10,000 Bones by Joe Ollinger

Author:Joe Ollinger
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General Fiction
Publisher: Diversion Books
Published: 2018-12-13T05:00:00+00:00

11

A rush of harsh light startles me awake. Momentarily blinded, instinct kicks in and I roll off the couch, sweeping my hand across the coffee table, catching my sidearm by the trigger guard and pulling it free from its holster. Something moves through my field of vision and I fix my aim on it, but before I can even shout out a warning, my sight has come back to me.

It’s Brady, entering the kitchen. I lower my gun, annoyed.

“I should have known you’re not a morning person,” he says, opening the refrigerator.

I put my gun down and slump back down across the arm of the couch. “You stay up all night thinking of that one?”

“There’s bread in the cupboard and jam in the fridge,” he says, opening a carton of protein shake. “I’m going in to work, got a lot of paperwork to catch up with.” He’s humorless, but if he’s still hurt about last night, he’s too aloof for me to tell.

“You can drop me off at the Agency,” I tell him. “My ride’s there, and maybe Myra’s got the doctor’s files ready.”

He shakes his head. “That can’t be safe.”

Before I can argue with him, the door chime cuts me off and the big monitor on the wall flashes, “Door: Three individuals, unknown.”

Suddenly back in flight or fight mode, I snatch my gun from the table and take cover behind the couch, ready.

“Monitor,” Brady says, “Front door view.”

The scrolling text on the screen is replaced with a downward-facing fisheye view of three men in suits standing in the hallway. The small one in the center is Aaron Greenman. Brady glances at me briefly, crossing to the door.

“Brady, no,” I hiss, wondering what Greenman is doing here, whether he knows I’m here.

Brady looks to me quizzically, as though he doesn’t understand. I knew that a leak inside SCAPE was likely; after all it’s either that or inside the Collections Agency. But Greenman himself? Or did they just trace my weapon somehow? I was worried about someone at the Agency tracking its location, but someone outside the Agency seemed unlikely.

Stay calm, Taryn. Assess, then act.

I point the barrel of my gun at the ceiling, taking my finger off the trigger as I hear the door slide open.

“Mr. Greenman,” Brady says, “good morning.”

“Hello Brady,” the old man says, friendly, “may we come in?”

“Of course.”

I hear Brady step aside, and Greenman and his two companions enter. I rise slowly to my feet, still unwilling to put my sidearm down. The two suits beside Greenman draw fast, pulling aim on me as I hesitate, unsure of the situation. Greenman puts his hands up in mock surrender, letting them rest lazily at shoulder height.

“Put ’em down.” I keep my aim on the rich man, gambling that his underlings won’t risk him.

“Agent Dare,” he says, unconcerned, “I wasn’t aware you were here.” He looks to Brady. “Are you two . . . ?”

“No,” we both answer in unison.

“I do not know why you feel threatened, Agent Dare, but I assure you, I mean only to help.

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