Page 104 of Long Enough
Midas showed the best picture they had of him from surveillance footage at the mission. Midas had managed to pull a single frame of undamaged footage off a camera to get a full-front image of the puppet master.
“I have a name. Or I think I have a name.”
“What is it?” TB asked.
“Rubicon.”
“The point of no return,” Steel defined.
Silence pervaded the room.
The enemy had a name.
“I’ve never heard it on the dark web,” TB admitted. “Then again, I don’t spend nearly as much time there as I did when I was The Collector. Maybe he’s taken over from a previous leader.”
Midas continued. “Now that we’ve got all your trackers rerouted through Nova, I’m training our new AI on all things Rubicon.”
“Pretty soon, the AIs are going to outnumber the humans,” TB grumbled.
“Wave of the future, my man. Makes our jobs a whole lot easier and faster. But don’t worry. They’re not going to go allSkyneton you. I’ve built in fail-safes. They have parameters, and I test them daily. If I see issues, I’ll shut them down faster than you can spell ‘fuckwitch.’”
“We’ve got a lot to unpack here, people. And I’m about to add one more piece to it.”
It was the first time the team leader had spoken during the meeting, and everyone looked at Waters with a mix of trepidation and concern. His pneumonia had set in quickly in the oubliette, and it left lasting damage. He moved slower. Tired easily. Needed an inhaler sometimes, but was beginning to wean himself off of it. He’d be fine, but it would take time, and he’d never be one hundred percent again.
A glimmer formed around the man, and Steel had a sudden premonition. This was the end. Well, maybe nottheend. But the end of the way things had been.
“I’m retiring. From the field work,” he quickly reassured them. “Kubrick and I talked it over, and it’s not safe for me, or anyone else, to put myself out there when I’m not as healthy as I once was. The damage to my organs after my vacation in Bariloche is bad enough to keep me at a desk. I spoke with God just before we met here, and, effective immediately, I’ll be taking over his position, while he’ll be working exclusively with Mythos. Our worlds will still intersect, but the groups will remain separate—with us as the moneymakers and Mythos continuing their missions against the Salieri.
“That means, however, that we’re going to need to make a few changes here. It’s no surprise to most of us that we’ve been training Midas to one day take over my spot as team leader.” He looked over at Nemo’s twin. “Because of your importance with the IT piece, I’ll still handle the client and project vetting, but I’ll do it with your input. You will run all the projects, your choice of on-site or off-site. You’re ready.”
Midas absentmindedly grabbed one of his squishy cats and began working it in his fist. “I don’t like how this came about, but I get it. I won’t let you down.”
“I know you won’t,” Waters said with a grin. “You’ve never let anyone down in your life. Wouldn’t expect that to suddenly change now.”
“We gonna be taking on anybody new?” TB asked. His tone was wary.
“Yes and no. God asked me to put together a new team,” he admitted. “Not to replace us. Just a group of individuals who will work solo and bridge the gap between our work and the traditional guys who work the legitimate jobs as a front for Tribe Corporation.” He looked around the room. “There’s still work that needs our particular skills, but less of it. These solo contractors will take on the heavy lifting. I’m guessing most of us would prefer to step back some. There are women involved now. Kids.”
They all looked at the side screen, where the women were still gathered around the remains of their luncheon, their books, three dogs, and a madhouse of kids who appeared to be involved in some sort of milk-pong battle for the universe.
He cleared his throat. “Having said that, the stakes are now higher than they ever were before. If there’s anyone who doesn’t wish to stay, you’re free to leave. The final edict is no longer a factor.”
The men all looked around the room at each other.
“Well, don’t look at me,” Nemo said, his hands in the air. “I have to report to work tomorrow. I think there’s still a dartboard somewhere in one of God’s offices with my picture on it from when I got mixed up with Gem the third time. Final edict is probably still in effect for me.”
“I’m still under contract with Mythos, but I’m going to be one of your new solo contractors,” Ka-Bar growled. “I’ve got a score to settle.”
“I’m with Ka-Bar,” Demon said. “It’s going to be a long timebefore I forget St. Lucia.” The look on his face more than provided proof for his nickname.
Midas tossed the squishy cat in his hand to him. “Well, I just got promoted, so I’m not going anywhere.”
TB worked his jaw as he looked at the screen. “A year ago, with Axel about to be born, I might have taken you up on that offer. But this is my home now. You guys are the family I lost all those years ago. I’m here to stay.”
Steel looked back at the screen again. Daleyza sat pulled up tight in the high-backed chair at the conference room table, her feet folded underneath her. She was smiling. Laughing even.
Then he looked closer.
