Terminal (Visceral Book 4) by Adam Thielen

Author:Adam Thielen [Thielen, Adam]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-01-08T22:00:00+00:00

* * *

Anne Courtemanche set her tea on the glass table surrounded by executives, scientists, and security personnel. Her eyes stabbed into the man across from her. His discomfort was perceptible to all in the room, if only on a subconscious level.

“You seem to have underestimated Ms. Somer’s abilities, Mr. Broadus,” accused Courtemanche.

Broadus’s uniform gave away his position as head of security. A precisely shaped goatee rested on his dark skin. He surveyed the room, knowing he was not among friends. The people who conspire to exploit others do not become friends. He shifted in his seat.

“We discussed the possibilities,” he said. “This was one of them. It was unlikely then and it’s unlikely now.”

“It is not unlikely now!” Anne said, slapping her hand against the table. “It’s reality now.”

Two of the council members jerked at the sound while the rest sat still.

“You have Jones, and Cho already left the country,” Broadus pointed out. “Clearly, she failed.”

“You think she left because Somer failed?” said Courtemanche. “Is that what you are telling me?”

“I’m not telling you anything, Anne.”

“Good, so let me tell you something,” she began. “We have a tracker on her craft and will know exactly where she goes.”

“That’s great,” said Broadus.

“You still don’t get it, do you?” asked Courtemanche. “This is part of her game, and we are still a step behind. Ask yourself, why go there? Why now?”

Broadus looked down at the glass. “I don’t know what you expect of me.”

“I expect you to fix this,” she yelled. “Since the breach happened under your watch.”

At this Broadus stiffened and looked Anne in the eyes. “This was all set in motion when your scientists decided to give her access to the machine.” He pointed at the men and women seated to his left.

“Ey, we were following the directives this council was formed under,” said a woman with a nameplate reading Porlan.”

“Enough blame,” said Courtemanche. “I want solutions.” She waited in silence. “Well?”

“I have an idea,” said the man sitting next to Ms. Porlan.

Anne sighed and took a drink from her teacup. “Let’s hear it, Stanley.”

“What we need,” said Stanley, “is another psionic mage. When two seers fight, theoretically, they cancel out the abilities of the other.”

Broadus cursed under his breath while Courtemanche mulled it over.

“But we don’t have one,” she said.

“We have Ethereal seismic data that supports our—” he paused to point to Porlan and the man on the other side of him “—theory that the MQ council in Pakistan is hiding one in their university.”

“Stealing a mage from them would be unwise,” cautioned Broadus.

“You have a better idea?” Anne challenged.

“I realize this might sound too simple, but send fighters to down Cho’s monocopter and kill the mage.”

“As much as I would like to entertain that thought,” started Anne, “I need both of them. Trap or not, I want to know where she lands.” She looked down at the glass tabletop as it displayed charts and reports that she had no interest in reading, then over to Stanley.

“We’ll get you a psion,” she said, turning to Broadus.

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