The Thought Pushers (Mind Dimensions #2)(61)

“I did. What’s going on?” Thomas sounds instantly alert. “Did you learn his identity already?”

“Not exactly,” I say, trying to get my thoughts organized. “But I do know where he’ll be later today, and I want to confront him. I’m with some friends of mine, but it’s only the three of us.”

“Okay, hold your horses,” Thomas says. “Start from the beginning.”

“What I didn’t tell you yesterday was that I had a clue I was investigating. A clue related to the connection this Guide seems to have to some Russian criminals. My friend and I found out that he’ll meet the people he controls on the Brooklyn Bridge today,” I say.

“I see.” Thomas sounds calm, as though people call him up with this sort of convoluted story all the time. “Your friends, who are they?”

“Well, that part’s complicated,” I say, cursing myself for not telling him about my Reader connection the other day. “They’re what you would call Leachers.”

“What?” His tone sharpens. “How do you know Leachers? What are you doing in their company? Are you okay?”

“It’s three-twenty already,” Mira says from the couch. “We have to start preparing.”

“Look, Thomas,” I say, realizing that she’s right. “This thing is happening at four-thirty, so we’re quickly running out of time. I am okay. My friends can be trusted. I have a very good explanation for everything, but we really have to get moving. Can we meet in person and talk in the Mind Dimension? This way, no time will pass on the outside.”

He’s silent for a very long moment. “Listen, Darren . . . We just met, and this is a lot to take in and not a lot of time for me to make decisions.”

“I know, and I would be cautious too if I were you.” I’m cognizant of the fact that if I actually were him, I would’ve told me to go f*ck myself. “There’s something else you should know, something that might help you trust me. I learned at the party that Hillary is my aunt. You can ask her about that. She knows the whole story.”

Another silence.

“You know,” he says finally, “I actually think I see it. There’s a distinct familial resemblance. I just didn’t realize it until you told me. That’s incredible.”

“Yeah, I know,” I say. “Does that help? We’re running out of time here, Thomas.”

“Assuming I agree to help, then yes. It takes care of a big problem I was going to raise before you brought up the Leachers.”

“What problem?”

“You said there’ll be a bunch of Russian gangsters and at least one Guide. To make matters worse, this thing is happening on a public bridge. Do you understand what that adds up to?”

“No, I am not sure that I do,” I say, confused. “Trouble?”

“You can say that again. It means that this Guide will have a lot of people he can potentially turn against us. We might not survive this encounter, and even if we do, there might be severe civilian casualties.”

“Shit,” I say, looking at Mira and Eugene in despair. I hadn’t thought that part through.

“There is a solution, though,” Thomas says. “I need to make a call. Where are we meeting?”

“Let’s meet at the South Street Seaport. Behind the mall. The part that faces the bridge,” I suggest. “It seems fitting, given the view and its proximity to the meeting.”

“Okay. I’ll bring some supplies,” Thomas says. “Can you be there in an hour? That would leave us enough time to get to the bridge even if we have to walk.”

“Yes,” I say, looking at Mira and mentally cringing at the thought of the drive ahead. “We can probably get there even sooner.”

“Okay. See you there,” Thomas says and hangs up the phone.

I meet Mira and Eugene’s expectant gazes. “I think he’ll help,” I say, trying to sound more confident than I feel.

“Well, we need to get to the bridge regardless,” Mira says matter-of-factly. “So meeting this guy is not going to sidetrack us too much. So long as it’s not some Pusher trap.”

“If it is, it would have nothing to do with me,” I say.

“I know,” Mira says. “It’s not you that I don’t trust.”

I almost say ‘since when,’ but I hold my tongue. “Mira, I’m a good judge of character. It’s a part of what I do for a living,” I say, deciding that bending the truth might help ease her anxiety. “I think Thomas is going to help. I really do.”

“We don’t have a lot of choices, Mira,” Eugene adds. “We can’t take them all on with just the three of us. At least this guy works in the Secret Service.”

“I said meeting this guy is not going to sidetrack us,” Mira says, getting up and walking to a night stand. “So stop selling me the car I already bought.”

She takes a gun from inside the night dresser. “Zhenya, do you have yours?” she says as she stuffs it into the back of her pants.

“Yes, in my room.” Her brother also gets up.

“Okay, go get it, and meet us downstairs,” she says to Eugene in a commanding tone.

It looks like she’s bossed him around before, because he rushes out of the room without hesitation or backtalk.