounterstandingintheUnitedStates.

           Theembassy’snightoperatorwasreadingTimemagazine’sInternationalEditionwhenthesoundofherphoneinterrupted.

           «U.S.Embassy,»sheanswered.

           «Goodevening.»ThecallerspokeEnglishaccentedwithFrench.«Ineedsomeassistance.»Despitethepolitenessoftheman’swords,histonesoundedgruffandofficial.«Iwastoldyouhadaphonemessageformeonyourautomatedsystem.ThenameisLangdon.Unfortunately,Ihaveforgottenmythree-digitaccesscode.Ifyoucouldhelpme,Iwouldbemostgrateful.»

           Theoperatorpaused,confused.«I’msorry,sir.Yourmessagemustbequiteold.Thatsystemwasremovedtwoyearsagoforsecurityprecautions.Moreover,alltheaccesscodeswerefive-digit.Whotoldyouwehadamessageforyou?»«Youhavenoautomatedphonesystem?»«No,sir.Anymessageforyouwouldbehandwritteninourservicesdepartment.Whatwasyournameagain?»

           Butthemanhadhungup.

           BezuFachefeltdumbstruckashepacedthebanksoftheSeine.HewascertainhehadseenLangdondialalocalnumber,enterathree-digitcode,andthenlistentoarecording.ButifLangdondidn’tphonetheembassy,thenwhothehelldidhecall?

           Itwasatthatmoment,eyeinghiscellularphone,thatFacherealizedtheanswerswereinthepalmofhishand.Langdonusedmyphonetoplacethatcall

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