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Fideli nodded "But, Pat, this changes things It either uy as the one who knows about the protocol, and so to use her freelance, or--"

"Or the leaker knows about the protocols as well That’s a very se And suspects It may help us" McCallister finished his Scotch and put the elass on Fideli’s desk "How’s your security here?"

"Daht in for data and physical surveillance countere" Fideli shrugged "As panic rooet the faency"

"They know the drill It’s as safe as anyplace we could go We’ve got internal sources of food, water, sewer, medical supplies"

"Airflow?"

"Three sources, one daencies" Fideli’s usually cheerful expression went suddenly cold and blank "You think they’re going to come after Kylie and the kids"

"I think if this heats up, we’ve all got bull’s-eyes on our backs, from both sides So watch out for trouble"

Fideli inclined his head, just a little "What about her?" Meaning, of course, Bryn "Her apartment’s not exactly a hardened bunker"

"I’ll do personal security tonight Toress of our consulting friend I think our time line’s been et an update You two crazy kids have fun"

With McCallister?

Bryn was fairly certain that nowhere in the universe was that possible

Chapter 6

McCallister drove her holances occasionally, but he seemed to understand that Bryn wanted silence more than comfort She did like that about hi him there soothed the constant roil of terror inside her

Except that he can ht, and shivered, even in the blast of the car’s heater Anytilanced her way and turned up the heater

"It’s not that," she said

He nodded slowly "You’re realizing how vulnerable you are," he said "I’ I could do, but for noe have to wait and see"

"I thought having a gun would make me feel better, but if you order me to put it away, I have to do that, don’t I?" Her voice sounded soft, but bitter "I have to do anything you want Boss"

"I’e of that"

"But you could" She turned her face toward the passing dark streets "Some would"

He was silent for a moment, and then said quietly, "Yes Soain, or to argue that he wasn’t like that He just let it go

And strangely, that made her trust him, just a little bit If he didn’t need to defend his character, there was a lot better chance he actually had one "Why did you bring me back?" She’d asked it before, but somehow, she didn’t feel he’d really answered

"Would you rather we hadn’t?"

"Yes I think I’d be better off dead Don’t you?"

"No," he said "And if you want a real answer to that question …" He stopped, as if he eighing his answer carefully "You must have fallen next to the far wall, and a table tipped over and covered you We had no idea you were suffocating until Joe realized you weren’t where he thought you were, and started looking for you We were right there, and we let you die while we screwed around securing the scene I was the one who one When it came down to a choice, I really didn’t have one"

There was soto keep it bland and even She could iine how that had felt, to find soht have been in time to save Someone whose chance had slipped ahile you were only feet away

"So it’s guilt," she said "You did it out of guilt"

He looked at her and said, "Would it make you feel better if I said yes?"