Every Storm Breaks (Reachers Book 3)
Page 23
But for now they needed to question her, to see what the Smith brothers were like in the field. The prodigal sons were still so much a mystery to the people who created them. One born, the other created, connected by years of experimentation. It had gone right. Somewhere the Institute had made progress—Scarlet was proof of that—but the laboratory had been prematurely closed, and all their files were lost. What was it that made those brothers special? She didn't know, but she got the feeling it was infectious. The girl, Rachel, seemed more than what she should have been too. The brothers cared for her, and Scarlet could sense this wasn't about sex or romance; this was deeper, almost primordial.
She explained everything to her superiors in absolute detail. They chastised her for her ambition and lack of foresight and said no more on the matter. She knew they were partly accountable for the way things went. She'd never wanted to bring Rachel in, sensing the brothers would follow her. But they couldn't let a Reacher that powerful go.
“The agent disrupted our plans,” they told her.
It was true. Adams had ruined the next phase in their takeover, but she had never been sold on that plan anyway. Janus Curtis was a loose cannon they thought they could control. That was their trouble: it was all about control. They assumed a controlled transition would be best: slip under the net, and nobody will know you have taken over the country. But Scarlet had been waiting for a decade, and still there were no signs of significant progress. With every lapse of momentum, people adjusted, relaxed, grew accustomed.
She said nothing. Her job wasn't to criticise.
“Did the other agent betray you?”
She shook her head, seeing Mark heading back to London, as clueless as ever. “I believe it was the Reacher. Solomon. One of his people was found dead at the house. She must have talked. Solomon has very little influence left; his numbers are non-existent now.”
“Are you recommending termination?”
“I am.”
“We will take this into consideration.”
They dismissed her, and she returned to the sterile corridors of their underground facility. Beneath her feet the floors ran deeper, and she could feel the pulsating power emanating from those they kept there. She touched the wall, connecting with the tormented souls. When they were finally unleashed, how different would this world be?
END
About the Author
L E Fitzpatrick is a writer of dark adventure stories and thrillers. Under the watchful eye of her beloved rescue Staffordshire Bull Terrier, she leaps from trains and climbs down buildings, all from the front room of a tiny cottage in the middle of the Welsh countryside.
Inspired by cult film and TV, L E Fitzpatrick's fiction is a collection of twisted worlds and realities, broken characters, and high action. She enjoys pushing the boundaries of her imagination and creating hugely entertaining stories.
Other Titles by L E Fitzpatrick
The Reacher Series:
The Running Game
Border Lines
Reacher Short Stories:
Safe Haven
Family
www.lefitzpatrick.com
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