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CHAPTER 1

ROGER SEAGRAVES WALKED OUT of the US Capitol after an interesting ly, had had little to do with politics That evening he sat alone in the living roo at an important decision He had to kill soet Instead of a daunting proposition, Seagraves saw it as a worthy challenge

The next inia Sitting at his desk in a space that was small and cluttered, and looked exactly the same as other work spaces up and down the corridor, he raves finally concluded that he would do the deed hi to trust it to a third party He’d killed before, many ti it for his government This one was all for him

He spent the next two days in careful, decisive preparation efficiently conducted around his day job The three imperatives of his mission were embedded in every action he perforency; and (3) never panic no oes ahich it occasionally did However, if there were a fourth rule, it would have to be: exploit the fact that s that actually matter, like their own survival He had never suffered fro

Roger Seagraves was forty-two, single and childless A wife and brats would certainly have complicated his unorthodox lifestyle In his previous career with the federal government he’d adopted false identities and traveled across the world Fortunately, changing identities was stunningly easy to do in the coe A few clicks of the Dell, a server somewhere in India hummed, and from one’s fancy laser printer out popped a new you with all the official bells, whistles and available credit

Seagraves could actually buy all that he needed on an Internet site that required a carefully guarded password It was akin to a Macy’s department store for criminals, sometimes dubbed by its felonious clientele as “EvilBay” There one could purchase everything from first-rate ID packs and stolen credit card numbers to the services of professional hit men, or sterilized weapons if you were inclined to commit the murder yourself He usually obtained the necessaryfrouarantee Even killers liked to go with quality

Roger Seagraves was tall, well built and handsome with thick blond wavy hair; on the surface he seerin Virtually every woman in his vicinity copped a second look, as did soe When you had to kill or deceive, you used whatever tools you had as effectively as possible His governh he still technically labored for the United States, he also worked for hi him the quality retire his life for the red, white and blue For hih, it had been mostly red

On the third afternoon after his enlightening visit to the Capitol Seagraves subtlyWhen it grew dark, he drove a van up into the expensive fringes of northwest DC where the euards patrolling their compounds

He parked in a s across the street froian that catered to wealthy and politically obsessed persons, of whoton had ather over passable food and average wine and talk polls, policies and patronage to their hearts’ content

Seagraves wore a blue jumper suit with “Service” stenciled on the back The key he’dthat aiting extensive renovation His toolbox in hand, he took the steps two at a ti the street He flashed a penlight around the eleHe’d left it unlocked and well oiled on an earlier visit

He opened his toolbox and quickly assembled his sniper rifle Next he attached the suppressor can to theif not confident—crept forward and drew up thea bare two inches, just enough to allow the can to fit in the opening He checked his watch and looked up and down the street fro spotted, since the building he was in was conature and sported Caround

Oh, what the human race had learned from the humble moth

When the limo and lead security car pulled up to the club, he drew his bead on the head of one of the ot out of the stretch, but he didn’t fire It wasn’t time yet The clubear fobs and thick necks sticking out of starched collars He watched the stretch and the security car pull off

Seagraves checked his watch again: two hours to go He continued to scan the street below as town cars and cabs dropped off serious-faced women outfitted not in carats of De Beers and yards of Versace, but in smart off-the-rack business suits and tasteful costume jewelry, with their social and political antennae set on high The serious-facedthem were hunkered down in pinstripes, bland ties and what seemed to be bad attitudes

It won’t get any better, gents, trust me