Conspiracy Game (GhostWalkers 4)

"Please, I'm only asking for a few minutes of your time."

"Are you armed?" Jebediah asked.

"Yes. And you should be as well. I arrived too late to help at the circus, tracked you to the villa, and followed you here. I'm not the only one on your trail."

Seth cursed under his breath. "I watched the entire time; I never saw a tail."

Jebediah gestured to indicate that Kadan precede him to the table. "Seems like half the world is on our trail. What is it you want?"

Kadan waited until the Jenkins family was seated around him, the brothers forming a protective ring around their sister. "Did you meet up with Jack Norton in Kinshasa?" he asked bluntly.

"I'm not going to answer that," Jebediah said.

"Maybe this will help you understand what's going on," Kadan said, opening his briefcase. Before he could retrieve anything, Jebediah pinned his wrist. Kadan merely looked at him, one eyebrow raised. Jebediah slowly removed his hand.

Kadan took out a file. "Once upon a time, many years ago, a brilliant researcher, with more money than good sense and morals, came to Europe and went through the orphanages looking for specific children. He wanted children, all female, who showed promises of superior intelligence, but also--more importantly--a psychic gift."

Tyrel leaned forward. "How would this researcher be able to tell if a child was bright with psychic gifts? How old were these girls?"

"Many of them were infants. He bought the girls and took them back to his lab, where he proceeded to conduct experiments on them. Later, when he feared he might get caught, he devised a plan to make it look to the world as if he had adopted the girls out. In the meantime, he conducted his experiments on volunteers, military men trained in Special Forces."

Jebediah let out his breath in a slow hiss of comprehension. "He was developing a superior soldier, a weapon, using physical and psychic enhancement."

"Exactly. Briony, you're one of his girls."

"Dr. Whitney," Jebediah said. "My parents were approached by a man named Peter Whitney. He was a billionaire. Checked out completely, had all kinds of ties to several governments, here in Europe as well as in the States. He knew the president and just about anyone who was anyone. He said his wife died and he just couldn't raise his daughter alone. He wanted her in a loving environment, but somewhere she could develop her unusual skills."

Kadan nodded. "We don't know everything. Supposedly Whitney was murdered, but none of us believe he's dead. We've retrieved three of the girls, now grown women, of course. Lily, Dahlia, and Iris, and now you, Briony. We've been looking everywhere. I know you're not an anchor. How have you managed to survive all these years without one, in such close proximity to others?" There was open admiration in his voice.

Briony gripped Jebediah's hand hard. "Do you know a man named Luther? Enhanced physically and psychically just as you are?" Deliberately she hit him with her certain knowledge.

Kadan shook his head. "I'm sorry, no. There are two teams of men I'm aware of. If there are others, Whitney enhanced them in secret."

"What did he do to them?" Tyrel asked.

They all had questions. She had a hundred questions, but they didn't know this man. If Luther and Sparks were after her, it was possible Kadan Montague represented the other persons Luther said wanted her and the baby dead.

"It's an involved process," Kadan said. "If you come back with me, to the States, Lily can explain it. She's one of the girls bought from the orphanage. She's been working not only to find the other girls, but to find a way to help those who aren't anchors to better be able to live in the world without constant pain."

"You mean that's real?" Seth asked.

"Oh, yeah, it's real," Kadan said. He leaned across the table. "You've been able to do that, Briony, when even most of the men have problems, and they were adults and strong. Your input would be invaluable to the rest of us."

Jebediah's face darkened with anger as he read through his sister's file. Much of it was in scientific terms he couldn't understand, but the gist was there and it was horrendous. "Does Jack know about this?"

"Not yet. We believed Briony was in the most immediate danger. Is she pregnant?"

There was a long silence. Kadan looked around at the set faces. He tapped the file. "We just received the information that you're pregnant or we would have moved sooner to alert you. We hacked into Whitney's computer and this indicates she's pregnant. If the child is Jack's and both of you are enhanced, do you have any idea what that could mean? Whitney would do anything to get his hands on the baby. And from what I've been told, Briony, he'll do whatever it takes, including killing everyone you love, to get you back. He'd like to use you in his breeding program."

"This is scaring the hell out of me, Jeb." She looked to her oldest brother. "I couldn't bear it if any of you were hurt because of me."

Kadan tapped his briefcase. "They won't stop, Briony, and sooner or later they'll kill your brothers and take you back to the lab. You need protection. Come back with me, and we'll make certain Whitney never gets his hands on you or the baby."

Jebediah continued to frown down at the file. "Why would you be so willing to put yourself in harm's way for my sister?"

"Because she's one of us," Kadan said.

"Luther volunteered to protect me too. He murdered Tony," Briony said, watching Kadan's face carefully. It didn't do her much good; the man never changed expression.

"Who is Tony?" he asked.

"The father of my baby," she lied.

Kadan blinked, his only reaction. "Not Jack?"

Briony shook her head. "Not Jack. Unfortunately when I went to the doctor, thinking pregnancy impossible because I was on birth control..."

"They were giving her placebos," Jebediah snapped. "Damn them. Where did you get this file?"

"We hacked into the doctor's computer and stole it. He's been trying to maneuver Jack Norton and your sister together for this past year. He didn't count on her being able to be with another man. Not being an anchor was his safeguard against Briony finding a relationship." Kadan's voice was devoid of expression as he imparted the information. His eyes stared straight into Briony's. "Like Whitney, I can't imagine how you could possibly have a sexual relationship with a man who isn't an anchor."

Briony shrugged. "He didn't think I could stand living with my family either, but I have for all these years. I also perform in front of thousands of people. Did anyone think I could do that?"

"Briony." Jebediah simply said her name softly, emotion moving through the depths of his eyes. "We should have known about this. We would have been..." He broke off, looking helplessly at his brothers.

"Better with you, more understanding," Tyrel finished.

"I'm fine. Mom always said I was strong enough, and I am." She touched Jebediah's arm because he looked so distressed. Fortunately, with Kadan so close she couldn't feel his distress.

"Wait a minute," Ruben interrupted. "None of this makes any sense to me. Why would this Dr. Whitney want to get this guy Jack together with Bri?"

"Dr. Whitney was--or is--a genius, a man with connections all over the world, well respected, the highest of security clearances and a drive to succeed at everything he does. We know for certain that he conducted experiments on orphans, the young girls he basically bought in Europe and brought back, hiding them away while he perfected his method of enhancing them psychically and eventually physically. Everyone thought those girls were adopted out, but we've since found that Briony has been the only one we know of. Whitney then conducted tests for psychic abilities among the Special Forces and performed his experimental operations on several of us. No one at that time knew about the girls. We only found out after Whitney was supposedly murdered. We believe he is still alive and now is continuing and escalating his experiments, sanctioned by some covert organization within the government."

"Son of a bitch," Ruben growled. "Is this for real?"

"Unfortunately, yes. I'm giving you information that could get us

all killed. At the very least, if he finds out we have it, that we know he's alive, Whitney will go underground and cut off the leak and we'll never find him. I risked my life coming here to warn you, to offer protection. The least you can do is give me the truth."

"What makes you think I'm not telling the truth?" Briony asked.

"I'm psychic too. The things he did to you, he did to me. I can help you. My team can help. You know as well as I do, Briony, that as your pregnancy advances, you won't be as fast. You won't be able to escape and it will fall to your brothers. They might get one or two of the men he sends after you, but not the enhanced soldiers. Those soldiers will wipe out your entire family and never look back."

"That's enough," Jebediah snapped. "We have to think about this, not go off half-cocked. I have friends who will check you out for me. I'm not turning my sister over to anyone until I know who they are and what they want."

"You may not have the luxury of waiting for an answer," Kadan said and signaled the waiter over. "I don't think these people are going to wait while you call your friends. If I can find you, they can find you." He looked at the bandages on both Tyrel and Briony, his gaze jumping to her swollen, black and blue face. "Again."

Briony smiled at the waiter and took between her palms the cup of coffee he placed in front of her, her mind racing with the things Kadan had said. There was no way she could trust her baby to a stranger, but she did have a choice. She stared into the black liquid, her stomach fluttering with fear. Could she do it? Was she strong enough?

"Where are you staying, Mr. Montague? We'll talk it over and let you know what we've decided to do. I have to think about this."

Kadan sighed. "Read the file. Whitney is a monster, and if he gets his hands on you--or the baby--your life is not going to be worth much. At this time we have no idea where he is, so there wouldn't be a rescue team showing up to bail you out. Come back to the States with me. If you're worried, your brothers are welcome. At least stay until the baby is born. You're enhanced; you've had a great education. We can teach you survival skills, maybe enough to protect you and the baby."

Survival skills. Don't open the door. Stand to the side of it. Walk on my left side. Go up to the roof, not into the alley. The words played over and over in her head. Who better to learn from than the master?

"Why haven't you gone to Mr. Norton and told him all of this?" Briony asked. "There must be more than one of you. Did you send someone to warn him?"

Kadan watched her with his unsettling direct stare. "Norton disappears, and when he doesn't want to be found--no one finds him."

Briony poured cream into her coffee and stirred it. "He's missing? Then you did try to find him."

"One of his team members was with us when we discovered this information. We left it to him to decide whether or not to try to contact Jack and tell him."

Seth took the cream from Briony, dumping it into his coffee as he glanced at Kadan, a challenge in his eyes. "If they killed Tony thinking he's the father, wouldn't they go after this Norton character on the off chance he is?"

Briony glanced up when Jebediah groaned. He covered his eyes with one hand and whispered in her ear. "The thought of you having two partners is more than I can take."

"They might go after Jack. They have a lot of intel. Whitney had a high-security clearance. He has access to files on Jack that few people have. In my opinion, he won't go near Jack unless he has no other choice. He would be stirring up a hornet's nest."

"What does that mean, exactly?" Seth demanded. "Why would he kill Tony and not Jack?"

Kadan sat back in his chair. "Tony was an easy target. Jack's not. Whitney has only so many men. We had a run-in with him recently and he lost a few. If he sent a team in after Jack, few of them, if any, would make it back alive. Jack isn't alone up there. He's got Ken with him, and his twin is every bit as lethal as he is. They're an unstoppable team. They've worked together for years and each knows exactly what the other is going to do at any given moment. Whitney would have to be insane--or desperate--to go after Jack Norton--especially on his home turf."

Briony looked at her brother, despair in her gaze. Resolve. She blinked away tears, and Jebediah swallowed hard, reaching for her hand.

"Briony's right, Mr. Montague. We appreciate the warning and the information, but we need to talk this over as a family. Give us a few minutes."

Kadan nodded. "I could use food. I'll order while you all talk. Anything I can get for you?" He scooped up the file and put it in his briefcase.

Jebediah wanted breakfast, and the others followed suit. They waited for Kadan to go into the cafe.

"He wasn't fooled," Briony said. "He knows we're going to leave. That's why he took the file."

"We are?" Seth asked.

"Ruben's back with the car," Jebediah said grimly. "Let's go."

CHAPTER 9

Briony stared out the window at the wild scenery as they climbed higher and higher up the mountain in the Montana wilderness. At times the road seemed more of a faint, pitted track, overgrown with shrubs and grasses. The more she learned about Jack Norton, the more she could see him in this wild environment. He was a throwback to earlier times, a man who made his own rules and was as dangerous as the predatory animals surrounding him. He could disappear anytime he wanted and survive quite well off the land. She doubted anyone could find him, and that's why she needed him. He could teach her those same skills and protect her while she was learning them.

It didn't matter that he didn't want her. Liability. The word echoed through her mind. She pressed her hands over her stomach, her mouth tightening with determination. Too bad for Jack. She was not only arriving on his doorstep, she was bringing a kid. Granted, it wasn't born yet, but he was going to have to live with it. She couldn't see him turning them away once she told him their child was in danger.

Her fingers curled around the window as she leaned out to look down to the valley floor. They were on the right track. She felt him, the same way she'd felt his presence long before she'd ever laid eyes on him. He was closer than she'd anticipated, and she tasted fear in her mouth. Her heartbeat accelerated, and slowly, involuntarily, her fingers curled around the window jamb until her knuckles turned white. She felt the heightened danger with each mile they traveled.

"Are you certain, Bri?" Jebediah asked, his voice tight with strain as night fell. "It's becoming harder to see, even with the moonlight, and I don't want to use the headlights unless we absolutely have to. We've managed this far without a tail, and if we tip off Norton we're coming, he could slide away from us and we'd never find him." He glanced at her. "Once we do this, there's no turning back."

"You feel the threat too, don't you?" Few things worried Jebediah, but he definitely had a sixth sense when it came to danger.

"We are in danger, Bri. Jack could just as easily decide to shoot us for trespassing as listen to us. How many signs have we seen warning us away?"

"About ten." Briony offered him a faint smile. "If he bothered to put up signs, he doesn't want to kill anyone."

"You can bet every cent you have his brother Ken put up those signs."

"I hope I can trust the SEAL you contacted for Jack's address."

"Jess Calhoun was the closest thing to a friend Jack and Ken had."

She shrugged. "Who knows if what I'm doing is right? I don't trust anyone I don't know. None of us can right now, but Jack Norton is the baby's father. I'm not asking him to take responsibility. I'm not looking for a lifetime commitment, but if he's the badass you keep saying he is, then, for certain, he's my best chance of protecting our child. Even Kadan Montague said if he wanted to disappear, no one could find him. That means he can teach me."

Jebediah shook his head. "He scares the hell out of me, Bri, and the thought of you with him..." He stopped the SUV right in the middle of the narrow track and turned toward her. "Some men live by their own rules, and Jack is one of them. He'll never be an easy man, won't ever fit into society, and he's dangerous as he

ll if you cross his sense of justice. The government uses men like him, trains them, hones their natural instincts, and calls them when they need them, but they don't acknowledge them, because they're killers. Jack is extremely intelligent, and he's got more recorded kills than any sniper I know of--unless it's his brother." He tapped his fingers in agitation on the steering wheel. "I don't know if he was born that way, or if Dr. Whitney's enhancements made him that way; he doesn't talk much, but didn't you feel the danger when you were around him? Didn't you look into his eyes?"

Briony looked away from him. She'd glimpsed too much emotion in those eyes he spoke of. That intensity still haunted her sleep at night. Jack hadn't looked at her with the eyes of a killer. He'd been all man and he'd been dominant, loving, and frightening all wrapped into one. As inexperienced as she was, she still recognized that Jack could have taken things further than he had. He could have tied her to him sexually, left her craving only him, wanting only him--but he hadn't--not deliberately. He wasn't nearly as cold or unfeeling as those around him credited him as being, and that was what she was counting on.

"There's a chance he'll want to protect the child. He protects his brother. He's part of a military unit, and you said yourself he doesn't leave his people behind. He must have a sense of responsibility."

"That's a hell of a big leap of faith."

"What choice do I have, Jeb?" Briony asked. "If what Montague says is true, and he had enough proof that a madman is after me, where can I go? Especially if Whitney is part of some secret government project. We don't know one way or the other, but you told me you found enough proof in Mom and Dad's papers to know I was adopted and Whitney, the same name Kadan Montague used, insisted I be brought up with a very strange training program. Sparks tried to drug me and Luther tried to kidnap me. I don't think there's much doubt I'm in trouble here."

"Don't sound bitter, Bri. Mom and Dad absolutely loved and adored you." He flicked her a quick glance. "The money makes sense. They wanted to buy into the circus as partners. They wanted a child, a girl, and they wanted to give you the best education possible. You speak several languages, you're a genius, and you can kick serious butt when you need to; it wasn't as if they didn't genuinely love and want the best for you. They loved you--don't ever forget that in all of this."