What Would Satan Do_ - Anthony Miller [47]
“Where was his body?”
“Still attached,” said Boehner. “The condo was rented to a guy named B.L. Tod.”
“Is there a point to this story? ‘Cause I’m going back to bed in about ten seconds.”
“Thirty-six hours ago, a single man walked into the Hoover Building—”
“Ahh!” said Liam. “People walk in there all the time. It’s completely normal, and nothing to worry about. Problem solved. Glad I could be of help.”
“Yes,” said Boehner, “but this one killed thirty-seven agents.”
“When did this happen? I haven’t seen anything on the news—”
“Well, we’re trying to keep things quiet until we figure out who the hell this guy is. Actually, we know who it is – this B.L. Tod guy – but we have little more than a name.”
“And what does all this have to do with Whitford?” asked Liam.
“Well, just hours after this guy blows up half the FBI building, Clyde Parker ends up dead in his apartment.”
“Okay,” said Liam, but then he paused, thinking, and sighed. “I still don’t see the connection.”
“I’m not sure anyone does. But what we know is this: First, this guy is dangerous. Second, he may have some kind of connection to Baphomet – because of Parker – and therefore to Dick Whitford. And now he’s headed your way. He’s headed to Texas.”
Liam scoffed. “How do you know that? He leave you a note?” He rubbed his head to try to get rid of a dull, throbbing sensation that was getting worse as the phone call went on.
“We’ve got a bunch of searches – look ups for his license plate – all through Virginia and Tennessee. And then we end up finding a highway patrol car in flames and the cop is gone.”
Liam laughed. He’d never had a very good relationship with traffic cops, and tended to think of them as more or less sub-human. “Sounds like he’s doing us all a favor. Anyway, you want me to go ahead and kill Whitford? I can do it. No problem.” Liam had suddenly found that he really, really wanted to take out the Governor.
“No!” said Boehner. The phone went silent for a moment as Boehner, apparently, paused to sigh and be pissed and maybe tear some hair out. Liam smiled. It was just like old times.
“This isn’t the usual bullshit, Liam. This guy is—he’s very strange.”
Liam did not respond.
“He blew up an entire floor, but he didn’t use a bomb or—anything, as far as we can tell.”
“What? How did he do it?”
“We don’t know. It’s— It almost looks…” Boehner sighed.
“What, Cas?”
“He’s…”
“Cas?”
“He’s like you, Liam.”
The two men sat in silence.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” said Liam.
“Yes, you do.”
“I had an agreement, Cas. Nobody is supposed to talk about any of that. Including you. Ever again.”
“And I’m not.”
“You just did.”
“Would you stop? Look, we have him on video, Liam. He’s totally unarmed. Just walks up and starts setting things on fire, making people dead, and blowing things up. It’s—it’s unbelievable.”
“So what do you want me to do?”
“Well, there are several possibilities. But there’s only one that concerns you. There is a man, who lives not too far from you, by the name of Alistair Preston. He was with the Baphomet project. I’ve got a contact who will meet you there in Austin tomorrow – well, this morning. At the satellite office.”
“You want me to meet someone, you send him to me,” said Liam. “But don’t bother, because I’m not doing it.”
“Look,” Boehner sighed, “I don’t have anyone else I can turn to. I need your help.”
“Why can’t you send someone from DC?”
“You know I’m not supposed to send my guys into some state. And I—”
“But I’m already in Texas? I don’t think it works that way.”
“—definitely can’t do it with those checkpoints up.”
“What? What checkpoints?”
Boehner sighed. “Whitford has set up checkpoints at the Texas and Louisiana borders. There’s a rumor he’s going to shut down the airports.”
“Cas, I really don’t think I want to get involved . I’ve put all of that behind me, and I—”
“Come on. Help me out here. All I want—”
“I’m sorry, Cas. I’m not going to do this.”
“All I want is for you to meet