Curious Minds (Knight and Moon 1)

Riley thought he sounded like a little boy whose Christmas had been postponed.

Emerson got to his feet and turned to Riley. “After you, Riley.”

Rollo shook his head. “No. Not her. Just you.”

“I’m afraid I must insist,” Emerson said. “Miss Moon is my executive assistant.”

“They don’t want to see her. Just you.”

“I don’t care what they want. I don’t even know who they are. I go with Miss Moon, or I don’t go at all.”

Rollo turned on his heel and went out, slamming the door behind him.

“See if it’s locked,” Riley said to Emerson.

Emerson tried the door, the door opened, and a guard pointed his gun at Emerson. Emerson closed the door. “Not locked,” he said.

“Maybe you shouldn’t be making Rollo angry,” Riley said.

“It passes the time,” Emerson said. “But I really shouldn’t get such pleasure from it. I’ll have to take a long look at that.”

“Yeah, you can do that while he’s torturing you with his medical instruments.”

“It will, as I say, pass the time.”

“Why is it so important that I go with you?” she asked Emerson.

“It’s not. But it’s very important that you don’t stay here.”

“Uh-oh,” Xandy said. “What’s going to happen here?”

“Rollo is going to have time on his hands,” Emerson said.

Xandy went pale. “He’s going to probe me, isn’t he? I don’t suppose I could be your other executive assistant? Or your assistant’s assistant? Really, I could help around the house. Look after your pets?”

“You don’t want to do that, trust me,” Riley said.

“Don’t worry,” Emerson said to Xandy. “Rollo doesn’t have any history with you. You should be fine.”

“?‘Should’ doesn’t cut it,” Xandy said. “Besides, who’s to say I don’t have a history with him? I’ve had a lot of past lives. I’ve done some crazy doo-doo.”

The door opened and Rollo gestured to Emerson. “Miss Moon can come with you.”

Emerson stepped out into the hall and Riley trudged after him in awe of his stamina. He was unsmiling and serious but completely focused. She could practically hear his mind crackle with energy. She, on the other hand, was struggling to stay alert. They walked to the end of the hallway and were shown into a conference room. The table was typical high-polish boardroom. The chairs were black leather, rolling on wheels. The walls were lined with flat-screens. The flat-screens had video links showing live shots of Area 51. Some of the screens rotated with interior views of the gold vault.

Günter had been pushed up to the table. He was still strapped to the hand truck but it looked like he’d had medical attention. His head drooped but his eyes were open and fully dilated. Some drool escaped from the side of his mouth. He had a soft cast and brace on his leg.

“They’re on their way,” Rollo said. “Make yourself comfortable.”

Emerson walked to the head of the table, pulled out a chair, and sat down. There was a console of controls in a panel on the table in front of him. He flicked a couple switches and the images on the giant screens went black.

“Do you think you should be messing with that?” Riley asked.

“Why shouldn’t I?”

“They might get angry.”

“I think they’re already angry.”