Right Through Me (The Obsidian Files #1)(99)

Asa whistled. “Control of twelve hundred cyborg supersoldiers? I could monetize the living f*ck out of that.”

“No,” Caro snapped. “Absolutely not. Nobody will do that.”

They looked at her, startled at her vehemence. “Why not?” Asa asked.

“They’re slaves. If you even have to ask, then you’re so far gone you wouldn’t understand my answer anyway,” she retorted. “Those twelve hundred people are human beings.”

Asa made a noncommittal sound. “Worth saving?” he murmured. “I’ll do what I can. But they’d be a hell of a lot better off monetized by me than by Obsidian.”

“The slave soldiers aren’t part of the bargain,” Caro said. “Now or ever.”

“Who even asked you, sweetheart?” Asa sounded only mildly curious.

“I’m not your sweetheart,” Caro said coldly. “And I have the brainwaves that open the safe. That makes it my call.”

Asa’s eyebrow tilted up, genuinely startled. “You talk tough for someone who needs a life or death favor.”

“You could help us to help them,” she said. “You’ve got the resources.”

Asa held up his hand. “Count me out. That would wreck my image of selfish villainy, and isn’t that what you needed from me in the first place? I’m sure you guys can figure out how to redeem the twelve hundred without me.”

“Let’s hope so,” Noah said. “Selling them is not an option. But we still need your help.”

Asa rolled his eyes. “Fine. Wouldn’t want to compromise your principles. If you’re not going to split that ocean of profits, what else can you offer to tempt me?”

Noah hesitated for a long moment. “I can’t interest you in a simple, straightforward contract? Monetary payment for services rendered?”

“Nah,” Asa said. “Boring. Come on, big brother. It’s been thirteen years. Thrill me. You guys have special abilities, right? Genetically enhanced this, tech-augmented that? I might find it handy to call in favors from people like that from time to time. Things come up all the time.”

Noah shook his head. “I can’t speak for the rest of the—”

“I can,” Sisko said. “I’ll speak for all of us. For Luke’s sake. Just don’t ask us to kill or hurt anyone innocent. Barring that, we’ll do favors for you.”

“Watch it,” Noah said swiftly. “Shut up, Sisko. That’s way too general.”

“Take a few hours,” Asa soothed. “Talk to your people. Work out the details.” He slid out of the booth and rose to his full height. “I’ll see you tomorrow at midnight in the Kirkland house, and we can nail down the deal. Then we work out how to make contact with this scumbag and get this thing rolling.”

“What the hell?” Sisko said. “How do you know where we’re staying?”

“You mutant types underestimate the obsessive-compulsive paranoia of the one percent,” Asa said. “Will Hannah be there tomorrow?”

“No,” Noah said. “She won’t be involved in this.”

The brothers’ eyes met. Tension throbbed in the air like a huge bass note. A complex mix of intense emotions. Anger, fear, pride, guilt. And under it all, the magnetic pull of each man’s own gravitational force fighting for ascendance.

“You were right,” Noah said. “About Midlands. If that’s any satisfaction to you.”

Asa’s eyes slitted as he gazed down at his older brother. “Satisfied,” he repeated. “That’s how you think I’d feel. To see you and Hannah get hurt.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Noah said. “I just know that you like to be right.”

“It’s not that I like it,” Asa said slowly. “It’s just that I am. ”

Caro stared at the two men in wary fascination as they locked horns. It was plain that neither one of them had ever succeeded in dominating the other, but they were compelled by their essential nature to keep on trying, no matter what.

Noah finally let out a short bark of laughter. “So you’re infallible?”

“I never said that,” Asa said. “If I were, I would have found a way to stop you from going to Midlands. Or at least taken Hannah and run like hell.”

“I would never have let you do that,” Noah said.

“I know.” Asa’s voice was bleak. “So you see? Not infallible.”

Noah scowled. “The Midlands f*ck-up was on me. I take full responsibility.”

“It’s a family trait,” Asa said. “When we f*ck up, we go all out.”

He turned and walked out without looking back.





Chapter 28


One of two things was certain, Mark had determined. One: that incompetent shithead Carrerra was already dead. Two: he was about to die, for not answering Mark’s calls. It had been over twenty-four hours since Carrerra’s triumphant phone call announcing that he’d picked up Bishop and was heading to the meet-up.

Nothing since then. Carrerra knew better than to be incommunicado.

It was not quite dawn, but for him and the five prototypes, equipped with visual implants and new, improved AVP, light levels were no issue. Mark drove through the canyon of dark pines, noting the glaring lack of guards.