Memory Zero (Spook Squad 1)

“Take her back to the cells,” Jack said quietly. “Make sure she is fed tonight, and bring her back in the morning.”

Two men entered. She ignored them, her gaze still on Jack.

“Tomorrow we shall find out just how well dev

eloped your abilities are,” he said. “And I’d rather have you as a willing accomplice, Sam.”

She smiled, even though it felt as if something were breaking inside. She had no intention of being here tomorrow, and by escaping, she’d kill the one true friendship she’d had. A friendship that was nothing more than a lie.

“See you tomorrow morning, Jack.” Hopefully with a gun in her hand and the SIU at her back.

GABRIEL STORMED INTO KARL’S HOME. Though Karl hadn’t answered the phone, he was home, sitting on the sofa in the dark. He raised his hands, as if in surrender.

“I had no choice,” he said, voice soft and cracked with pain.

Gabriel saw the tears in his eyes. It was that, more than anything else, that stopped his anger.

“They have Jan,” Karl continued.

Gabriel sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Then he slumped onto the sofa beside his friend. “Fucking hell. Why didn’t you tell me?”

Karl grimaced. “They were monitoring all my lines. They shot Jason’s dog and threatened to do the same to Jason if I tried to warn you in any way.”

Jason was Karl’s youngest—barely ten. The loss of his pet would certainly shatter the poor kid. “Then why not use a public phone? Or go to one of the neighbors?”

“They said they were going to call at six, and every ten minutes after that. They said if I didn’t answer, they’d kill her.”

He shook his head. After all Karl had seen with the Federation, he should have known better than to trust the word of a man like Kazdan. “Have they called?”

“Yes.”

“And?”

Karl closed his eyes. “They were supposed to call back an hour ago with the details of her release.”

“I’m sorry I dragged you into this, my friend.”

Karl shrugged. “I knew the risks when I joined the Federation. Jan and I discussed it. I just didn’t think they’d go for my family rather than me.”

“Sethanon probably wouldn’t.” To date, Sethanon had confined his attentions to active operatives of the SIU and the Federation. “This is Kazdan’s doing.”

“And Kazdan’s worse?”

“Much worse.” Sethanon seemed to have limits, lines he wouldn’t cross. Kazdan appeared willing to go to any length to get what he wanted. And right now, that was Sam. “Are the kids really with Jan’s folks?”

Karl nodded. “School holidays, remember? They go up there for the week Jan can’t get off. I’ve sent Harvey up there to guard them.”

However much Karl felt Harv was ready to join the Federation, Gabriel doubted that Karl’s eldest had the training or the skill to deal with the likes of Kazdan’s men.

Karl’s brown eyes were full of torment as he continued, “They won’t release her, will they?”

“I doubt it. Jan’s proven valuable. He might find other uses for you.”

“Bastard,” Karl muttered, then took a deep breath. “I thought something like this might happen. That’s why I bugged his car.”

He stared at his friend for a long moment. “You bugged his car?”

“And the cretin with the gun. I used the new plastic type; detectors can’t pick them up.”