"Maybe it will be Whitney and we can blow them both to kingdom come." Javier sounded hopeful, eager even.
"You're so bloodthirsty tonight," Mack reprimanded.
Javier shot him a grin. "Must be the company. Bad influence and all."
Violet put down her drink and stood up, drawing their attention back to the scene in the house. "I have to go, Jefferson. You've given me quite a bit to think about."
Jefferson rose with her. "I hope you'll give me your answer soon, Violet. I don't think Ed has long, hanging in limbo. You want him up and running around, you commit to Whitney's program and work for us, not yourself."
She said nothing at all, but walked, head up, out to her waiting car. Jefferson watched the vehicle pull down the long drive before he snapped open his cell phone. "She was here. She's going to come on board, but she'll turn on us the moment she thinks she has an out. She's ambitious. You might think about getting rid of her before she causes any more trouble."
"You getting this, Jaimie?" Mack asked.
"I'm running a trace," she answered. "I think he's talking to Whitney. I've got a voice analysis program and it should give me a match any second. Yep. Whitney."
Jefferson snapped his phone off and went back into the house after one more long look after his parting guest. He shook his head, disgusted, and slammed his door.
"I'm sorry, Mack, he didn't stay on long enough," Jaimie said.
Mack didn't take his eyes from Jefferson. The man took meticulous care to clean up after his guest. Several times he looked at the clock. They weren't at all surprised when a second car came up the drive.
"He's busy tonight," Mack said, watching the dark car pull up to the house. "What's behind door number two?"
The driver jumped out and opened the door behind his seat. An older man emerged. Mack concentrated on getting as good a picture as possible. There was only a profile available; the man kept his hat low and his head turned away from them. He looked older, and walked with a cane and a bit of a limp. He was a big man. A trench coat covered his very expensive business suit. He went straight up to the house. Jefferson met him at the door and clapped him on the shoulder, his manner familiar.
"We've got company, boss," Gideon hissed. "I think Violet's come back."
Javier touched the knife in his scabbard. "I need to be on the ground to protect the operation, Mack," he said. "If she spots us, we're finished."
"She can't spot you, Javier. I'm giving you a direct order. Do not engage unless she finds us."
Javier sent a cocky grin over his shoulder at Mack. "I'm hearing every word, Top."
"Before you go, tell Jaimie I need everything she's got on that man now. Right now. Tell her to move it."
"It's not like we gave her much to go on," Javier pointed out, but dutifully sent the text. "Oh, yeah, she's not happy with you and said to remind you that she's not a miracle worker."
Mack glared at him. "Tell her I expect results, not a lot of excuses."
"Oh, sure, boss, I'll just send that to Jaimie. We'll feel the volcano blast all the way from San Francisco."
"I gotta agree with Javier on this one, boss. Give her a few minutes."
Mack scowled at them and turned his attention back to the house.
"Going silent, Mack," Javier said. He sent Gideon a quick, sympathetic grin and hastily made his way to the ground.
"Keep an eye on them, Gideon," Mack ordered.
"You got it, boss."
Mack knew Gideon didn't have to use night goggles or any equipment that might tip off a GhostWalker to their presence. He was the most difficult of all of them to spot. Javier was a ghost, a phantom, stalking the night. Violet could walk right up to him and not know he was there. She'd be uneasy, but she wouldn't find him. Even so, Gideon would ensure that Javier was safe at all times if there was any slipup.
He put the headphones on to listen to the conversation taking place in Jefferson's home.
"What'd she want?" the newcomer demanded.
"The same thing her father-in-law wanted. Of course Andrew thinks his son is intact. Whitney says we're nearly ready for the trial run. If we can fool Andrew, we can fool everyone," Jefferson said.
"I'm not entirely easy about this. Andrew's been a good friend for years."
Mack knew Andrew Freeman was Senator Freeman's father. He had gone to school with Whitney and Jefferson when Jefferson was Phillip Thornton.
"Okay," Jaimie's voice whispered in his ear. "You've got Jacob Abrams there. He's been best friends with Senator Freeman's father for forty years or more. Billionaire. A genius. Banker. He and Whitney and Freeman were all part of a club at their university for very smart students. The club is still shrouded in secrecy. I'm working on more data for you. Abrams controls a great deal in the market and some say he's part of the real power in the world, not necessarily the leaders of the countries. He's a very big fish, Mack."
"Thanks, Jaimie." Mack switched back to the conversation in the house.
Jefferson poured a drink for Abrams and handed it to him. "At least he has his son, Jacob. Ed was brain-dead. Anyone else would have pulled the plug on him. Violet and Andrew had given up and were going to tell the world he'd been killed when Whitney made his proposal to try to save him. He didn't do it for Andrew."
"Enhancing psychic ability is one thing, but stimulating a dead brain with whatever the hell he does makes Ed part machine, doesn't it?" Jefferson sighed and sat back in his chair. "Whitney has no fear of trying anything."
"Ed was dead already," Abrams pointed out. "It wasn't as if Peter did anything wrong. I just don't think fooling Andrew into believing Ed's still Ed is ethical."
Jefferson snorted. Coughed. "That's rich coming from you, Jacob."
Mack leaned into his mouthpiece. "You getting this, Jaimie? Is it making any sense to you? How the hell could he stimulate a brain that's dead?"
"I'm getting it. Paul might be able to help."
Mack glanced out over the thick stand of trees. Violet was making her way toward the window, moving from shadow to shadow. Gideon.
I see her, boss. Javier's keeping pace with her.
It was impossible for Mack to spot Javier, although he didn't doubt that Gideon knew exactly where the man was. He sent up a silent prayer that Javier understood he was playing ghost with another GhostWalker. They knew little about Violet's abilities.
Jacob Abrams sighed heavily and walked to the window to stare out, swirling the brandy in his gla
ss. "Is she going to give us trouble?"
"She offered to bring in our missing women, including the pregnant one."
Abrams whirled around. "Do you think she can do it?"
"Violet pointed out she can do a lot from her position as a senator's wife for the women's underground. She'll be a saint to them while she's searching. I'd put my money on her. She wants the presidency, Jacob. And she'll do anything to keep Ed alive, even if it's just his body."
"It's a big undertaking," Abrams said, his voice thoughtful. "I'd like to see one baby before we're dead and gone, Phillip, just to see if we accomplished what we set out to do."
"James. Never forget I'm James," Jefferson responded. "In any case, a couple of the GhostWalker couples have babies."
"Yeah, they do, but we don't have them." Abrams turned back to face his old friend. "Is Theodore Griffen giving you trouble?"
There was an inflection. A casual note that was anything but casual. Jefferson visibly stiffened. "Why do you ask?"
"Rumors, Jefferson. I heard you sent a team to San Francisco and one of them didn't come back. Whitney doesn't want the girl killed. He said to tell you to leave her alone."
"Did he even pay any attention to the evidence that's been collected against him? If I hadn't persuaded Chilton to let me handle it, the committee might have shut him down. We got lucky."
"You're afraid the trail leads back to you."
"And you, Jacob. Your reputation is on the line as well. A breeding program and experimenting on children, even orphans, will cause a worldwide uproar, and you know it," Jefferson said. "If we have to sacrifice a couple of his precious soldiers to keep the programs intact, then it's a small price to pay."
"Whitney makes a bitter enemy, James," Jacob said. "Find some other way of dealing with this woman. Bring her in. Get her back under control. Hell, put her in Whitney's breeding program. I don't care, but don't kill her. Get your men to pick her up."
Mack waited, but Jefferson didn't confirm to Abrams that he'd sent the two men to kill Jaimie, but they'd failed and hadn't returned. He didn't answer one way or the other. Apparently there were things Jefferson didn't want to share with his old friend. Or maybe he was afraid. Could the tight-knit friends be splintering?
Violet crept toward the house, coming in from the south side. She took out an aerosol can and sprayed into the slight breeze moving out over the sweeping lawn. Bright beams leapt into the air. Mack could see them without the spray and he was fairly certain Javier could as well. The enhancements Whitney had given them evidently weren't part of Violet's arsenal.