Generation 18: The Spook Squad 2 (33 page)

Mary Elliot, the nurse who’d worked on the project, apparently did, but she was just one of many, and a woman with a faulty memory at that. Partially thanks to Alzheimer’s, and partially thanks to the military’s habit of “readjusting” memories. Gabriel shifted restlessly in the seat. “What if she isn’t a reject? What if she’s something else entirely?”

Stephan raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

He didn’t really know. It was just a feeling. The extent of Sam’s memory loss, the depth to which the truth appeared to be buried and the fact that someone was willing to bomb the SIU in order to destroy her test results—it all spoke of intent. It suggested that someone, somewhere, was protecting her from her past, whatever that might be.

He actually doubted that it was Hopeworth trying to conceal who she was, even if they were her creators. The military weren’t that subtle. Besides, if Sam was one of their creations, they would never have let her go—especially not with the potential she was now showing.

“Look,” Gabriel said, somewhat impatiently. “All I’m saying is that if Sethanon feared her enough to place a watch on her, we should not risk using her as bait in an attempt to catch the man.”

“We don’t even know if, in fact, it is a man we are after.”

Gabriel leaned forward and glared at his twin’s altered features. It was in moments like this—moments when he almost wanted to punch the cold smile from his brother’s face—that Stephan’s ability to shapeshift into the form of any male he touched became a problem. It was harder to restrain the urge to hit him when he wasn’t wearing his own face. “Damn it, Stephan, don’t play word games with me!”

Something flickered through his twin’s blue eyes. Anger perhaps. Or regret. “Do you, or do you not, agree that we must learn more about Sethanon?”

“Yeah, but—”

“And do you, or do you not,” Stephan continued, his voice soft but relentless, “agree that Sethanon’s interest in Sam might be the lever we need to draw him out of the shadows?”

Gabriel rubbed his forehead. This was one battle he wasn’t going to win—not that he ever won many against Stephan. “At the first hint of danger, I’m going in.”

“Samantha can take care of herself. She’s proven that time and time again.”

But this was different. This was leaving her roped, tied and blindfolded in front of an express train. “I won’t see her harmed.”

Stephan smiled. “And here I thought you didn’t care for her.”

“I’ve never said that. All I’ve ever said is that I don’t want her as a partner. That I don’t want to see her dead.”

“Have you ever considered the fact that this fear of losing partners is irrational, and that maybe you should seek psychiatric help for it?”

“Considered it? Yes. Acknowledge it? Yes. Am I going to seek psychiatric help? No.” He met his brother’s stony gaze with one of his own. “If I wanted to talk to anyone, I’d talk to our father.”

“Because, of course, you couldn’t talk to your brother.” Stephan’s voice was almost bitter.

Almost.

“My brother has a tendency to put the needs of the Federation and the SIU above the needs of everyone else—including his brother.”

Stephan didn’t immediately comment, just leaned forward and picked up a folder from the desk. “Here’s the file on your new partner.”

Gabriel ignored the offered folder and stared at his twin through narrowed eyes. “What do you mean, new partner?”

“I’ve told you before. All field agents, whether SIU or Federation, now work in pairs. There have been too many murder attempts of late to risk solo missions.”

“How many times do I have to say it? I don’t want a partner!” What was his brother trying to prove?

“Then you’ll remain at your desk and leave the fieldwork to the agents in your charge.”

He was tempted, very tempted, to do just that. But both he and Stephan knew that being confined for any length of time would make him stir-crazy.

Besides, he was more valuable to the SIU and the Federation in the field.

“Who have you assigned me?”

Stephan dropped the folder on the desk and leaned back in his chair. Though there was no emotion on his face, Gabriel could feel his twin’s amusement.

“James Illie.”

Who was the State Police officer they’d recruited after he’d made a series of spectacular arrests—arrests that involved one of the biggest vampire crime gangs in the city. He was good, no doubt about it.

The only trouble was, the man was a womanizer who was always on the lookout for his next conquest.

“It won’t work.” And Stephan knew it.

“Then make it work. And don’t try dumping Illie in the dungeons. He’ll bring in the unions the minute you try.”

Wonderful. “Is this all you called me in here for?”

Stephan smiled. “No. There’s been a break-in at the Pegasus Foundation that we’ve been asked to investigate.”

“The Pegasus Foundation?” Gabriel frowned, trying to recall what he knew of the organization. “They won a military contract recently, didn’t they?”

“To develop a stealth device for military vehicles, yes. But whoever broke in wasn’t concerned about stealth devices.”

“Then what were they after?”

“That’s something you’ll have to find out. All I’ve been told is that the person or persons involved managed to get past several security stations, three laser alarms and numerous cameras. It was only due to the fact that the intruder set a lab on fire that they were even aware someone had slipped their net.”

“So we’re saying that the person who started the fire is someone who can become both invisible and insubstantial? Is such a thing even possible?”

“We’ve never seen it before,” Stephan answered. “But then, we’ve never seen a lot of the things we are now encountering, so who knows?”

“Was it just the lab that was destroyed?”

“That I don’t know. They’re not giving much away—not over the phone, anyway.”

No real surprise there, given how easily phone conversations could be hacked these days. “So why were we called in? The Pegasus Foundation has more military ties than we have agents. Why not ask them to investigate?”

“It was the military who asked us to investigate.” Stephan hesitated. “They asked specifically for you and your partner.”

“So they want Sam.” But if the military didn’t know anything about her, why had they specifically asked for her to be included in the investigation?

“Who signed the request?”

“A General Frank Lloyd.”

As Alice would say, curiouser and curiouser. “Sam met Lloyd at Han’s.” She’d been wary of the general and convinced they’d meet again. “You have to warn her about the military’s interest.”

“No, I won’t.” Stephan hesitated. “And neither will you.”

Like hell he wouldn’t. It was one thing to let her go; it was another to leave her blind. He crossed his arms. “What time is the Pegasus Foundation expecting us?”

Stephan glanced at his watch. “You’re to meet with the director—Kathryn Douglass—at four thirty.”

It was nearly four now. Then Gabriel frowned. “Kathryn Douglass? Why does that name sound familiar?”

“Because her name is on that list Kazdan gave to Sam.”

A list that had marked potential clones and vampires, as well as assassination possibilities. “So which one was she? Clone, vampire or potential dead meat?”

“That we can’t say, as there was no note beside her name,” Stephan said. “Illie’s requisitioned a car and is waiting out front.”

Gabriel met his twin’s gaze. “Thought I’d skip without him, huh?”

Stephan’s smile touched his eyes for the first time. “I know you, brother. I know the way your mind works. Don’t ever forget that.”

Then he’d know Illie wasn’t going to be a fixture in Gabriel’s life for very long. If he’d wanted a partner, he’d have kept Sam.

“Then you’ll know precisely what I’m thinking now.”

Stephan’s smile widened. “Yeah, and it’s not polite to abuse a family member like that.”

It was when your brother was being such a bastard.

Stephan’s smile faded. “Keep away from her, Gabriel. She has a job to do, and I don’t want you getting in the way.”

“What I do in my own time is my business, not yours,” Gabriel said, voice flat. “I’m warning you, don’t ever try to control my personal life.”

Stephan raised an eyebrow. “You have an obligation to both the SIU and the Federation, just as I have.”

“Yeah, right.” Gabriel turned and headed for the door. The Federation and the SIU could go hang if it meant letting Sam walk into a trap out of no more than ignorance.

He may have succeeded in getting rid of her as a partner, but that didn’t mean he wanted her dead.

“Gabriel, I’m warning you. Leave her alone.”

Gabriel stopped with his hand on the doorknob and glanced over his shoulder, meeting his brother’s gaze. “Or you’ll what? Censure me? Bust me down to field agent again? Do it. I don’t really give a damn.”

“This could be our one chance to draw Sethanon out!”

“That doesn’t justify sending her in blind.”

“Gabriel, I’m giving you a direct order. Do not go near her. Do not warn her.”

“Then you’d better get my file out and add the black mark to it now, because that’s one order I have no intention of obeying.”

And he slammed the door open and stalked from the room.