Until they discover that Phillips isn't gone and he and his goons either become dead or make Granville's team dead, Corinne said. My bet will be on the latter. Granville has no idea what he is facing, including Sirenali who can command them to shoot themselves or each other, to a brain-damaged version of Ilya, who is a loose cannon.
At that moment, I wished mightily for mindspeech. Granville had gone off the deep end, in my opinion.
He wants to be able to point a finger at Phillips-for Amelia Sanders' death, Graye Sanders' suicide and conspiring with the insurgency. I doubt he'll get the evidence he wants, Cori said. I think he wants the path smoothed for his election and get rid of an old enemy at the same time. He's been thinking about this ever since he first sat in that chair.
I guess the old saying was correct-power corrupts. It certainly looked that way from where I was standing. I realized, too, how precarious my position had become. Matt's too, when it came down to it.
The President could replace either or both of us, on a whim.
"Why am I here, then?" Farrell demanded.
"I think you know why," Granville turned to him with a smile. "I have a feeling you know where more of the drug is. Don't you?"
* * *
Corinne
Richard Farrell did know. Just as he'd kept blood from Maye and Nick, he'd kept a stash of the drug left over from the experiments on himself. I'd ignored it, since my life had been saved by a second dose of the drug early on. I considered it insurance, in case Ilya needed help.
Well, that time had just passed. Granville wanted to bring back the experimentation. He wanted to deepen his resources. Make his own Sirenali and who knows what else?
Farrell, I sent, Tell him that the drug and any remaining blood has been destroyed. As of five seconds ago. By me. If he doesn't believe you, tell him to check for himself. All of it has been neutralized.
You didn't, Farrell snapped back.
I did. He's not going to do this a second time. If Phillips doesn't kill him, the Lyristolyi will.
"I know where it is, but its effectiveness has been neutralized," Farrell informed the President stiffly. "I can tell you where it is, but it won't do any good."
"How was it neutralized?" Granville became angry immediately.
"Corinne," Farrell said. "She said if Phillips didn't kill you first, then the Lyristolyi would if you used the drug for more experiments."
"Then tell Corinne that she is no longer welcome in the United States," Granville hissed. "I have no control over other countries, but she needs to get off American soil."
"Your wish, my command," Corinne dropped her shield. "If your ass needs saving again, don't look to me to help you." With that, she disappeared. I listened while Granville cursed a second time that day.
* * *
Ilya
I'm in Canada, Corinne informed me. For now. Is it all right if Val and I use the villa in Italy?
Of course, my love. Please, take Sergei and Katya with you. I want them to be safe. I fear that Granville will want to ensure my cooperation with this mad scheme he has concocted. Taking them hostage will be first on his list.
I'll take Bekzi and their friends, too, she responded. Finch can continue his witch-hunt here in Canada without us. I think the enemy is much too smart to leave anything useful behind for him to discover.
If there were something, I feel we would have found it by now, I agreed.
Yeah. Well, you know where I'll be, she said. If you want to get away.
That may be sooner than you think, my love.
I love you, too.
I know this. Stay safe, beloved.
* * *
Corinne
"Leo, you should come with us. Is it possible for you to take Nathan along-as an assistant?"
"With Matt's permission," Leo agreed. "I think we can get that with little argument."
"Good. I just didn't want to leave him here to listen to Finch," I said.
Leo Shaw and I stood in the kitchen while Val shielded us-I didn't want anyone else to hear while I explained what happened in the President's meeting. Leo understood what I didn't say, too-that Auggie and Matt could lose their jobs just by pointing out the flaws in the President's plans.
"Something has caused this mental break-this acute stress disorder," Leo said. "Perhaps due to the pressure suddenly placed upon him, coupled with the fact that he is likely marked for death-at Phillips' earliest opportunity. You saw how easy it was to get President Sanders out of the way."
"I understand that part. What I don't understand is dismissing the best protection he'll ever have, just so he can go after Phillips on an ill-conceived whim."
"And if he were thinking clearly, he would realize these things. He is not thinking clearly, and as he holds the highest office in the country, he has the power to enforce his ill-conceived whim."
"This is insane," I whispered.
"Not insane, just in desperate need of help, which is something he isn't getting, that's obvious," Leo said.
"Leo, it's insane in the fact that he can cause World War Three if he isn't careful and right now, he doesn't understand that."
"Let me call Colonel Hunter and Director Michaels. We can continue this discussion in Italy, once we have permission to take Nathan with us."
* * *
"Cori, I want you to come for James," Auggie said over the phone. "I know you have Nathan there with you, and since things are so dicey here, well, you understand what I'm saying. I'm approving an extended leave of absence, and I've sent Laci to her sister's."
"Yeah." I did understand. Auggie was worried about anybody close to him. When Granville's plan went into action, then anybody could become fair game if the Phillips clone survived the attack.
I was also beginning to worry about Norian Keef-we hadn't heard from him or Lendill Schaff in a while.
"I'll be right there," I said.
When I arrived in Auggie's office, James stood beside a packed suitcase and threw his arms around me when I appeared.
"Honey, Nathan's waiting for you," I kissed his cheek. "Stop worrying, okay?"
"Cori, keep him safe," Auggie said. "No matter what happens."
"You know I will," I said. "He's my son."
That caused James to hug me harder. "Come on, honey, let's go. I think we can get you some dinner from Carano's before they close."
Leo had already gotten takeout when I set James down in the villa's kitchen. Nathan lifted him up and gave him a generous smack before setting him down again.
"I think I got four of everything," Leo grinned as James and Nathan took seats at the table. Katya, Sergei and their friends were already seated and waiting. "Wine, too," Leo added. "Want anything?"
"No. Go ahead. I think I just want Val to take me somewhere sunny so we can feed."
"I watch and eat, too," Bekzi declared as he scooted a chair back. "Go. Get sunlight. We be fine."
Val, who'd watched everything with half a smile on his face, offered me a full grin before transporting me to Australia, where the sun was shining the following day.
* * *
"I guess I'm a woman without a country, now, since the President kicked me out," I said. We sat on a private stretch of beach, both of us naked and shielded. Val wrapped his arms around me while I leaned my head against his shoulder.
"He has no control over you, my love. You must understand that. It is that which he fears-that he has no control. Therefore, he acts irrationally, to exercise the control he can. To him, the world is spinning away from his grasp, making him fear for his life. He knows not how to deal with that."
"Should we go find Mister Norian and company, after we feed?" I asked, closing my eyes.
"Sleep now. When you are rested, we will hunt for him. I will bend time if necessary, to ensure that we find him."
"Awesome," I mumbled and allowed sleep to claim me.
* * *
"May we come with you?" Sergei asked when I explained that Val and I were going t
o look for Norian Keef the following morning. Val had let me sleep through our feed and then got me in bed at the villa without waking me. I felt better, at least, after the tiring events of the previous day.
"Val?" I turned to him after Sergei posed his question.
"I think it will be all right-if you wish it," Val nodded.
"Sure," I shrugged at Sergei. "You may get something interesting for lunch, but what the hell?"
"I've had interesting things for lunch before," Sergei flashed a grin. "I'll tell Katya."
* * *
Half an hour later, we were in Nevada again, where Val worked to coordinate Norian's movements.
"This is how my brothers and I learned to track those important to history, and detail the events surrounding them," he said, closing his eyes and employing his Looking ability to search for Norian's next stop. "Las Vegas," Val opened his eyes and smiled. "We will go to the hotel where he stayed."
The hotel Norian chose wasn't on the strip and didn't house a casino. I assumed he paid cash for his room-I doubted he had any credit cards. "Only one night," Val said as we studied the room. "I must Look again to find his next destination."
"Can you not just use your talent to find where he is now?" Katya asked.
"We don't know where he is," I informed Katya. "He and Lendill dropped off the radar days ago."
* * *
Unofficial communication from:
Geethe Cheriss, Prime Potentate of Lyristolys
To: Outland Commander Fisk Boralus
Subject: Capture
I am unsurprised by Keef's shapeshifting ability-he reveals the serpent I always imagined him to be. Condolences on the loss of two of yours from their wounds in capturing Keef. Keep him unconscious as much as possible. Threaten the death of his companion if he fails to cooperate. You understand the importance that their bodies be found elsewhere-I do not wish to have another conversation with Deonus Wyyld. I suggest you implement your plans quickly-I want this situation resolved very soon.
* * *
Morrett read the message a second time-quickly, before Fisk came back. It would be destroyed, just like all the others. Fisk's footsteps at their hotel door in Paris caused Morrett to retreat to his corner, where the comp-vid he was allowed to read lay waiting.
When Fisk arrived, there was no evidence that Morrett had ever moved from his corner. With hooded eyes, he watched as Fisk erased the message from Geethe Cheriss before stuffing the comp-vid in a trouser pocket.
Morrett knew some of the plans Fisk had for Earth.
They terrified him.
Fisk was about to unleash the first wave of attacks, and many would die. Morrett huddled farther into his corner and searched desperately through his comp-vid for a favorite story to read.
* * *
Ilya
Someone I didn't know had been placed in charge of our group. He was CIA, but claimed he worked for Matt Michaels.
That was a lie.
The name and title he gave-Lead Agent Milton Smith-also a lie.
We were scheduled to infiltrate the grounds surrounding former President Phillips' home in Alexandria at midnight. Lead Agent Smith told us Phillips was out of town.
Another lie.
Did he not know with whom he was dealing?
I wished for Corinne, however, to read in him exactly what he knew and what his intentions were. I also wished for the opportunity for a quiet word with Jennifer and Brett. Lead Agent Smith didn't want that, as he had someone with us constantly while we waited at a facility located in Silver Spring.
Most of the day, Smith's agents worked all around us, checking their weapons, studying the layout of the property and examining the architectural details of the home. Much discussion was had in order to determine the best place to breach the security in place-both electronic and human. The three of us were neither consulted nor offered weapons of any kind.
What did they expect us to do if we ran into trouble? Yes, I could likely take care of myself and Brett-well-I assumed he could, too, if he chose his other shape. Jen-I had no idea whether Maye's talents in martial arts had transferred to Jen. She'd certainly never mentioned it if they had.
I suspected that the agents going in with us knew that Phillips would be in residence, and that deadly force was not only permissible, but required. I had no idea whether they'd been instructed to kill anyone they found, but found myself concerned about the possibility.
After all-Phillips had a Secret Service detail assigned and always would-as long as he was deemed alive. Wherever he was, they would be, too.
I disliked the fact that they could be considered collateral damage, without first determining whether they were involved in the Phillips clone's machinations.
In that respect, Corinne had certainly influenced me. In my early days, it wouldn't have concerned me much. After my son's death and my relationship began with Corinne, things had certainly changed.
I love you, Cabbage, I sent to her.
Honey, be careful, she replied. Things are looking rather grim from where we are, and I doubt you're in for a picnic, tonight. Don't forget-you can get yourself out of there if you need to, and take Jen and Brett with you. Don't wait for the worst to happen.
I understood what she meant, although she hadn't said it. If I hadn't hesitated to kill the original Phillips, he'd never have placed his obsession.
I will, I promised.
Call if you need me, she added.
I will.
I love you, too. Don't ever forget that.
I will never forget.
* * *
Notes-Colonel Hunter
"What is it?" I asked. "In English," I added. Shaw was on the phone, talking psych gibberish while I attempted to decipher what he meant.
"Farrell may blow this all to kingdom come," Shaw snapped. "I just got off the phone with him. He doesn't know I'm out of the country, and he's threatening to go to whomever or whatever, to force Granville to remove Jen from tonight's plans and bring her to him instead."
"What the bloody hell is happening to everybody?" I shouted. Frankly, I wanted to put a fist through one of my office walls, but that would place me in the same rubber room with Farrell.
It was during the brief moments it took to dial Farrell's cell phone-I intended to tell him to stay put until I could send someone to pick him up-that it actually happened.
Of course, the news didn't reach us until half an hour later, but when it did, it was devastating. I'd seen video of events from the past where the course of our nation and that of the world was changed forever.
This-this could be the death knell. I knew it. I hoped the President and every other world leader understood that, too. Sarin gas, in a widespread distribution, had been dropped by near-silent drones onto the streets of Paris, especially those crowded with night tourists.
Thousands of deaths were given as an early estimate, and I imagined that the toll would increase dramatically with the rising of the sun. The city was in chaos, as hospitals were filled with those affected. Many dead were left lying in the streets as others ran to get away from the deadly, odorless killer.
Matt Michaels removed the phone I held in nerveless fingers as I watched the news on my computer screen with horror. "Come with me," he said. "We've been summoned to the White House."
"I was trying to reach Farrell-he's gone off the deep end," I babbled as Matt drove like a maniac through D.C. streets.
"I heard. The President hasn't been informed. I think it's idiocy that he still wants to go after the Phillips clone tonight."
"Is everybody nuts, now?" I asked. The visions of the unedited image feed I'd gotten from Paris continued to slice painfully through my brain.
"The President got word that the insurgency is claiming responsibility for this," Matt said.
"What? I figured they'd just fire those missiles they have and be done with it."
"Not until they have a way to fire them undetected," Matt snorted. "Which may not be impossibl
e, if what I'm thinking has happened. I have Opal on it now; I'm just waiting for her to report her findings."
"What the hell are you talking about?" I snapped.
"The technology to deliver the sarin gas? Those silent drones? Right now, our technology is good, but not that good."
"So the insurgents got ahead of us."
"That's not what I'm saying."
"Fuck. I'm getting a headache." My cell phone rang while I rubbed my forehead to relieve the tension.
"What?" I said. No, that greeting wasn't civil, but then I wasn't on the same planet as civil at the moment.
"They've hit Berlin. Sarin again. Same thing as Paris."
"Who is this?"
"Colonel Hunter, this is Nathan. Bekzi has us hooked up to direct satellite feeds here at the villa," Nathan explained. "James is here, but he's taking notes and sending them to you in an e-mail. You should probably check it when you get the chance. We're worried they'll hit London and Rome, too, before the night's over."
"Holy fuck," I muttered and dropped the phone, which lodged between the seat and the center console of Matt's car.
"I hear that," Matt said and pressed the accelerator. The car lurched forward as Matt wove in and out of traffic to get us to the White House.
* * *
Corinne
Low-flying drones, silent as the killer they carried, destroyed hundreds of thousands before dawn arrived in Europe. Paris, Berlin, London, Rome and Madrid were all hit, in an effort to cause as much death and chaos-induced fear as they could. Almost as an afterthought, Moscow was also attacked. At least ten thousand died there, most of them while they slept.
The insurgency claimed responsibility for all of it.
Val and I-we knew that wasn't the case, but those in charge of the insurgency preened like peacocks at the news-they were proud to be blamed for so many deaths. Images of them were shown quickly, hiding their faces as usual and waving signs proclaiming the U.S. was next.
Cloud Rebel: R-D 3 Page 18
