In the Ruins (Metahuman Files Book 2)

by Hailey Turner

  “I see,” Stanislav said, a hint of amusement in his voice. “You make a very compelling argument, Jamie.”

  “It’s not an argument, it’s the truth. If you choose not to believe me, then that’s your prerogative. If we’re to be competitors rather than business partners, then you’ll understand if we finish the contract with Saunders & Associates without your little zero-day exploit. Personally, I’d rather work with you than against you. Good business partners are so hard to find these days.”

  “The contract with Saunders & Associates will be completed to my satisfaction, not yours. When it’s completed, I expect to be informed.”

  Got you, Jamie thought viciously. “If that’s the case, I’ll need a way to get in touch with you that isn’t through intermediaries.”

  “And you need to remember you are no longer in charge. I am not one of your Marines. You will hear from me when I call.”

  The line cut off and Jamie shook his head. “That could’ve gone better.”

  “Did we lose him?” Katie asked.

  “I don’t think so, but we’re going to have to make him believe we’re on his level, especially after the press conference.”

  “And if he sees us coming?”

  “I think our best bet is to operate under the assumption that he’ll always see us coming and to not be predictable.”

  Katie nodded slowly. “Forward the call to me. I’ll get it to analysts and see what they come up with after our meeting with the brass.”

  “Will do.” Jamie looked over at his father, unable to shake his earlier anger. “Looks like you’ll get your wish of me helping out more with your campaign.”

  “Your willingness to do so for a mission over your family speaks volumes,” Richard icily replied. “I’ll see you tonight.”

  Richard left the room without saying goodbye or apologizing for his earlier words. His attitude didn’t surprise Jamie at all.

  “He’s right, you know,” Katie said once Richard was gone. “Most of this could have been avoided if I hacked Adam Dixon’s computer to delete the evidence and erased his memories.”

  Jamie turned to face his second-in-command and put his hands on her shoulders, giving her a little shake. “I know you could have, but that is something I would never ask of you, Katie. That’s a slippery slope I’m not willing to let any of us fall down, including my father, but most especially you. Do you understand? The mission is always going to be important, but if we throw our ethics out the window, we’re no better than the people we’re fighting against.”

  After a moment, Katie nodded, never looking away from his face. “The commandant was right, you know. Your integrity is what makes you a good leader.”

  Jamie shook his head, letting his hands fall away. “I’m only as good as the people on my team. Now come on. The press conference is over, which means we’ve got meetings to attend, and then I have to get out of this uniform and into a suit for my father’s fundraising dinner.”

  “I don’t envy you at all.”

  “When it comes to things like this, no one ever does.”

  Katie fished out a small, sleek electronic device from her uniform pocket and handed it to him. “Take this. I have a feeling you’ll need it.”

  Jamie looked down at the electronic jammer which would stop people within a set radius from using their tablets or other devices to take pictures and video. As much as Jamie wanted to accept the help, he knew he couldn’t. In the grand scheme of things, he needed to be seen in his father’s campaign.

  Jamie curled Katie’s fingers over the device. “Keep it.”

  Katie didn’t question his refusal, merely patted him on the shoulder as they headed for the door. “You know where to find me when you need it, or anything else.”

  “I know.”

  Jamie always knew his team would have his back, no matter what.

  Alexei rapped his knuckles on the apartment door and waited, automatically glancing down the hallway on either of side of him every few seconds. The residential apartment building was in a decent D.C. neighborhood, about twenty minutes in light traffic from his own. He’d never been here before tonight, but automatically noting exits was an ingrained habit of his.

  Less than a minute later the door unlocked and slid open, the sound of a news stream spilling into the hallway. Sean eyed him for a moment before stepping aside to wave him into the apartment.

  “You know, the mission is over for now. You don’t need to keep an eye on me anymore,” Sean said.

  “Not turn in after-action report yet,” Alexei replied, glancing curiously around the one-bedroom apartment.

  The place was clean, well-kept, with holopics and framed prints hanging on the walls. The furniture looked comfortable and seemed to all match in some way. The windows facing the street were shaded dark for the late hour.

  “I’m still writing it. I’m waiting on some CIA files. I need them for corroboration purposes.”

  “Good.”

  Sean pressed his palm to the door’s control panel, locking it behind Alexei. “Why good?”

  “Want to talk to you about mission.”

  Sean ran a hand through his short brown hair, tugging on it a little. He was barefoot, in sleeping pants and a worn-thin band T-shirt with the faded red words Atomic Grace printed across the gray fabric. Alexei vaguely recognized the rock band as one his sisters had liked for years. Off the clock, Sean didn’t seem to carry himself much differently, but the softer edge that came from being home was enough to catch Alexei’s attention. He tried not to think about why.

  “You could’ve talked to me back at headquarters. We work in the same building. No need to track me down after hours at my home,” Sean pointed out a little testily.

  “Not something we can talk about at headquarters. Here private. Is better.”

  Sean eyed Alexei speculatively. “You want to talk about your brother and Jamie.”

  Alexei scowled, annoyed that the other man had figured out his reason for coming over so quickly. “Da.”

  “Okay.” Sean gestured vaguely in the direction of the kitchen. “You want something to drink?”

  Alexei wanted to say no, but he could hear his mother’s voice in the back of his head, berating him for ignoring another person’s hospitality in their own home. “Water is fine.”

  Sean headed for the kitchen, keeping up the conversation as he dug through his cabinets for a glass. “Look, Alexei, I already spoke with Jamie about this in London. I’m not going to talk about what I saw happen in the office. As far as I’m concerned, it was for their cover and it doesn’t even merit a footnote in my after-action report. You don’t need to threaten me to keep my mouth shut.”

  “Not threaten you,” Alexei said, bristling a little at the accusation. “Just make sure we all on same page.”

  “You’re doing a great impression of protective older brother. Trust me, I remember it from when I was a kid. I did my share of it as well.”

  Alexei rolled his eyes, attention caught by the trio of news anchors talking about the DOD press conference from earlier in the day. He moved farther into the open-plan living area, half-listening to the talking heads give their opinion on General Herrera’s statement about Richard and Jamie Callahan. The framed prints hanging on the wall over the comfortable-looking couch were Atomic Grace band posters, separated by holopics that cycled through numerous photos of people that looked a lot like Sean, even if he wasn’t in the pictures himself.

  “Here.”

  Alexei turned to face Sean, taking the proffered glass of water. “Thanks.”

  “I know you don’t have any reason to believe me, and I know you don’t like my background, but I’m an MDF agent. I’m not going to betray the agency and I’m not going to betray your team’s confidences. I don’t know how to make you believe me, but I’m not going to beg you to,” Sean said.

  Alexei took a sip of water, looking away from Sean as the news stream switched to a replay of the statement. Sean didn’t try
to keep up his argument, merely waited Alexei out.

  “You think that hold up?” Alexei asked once the replay was done and the newscast had switched back to the anchors.

  “I think they chose the excuse they did because it can be twisted in a number of ways they can at least try to control,” Sean replied slowly.

  “Thought I leave propaganda behind when I come here as kid.”

  Sean snorted. “All news is propaganda to some extent in this day and age. People choose what bubble they want to live in and that’s the world they’ll fight for. There is a big gap between what the public has the right to know and what actually comes out. The truth will always get twisted in some way.”

  “And you think that’s good?”

  Sean’s gaze was measured and even as he stared at Alexei. “I think what we’re trying to stop is more important than giving in to a media feeding frenzy. I’ve learned over the years that if you want to control the narrative, you need to get your own story out there first, whatever that may be. That’s what we’re doing here.”

  It made more sense when Sean explained it rather than Kyle. His little brother’s explanation had consisted mainly of swear words as Kyle slammed around the apartment last night. With Jamie beholden to the brass and his family for the next week or so, at minimum, Kyle had gone home with Alexei Sunday night once they’d arrived back in the States. Too many eyes were looking their way for Kyle to stay at his and Jamie’s place right now, especially alone. That was the main reason Alexei had come here tonight.

  Things had been too hectic in London for Alexei to corner Sean at the time and extract a promise from the other man not to jeopardize the team and his brother’s happiness by reporting Kyle and Jamie’s fraternization to their superiors. Alexei could grudgingly admit that if Jamie was going to trust a spy, then he would have to as well.

  Just this once.

  Alexei handed the glass of water back to Sean. “Thank you for keeping secret.”

  Sean shrugged, a wry smile twitching at his mouth. “Keeping secrets and telling lies is what I do. No need to thank me for it.”

  “Then I take back.”

  Sean jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “Door’s that way.”

  Alexei barked out a laugh as he walked past the other man, heading for the door in question. “Like Kilyusha. Asshole.”

  “I’ll take that as a compliment. Good night, Alexei,” Sean pointedly said.

  “Dobroy nochi,” Alexei said as he left, satisfied for now with the answers he’d received.

  NOW

  2285

  ___________________

  16

  Offer Me No Absolutes

  Jamie didn’t know what time it was, only that he was in his third bar of the evening. It had the biggest crowd, and the bartender hadn’t batted an eye at Jamie’s request to keep the drinks coming. Even better, the woman had eyed him with a look that said she knew exactly who he was and then did her damnedest to keep the seat next to him clear of all comers.

  Jamie had already tipped her several thousand dollars as a thank you on the first drink, which might also be why she was keen to help keep the curious at bay

  Sipping his whiskey, Jamie glanced around the room for the dozenth time. The Prohibition was a popular two-level Manhattan retro craft cocktail bar, less a club scene and more a place to be seen, but the music could be just as loud as it was on a dance floor. Right now, the music in the lower level was one decibel below needing to yell to be heard over it. The noise was almost enough to drown out his thoughts.

  Almost, but not quite.

  Two weeks since the mission in London had ended and the story still wasn’t dead yet, but it was fading from the public’s immediate focus in favor of other, more newsworthy stories. Jamie had spent most of his time since then taking meetings with the brass, overseeing Katie’s work on the Saunders & Associates project, and making sure to be seen with his father for the campaign. Having his picture splashed over the media sphere was aggravating, if only because it necessitated a change in how he conducted his private life.

  Jamie hadn’t seen Kyle outside of work since they’d returned to the States. The scrutiny Jamie found himself under was still too hot for them to be together how they were before the start of the last mission. Falling asleep and waking up in a cold bed had gotten old by the third night. Jamie hadn’t realized just how much he’d come to appreciate not being alone until Kyle’s absence became a void he couldn’t ignore.

  Jamie knew the mission had to come first, especially after they’d successfully hooked Stanislav’s attention. The call Jamie had received a few days ago confirmed the tentative business relationship Root Source, Inc. now had with the Pavluhkins. When the next project request would come down was anyone’s guess, but Stanislav seemed to believe Jamie’s explanations for the political maneuverings of his family. It was very Russian of him, according to Stanislav.

  Still, with needing to shore up his background to fit the story they were building, it meant Jamie had spent more consecutive time with his family over the past two weeks than he had in the last few years. While his mother was happy to see him, no matter the circumstances, he and his father were still working on overcoming their simmering animosity while struggling to find some common ground.

  In short, business as usual.

  Jamie took a long swallow of his whiskey, finishing what was in his glass. He nudged it to the other side of the synthwood bar counter, catching the bartender’s eye. She nodded briskly at him and finished crafting her current set of drinks and handed them off to willing hands. She grabbed a bottle out of the small wooden cabinet where the most expensive bottles resided and carried it over to his seat, pouring out another glass for him. Jamie swiped his hand over the small payment sensor embedded in the counter as she poured, the cost of the glass debited out of his RealIdent chip.

  Someone sat down on the bar stool beside him. “This seat taken?”

  “It’s always open for you.” Jamie waved off the bartender, who was already opening her mouth to evict the newcomer. “He’s fine.”

  She didn’t question Jamie’s change of heart, only went on about her business now that his glass was refilled. Jamie swiped his hand over the sensor again, adding a couple thousand dollars more to her tip. Her discretion really was worth the cost of staying.

  Kyle rested his elbow against the bar counter, back to the crowd, half his face cast in shadows. The bar was low-lit, giving it a more intimate air than some of the brighter places in Manhattan’s nightlife. Kyle was a little underdressed for the location, most likely not even on the list, but Jamie wasn’t going to question how he’d gotten inside. All that mattered was he was here, and it’d been days since Jamie last saw him, much less spoken to him. Jamie drank in the sight of the other man, feeling something unknot inside his chest from just knowing Kyle was with him again.

  Kyle’s eyes flicked up and down, taking Jamie in. “You look like shit.”

  “I’m in bespoke.”

  “That doesn’t stop you from looking like shit.”

  Jamie felt his mouth curving into a smile at Kyle’s caustic tone, glad for the brutally truthful opinion Kyle never ceased to give him. “I’ve missed you.”

  Kyle’s hand twitched where it rested on his knee, but he didn’t reach for Jamie. They were in public, and Jamie knew everyone’s eyes had been on him all night, at every bar he’d gone to. It’s why he cut and run after a while, too tense beneath the lingering stares to enjoy his time drowning his problems in a glass of whiskey. It also helped to hide how much he was actually drinking and how sober he still was. His metahuman metabolism burned through alcohol a hell of a lot quicker than everyone else’s could. Changing bars ensured no one really knew how much he’d actually been drinking.

  “Missed me watching your back, I know,” Kyle said easily enough to keep up appearances.

  “How’d you find me?”

  Kyle shrugged. “The usual way.”

  Which meant Kati
e had tracked him down and guided Kyle right to him. Jamie couldn’t even be mad about that. “I still have to be in Manhattan for a few more days.”

  “I know. But I thought you could use a little company that wasn’t family.”

  Jamie took a swallow of whiskey, running his tongue over the back of his teeth. “I appreciate it.”

  Because they both knew how stressful dealing with Jamie’s family was for him. Jamie loved them, he did, but there was a reason he’d spent almost every night in Manhattan drinking in bars and clubs rather than staying in.

  “I didn’t get a hotel.”

  Jamie sighed regretfully. “You know I can’t let you stay with—”

  “I know,” Kyle said, cutting him off. “Trains run all night. I’ll catch one back to D.C., don’t worry.”

  Jamie grit his teeth, swallowing back the bitterness that had more to do with the situation than the whiskey. “Okay.”

  Kyle shifted on the bar stool, angling his body a little closer to Jamie. “I know it’s been a shitty couple of weeks and that I shouldn’t be here because…well, you know why. I can go if you think this is a bad idea.”

  “No. I want you to stay,” Jamie got out in a quick voice, practically spitting the words in his haste.

  Kyle’s shoulders slumped a little in relief as he let out a sharp sigh. “Good. I wasn’t sure if I made the right call.”

  Knowing that Kyle was doubting himself where they were concerned made Jamie reach out for him, not caring about any of the eyes that might be turned their way. He grasped Kyle’s hand in his, squeezing gently, catching Kyle’s gaze.

  “If anyone asks, I’ll say it fits with the cover,” Jamie said in a low voice, going for a lighthearted joke and failing miserably.