Shards of Hope

Chapter 54

BLAKE WAS INTELLIGENT and he was trained. He was also starting to have doubts about Beatrice’s suitability as a partner so he made sure to keep tabs on her. The instant he saw Zaira take her aside, he had a decision to make and he made it quickly. There was a chance Zaira was simply talking to Beatrice about training issues, but there was also a chance the girl would break, and if she did, he’d be dead within minutes.

Then there was the fact that Yuri had been watching him. He’d counted on the squad’s belief in loyalty to shield him from suspicion in the death of the would-be terrorist, but it looked like he’d miscalculated. He’d only done the favor to create a marker with an individual with certain advantageous resources.

Now it was time to collect.

Stepping inside the office he was cleared to use when he came in to run sessions, he tapped a junior telepath who had enough Tk to be useful. Even if they were already suspicious of him, the alert would’ve gone out to senior personnel, not junior. The Tk appeared in seconds, confirming his belief. When Blake asked for a ’port into New York, the younger male hesitated. “Sir, that’s at the end of my range.”

“Aden has authorized it. You’ll catch a jet back home.”

“Yes, sir.”

Once in New York, he didn’t waste time killing the boy. Instead, he gave a short nod and blended into the bustling metropolis. His PsyNet trail was already secure; the squad couldn’t hunt him on that level.

He was free.