by Jaz Primo
“Just think about what I said. Look, we haven’t known each other all that long, and I realize that you don’t have any reason to fully trust me yet, either,” he said. “But I hope to secure your trust over time. You’re a good egg in my book, and I’d hate to see the system eat you up.”
I shook his hand. “Thanks.”
Wainright nodded to Sanders and Denton and then walked away.
“What the hell do you think prompted that?” Denton asked.
“I don’t know,” I said. “But I’m damned sure gonna keep what he said in mind.”
We no sooner took five steps away from the elevator when a door burst open behind us.
I turned, expecting trouble, but saw Deputy Director Tevin waving and hurrying to catch up with us.
“Hey, wait!” he called.
He seemed almost out of breath as he placed a small briefcase onto the floor beside him.
“Did you just run downstairs?” Sanders asked.
“Yeah,” he huffed. “Couldn’t catch the elevator…but had…to talk to you.”
“You want to sit down?” Denton asked.
“Nah, I’m okay,” he said, finally taking in a deep breath and letting it out. “I’ve spent too many years behind a desk, I think.”
“You ever hear of a treadmill?” I asked.
“Funny, Bringer,” he said. “Listen, I need to talk to you three, but I—”
“Didn’t want to say anything in front of everyone else?” I asked.
His expression was priceless. “Yeah, how did you know? Do you read minds or something?”
“Me? Nah,” I said.
To their credit, both Sanders and Denton adopted great poker faces.
Then I opened my mind again.
…good idea speaking out in the open like this?
…have any idea if he’ll believe what I have to say, but I’ve got to try.
…kick him in the balls if he’s reading my thoughts right now.
I carefully avoided eye contact with Sanders.
“What were you going to tell us?” Denton asked.
Tevin looked around and then focused his attention on me.
“Bringer, I’ve got word that there’s some politicians, and even the CIA, with their eyes on you,” he said. “You need to be careful who you trust with, shall we say, sensitive information about yourself.”
“Politicians and the CIA?” Sanders demanded.
“Yes, and there may be others,” he replied. “Though I’m not privy in all circles, I will say that a couple of the Joint Chiefs mentioned interest in you, as well. That was during a recent high-level meeting that included some of the President’s cabinet.”
I looked at Sanders and then Denton, who each had grave expressions on their faces.
“You should also know that I’ve also heard from two senators that Nuclegene has offered you a job,” he added.
“Which senators?” Sanders asked.
He looked at her. “Ben Conway, a republican from Utah, and Penelope Savage, senator from Oklahoma.”
“Those are both key members of the Freedom Party,” Denton said.
Great. More ultraconservative nutjobs.
“Why would they have an interest in Bringer’s employment options?” Denton asked.
“Nevis Wallace, the founder of Nuclegene Corporation, is a key campaign contributor to Senator Conway, who was a co-author of the Land Reclamation and Investment in America Act,” Tevin said.
“Without which, Nevis Corners wouldn’t have been established,” Sanders said.
“Precisely,” Tevin said.
“Geez. Tell me again then why I’d want to get into bed with Nuclegene.”
“They might be able to shelter you from some undesirable influencers,” Tevin replied. “But you’d still need to be careful with them, as well.”
I rubbed my temples with my fingertips. “This is getting friggin’ confusing fast.”
“You’d practically need a program to keep track of all these players and their connections,” Denton said.
“Why are you telling me all of this?” I asked. “What’s your angle?”
I listened in for any stray thoughts.
…dangerous time for us all.
“You three need to understand that, even with what little information I’ve managed to piece together, there’s a lot of unknowns surrounding Continuance Corporation, telekinetic research, and our government’s interest in both,” Tevin said. “Right now, Bringer, you’re the only person in this country who can even remotely challenge any other telekinetic adversaries. We can’t afford for you to become compromised.”
“Listen, are you sure you should be saying this in the middle of a public lobby?” Denton asked.
Tevin shrugged. “Of course. I’m NSA. I always think about that. The best place to talk is where nobody expects you to. But we shouldn’t talk much longer or we will earn unwanted attention.”
His cool sense of confidence was impressive, yet another reason I liked him.
“What do you recommend?” I asked.
Tevin looked me straight in the eye. “There’s a lot of unknowns right now, and we need to be careful who we trust. If you didn’t mind, for the time being I’d like to keep the scope of your abilities and any revelations you might encounter along the way between the four of us. We should be cautious about what we share, even with our own TASIT team members. And Sanders, I like Wainright, but I’m still not sure which side he falls on just yet.”
I nodded. “Okay, but I think there’s someone that you should talk to, and soon.” I looked at Denton and Sanders. “Am I right?”
They both nodded.
“I’ll go get him,” Sanders said. “He may even still be in the building.”
“Who?” Tevin asked.
“You’ll see,” I said.
Sanders hurried across the lobby in the direction that Wainright had headed earlier.
Denton helped me struggle through small talk for a few minutes until Sanders strode back across the lobby with Wainright in tow.
I caught Tevin’s frown as Wainright approached.
“Wainright?” Tevin asked.
“Yep,” I replied. “I think you and Wainright here will find discussing what each of you said to us very enlightening. And while I’m thinking about it, were you two separated at birth or something?”
Both men appeared slightly confused.
“Don’t you two already talk?” I asked.
“Both of you do seem awfully chummy in meetings,” Sanders added.
“Well, sure, we do see eye to eye on a lot of things, I think,” Wainright said. “But, I mean, this. We haven’t exactly talked much about—well, you know.”
Tevin looked at me. “You sure about this, Bringer?”
I pointed to my head meaningfully. “Trust me, gentlemen. I have skills. You should talk more. And we need all the help we can get, right?”
“Bringer’s right,” Sanders added. “Don’t let paranoia separate you from potential allies.”
Both men appeared intrigued.
“All right, then. Coffee, Tevin?” Wainright asked.
He looked at his watch. “It’s nearly eight o’clock now. How about Cuba Libre instead?”
Wainright shrugged. “Well, Cuba’s not yet free, but I’d take the drink. Throw in a steak and you’ve got a deal.”
“Done,” Tevin agreed.
They both turned and walked away from us.
“Oh, and Wainright, just for the record, the Bay of Pigs isn’t on us,” Tevin said as he walked alongside Wainright. “That was a CIA fiasco, not NSA.”
“True enough. Suffice to say, we can always prod Special Agent Prichard about it at our next meeting,” Wainright conceded.
Tevin laughed. “Oh, I like how you think.”
As we watched them, I couldn’t help thinking that they looked like two future brothers in arms. At least, I was convinced that we needed them to reach that point.
I had learne
d to trust my instincts; it had frequently saved my life in combat situations. And while I was never a pessimist, I had the oddest feeling that things were about to turn shitty.
Sanders shook her head. “Well, now I’ve seen everything, Bringer. You actually can bring people together.”
Denton chuckled, breaking me from my grim thoughts.
“Go ahead, get your digs in now,” I said. “Just don’t forget that you’ve got a lot of dry reading ahead of you tonight, Sanders.”
“Don’t push your luck,” she warned.
I sure as hell wasn’t about to do that.
I couldn’t afford to.
Chapter 4
The next morning, Sanders appeared at my door not long after I awoke. I had remembered to actually set my alarm, as well as start the coffee maker.
She handed me a small sack as she strolled past me, just like she owned the place.
“Breakfast is on me this morning,” she said.
She made her way to the dining room and slapped a thick sheaf of paperwork and a steno pad onto the table.
“Long night?” I asked.
“Long enough,” she said. “Mm, coffee.”
As she raided my cabinets for a coffee mug, I sat down at the table and peeked inside.
“What magical treats await me?” I asked. “Breakfast biscuits, maybe?”
Instead of sausage and egg biscuits, I found, to my dismay, containers of piping hot oatmeal, yogurt with granola, and fruit smoothies.
“What’s all this?”
She sat down across from me and savored a sip of coffee.
“That is my reward for spending half the night pouring over your contract,” she replied.
“This is a reward?” I asked. “Wait, there’s two of everything in here.”
“Oh, yes, Bringer,” she said. “Not only do I get to enjoy a nice breakfast, but I get to watch you eat yours, too.”
I looked up at her and noted her wicked smile. Admittedly, it was kind of sexy.
“You’ve been letting your diet slip,” she said. “And now it’s time for restitution. I need you to stay alive long enough to stop Nuclegene.”
I grimaced. “You’re really evil.”
“Oh, you have no idea,” she said.
Admittedly, there was a time not so long ago when I had been a much healthier eater. Perhaps it was time to moderate a bit.
“I used to eat stuff like this, you know,” I said.
“What happened?” she asked, stirring her oatmeal.
“My taste buds got bored,” I replied, quickly thumbing through the contract, noting highlights, notes in the margins, and lots of little sticky notes placed in various locations throughout.
She reached out toward a stack of information to retrieve her steno pad. “Now, we’ll go over my notes while you eat your breakfast.”
I shriveled up my nose as I opened the oatmeal container.
“Every bite or I stop talking,” she said. “Have you had your morning injection yet?”
“Uh, not yet,” I replied. “I’ve just barely woken up.”
She got up and went to the refrigerator to retrieve the formula that Maria had concocted for me.
Despite the fact that Sanders had grown up helping her father in a local neighborhood clinic, I wasn’t sure I wanted her sticking me with needles when she was obviously feeling a sadistic streak.
She tapped the end of the syringe and thumbed the plunger. “Which arm today, Bringer?”
* * *
After breakfast, I placed a call to Clive Bernard’s mobile phone, and he was anxious to meet with me.
Scarcely two hours later, I sat in his office, awaiting his arrival.
I reached inside my sport jacket pocket for the notes that I had scribbled during my so-called breakfast, which admittedly had been tastier than I had anticipated.
In addition, Sanders had goaded me into dressing up for the meeting. I momentarily reflected on the unusual influence she was having on me as of late.
“My apologies for the delay, Mr. Bringer,” Bernard said, entering the office with two ladies in tow.
He shook my hand with enthusiasm.
“This is Ms. Judy Wren. She’s from Legal Affairs,” he said. “And, of course, you already know Ms. Yalesin.”
Each of us took seats around a nearby conference table.
“I’m so happy that you decided to accept Nuclegene’s offer,” Bernard said. “I hope you’ll agree, this is a wonderful opportunity for us both.”
“Yes, but I’d like to negotiate some changes to the contract before I’m willing to sign.”
Bernard’s expression darkened. “That’s a bit unexpected, given how generous our terms are, but certainly we can discuss them.”
“But then, you already anticipated that, or why else would Ms. Wren be joining us?”
Bernard offered a tight smile. “Very perceptive of you.”
I glanced down at my notes and opened my mind to catch stray thoughts.
…wonder who’s coached him?
“Let’s begin with corporate surveillance,” I said. “I don’t like people shadowing me, so let’s just consider me off-limits, moving forward.”
Bernard frowned. “Are you being followed? I can assure you that it’s nobody from Nuclegene.”
He looked at Ms. Yalesin, who shrugged and shook her head.
“Well, that’s one possibility down. Either way, I’ll take care of the problem,” I said.
“As you say,” he replied. “Other concerns?”
“Next, in the section covering the formation of a medical support team, I want a clause added stipulating that Maria Edwards is to head the team and has final say on team member selection and coordination.”
“Ms. Edwards—”
“Is the closest thing you have to an expert,” I interrupted. “And I trust her.”
He nodded and glanced at Ms. Yalesin. “Very well. Next?”
“The contract indicates the preferred location of residence for my family to be Nevis Corners, specifically in a corporate housing complex,” I said.
“It’s best for their protection,” Bernard replied.
“Our housing is custom-built with many amenities, including furnishings, if desired,” Yalesin explained. “And our on-site security patrols a secured outer perimeter. We also have high-quality in-addition services for residents’ convenience.”
“Ms. Yalesin is one of our residents and can attest to our residency experience,” Bernard added.
“I’m sure, but I want it left up to my family as to whether or not they relocate,” I said. “Insert language into the contract specifying that your best security services will be provided, no matter the location; all subject to my approval and satisfaction.”
Bernard took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. “Fine. Done.”
Ms. Yalesin appeared surprised, while Ms. Wren calmly took notes.
“There’s a benefits section where medical care is simply called ‘Corporate Complete.’ What does that mean, exactly?”
“Mr. Bringer, you’re the only successful, surviving member from our telekinetic research project,” Bernard said. “Our teams of doctors and specialists will see to your every medical need, from common colds to any advanced medical treatments you may require. Naturally, a regimented testing and examination process will be conducted as part of our continuing research and your continued well-being.”
“I’m not going to become a lab rat,” I insisted.
“Perish the thought,” Bernard assured me.
“Fine, but only if all activities will be overseen and preapproved by Maria Edwards.”
“You’re placing a lot of your welfare into the hands of someone who isn’t exactly experienced with that level of responsibility,” Bernard cautioned.
“Then you need to make sure she’s prepared for it,” I said. “And she and her family had better receive the same protection you’d give my family, including a salary commensurate with her responsibilities.
Of course, she needs to be able to negotiate that for herself.”
Bernard appeared momentarily unsettled, but quickly regained his composure.
“Mr. Bernard, we’ll need to review these and run them by—” Wren said.
He held up his hand. “Mr. Bringer drives a hard bargain, but I’m prepared to meet his demands. We’ll adjust his contract terms.”
“There are two more issues, Mr. Bernard,” I said.
“Really?” he asked.
“I want the contract to reflect that I only receive my marching orders from you,” I said.
Bernard nodded. “I see the efficacy of that, though it will need to include Nevis Wallace, as well.”
My eyebrows rose at that. “I thought that Nevis Wallace was only the corporation’s founder and chairman of the board; a figurehead nowadays. He still takes an active role in day-to-day operational activities?”
“You’d be surprised how active his hand is in corporate activities,” Bernard said. “Naturally, our intent is to subcontract your services to the FBI, which means you’re under their immediate stewardship. However, your primary oversight will be from me or Mr. Wallace.”
That was interesting.
“I see,” I said. “All right.”
“You had one more item?” Bernard asked.
“Yes, you’ll need to add a conscientious objection clause,” I said.
All three of them appeared shocked, though not so many years ago the mere mention of such a thing would have seemed equally surprising to me.
Since then, my values had matured considerably.
“Conscientious objection? I must say, I’m rather astonished to hear something like that from a former soldier like you,” Bernard said.
I shrugged. “I’ve seen and learned a lot since then. Let’s say this is a deal-breaker of sorts.”
“Objection to what, precisely?” he asked.
“Anything,” I said. “Anything I deem unconscionable.”
Bernard leaned back in his conference chair and steepled his fingertips against each other before him.
“This is…highly unusual,” he said.
“In my twenty years of experience with Nuclegene, it’s absolutely unprecedented,” Ms. Wren added.
Then I heard the thoughts begin to flow.
…does he think he is?