Breed

Chapter Forty-seven

Pick up the goddamned phone," Linc said.

"I'm telling you, we can handle it," Anita said.

Then they heard another phone ringing outside his office, and his door opened. In walked Mikaela and Peter.

"I've been trying to reach you."

"And I was close enough to throw my phone through your office window, so it seemed like it'd be weird to answer."

"I need your help."

"That's why we're here. I mean, we needed your help. Rox-"

"I get the feeling our two issues are one and the same. But I'll go first, anyway." Irene let herself in, and joined them without a word. "Rox is leading an assault on an NSA facility. I put in a call, and know where it is, but it would seem they're already on their way there. I need you to escort Mayumi there to extract Rox and her friends."

"They did it," Pete said. "Goddamned Cristobel."

"Actually," Irene said, "Cris didn't go. He tried to talk them out of it. They left him to make sure I didn't try to follow them. So I laid him out, and came here."

"Damn," Pete said.

"So why do you need us?" Mikaela asked.

"For one, I need discretion."

"What about Raphael?"

"I trust you and your friends to understand... Rox and the others deserve a second chance. But I also need the muscle. This facility is no joke. I'm not getting them out on my own. But if you can give me a dazzling enough distraction..."

"So we wouldn't actually be part of the rescue?"

"If you can make enough noise, I can sneak in and get Rox out. And Drake can teleport you away like you were never there."

"Couldn't you just start today over?"

"Couldn't you have stopped that shooter on the campus this morning?" Anita asked.

Linc sighed. "It's not a get out of jail free card- it doesn't give me carte blanche. I remember... what happened to me. Not everybody else. Not conversations. I mean, I remember some of that, but there's really no guarantee that I'd retain the important information- in fact, I wouldn't. I tested it, in Afghanistan, rather extensively. If it was a patrol I was on that got ambushed, I'd remember everything. But even if it was a massacre that happened on the other side of a radio, I probably wouldn't retain enough information to make it worth a damn.

"But that's why I'm going to take point. I've got information about the facility, training, and if things go sideways, I can always have a redo."

"Always?" Mikaela asked.

"It's always worked before," he said. "So always, asterisk."

"I'll see who I can track down," Mikaela said, and pulled out her phone.

"Have we met?" Linc asked, turning to Pete.

"Uh, not formally. Peter. I'm a lover, not a fighter," he said. "And a scientist, if that helps."

"How friendly are you with the technopaths?"

"Fairly."

"We could use the logistical support. Anita?"

"I'll stay here, oversee the geek squad," she said.

"Irene?"

"Yes?" she asked, perking up at being acknowledged.

"I know you didn't appreciate getting left behind. But I'm asking that you stay here. Rox and the rest have done some training. Even Mayumi's friends have done some sparring. If I had my choice I wouldn't even be taking any of them, but it would be grossly irresponsible to take you tonight. I need you here. I'm already going to be out of my mind with worry. For me, please, stay here, help where you can."

"Okay," she said, and bit her lip.

"Thanks," he said, and threw his arm around her. "Next time we play ultimate Frisbee, I'll let you pick teams. Deal?"

"Okay."