Firestorm (21 page)

“What?”

He smiled. “I got a phone call from Travis. Rosa's arriving at the airport in a couple hours.”

“Louisville DFACS has released her?”

“Into Ledbruk's custody. It took some high-level arm-twisting to ignore all the red tape connected with kids removed from the parental home, but they finally did it.”

Relief rushed through her. “Why didn't you tell me?”

“You were a little preoccupied. I'm going to pick her up and take her to the safe house Ledbruk's arranged for her.”

“Why not bring her here?”

“You promised Carmela that Rosa would be safe. Do you really think we'd provide the safest haven for her? You're a prime target, and Trask would get the greatest enjoyment out of taking me out.”

He was right. The greater distance Rosa was from either of them, the safer she'd be. Kerry just didn't like the idea of a child not having anyone but Secret Service agents around her. “She's only twelve.”

“I'm sure Ledbruk will arrange to have a female agent stay with her. And I'll get a phone number from Ledbruk where you can call her.”

She guessed that was as good as it was going to get. “Explain everything to her. Tell her Carmela will be—”

“Oh, for God's sake, I'm not going to just throw her out of the car and into the arms of the law,” he said sharply. “I do have some sensitivity. Hell, I like kids.” He started down the steps. “I'll see you when I get back.”

He was angry again, and she could almost feel the sting of the barbs in his voice. Well, she couldn't help it. She wasn't about to try to soothe him right now when she was being jabbed by a few thorns of her own.

A few? That was an understatement. She felt torn and bruised and, yes, scared. Silver had ripped aside the dark curtain of lies she'd been telling herself for years, leaving her naked and vulnerable. She wanted that curtain back. It had hidden a horror she didn't want to face yet.

But when would she want to face it? She couldn't go back. Silver, with his usual brutal efficiency, had made sure she wouldn't be able to deceive herself again.

What was she thinking? Fear was one thing, self-deceit was another, and she'd had her fill of it. She wasn't prepared to delve deep into that memory right now, but she'd have to confront it soon.

“Good.” Silver was looking at her over his shoulder as he paused before getting in the car. “That's what I hoped when I—”

“I don't care what you hoped,” she said coldly. “And stay the hell out of my mind. You've worn out any welcome you might ever have had.”

He shrugged. “It was only a matter of time before that happened. It's not as if I wasn't expecting it.” He opened the car door. “I'll see you later.”

She had hurt him. She could sense the rawness of his pain as if it were her own. Jesus, she couldn't let him do this to her. She pushed him away, blocking him. That was better. She was stronger than she had thought. She had learned a great deal from him in the past days. Soon she might be entirely free of him. No closeness. No togetherness.

Wrenching pain. Terrible loneliness.

She'd get over it. This addictive intimacy was unhealthy, and Silver had proved he couldn't be trusted not to try to control her. Just because he'd done it because he thought it was in her best interests was no real excuse. He was in a position of power, and he'd misused that power.

She watched him back up and then head down the driveway. It was the first time in days that he'd left the estate without her. Was Trask out there waiting?

Trask would love to get rid of me too.

Why was she worrying when she'd determined she had to fight her way out of this bizarre relationship? Ledbruk's agents would follow Silver and guard him. Dammit, she would
not
watch him drive toward the gates. Block him out. Get on with life. Find a way to locate Trask.

She turned and went into the house to search for George.

G
eorge was on the telephone when Kerry went into the library, but he hung up almost immediately. “Yes?”

“What did you find out about Trask's Helen?”

His brows lifted. “It took you long enough to come and ask me about her.”

“I'm asking now. I was a little preoccupied with something else.”

“That was obvious. I hoped to take the heat off Brad, but evidently you weren't to be distracted.”

“No, but you can distract me now. What did you find out?”

“I believe the lady's full name was Helen Saduz.” George went through the pages in front of him on the desk. “Here it is.” He handed her a dossier. “Though there's every possibility that it was an assumed identity and she was in this country illegally.”

“Is that why no one could tell us who she was?”

He shook his head. “No one told us because no one wanted anyone to know what happened to her.”

She frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Do you remember that the report stated that Trask's lab was blown up by orders from the White House?”

She nodded.

“Well, she was in the lab.”

Kerry's eyes widened. “What?”

George gestured. “Boom. The lab went up and so did Helen Saduz.”

“How did that happen?”

“We think that Trask sent her to the lab to retrieve something he'd left behind.”

“What?”

He shrugged. “Papers, maybe a prototype of some kind . . . Anyway, she had the bad luck to be there when they blew the building.”

“But surely they'd have searched for anyone on the premises?”

“The building was sealed. There wasn't supposed to be anyone there. Any search would have been minimal.”

“How would she have even gotten in if the building was sealed?”

“Trask must have told her how to do it. He evidently had to have had a way of getting past security when he was stealing components and information from the other people on his team before he took off.”

She looked down at the photo on the sheet he'd given her. The woman was brunette, in her twenties with classic features. “She's beautiful.”

He nodded. “Absolutely. And memorable. Which was a break for us. Because there wasn't much to identify when they found her in the ashes. They could tell the age and sex by the skeleton, but the rest was guesswork. Or should I say legwork? None of his coworkers had seen Trask with her, but that wasn't unusual. He was a loner and didn't hobnob with any of them. The Service sent agents to backtrack to all Trask's favorite restaurants and found a few waiters who remembered her. They had an artist render a likeness from their descriptions and then sent it to the database. It came up with Helen Saduz.”

“Greek?” Kerry was reading the dossier. She stiffened. “And her father is Iranian?”

“Right. Trask was probably negotiating with Iran before the project was even completed. They sent Helen Saduz to clinch the deal. She was smart, well educated, and very accomplished at persuading men to do what she wanted. As you can see by her background, she was an agent who used sex to lure at least four scientists to come over to Iran's camp.”

She lifted her gaze from the page. “She succeeded in fooling Trask. He loved her. Maybe he thinks he has reason to go after everyone connected with blowing that lab.”

“Remember, he sent her there. He might not have known they were going to blow it up, but he knew he was putting her in danger.”

“That's true. But maybe she persuaded him to let her do it. It would be a way of drawing him closer to her.”

“Possibly. And of getting her hands on valuable information that could be photographed before it was turned over to Trask.”

“But why didn't the government want anyone to know she'd been killed in that building?”

“The CIA stepped in when they found out who she was. They're trying to link the Iranian government with the espionage. She was well known to them, and they smelled an opportunity. They didn't want anyone to know she was dead and persuaded the President to let them pull the records and take over her part of the investigation. They've been sending messages to her contact in Iran in hope of getting something concrete against the government.” He made a face. “That's why all the records about her were erased. No leaks.”

“Another ‘need to know' case? Good God, don't these agencies tell each other anything?”

“As little as possible. Even Homeland Security hasn't broken through all the bureaucratic bull.”

“But Trask isn't dealing with Iran now. You said he was negotiating with North Korea. Why?”

He shook his head. “Since you're on such good terms, why don't you ask him? He hasn't contacted you again?”

“No.” But she knew it was only a matter of time. She could feel him . . . hovering. “There hasn't been any sign of Dickens either?”

“You'd have been the first to know if Ledbruk had sighted him. No sign of anyone suspicious at Carmela's hospital. No one following you when you leave here every day.”

Then what was happening with Trask? Her every instinct told her he wouldn't have taken that defeat at the warehouse without retaliating.

“You're quite safe,” George said as he read her expression. “I made sure Ledbruk has assigned top-notch surveillance people to you. They're not going to slip up and let you get killed.”

“Like they did with Joyce Fairchild?”

He made a face. “Touché. But they're smart enough to learn from their mistakes.”

“I hope so.” She turned away. “Silver is on his way to pick up Rosa Ruiz.”

“Yes, he told me.”

“Did he? Well, I don't want anything to happen to her.” She started to turn away. “And I don't want anything to happen to Silver.”

“Even though you're pissed at him?”

“That doesn't matter.”

He sat back and his eyes narrowed on her face. “No, it wouldn't. You have a very strong relationship.”

There was something in his tone that made her turn back to face him. “What's that supposed to mean?”

He gazed at her innocently. “Why, did I strike a nerve?”

“If you did, it's because you meant to do it.”

“Discretion forbids me to suggest I could have merely been referring to the fact that you've been sleeping together.”

The bluntness of his words surprised her. She'd assumed he was aware that she and Silver were lovers, but he'd never mentioned it.

Why do it now, out of the blue? “That remark wasn't in the least discreet.” She studied him. “And out of character. Could it be that you wanted to throw a red herring into the mix?”

He chuckled. “Absolutely. I was quite enjoying my subtle innuendos, but I should have known you'd see through me and call my bluff.”

“Then show me your hand.”

He was still smiling as he leaned back in his chair. “I paid a visit to Georgetown University while you were in Marionville. It's an open secret on campus that the hydrostatics lab isn't what it seems. There are all kinds of rumors about the people who come and go from that building. Even a few interesting ones about CIA connections. So I came back and called my buddies at the CIA who owe me favors.”

“And?”

“It seems the CIA also owes Brad Silver a few favors for some rather unusual contributions. One might even say weird contributions.” He tilted his head. “And I asked myself, if Brad is some kind of psychic guru, what are you, Kerry?”

“I'm sure you came up with an answer?”

“Oh, I did. And I found it fascinating. Life is always providing us with new ways to make our existence entertaining.”

“Believable ways?”

He nodded. “Do you mean, do I think you and Brad are wacko? I wouldn't risk my neck on something you ‘sensed,' but I have an open mind. I've been in enough bizarre situations to know that there's usually a hell of a lot more under the surface than we can see.”

“Then what are you going to do about it?”

“Not a thing. Why should I? I merely yielded to temptation to let you know that I was no longer in the dark. My ego required it. As for the extent of your talent, I'm really not interested as long as it doesn't affect me. You can't read my mind or anything, can you?”

“No.”

“Brad?”

She hesitated. “It's the last thing he wants to do.”

“You didn't answer me.” He grimaced. “Or maybe you did. Perhaps I'm not as comfortable with the situation as I thought. I believe we'd better concentrate on getting Trask right away, in case I decide to bail.”

He was uneasy. It was only to be expected. It was the response she'd tried to avoid since that day in the hospital when Travis had explained her talent. But for some reason it bothered her that even George would have that reaction. Dammit, she
liked
him. She tried to smile. “We haven't been concentrating on anything other than getting Trask.”

“But I've been letting you two carry the load. I may have to step in and escalate matters.” He picked up his phone again. “I'll have to think about it. Is there anything else I can help you with?”

It was a dismissal. There was a subtle change in his manner. That hint of mocking subservience was no longer audible. “No, I got what I came for. Another piece to the puzzle.” She turned away. “Helen Saduz.”

“Kerry.”

She glanced at him over her shoulder.

He smiled. “I'm not thinking of you as a freak. But I'm a private person and I have to protect myself from Brad. I have too many secrets.”

“Don't we all.” This time her smile was genuine. “I know how you feel. But I think you can trust him.”

“Do you trust him?”

Her smile faded. “Hell, no. But our relationship is . . . different. You don't have to get very close to him to have a problem.”

He threw back his head and laughed. “Christ, I hope not. I'm really not tempted to go to bed with him.”

“That's good.” She opened the door. “The situation is complicated enough.”

15
                                                                                                                                                

S
ilver called her at nine that night. “Rosa Ruiz is safe. She's settled in a nice little house in a nice little subdivision close to the hospital. Agent Jane Dorbin is taking care of her.”

“Is she the only agent on duty?”

“No, there are several guards in a house next door, but I thought you'd be concerned for her emotional well-being.”

“I am.” She paused. “Is she scared?”

“Yes. But not enough to go home. She wants to stay with her sister. Carmela is being released tomorrow, and I'll pick her up and bring her to the safe house.”

“Never mind. I want to pick her up.”

“And make sure that she's going to be secure.” He paused. “I think you can trust my judgment there, don't you?”

She didn't answer directly. “I just want to see them together and safe.”

Silver muttered a curse. “For God's sake, you can't stop trusting me on every level.” When she didn't reply, he added bitterly, “Or maybe you can. I'll take you to the hospital tomorrow at ten. We'll both pick her up.” He hung up.

J
esus, you've been driving around in circles.” Carmela gazed suspiciously at Silver. “Are you really taking me to see Rosa?”

“Yes. Didn't you talk to her last night?”

She nodded. “But that doesn't mean she couldn't have been fooled. She's just a kid.” She turned to Kerry. “It's legit? You're not going to send us back to my mom?”

“It's legit,” Kerry said. “We only want to keep you safe. Silver was afraid we might have been followed from the hospital.”

“Were we?”

Silver shook his head. “I don't believe so.”

“Don't tell me that,” Carmela said fiercely. “I want you to be sure. I don't want anything happening to Rosa.”

“Nothing's going to happen to Rosa,” Kerry said. “You can trust Silver, Carmela.”

“Can I?”

“Yes, can she?” Silver murmured. “What an astonishing statement for you to make. I'm touched.”

She ignored him. “He won't let anything happen to you or Rosa.” She added, “And neither will I. We just have to be very careful.”

“Because of that nutcase,” Carmela said. She was silent a moment. “I do trust you—most of the time. It's just . . . hard. This Trask doesn't seem real to me.”

“I can understand that,” Kerry said. “Sometimes I find him pretty unbelievable too. I wish he was only a figment of my—” She stopped as Silver pulled into the driveway of a small brick house. “This is it?”

Silver nodded as he turned off the car and opened the driver's door. “Stay here. I'll go in and talk to Agent Dorbin and make sure she knows you're no threat. She'll believe me.” He strode toward the front door. “Even though you both appear to have your doubts about me.”

“I didn't really think he was selling me down the river,” Carmela said haltingly to Kerry. “It's . . . Rosa. I don't have the right to— I
do
trust him.”

“He was joking. He understands.”

“I hope so.” She made a face. “You know, I feel . . . It's weird, but I don't want him to . . . I feel like I've known him all my life. No, that's not right. It's not—” She stopped, puzzled. “What the hell. I don't know how to say it.”

Togetherness. Linked.

Kerry supposed she should have expected this after Silver had been joined to Carmela on that rooftop. Evidently he had left a little something behind when he'd left her. “Close to him?”

“Yeah, I guess so.” She shrugged. “Something like that. You too?”

“You could say that. At any rate, I don't think you should worry about—”

“There she is!” Carmela jumped out of the car as a small, dark-haired girl appeared in the doorway. “Rosa!”

Kerry slowly got out of the car as she watched Carmela run toward the door. Carmela's expression was radiant and full of eagerness. In this moment she looked even younger than her fifteen years. This is how she should look, Kerry thought. This is how all children should look. Full of life. No suspicion. No worry.

Carmela skidded to a stop before her sister. “You okay?”

Rosa nodded. “You?”

“Fine.” She took a step closer and gave her an awkward hug. “It's going to be . . . okay. I promise, Rosa.”

“Then stop being mushy.” Rosa stepped back. “You're making me feel funny.”

Kerry smothered a smile at the typical adolescent reaction. The affection between the two sisters was clear, but she could see that neither child was overly demonstrative. Well, what teenagers were? Most of them would be mortified to admit how much they cared about their siblings.

“Nice, huh?” Silver was coming down the path toward her. “Enough to warm the cockles of your heart.”

“Don't be sarcastic.” She watched the door close behind Carmela and Rosa. “It does warm me.”

“I wasn't being sarcastic.” His smile faded. “And you know me well enough to know that. I'm glad we managed to get them together. Do you want to go in and meet Rosa? She's a neat kid.”

She shook her head. “Soon. I want them to have a few minutes alone together.” She met his eyes. “Providing Carmela will ever be alone again. Why didn't you tell me that you're still linked?”

“She knows it?” He frowned. “It's not that strong. Only a tendril or two. It will probably fade away.”

“You didn't leave it there on purpose?”

“For God's sake, do you think I like being linked to just anyone? If there's one thing I've learned from our experience together, it's that I never want it to happen again.”

Christ, she was actually feeling hurt. Not that she had a right. It was exactly what she had been telling herself all along. “Ditto.” She turned away. “I'm going in to meet Rosa. Are you coming?”

“Not now. I'm going to call George and check in.” He headed back toward the car. “By the way, I've set up a foster home for Carmela and Rosa when this is all over and it's safe to get them settled.”

“Where?”

“Near Georgetown University. It's a nice residential area, and I know some pretty good people who will take care of them.”

“Normal people?”

“Yes.” He added solemnly, “I do know some normal people, Kerry. Though I admit I have a definite preference for freaks like you.”

“Dammit, I'm not—” He was joking. If she hadn't been so tense, she would never have risen to the bait. “I just didn't want them to think the whole world was comprised of people like—They've had enough problems without having to question their view of reality and—”

“I know.” He smiled. “Stop trying to explain. You never have to do that with me.”

That was the problem, she thought in despair. Even though she was angry and resentful, there was always that comforting feeling of being totally understood and accepted. It was almost as seductive as the sex they had shared.

“Not bloody likely,” he muttered as he opened the door of the car. “Don't fool yourself. Not for either one of us, Kerry.”

She could feel the heat flood her cheeks as she started up the walk. She should have known that the one thought she'd wanted to keep from him would be the one he'd pick up on. “Let me know if George has learned anything.”

“I don't think it will be urgent enough to break into your visit.” He got out his phone. “Or he would have called us. But you can be sure I won't close
you
out.”

She was aware of the slight emphasis on the pronoun. “Good God, after everything you've done, are you actually trying to give me a guilt trip?”

“Just stating a fact.”

She gazed at him in frustration before she jabbed the doorbell. “Damn you, Silver.”

A
nything new?” Kerry asked as she opened the car door an hour later.

“George says everything is quiet on his front. Not a glimpse of anyone suspicious buzzing around any of the people Ledbruk has under surveillance.”

“Then where is Trask?” She shook her head wearily as she settled back on the passenger seat. “And what the devil is he doing?”

Silver backed out of the driveway. “At least you know Carmela and Rosa are safe. You should feel better about that.”

“I do.” She nibbled at her lower lip. “You're sure we weren't followed here?”

“I don't think so, but I can't be certain. There are so many high-tech long-range devices on the market that Dickens or Trask could be out of sight and still tailing us.”

“That's a comforting thought.”

“It's an honest answer. You don't want comfort, you want the truth.”

He was right. Facing the truth was the only way they might be able to survive. “I guess I was hoping for reassurance that maybe Trask had crossed Carmela off his hit list.”

“It could happen. But you might ask who'd be his prime target if he decided to do that.”

“I'm the logical—” She stopped as her phone rang and she reached into her handbag.

“How is our lovely Carmela? Fully recovered, I trust.”

Trask.

She drew a deep breath. “She's fine, Trask. And fully protected. You can't touch her.”

Silver muttered a curse and pulled over to the curb.

“I can touch her. Anyone can be reached. It just takes planning and the proper resources.”

“Does that mean you're going to try?”

“Perhaps. She's unfinished business, and I detest untidiness. She's definitely high priority since Firestorm was unable to complete its mission. I have to decide how high.”

“You're wasting my time. Why are you calling me, Trask?”

“I thought it time. I've missed personal contact with you, but I've been very patient. I've wanted to call you for days, but I had plans to make.”

“What kind of plans?”

“Why, I have to show you that you didn't best either me or Firestorm when you saved our little Hispanic charmer. That was only the opening battle.”

“Answer me. Are you going after her again?”

“Possibly. Mysteries are so intriguing. I believe I'll let you stay in the dark about that. That's really why I phoned you. I want to think about you worrying, on edge, perhaps even a little frantic. I find that a satisfying picture.”

“I'm not frantic, and I'll leave the worrying to the authorities.”

He chuckled. “I don't believe you. It's your nature to want to shape events to suit yourself. Like me.”

“I'm nothing like you.”

“You'll see. When you stand and watch Firestorm at work.”

“I've seen it. It sickens me.”

“You're lying to yourself. When you saw the warehouse burning, wasn't there a little excitement mixed with the horror you were feeling?” He didn't wait for an answer. “Never mind, you wouldn't tell me the truth. But I'll be able to see it in your face next time. I'm looking forward to it. I'll be in touch.” He hung up.

Her finger was trembling as it pressed disconnect. “The son of a bitch.”

“Without question. Did he leak anything?”

“No, he just wanted to touch base.” Her lips twisted. “He missed me.”

“He mentioned Carmela?”

“He knew she'd left the hospital. He said she was a high priority.” She drew a shaky breath. “Call back and talk to Agent Dorbin and make sure she knows we've gone to code red.”

He reached for his phone. “He may not know where they are. He could have just checked with the hospital to find out she was discharged today.”

“And he could have followed us. You said it was possible.”

“He told you that he was going after her?”

She shook her head. “The bastard likes to inflict his little torments. Hell, he likes big torment. He did say that anyone could be reached if you had the right resources.” Her teeth sank into her lower lip. “Christ, we have to keep her safe, Silver.”

He nodded as he dialed. “I'm not arguing. I'll call Agent Dorbin and then Ledbruk.”

While he made the calls she leaned back in the seat, staring out at the small, neat homes lining the street. This pretty subdivision was like a hundred others in a hundred other cities. It seemed impossible that a monster like Trask could be operating here.

It wasn't impossible. Nothing was impossible for Trask. He was completely unpredictable.

No, he wasn't unpredictable. Not if she concentrated on what she knew about him. She just had to suppress the panic and try to get one step ahead of him.

“Done.” Silver hung up. “Carmela's protection will be doubled. Though Ledbruk said he doubted if it was necessary. He was satisfied with the number of agents he'd assigned to her.”

“Maybe. If Trask was working alone. He mentioned ‘enough' resources.”

“Dickens?”

She shrugged helplessly. “I don't know. It doesn't seem as if . . . We'll have to see.”

He started the car. “That's for sure. But I'm not pleased about having to wait and—”

“Turn around.”

He glanced at her. “Why?”

“I want you to take me back to the safe house. I'm going to stay there with Carmela and Rosa.”

He muttered a curse. “The hell you are.”

“Why not? If it's safe for them, it's safe for me.”

“That doesn't mean you should mount guard over them yourself.”

“Yes, it does.” She met his gaze. “Because I'm the only one who may be able to know if Trask is stalking them. I may be able to stop him before he attacks. You know that's true.”

His lips tightened. “Then I'll stay too.”

“No.”

“What if he does have help? What if he sends someone else in to get Carmela? You'd be blind to anyone but Trask. You need me.”

But she didn't need to practically live on top of him in that tiny house. It was bad enough occupying a room in his multiroom mansion. “I'm not worried about anyone but Trask. Ledbruk's agents can handle anyone else.”

“Well, I'm worried, and I—”

“No, Silver.” She looked away from him. “I don't want you. Now, will you take me back to the safe house or shall I walk?”

He gazed at her in frustration before his foot stomped down on the accelerator. “I'll take you, dammit.”

D
ickens had done well.

The farmhouse was almost perfect.

Trask gazed at the two-story cedar house with the wide front porch with satisfaction and a hint of nostalgia. He'd known that if he found the right place it would bring him this wonderful sense of déjà vu. There was no question this was the right place. It would be the ideal environment for Kerry and him to share Firestorm.