She nodded sharply without looking at him and walked toward the door. “Don’t fail, Drakon. Our survival may depend on your success.”
As she left the room, Drakon walked to the table and leaned on it heavily, staring at the battered wood. He’d been prepared to betray Brita, Erebus, all his kind for Phoenix. She trusted him. And he trusted her absolutely. She couldn’t have known about this pathogen, or anything like it. She had guessed at all his weaknesses, seen his vulnerability, and yet she’d never taken advantage of his sincere offer to let her kill him.
To the contrary. She’d given him everything.
No, she’d never betray him. But he would betray her.
He banged his recently healed hand on the tabletop. An hour or two of happiness, of contentment, of something like peace had been granted him. And it would never come again.
Pushing away from the table, he went to find Repo. He couldn’t trust Brita with Matthew Patterson’s life, but he could count on his most loyal follower. Repo would look after young Patterson, let him go if the assassination succeeded before the deal with the senator went through.
And he’d get Phoenix out if the dragon didn’t survive.
* * *
“Do you realize what you’ve done?”
Director Chan stood behind her desk, leaning over it with hand firmly planted on the highly polished surface. Her stare could have knocked the Transamerica Pyramid to the ground—if it still stood—but Phoenix held steady. They’d already been through this once before, and there was nothing Chan could say to her that she hadn’t said to herself already.
“It was necessary to tell him something,” Phoenix said calmly, standing at parade rest on the other side of the desk. “I had to save Matthew Patterson, and the only way to do that was reveal what I was really out there to do.”
“But you told him you’d been sent to expose the Bosses,” Chan said, her voice tense with anger. “You could have stuck to your story of wanting revenge, and—”
“No, ma’am,” Phoenix said, holding the older woman’s gaze. “If I’d hedged then, he’d have had no reason to listen to me at all. I had to hang on to some measure of his trust, and I judged that the risk was worth it. He may still suspect there’s more to it than I told him, but—”
“He doesn’t realize you’re half-dhampir?”
“No, ma’am.” Phoenix kept her face expressionless, hoping she could get away with the lies. “I don’t think he’d have been willing to let me come back here to make the deal with Aegis and Patterson.”
“The deal,” Chan said with a snort. “And you think you still might get something out of him regarding Opiri operatives in the Fringe?”
The question was deeply ironic, considering that the director didn’t know that the Boss in question was an Opir. “I’m very close,” Phoenix said. “I’m fairly certain that one of his crew has some connection to the enemy. If I can get back quickly and spend the rest of the week there, I think I have a good chance. And I can stay close to Matthew.”
Chan sat abruptly, picked up a stylus and began tapping the tip rapidly against the desk. “I still don’t understand why he’d trust you, given the lies you’ve already told him, and when you’ve been with him less than a week.”
“You wanted me to use any means at my disposal,” Phoenix said, matching Chan’s coldness. “It worked. He expects me to return with the information in exchange for Matthew Patterson’s life. The mayor doesn’t have to be anywhere near the exchange, and the attending senators can bring all the security they want.”
“All so the Boss you’re working with can publicly expose Patterson’s buried secrets and then escape again, this time to disappear completely along with his crew.”
“But I’ll already be with him. If I can convince him that my loyalty is to him now, then—”
“That’s not good enough!” Chan shouted, tossing the stylus down with such force that it flew off the desk.
“You’ll just have to trust me to do my job,” Phoenix said. “Because if we don’t agree to his terms...”
The office door opened almost silently, and a young man entered the room. “I’m sorry to disturb you, Director Chan, but Senator Patterson is here.”
“Let him wait,” Chan snapped.
“Director,” the secretary said, “I don’t think—”
The secretary nearly fell over as a tall, burly man shoved past him into the office. Patterson’s eyes flickered toward Phoenix with open hostility and returned to Chan, who met his gaze without flinching. Phoenix could barely hide her own loathing for the man responsible for the deaths of innocent women and children.
“Why haven’t you authorized the deployment of every available agent to search for my son?” he all but bellowed. He glanced at Phoenix. “You should already have this one under stringent interrogation. The fact that she allowed this to happen—”
“—is not as clear-cut as you seem to think, Senator,” Chan said, her voice as even as Patterson’s was angry. “Agent Stryker was given latitude to act as she thought best. She almost certainly saved your son from death, considering that he behaved with remarkable stupidity, and she did everything possible to encourage this Sammael to bargain for your son’s release. Without her—”
“Without her, none of this would have taken place!” Patterson said, striding into the office and planting his fists on Chan’s desk. “I want this woman removed from the case immediately.”
“We’re not throwing a completely new agent into the mix now,” Chan said, holding the senator’s stare. “I believe Stryker when she says there is some kind of connection between her and this man Sammael, and to disrupt that now could have unthinkable consequences.”
“Consequences!” Patterson shouted, banging his fist on the desk. “You’re responsible, Chan. You assigned an unproven agent to deal with matters even a decorated commander would have a hard time pulling off. I want you to send every agent in support of my Enforcers, and maybe if your people do their jobs—”
“Your Enforcers?” Chan interrupted with a slight smile. “I believe you retired, Senator. You may have some influence, but you do not issue direct commands to us or to the Enforcement Bureau, not without the full committee’s backing and the approval of Mayor—”
“Shepherd,” Patterson snarled. “Why should he care what happens to my son, as long as he—”
“Your son will be safe if you do as we ask.”
“You expect me and my fellow senators to just...show up at the edge of the Fringe and wait for this Boss to return my son. But why should we believe anything he says?”
“I don’t see that we have much choice at the moment,” Chan said. “Agent Stryker believes she is very close to gaining crucial information about the Opiri spies, which in turn may lead to finding the assas—”
“Believes! May!” He faced Chan with head down and shoulders hunched. “He wants a week! The assassin could make his move anytime before the meeting. If your agent is any good at all, she can set a trap. And if this Boss knows about the bloodsucker spies, we’ll get it out of him, even if we have to—”
“We don’t use torture,” Chan interrupted, “unless it is an immediate matter of life and death.”
“It is! My son—”
“Agent Stryker has made it clear that Sammael is no fool, and he will surely be prepared for betrayal,” Chan said. “I have no doubt that he will kill your son and escape if we fail to abide by his offer. If you will give us a little time to plan, Senator, we’ll find a workable solution that doesn’t involve either the death of your son or the failure of our mission. Unless, of course, your objection is to releasing the information Sammael has requested.”
Patterson straightened, his nostrils flaring. “I have nothing to hide.”
“Perhaps it’s simply a matter of Fringe politics, a bet, a
challenge to other Bosses that he’s willing to take such a risk.”
“Or he wants to kill me because I did my job when I was commissioner!”
“Is that the only reason he’d want it?” Phoenix asked. “Maybe you did your job too well.”
Chan spoke before Patterson could do more than gape at Phoenix in astonished outrage. “We have no way of knowing, Senator,” she said, “but our security measures will be extremely thorough. No one will hurt you. And since, as you said, you have nothing to hide, the only harm you will suffer is to your pride.”
“I’ll have your job for this, Chan. I’ll have you broken. And I’ll have this one—” he jabbed a finger toward Phoenix “—deported for treason.”
“We’ll see, Senator Patterson.” Chan shuffled files around on her desk as if to indicate how busy she was. “All I can say is that we’ll keep you informed of any change in the situation. Now, if you’ll excuse us...”
Patterson stared at Chan as if he were unable to comprehend the sheer nerve of anyone daring to address him in such a manner. He took a step back, nearly crashing into Phoenix. “I’m warning you, Director,” he said. “If anything happens to my boy...”
“Goodbye, Senator.”
He cast Phoenix a final glance and stormed out of the room.
“That wasn’t smart, Stryker,” Chan said when he was gone. “It’s never a good idea to wave a red cape at a charging bull.”
“I’m sorry, Director,” Phoenix said, standing very straight.
“Normally, I wouldn’t be worried. But if we hadn’t acted immediately on your request for his records and gained access to certain files that he couldn’t manage to destroy in time, he’d already be tearing the Records Department to shreds with his bare hands. He’s going to be working on every conceivable way of justifying what we’ve found or making it appear as if someone’s tampered with his files.”
“Like the mayor?” Phoenix asked.
“He could make a case for it, at least with his faction and certain senators. This is a highly volatile situation, Stryker, and I think if he could let his son die without turning everyone in the Enclave against him, he’d do it rather than agree to the meeting.” She slapped the folders down on the desk. “We could be facing something very ugly. But if it’s between possibly ruining Patterson or saving the mayor, Aegis’s position is clear.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“But you’re far from out of the woods, Stryker. You’d better justify my faith in your ability to see this through and find what we’re looking for. Quickly. Convince Sammael to let you stay with him. You find that contact in Sammael’s Hold and locate at least one of the Opiri spies. When you do, I’m going to advise that we send our people in and take him.”
“For interrogation?” Phoenix said, suppressing a shiver. “Even if stringent measures are necessary to make him expose the assassin?”
Chan didn’t look at her. “We don’t use torture,” she’d said, “unless it is an immediate matter of life and death.”
In this case, it certainly would be.
“Why is that important to you, Stryker?” Chan asked, her chair creaking as she leaned back. “I wonder if you’re holding something back.”
Phoenix stood absolutely still. “Ma’am?”
“When you speak of this Sammael, you might as well be describing a rock formation. Objectivity is vital, but it’s almost as if you’re trying too hard.” She leaned forward again. “Are you emotionally involved in some way, Agent Stryker?”
“No, ma’am.”
The director nodded slowly. “Don’t try so hard to prove yourself, Stryker, or you may make a mistake that will destroy this city. I’m not mincing words. It’s all on you and the decisions you make now.”
“Yes, ma’am. Thank you for giving me this chance to make it right.”
“Dismissed.”
Phoenix turned to leave, but Chan called after her. “We’ll need to go over all the details again,” she said, “everything you know about Sammael, everything he’s done and everything he’s said in your presence. I’ll meet you in the debriefing room in one hour. I have a few ducks to line up first.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“And get yourself something to eat. It’s never good for a dhampir to starve herself. Even a half-breed like you.”
Phoenix left the room, trying not to think. Thinking brought doubt. Of herself, of what she had chosen to do. And of Drakon, most of all.
Determined to remain firmly in the present, Phoenix left the office and took the series of corridors and elevators to the agents’ mess.
She was only halfway there when she ran smack into the Most Honorable Mayor Aaron Shepherd.
Chapter 16
“Aaron!” Phoenix blurted out without thinking, immediately aware that even a former lover didn’t address the mayor by his first name. At least not in public.
But Shepherd only grinned at her, steadying her with his hands on her shoulders as if they were still young and very much in love: she, a ward of Aegis; he, a son of an influential and moderately wealthy citizen with strong ties to the government. She, who wanted to prove herself worthy, in spite of her very mixed heritage; he, always ambitious, urged by his father to climb the political ladder at a speed very few had ever achieved.
They’d still been in love when, at the age of twenty-nine, he had won a place on the government committee overseeing Aegis operations. She was just at the beginning of her career with the Agency.
Now, one of the youngest mayors of the Enclave at thirty-three, Aaron Shepherd was a highly attractive man of great power, charisma and influence, beloved by the citizens, with a higher trust rating than any other member of the government.
Everyone loved him. Everyone, except Patterson’s aggressive supporters. And Phoenix.
“Nix!” he said in a delighted voice, dropping his hands. He looked her up and down. “How long has it been? A year? Two? You haven’t changed a bit.” His voice slowed, grew more serious. “I was hoping to speak with you alone before you return to your duties.”
“I’m not permitted to discuss my work, Mr. Mayor,” she said, carefully respectful.
“Not even with me?”
He was half joking, but Phoenix saw the harder gleam in his eyes—the gleam she had seen more and more the higher he had risen.
“No, sir,” she said, staring at his starched, white collar.
All at once he seemed to relax. “Of course,” he said. “But at least come join me for a drink, Nix. I’ve missed our conversations.”
Phoenix didn’t believe it. Not for an instant. But one simply didn’t turn down the mayor, even if he was a man you never wanted to be in the same room with again.
He gestured her ahead of them, and—trailed by a team of four beefy bodyguards—they went to an empty office on the highest level of Aegis Headquarters, reserved for the use of visiting dignitaries or other special guests. There was a bar, a full-size dining table, a furniture setting with a couch and chairs and a door leading to a bedroom.
Aaron gestured for Phoenix to take a seat and nodded to his bodyguards, who took their places near the doors and huge, heavily paneled picture window. He poured himself a drink and brought another to Phoenix, who stood stiffly near the couch.
“Sit,” Shepherd said, handing her a glass. She did as he commanded, but quickly set the glass down on the coffee table, untouched.
Shepherd clucked. “So formal, Nix. We used to be such good friends.” He grew serious. “My name is Aaron,” he said softly. “It always sounded best when you said it.”
“Until hearing me speak it became inconvenient.”
“Nix.” He set down his drink and reached toward her in silent plea. “I’ve missed you.”
She wondered how he could possibly say such a thing.
Once, in his embrace, she’d felt accepted for who she was. Until Aaron had opened his arms and let her fall.
“I didn’t know you hated me so much,” he said, reading her face.
“I’ve never hated you,” she said. Until now.
“Then just talk to me.”
Realizing that she wasn’t going to get out without paying the toll, Phoenix moved over so he could sit beside her. He sighed and crossed his legs. “Nix, it’s true. I’ve never stopped missing you.”
All that charm, Phoenix thought. It had lost none of its potency since he had become mayor and lavished it on so many. So different from Drakon, though it wasn’t just the smell of expensive cologne or the polished urbanity of the Mayor of San Francisco. Drakon had lost people he’d loved to violence and hatred. He’d suffered, had his whole life stolen from him before he’d gone completely over to the other side.
Could Aaron have survived those same trials?
She met his gaze. “Did you bring me here to play games, sir, or is there something you wanted to know?”
He leaned back, swirling his drink in his glass. “Informally, Agent Stryker...how is the mission proceeding?”
“I assume you’ve had your own private briefings, Your Honor,” she said, staring fixedly at the lush white carpet.
“Briefings,” he said with a snort, and took a sip of his drink. “I want your opinion, Nix. It was always sound before.”
Before you decided I was more a liability than a help to your ascent, she thought.
“Everything is being done that can be done,” she said. “If necessary, I’ll give my life to protect our government from the Opiri.”
“And for me?” he asked in that seductive voice that could make anyone do whatever he wanted. No force, no command, just the gentlest, most sincere persuasion.
“Yes, Your Honor. You are the government.”
“I might not be so much longer, if Patterson wins the election.” Shepherd finished his drink and set down the glass. “But it seems there may be an impediment to his possible success. Files from his years as captain and commissioner of the Enforcement Bureau. Even I haven’t seen all of them. He’s not happy about having them revealed to the public, Nix.”
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