The Thought Pushers (Mind Dimensions #2)(66)

“That guy too,” Mira adds from a few feet away. “And that woman.”

Why she even checked a woman, I have no idea, but I don’t say anything lest Hillary accuse me of sexism this time.

“I just took care of those elderly people and two children,” Hillary says. “Even if we skip the unlikely targets, as Darren suggested, this will take a really long while. I didn’t anticipate this many people being here.”

“It’s not like we’re getting older or missing any appointments, with the time stopped and all,” Eugene says.

“True, but this can be very tedious,” I say. “We might need to get more selective in our choices. Rather than just younger, buffer men, why don’t we focus on ones that have a criminal look to them also?”

“That’s even worse profiling,” Hillary says unhappily. “And it can lead to a lot more mobsters walking away. I’m not comfortable with that.”

“I have an idea that can at least take care of the second problem,” Thomas says. “We can add a compulsion for anyone remotely suspicious to give up their gun to the next police officer they see.”

“That’s clever,” Hillary says, looking relieved. “People without guns simply won’t comply. They won’t have the context for the induction. So only the guilty will be impacted.”

“Of course, some mobsters might not have a gun,” I say. “And some innocent people might have a permit to carry a concealed weapon.”

“What kind of criminals would they be without guns? But if they are, I say it’s their lucky day—they get away free,” Eugene says. “And the people who lawfully carry a concealed gun will end up showing their permit to the cops, get a breathalyzer test for doing something so wacky, and get let go. No harm, no foul.”

“I agree,” Mira says. “If we miss a few, it’s not going to be that big of a deal.”

“We still need a good number of mobsters to deal with the Guide. He might not be here alone,” Thomas reminds us.

The plan is to have a bunch of Russian mobsters prohibit the Guide from leaving the bridge. Because Hillary is going to command them, in theory at least, the Guide we’re targeting won’t be able to override her because of her longer Reach. That’s why she’s so critical for this plan—and why I’m supposed to give any real mobster I find to her.

“I wouldn’t worry about that,” Mira says. “Most likely, the men we saw at that table in the banya are all here in one large group, and there will be plenty for that part of the plan.”

“Okay, then that settles it,” says Thomas. “I’ll also take part in the evacuation now that we have a better way of doing it.”

“Just mark up the people as you finish with them, like these guys have been doing, so we don’t duplicate our efforts,” Hillary says.

“Does anyone have anything to write with?” Thomas says.

“Here, use my eye shadow pencil,” Mira says, handing him the strange writing instrument.

She uses way too much makeup, I decide. Especially since I know for a fact she looks amazing without it. I saw her first thing in the morning the other day, and she was drop-dead gorgeous. Unless she sleeps with makeup on. Can that be done?

“Put an X on the foreheads of everyone you Guided to evacuate,” I remind Thomas as he takes Mira’s pencil.

He walks off, saying nothing about the indignity of this marking. He had a problem with this part when we were talking about Hillary’s plan. Indeed, he had an even bigger problem with my original idea for this—taking people’s pants off, or just pushing them to the ground, like logs. This current system is actually a compromise.

I choose two new potentials. Both end up being civilians, and both get instructions to get off the bridge and give their concealed guns to the next police officer they see. Both get marked.

I fleetingly wonder how many non-mobster people who happen to have illegally concealed guns will end up getting into trouble today because of us. Oh well, that’s their problem for carrying a gun without a permit.

I’m approaching my next target when I feel a delicate hand on my shoulder. “Darren, I wanted to speak to you,” Mira says quietly when I turn to face her.

“What’s up?” I ask, matching her volume.

“When we find the Pusher, the one responsible for my parents’ death, I’m not going to follow the plan,” she says, standing up on tiptoes to speak almost directly into my ear.

“Mira, please, this is a good plan. Don’t do anything rash,” I say, my heart beating faster—and not just because of her soft lips brushing sensually against my ear.

“I’m not an idiot,” she whispers. “I’m going to wait until he’s trapped first. But once he’s trapped, instead of handing him over to the rest of the Pushers like Hillary wants, I’m going to kill him.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I say, confused as to why she’s even telling me this. I’d wondered why Mira took that portion of the plan so calmly, given her desire for vengeance. Now I know. She never intended to go along with it. She wanted to double cross Hillary and Thomas.

“I’ll need your help,” she says. “I’ll need you to lock the car after I run out, and slow them down in any way possible.”