Street Game (GhostWalkers, #8)(106)

He put the headphones on to listen to the conversation taking place in Jefferson’s home.

“What’d she want?” the newcomer demanded.

“The same thing her father-in-law wanted. Of course Andrew thinks his son is intact. Whitney says we’re nearly ready for the trial run. If we can fool Andrew, we can fool everyone,” Jefferson said.

“I’m not entirely easy about this. Andrew’s been a good friend for years.”

Mack knew Andrew Freeman was Senator Freeman’s father. He had gone to school with Whitney and Jefferson when Jefferson was Phillip Thornton.

“Okay,” Jaimie’s voice whispered in his ear. “You’ve got Jacob Abrams there. He’s been best friends with Senator Freeman’s father for forty years or more. Billionaire. A genius. Banker. He and Whitney and Freeman were all part of a club at their university for very smart students. The club is still shrouded in secrecy. I’m working on more data for you. Abrams controls a great deal in the market and some say he’s part of the real power in the world, not necessarily the leaders of the countries. He’s a very big fish, Mack.”

“Thanks, Jaimie.” Mack switched back to the conversation in the house.

Jefferson poured a drink for Abrams and handed it to him. “At least he has his son, Jacob. Ed was brain-dead. Anyone else would have pulled the plug on him. Violet and Andrew had given up and were going to tell the world he’d been killed when Whitney made his proposal to try to save him. He didn’t do it for Andrew.”

“Enhancing psychic ability is one thing, but stimulating a dead brain with whatever the hell he does makes Ed part machine, doesn’t it?” Jefferson sighed and sat back in his chair. “Whitney has no fear of trying anything.”

“Ed was dead already,” Abrams pointed out. “It wasn’t as if Peter did anything wrong. I just don’t think fooling Andrew into believing Ed’s still Ed is ethical.”

Jefferson snorted. Coughed. “That’s rich coming from you, Jacob.”

Mack leaned into his mouthpiece. “You getting this, Jaimie? Is it making any sense to you? How the hell could he stimulate a brain that’s dead?”

“I’m getting it. Paul might be able to help.”

Mack glanced out over the thick stand of trees. Violet was making her way toward the window, moving from shadow to shadow. Gideon.

I see her, boss. Javier’s keeping pace with her.

It was impossible for Mack to spot Javier, although he didn’t doubt that Gideon knew exactly where the man was. He sent up a silent prayer that Javier understood he was playing ghost with another GhostWalker. They knew little about Violet’s abilities.

Jacob Abrams sighed heavily and walked to the window to stare out, swirling the brandy in his glass. “Is she going to give us trouble?”

“She offered to bring in our missing women, including the pregnant one.”

Abrams whirled around. “Do you think she can do it?”

“Violet pointed out she can do a lot from her position as a senator’s wife for the women’s underground. She’ll be a saint to them while she’s searching. I’d put my money on her. She wants the presidency, Jacob. And she’ll do anything to keep Ed alive, even if it’s just his body.”

“It’s a big undertaking,” Abrams said, his voice thoughtful. “I’d like to see one baby before we’re dead and gone, Phillip, just to see if we accomplished what we set out to do.”

“James. Never forget I’m James,” Jefferson responded. “In any case, a couple of the GhostWalker couples have babies.”

“Yeah, they do, but we don’t have them.” Abrams turned back to face his old friend. “Is Theodore Griffen giving you trouble?”

There was an inflection. A casual note that was anything but casual. Jefferson visibly stiffened. “Why do you ask?”

“Rumors, Jefferson. I heard you sent a team to San Francisco and one of them didn’t come back. Whitney doesn’t want the girl killed. He said to tell you to leave her alone.”

“Did he even pay any attention to the evidence that’s been collected against him? If I hadn’t persuaded Chilton to let me handle it, the committee might have shut him down. We got lucky.”

“You’re afraid the trail leads back to you.”

“And you, Jacob. Your reputation is on the line as well. A breeding program and experimenting on children, even orphans, will cause a worldwide uproar, and you know it,” Jefferson said. “If we have to sacrifice a couple of his precious soldiers to keep the programs intact, then it’s a small price to pay.”

“Whitney makes a bitter enemy, James,” Jacob said. “Find some other way of dealing with this woman. Bring her in. Get her back under control. Hell, put her in Whitney’s breeding program. I don’t care, but don’t kill her. Get your men to pick her up.”

Mack waited, but Jefferson didn’t confirm to Abrams that he’d sent the two men to kill Jaimie, but they’d failed and hadn’t returned. He didn’t answer one way or the other. Apparently there were things Jefferson didn’t want to share with his old friend. Or maybe he was afraid. Could the tight-knit friends be splintering?

Violet crept toward the house, coming in from the south side. She took out an aerosol can and sprayed into the slight breeze moving out over the sweeping lawn. Bright beams leapt into the air. Mack could see them without the spray and he was fairly certain Javier could as well. The enhancements Whitney had given them evidently weren’t part of Violet’s arsenal.