Generation 18 (Spook Squad 2)

The general’s almost cynical smile suggested she wasn’t that far off the mark. “We have his last known address, if you’re interested.”

“And would it do me any good? Haven’t you already checked it out yourselves?”

“Not as yet. There is a team on the way, of course, but Hopeworth is farther away than the SIU and you are likely to get there faster. Orrin is best contained; by whom doesn’t matter.”

If he was best contained, then why hadn’t he been earlier than this? The general was playing his own game here; she was sure of that, if nothing else.

“Then give me the address.” It was a shame she’d never be able to charge the general and his military cohorts with obstruction of justice. They’d had this information from the beginning of the murders—of that she had no doubt. Yet they’d sat on it. Had simply watched while people like Gabriel’s sister were brutally murdered.

It was just as well that she wasn’t standing face-to-face with the general. She’d be tempted to punch him.

“Orrin lives in the government housing estate in Melton. Twenty-eight Errol Street, to be precise.”

She frowned. Emma Pierce had lived on that same street. “Thanks for the help, General.”

He nodded and disappeared. Izzy reappeared onscreen. “Need anything, sweetie?”

“Yeah, request me a gun and a car.”

“Feel like shooting someone, do we?” Izzy’s foot tapped several times. “Stun or dual?”

She hesitated. If this man was as big as the general had suggested, she wasn’t going to get caught having only a stun gun to defend herself with. “Dual

, just to be safe.”

“Request being processed.”

“And see if you can get Gabriel Stern for me, will you?” She leaned back in her chair, watching the boa twirl.

“No answer, sweetie.”

She frowned. This wasn’t like Gabriel. Not when he’d said he’d leave the phone on. “Try Director Byrne, then.”

Stephan’s face appeared on screen. “Agent Ryan,” he greeted, voice neutral yet somehow sharp. “What can I do for you?”

“I’ve just been in contact with General Frank Lloyd. He discovered the name of the man who hacked into their system and recovered the information on the Generation 18 rejects.”

“Do you need assistance in picking him up?”

“If what the general said about his size is true, then yes, I will.”

“I’ll assign Briggs and Edmonds immediately.”

“Thanks.” She hesitated briefly. “Sir, have you heard from AD Stern? I’ve been trying to get ahold of him for several hours now.”

“No, I haven’t.” Stephan rubbed his chin. “He was on watch detail at Jeanette Harris’s place, but he went to investigate something else and hasn’t been heard from since.”

And Stephan was worried, though his face, like his voice, showed absolutely no emotion.

“Have you talked to the remaining teams? Do they have any idea where he might have gone?”

“Yes, I did, and no, they haven’t. The two agents at the front of the building reported he climbed out of his car about five minutes after a paperboy had gone past, and that he walked up the street into a house. He was last seen flying away in his hawk form.”

“No location indicator after that?”

“We investigated his last known location, with little result.” He hesitated, leaning back in his chair. “I don’t suppose you’ve felt anything?”

She hesitated. How much should she tell Stephan? In many ways, she didn’t really trust him, simply because her desires and needs were of no consequence to him. The only thing he cared about was the Federation, the SIU and his wife. And in that order. “Not exactly, sir.”