Kissing Sin (Riley Jenson Guardian 2)

"And Roberta has inserted her son into Government ranks?"

He smiled. "No. The true power of a country often lies not in the reins of officialdom, but rather, in the strength of the crime syndicates."

I raised an eyebrow. "Meaning?"

"Is it not often said that the Yakuza is the true power in Japan?"

"They're not a power here, though."

"No, but there are crime syndicates nonetheless, and some of them are extremely powerful, even to the extent of having 'relationships' with certain Government departments."

Was the Directorate one of those departments? Was that how Gautier had become a guardian? Given that Alan Brown, the recruitment officer, was being blackmailed, it didn't take a genius to guess that maybe he was the connection between the Directorate and the man behind the mutants. But how was that happening if Jack and Rhoan could find no sign of messages being passed?

"I'm little more than a glorified secretary," I said blandly. "I wouldn't know about such things."

"Then learn, because the man you seek is now in charge of one of them - and he plans to be the only one that matters."

I studied him for a moment, then said, "I gather he's replaced rather than overthrown?"

Misha nodded. "Far easier to step into successful shoes rather than work your way up the ranks."

"But how? If this man is as powerful as you say, he'd be too wary to let strangers near him."

His smile was cold. Amused. "But not wary enough when it comes to longtime lovers."

"Roberta?"

He nodded. "The Helki pack has long done his dirty work. When Roberta came back onto the scene after her years in Roscoe's labs, she used her aura to enrapture the man. They were lovers for three years before the replacement happened."

Long enough for Roberta to become a trusted lover. Long enough for her to learn his ways and secrets. "So these labs where the crossbreeding is happening - they're not the recent innovation you've led me to believe, but ones that the syndicate have had for a while."

He nodded again. "Talon and I were the only ones who actually set up our own laboratories - though in Talon's case, it was merely to continue our lab father's work."

Because he'd kept what remained of the research notes. "And not very successfully."

Amusement touched his eyes. "He'd be hurt to hear you say that."

"Like I care. How long have these other labs been in existence?"

"They've long been used for drug development. Gene experiments, with all its potential rewards, was the next logical step, and one they took some fifty years ago."

I rubbed my arms, trying to ward off a sudden chill.

Trying to ignore the premonition that sometime in the future I was going to see a whole lot more of those labs than I ever wanted. Only this time from the right side, not the wrong side.

"Meaning the man in charge is in his seventies?"

"No. Meaning the previous head of the syndicate began the work, and the current head continues it."

"So how old is he? The man your boss became, I mean."

"Early forties." Something glimmered in his eyes. Amusement. Or perhaps anticipation. "He holds on to power through bloody force. Be wary when you go up against him."

Going up against him wasn't something I intended. I wasn't a fool - and when that man got his comeuppance, it would be via Directorate hands, not mine. Though I would most certainly be there. "When I was reading the spirit lizard's mind, I saw a house with lots of mixed-heritage creatures. Is he building up an army, like you once mentioned?"

"Not an army, but definitely a force of creatures most will fear. You destroyed some of his winged weapons a few months ago, and there is nothing ready yet to replace them. He has about forty other creatures at his disposal, though." He paused. "He also intends to hire them out - at great cost, of course."

I nodded. Misha had already mentioned that little sideline. "So he intends using his creatures to help his quest in becoming the only syndicate that matters in Australia?"