by Keri Arthur
“Noted a political backflip?” Amusement touched his lips again. “You’re kidding, right?”
Point made. Flip-flopping politicians were such a fact of life that even the press had gotten tired of them. And the public at large simply ignored them, except when the flops directly affected their bottom line.
“What advantage would having a clone in such a position be for someone like Sethanon?”
“Sadly, we don’t know the answer to that one yet.”
Not until they caught Sethanon, anyway. And he had proven as elusive as a ghost.
“So you’ve had Wetherton watched?”
“We’ve had an agent in his office for the last two months, but she can’t get close enough. Wetherton plays his cards very close to his chest.”
If the man was a clone, he’d have to. One mistake and the truth would be out.
“What does all this have to do with my wanting a transfer?”
He smiled—all teeth and no sincerity. “The minister has recently received several death threats. He was given police protection, but the would-be killer has slipped past them on a number of occasions and left notes. The minister has now requested the SIU’s help.”
She regarded him steadily. “So who did you use to drop the notes? A vampire or a shapeshifter?”
Amusement flickered briefly through his eyes. “The original threats were real enough.”
Yeah, right. There was just a little too much sincerity in his voice for her to believe that. “Am I the only agent being sent in?”
“No. You’ll handle the night shift—it suits your growing abilities better. Jenna Morwood will do the days.”
Morwood wasn’t someone she’d met. “What’s her specialty?”
“Morwood’s an empath and telekinetic.”
So she’d be able to see an attack coming by simply reading the emotions swirling around her—a good choice for this sort of work. “Are we the only two going in?”
“Yes.” He hesitated. “Wetherton has requested that the night watch stay at his apartment when he’s there at night. Since the first two threats were hand-delivered, I’ve agreed to his request. I want you to observe everyone he meets. Become his shadow and learn his secrets.”
A huge task. “And the reason you’re sending two female agents?”
Once again, that insincere smile flashed. “Wetherton appears less guarded around females.”
“Meaning what? That he’s likely to hit on us?”
“It’s a distinct possibility. And before it’s mentioned, no, I do not expect or want you to sleep with the man.”
“Good, because I wouldn’t.” She hesitated, frowning. “Wetherton’s made much of his caring, family-man image over the last few years. That doesn’t quite jell with him hitting on anything with breasts.”
“He and his wife separated not long after the original’s death. Since then, he’s bought a nice apartment on Collins Street and now spends most of his nights there. He’s also been seen with an endless stream of beauties on his arms.”
She frowned. Wetherton wasn’t exactly a looker—though that in itself didn’t mean anything. Some of the ugliest spuds in the world had immense success with the ladies simply because of the wealth they controlled, or their sheer magnetic power. But from what she remembered of Wetherton, neither of these was a factor.
“I’m surprised the press haven’t had more of a field day.”
“They did initially, but a politician behaving badly isn’t exactly news these days.”
That was certainly true. “I doubt whether I’ll learn all that much doing night shift. Surely most of his business will be conducted during the day, no?”
Stephan smiled grimly. “Wetherton has a surprising number of business meetings at night—and usually at nightclubs, where it’s harder to get a bug in.”
“He’ll be suspicious of me. He’s not likely to trust me with anything vital.”
“Not for a while. It may take months.”
Months out of her life and her need to find her past. But also months away from Gabriel. Would absence make his heart grow fonder? A smile touched her lips. Unlikely. “What about time off? You can’t expect either of us to work seven days a week.”
He nodded. “You’ll each get two days—though which two will depend on Wetherton’s schedule. Generally, it will be the days he spends at home with his children. We have other arrangements in place there.”
“Will the press buy our sudden appearance in his life? This sort of protection is usually handled by the feds, not the SIU.”
“They won’t question our appearance after tonight, believe me.”
The dry coldness in his voice sent chills down her spine. “Why? What are you planning for tonight?”
“A spectacular but ineffectual murder attempt. Wetherton may be injured, and will, of course, demand our help.”
“So who’s the patsy?”
Stephan shrugged. “A young vampire we captured several weeks ago. He’d been something of a political dissident in life, and his afterlife has only sharpened his beliefs.”
And Stephan had no doubt been feeding his madness, aiming it toward Wetherton. Meaning this plan had been in motion for some time, and that this assignment was part of a bigger picture than he was currently admitting to.
Goose bumps ran up Sam’s arms and she rubbed them lightly. Perhaps the vampire wasn’t the only patsy in this situation.
“I gather the vamp will die?”
“He murdered seven people before we captured him. His death is merely a delayed sentence.”
“What if he escapes?”
“He won’t.”
Sam shifted in her chair. “If Wetherton is up to anything nefarious, it’s doubtful I’ll be privy to it.”
“No. There will be certain times you’ll be sent from the room; this is unavoidable. To counter it, you’ll bug the room.”
“Most federal buildings have monitors. The minute a bug is activated, an alarm will sound.”
“They won’t detect the ones we’ll give you. Our labs have specifically developed bugs that will function in just this sort of situation.”
And no doubt developed a means of detecting them, too. “How long do you think I’ll be guarding Wetherton?”
Stephan shrugged. “I can’t honestly say. It could be a month; it could be a year. Parliament doesn’t convene again until the middle of next month. By then, you will be such a fixture in his life that no one will comment.”
By then, she hoped Wetherton would have revealed all his secrets and she could get on with her life. Spending months in Canberra, yawning her way through endless cabinet sessions, was not something to look forward to.
She crossed her arms and stared at Stephan. He returned her gaze calmly. The uneasy feeling that he wasn’t telling her everything grew.
“You’re doing this to get back at Gabriel, aren’t you? You want him to care.”
“I’m doing this because no other agents have your particular range of talents. Your ability to detect evil could be vital in this case.”
No lies, but not the exact truth, either. She sat back, feeling more frustrated than when she’d first entered Stephan’s office. Guarding Wetherton was not the job she really wanted, but what other choice did she have? It was either this or put up with endless hours of mind-numbing paperwork in her shoe-box office in the Vault.
“How do I keep in contact?”
“You’ll be wearing a transmitter that will be monitored twenty-four hours a day.” Stephan reached into his desk and pulled out what looked like a gold ear stud. “This is the current model. It records sound and pictures. You turn it on and off by simply touching the surface.”
“I don’t have to get my ears pierced, do I?” She’d rather face a dozen vampires than one doctor armed with a body-piercing implement.
Stephan’s smile held the first real hint of warmth she’d seen since she walked into his office. “No. The studs are designed to cling to human flesh. You ac
tually won’t be able to get them off without the help of the labs.”
Just as well she could turn them off, then. She needed some privacy in her life, even if it was only to go to the bathroom. “When do I start?”
“Tomorrow night.” Stephan picked up another folder and passed it across the desk. “In here you’ll find detailed backgrounds on Wetherton’s friends, family and business acquaintances.”
She dropped the folder onto her lap. There was plenty of time to look at it later. “You were pretty certain I’d take this job, weren’t you?”
“Yes. What other choice have you actually got?”
Indeed. “And Gabriel?”
“Will be told you’ve been reassigned.”
Which would no doubt please him. He’d finally gotten what he wanted—her out of his life. “And will I be? After this assignment is over, that is?”
Stephan considered her for several seconds. “That depends.”
“On what?”
“On whether or not he has come to his senses by then.”
A statement she didn’t like one little bit. “You owe me, Stephan,” she said softly. For ordering his agents to shoot when she’d been trying to stop the shifter who’d taken Gabriel’s form. For the hour of questioning she’d faced afterward when she should have been in the med center. For saving his twin’s life. “All I want is permanent reassignment.”
His gaze met hers, assessing, calculating. “All right,” he said slowly. “As I said, this assignment could take more than a year to complete. If you still wish a new partner at the end, I will comply.”
She stared at him. He had agreed to her demands far too easily. She didn’t trust him—and didn’t trust that he meant what he said. But for the moment, there was little she could do about it.
“What happens if I need access to files or information?”
“You’ll have a portable com-unit with you, coded to respond only to your voice and retinal scan. You’ll also have priority access to all files, though a copy of all requests and search results will be sent to me.”
She raised an eyebrow. Priority access? Whatever it was Stephan thought Wetherton was involved in had to be huge.
The intercom buzzed into the silence and Stephan leaned across and pressed the button. “Yes?”
“Assistant Director Stern to see you, as requested, sir.”
“Send him in.” He gave her a toothy smile that held absolutely no sincerity. “I thought you might like to say goodbye.”
Gabriel was the last person she wanted to see. She could barely control her temper around him these days, and hitting a superior officer would only get her into more trouble than Gabriel was worth. And Stephan damn well knew it. She thrust upright. “You’re a bastard, you know that?”
“No, I’m a man faced with two people who won’t acknowledge that they are meant to be partners.”
The door opened, giving her no time to reply. She clenched the folder tightly but found her gaze drawn to the tall man entering the room. His hazel eyes narrowed when he saw her.
But just for an instant, something passed between them—an emotion she couldn’t define and he would never verbally acknowledge. And that made her even angrier.
“Sam,” Gabriel said, his voice as polite as the nod he gave her.
“Gabriel,” she bit back, and glanced at Stephan. “Will that be all, sir?”
A smile quirked the corner of Stephan’s mouth. He hadn’t missed her reaction. “Yes. For now.”
Gabriel stepped to one side as she approached. It was probably meant to be nothing more than a polite gesture—he was simply making way for her to get past—but it fanned the fires of her fury even higher. One way or another, this man was always avoiding her.
She met his gaze and saw only wariness in the green-flecked hazel depths of his eyes. Ever since the factory shootout with Rose and Orrin nearly two weeks ago, he’d treated her this way. She wasn’t entirely sure why. And in all honesty, it was time she stopped worrying about it. She had more important concerns these days.
Like finding out who she really was. What she really was. Like getting a life beyond the force.
She stopped in front of him and his scent stirred around her, spicy and masculine, making her want things she could never have. Not with this man.
“You win, Gabriel. You have your wish. I’m out of your life.” She held out her hand. “I wish I could say it’s been pleasant, but you sure as hell made certain it wasn’t.”
His fingers closed round hers, his touch sending warmth through her soul. A promise that could never be.
“You’ve been reassigned, then?” Relief edged his deep voice.
“Yeah.”
He released her hand and her fingers tingled with the memory of his touch. Part of her was tempted to clench her hand in an effort to retain that warmth just a bit longer. But what was the point of holding on to something that was little more than an illusion? A desire that probably came from loneliness more than any real connection?
“Who’s the new partner?”
There was something a little more than polite interest in the question. Were he anyone else, she might have thought he cared. With Gabriel, who knew?
Sam shrugged. “It’s really none of your business now, is it?” She glanced back at Stephan. “I’ll talk to you later.”
He nodded and she met Gabriel’s eyes one final time, her gaze searching his—though what she was looking for, she couldn’t honestly say. After a few seconds, she turned and walked out, her fury a clenched knot inside her chest.
—
Gabriel watched her go and the anger so visible in every step seared his mind, reaching into places he’d thought well shielded and far out of reach. Whatever this connection was between them, it was breaking down barriers not even his twin had been able to traverse, and raising emotions he’d long thought dead.
Which was just another reason to get her out of his working life. Whether or not she should then appear in his social life was a point of contention between the two parts of his soul. The hawk half—the half that had already lost its soul mate—wanted no strings, no ties, nothing beyond those that already existed, but the human half wanted to pursue what might lie between them. Wanted to discover if, given the chance, it could develop into something more than friendship.
Not that there ever would be a chance, if her anger was anything to go by. Which was precisely what he’d wanted, what he’d been aiming for over the nine months they’d been partners. So why did his victory feel so hollow?
He shut the door and walked across the room to the chair. “So,” he said as he sat down. “Where has she been reassigned?”
Stephan leaned back in his chair, his blue eyes assessing. “She’s right. It really is none of your business now.”
“Don’t give me that crap. Just tell me.”
Stephan smiled, though no warmth touched his expression. It was that, more than anything, which raised Gabriel’s hackles. Stephan was up to something, something he wouldn’t like.
“She’s on special assignment as of tomorrow.”
Gabriel regarded him steadily. His brother was enjoying this. He could almost feel his twin’s satisfaction. “Give, brother. What the hell have you done?”
Stephan steepled his fingers and studied them with sudden interest. “I’ve assigned her to the Wetherton case.”
The Wetherton case? The one case she should have been kept well away from, if only because of its possible links to both Sethanon and Hopeworth? “Get her off it, Stephan. Get her off it now.”
His twin’s gaze finally met his, filled with nothing more than a steely determination. “She is the best person for the job, whatever the risks.”
“You haven’t even warned her, have you?” Gabriel scrubbed a hand across his jaw. Christ, she could be walking straight into a goddamn trap, and there was nothing he could do to save her.
“She knows we believe Sethanon is involved,” Stephan commented.
“
Which is the least of our worries. Wetherton’s and Kazdan’s clones can have only one source, and we both know it. Neither the government labs nor the black marketeers have succeeded with personality and memory transfers. Hopeworth has.”
“Or so our spy tells us. It’s not something we’ve been able to confirm.”
The Federation had attempted to place spies in Hopeworth on several occasions, but it was only in the last few months that one of their operatives had leaked this information—though so far it was only his word backing it up.
“I think Hopeworth basically confirmed their involvement when they maneuvered to get Wetherton’s clone in charge of their budget.”
“If they wanted their clone in charge of their budget, they should have got him assigned to Defense.”
Gabriel crossed his arms. Hopeworth had fingers in both pies, and Stephan knew it. “Did you even mention Hopeworth to Sam?”
“It was mentioned. But we don’t know for sure if Hopeworth is involved.”
“Then did you at least tell her Sethanon is more than likely involved with Hopeworth?”
“No, because we have nothing more than a suspicion to back this up. We have no photographs of him. We don’t even know if he truly exists. He is currently nothing more than a name.”
“A name that has over thirty SIU and Federation deaths attributed to it. And I don’t particularly want Sam’s name added to that list.” His voice was tight with the anger coursing through him. True, he’d wanted to lose her as a partner, but he certainly hadn’t wanted to throw her to the lions, and that’s basically what his brother had done. She would have been safer remaining his partner than taking this mission.
Stephan grimaced. “Nor do I, brother. Believe me. But we need to uncover the source of these clones. We need to draw Sethanon out, and we need to uncover whether or not he is involved as deeply with Hopeworth as we suspect. And the truth is, she’s the best bait we have to achieve those aims.”
“What about our source in Hopeworth? Has he heard any whispers about Sethanon?”
Stephan shook his head. “It’s not a code name the military uses.”
“Kazdan knew who he was, so others must. It’s just a matter of uncovering the various layers of his organization.”
