The Timekeeper Conspiracy (TimeWars 2)

Jimmy nodded. "All right. Taylor is a pro. Unlike you and me, he's getting paid a bundle for this. I don't know how much, but I know it's pretty heavy. He makes all the right noises, but when it comes right down to it, he's an outsider."

"He's been with the organization for quite a while."

"He's worked for the organization," Jimmy said. "It's not the same. He's still an outsider. A very well-paid outsider."

"They have handed us our tools…" said Tonio.

"Yeah, sure. But it helps to know that you're using the right tool for the right job."

"You don't trust him."

Jimmy didn't reply for several seconds. "You realize he's crazy, don't you?"

Tonio chuckled. "Don't let Freytag hear you say that."

"Well?"

Tonio stared at him. "He's a paranoid schizophrenic most of the time, except when he's a psychopath. Does that answer your question?"

"Yes, that answers my question."

"And you want to know what I'm going to do about that."

"Yeah."

"Absolutely nothing."

"What?"

"You heard me."

"I heard you, but I didn't understand you. You agree with me about Taylor and you're going to do absolutely nothing?"

"You bet. It's like you said, Taylor is a pro. I'm just an amateur. Going up against Taylor would be dangerous, but going up against Taylor and Freytag would be fucking suicide. Taylor I've got my doubts about, but I know for damn sure that Freytag doesn't give a good goddamn about Professor Mensinger, the Timekeepers or the time wars. Freytag's a mercenary and Taylor is his paymaster. Neither you nor I nor both of us together can afford to buy him off and, frankly, I'd rather go up against a dozen Jimmy Darcys than one Freytag. So I'm simply going to pretend this conversation never happened and if you're smart, you'll watch yourself. Besides, he might be madder than a mayfly, but with Taylor, there's a hell of a lot more chance of this whole thing coming off than without him. Okay?"

Jimmy nodded grimly. "Okay."

"Terrific. Now what do you say we go and get the job done? It's dark enough to slip in there without drawing attention to ourselves. We'll make it nice and quick and there's one less thing to worry about. All right?"

"Sure," said Jimmy. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Let's go and kill poor old Doc Bennett."

Simon Hawke

The Timekeeper Conspiracy

"Just make sure you subdue the woman first," said Tonio. "She's an agent and she'll be the one to give us trouble."

Walking normally, they crossed the street and headed toward the house, going past it and then doubling back behind it. There was no back door, but they had been at Doc Bennett's house before and they knew the best way to break in. It didn't take them but a moment. They entered the house silently, weapons at the ready, listening for noise, the sound of conversation, footsteps, anything. There was no noise.

"Watch yourself," whispered Tonio.

It didn't take them very long to discover that their quarry had fled. The house was deserted and they saw that Bennett had taken care to destroy all of his equipment and supplies.

"We waited too long," said Tonio. "We should have moved in earlier."

"But how did they get out?"

"Obviously there's a way out of this house that we don't know about. Looks like Doc didn't tell us everything. Lucky for him."