Brain Storm by Cat Gilbert (detective books to read .TXT) 📖

“If that’s the way it works, why are those nut-jobs after Taylor? Why did they try to kill us tonight?” Trinity was up and pacing the floor. “If what you’re saying is true, their behavior doesn’t make any sense.”

“You’re right, Trinity. It doesn’t make sense. If they believed what I just told you, but they don’t. They think they can force the power, learn about it and use it. They really don’t care about who they hurt or what they have to do to get it. Imagine what Taylor could do, if she didn’t have any morals, if there was nothing to stop her. It’s a scary thought, and it’s what they’re thinking. I don’t know of anyone who’s had Taylor’s amount of ability, and she doesn’t even know what she can do yet. No one does. But you can bet right now, there are people sitting around a table somewhere, just like us, thinking about all the things they could do, if they could only get their hands on her. People who are willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish that.”

Well, wasn’t that just the icing on the cake. And here I didn’t think I could feel any worse. How had my life gotten so screwed up in such a short time? To top it off, it wasn’t just my life. Things had changed for everyone. Trinity might not realize the ramifications yet, but I was pretty sure Jonas did.

“Do we know who these people are?” Jonas asked quietly, confirming my suspicions. He knew what was happening. I could tell from the resignation in his voice.

“Some of them, but, no, we don’t know them all. The more people who find out what she can do, the more danger she’s in.”

“What about Marcus? Where does he fit into all this?”

Mac hesitated in his answer, and I knew things were suddenly about to get worse.

“Marcus was one of us,” he finally answered. “My guess is he was working for someone in the organization that’s either selling information or selling actual clients to the highest bidder.”

“Are you kidding me?” Trinity came up out of her chair, livid with anger. “He was one of you, and you expect us to trust you now? Oh no. No, no, no. Who are you working for? Are there people waiting to knock down that door and drag Taylor away, or are you just going to open it and invite them in?” She was shooting daggers at Mac as she paced, throwing off the effects of the painkillers. This was Trinity on a tear, and I didn’t have the strength to stop her. Fortunately, Jonas did. I don’t know what he said after he finally cornered her, but at least she was coming back to the table. She was still shooting daggers, but the yelling had stopped.

“Actually, that’s a good question, and one I’m interested in as well,” said Jonas, after he got Trinity seated again. “Where do you stand in this?”

I buried my head in my hands on the table. I really didn’t think I could take any more, and frankly, I was scared to hear his answer. He had just said that Marcus was working for someone in his organization. He could be just as easily doing the same thing. His actions tonight didn’t mean anything.

“Taylor.” I snapped my eyes open to met Mac’s gaze, and I knew my suspicions were obvious to him.

“I am not Marcus, and I will not betray you. I can’t make you believe me, but I can tell you this. I am here to protect you. That’s my job, and I am very good at it. I am willing to die to protect you, and I am willing to kill for you. They will not take you. No one will take you.”

It was a chilling declaration, and I didn’t doubt it for a minute. He’d already made it clear he was willing to kill. Abundantly clear. It was the ‘why’ of it that I had concerns about.

Jonas and Trinity stood silently watching me, waiting for my decision. Problem was, I was just too tired to make one. My brain was having trouble dealing with everything else that had happened, and there was just no way I could add any more to the mix.

Sighing, I rose from my seat and began gathering up the makings of our meal, feeling the need to do something normal in the middle of all the chaos.

“You’re cleaning?” Trinity was incredulous. “You need to think about this Taylor. I don’t know if we can trust this guy.”

“Neither do I, Trinity.” I concentrated on gathering up the empty cans without cutting myself. “But I’m not sure it makes any difference. I have no idea where we are. Do you?” I didn’t give her time to reply as I rushed on. “I don’t know what’s going on, who to trust or what to do next, but I do know that we’re alive because of Mac and if we can believe anything he says, he intends to work to keep us alive. There may be hoards of Federal agents, waiting outside the door, planning to rush in and get us and suck out my brains, but if so, there’s not a thing we can do to stop them. So whether I trust him or not is a moot point. We’re here. He’s here. We deal with it the best we can.”

I managed to lose my grip on the load of cans, which went cascading down onto the table, before scattering to the floor. I started over, Mac helping collect the ones that had rolled under the table.

“Besides,” I added, stopping long enough to look her in the eye, “I’m not the only one with a stake in this. You and Jonas have some big decisions to make too if I’m not mistaken.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You fill her in, will you Jonas? I don’t think I’m up to it.” I took what I had in my arms and headed back into the kitchen, turning my back on them both. It was a cowardly thing to do, but I didn’t want to be there when Trinity realized what had just happened to her. Mac followed me in, with his own armload of trash and silently worked next to me as I scraped dishes and wrapped leftovers.