Brother to Dragons, Companion to Owls - Jane Lindskold [88]
Tentatively, I stretch my senses in a way I have not since Betwixt and Between first mentioned Dylan in my presence, but now there is a difference. Then I was not aware of my talent; now I know of it and to some extent have trained it. Within me, I turn a dial, move an imaginary volume control.
First, I hear only Betwixt and Between squabbling amiably with each other over some oatmeal cookie crumbs. Athena is asleep with her head beneath her wing and I can hear the rise and fall of her breath.
Turning up the imaginary volume, I hear Abalone’s tappety-tap coaching her through a data heist. Louder still and Sun-tzu’s words rise from the tattered book that Professor Isabella drowses over. Margarita’s uniform giggles with pleasure over the kevlar threads in the apparently soft weave and her concealed sidearm announces its patient presence, as does the wicked tempered stiletto in her boot top.
Gleefully, I wrap my arms about my knees and rock back and forth. Soon. Soon we will go after those who have been hounding me and mine. I lick my lips and anticipate the battle.
Eighteen
WHEN WE MOVE, WE MOVE BY NIGHT AS THE CODE OF THE Free People demands. This, however, is also best for our situation. We have decided that a very simple infiltration is best. Once inside the Ailanthus complex we have three objectives.
First, we will find and destroy Dr. Aldrich’s research material. Professor Isabella assures us that a scholar trained in the competitive realms of science and academics will not have published all of his work. In fact, he would probably have published only the least significant elements. Once he had backing, he would have published little. To share his discoveries would only have reduced his opportunities to benefit from them.
Our second goal is similar to the first. We will destroy any experiments or materials he has accumulated. Thirdly, we—or rather Abalone—will wipe the computers of any pertinent information relating to me and my abilities and then insert a virus that is tailored to contaminate any new efforts.
These are our basic plans, but Abalone has one other, one that she has not discussed. She plans to ruin Ailanthus financially, by stealing what of their funds she can access easily and then inserting rumors about their financial security into the electronic marketplace. Some creditors will be certain to call in debts and when Ailanthus learns that it lacks the funds to pay and tries to call in debts of its own, it will fuel the panic. Her tappety-tap shares her confidence that the company will not survive twenty-four hours.
It’s okay with me that she keeps her secret, though, because I have one, too. I plan to kill Dr. Aldrich.
This isn’t just vengeance—although I know that the Free People will see it as such and that Head Wolf will exonerate me as one who was killing to pay a blood debt. No, simply, I realize that Jersey’s warning about Dr. Aldrich is true. The man is responsible for the deaths of my brother and sister and perhaps for those of my parents as well. Yet, he felt as little over these deaths as another researcher might over the deaths of as many lab rats. His death is the only thing that will stop him and I plan to give him that death.
Despite the many things we hope to achieve, our plan for gaining entrance is simple. The Ailanthus compound has self-contained power, so we cannot simply disrupt their operations from outside. Therefore, we will go in as if we belong. Margarita has assured us that we don’t need to worry about being strangers. A suit is a suit to the guards and as long as we move purposefully and don’t trip any alarms, we should pass.
Once inside, we should be relatively unchecked and hope to do our jobs and escape.
Now, as the sleek sedan hums Abalone, Professor Isabella, Midline, and me to our goal, I concentrate on testing my “volume” control in preparation for the challenges to come. I have been practicing in the time since Margarita’s warning and now I can tune out the emotions of my companions and focus on the near-inaudible voices within the sedan