Page 59 of Circle of Death
“You’re a mass murderer,” says Margo, her jaw tight. “A genocidal maniac. A war criminal.”
The Destroyer doesn’t flinch. “The world is the world, Ms. Lane. It’s collapsing without my help. Things have been building to this conflagration for centuries. All these petty jealousies over land and religion and resources.Ridiculous. I’m not the prime mover. I’m just a witness to the carnage. Like both of you.”
“Then why do you need a world-ending weapon?” I ask.
Silence. Then…
“Touché,Mr. Cranston.” She gives me a disarming smile. “Everybody needs a little extra insurance.”
She stands up and walks toward me. I get up to face her. She looks right into my eyes, as if she and I were the only two people in the room. I feel my chest clenching again. Is she trying to intimidate me? Hypnotize me? Break me?
“Am I right, Mr. Cranston? Or is itLeShadow?” She frowns. “So silly, these cartoon names. They diminish us.” She steps closer, invading my space. “Tell me something, Lamont. Be honest. Do you think you’re a match for me?”
Her energy is overwhelming. Her fragrance goes right to my brain, like another kind of drug. It’s all I can do to hold my ground. Suddenly, Margo elbows her way between us, eyes flashing.
“Lamont’s already met his match,” she says. “You’re looking at her.”
Instantly, the Destroyer’s tone shifts. She reaches out and strokes Margo’s cheek. Just for a second. “Indeed,” she says. “True love.Lastinglove.” Her smile widens and her tone turns gracious. “I have an idea. You’ve come all this way. I want you to enjoy a special dinner tonight, at the finest restaurant in France. Just the two of you.C’est moi qui offre.”My treat.Then she looks straight at me again as if Margo’s not even in the room. “We’ll do business later,” she says,“toi et moi.”
She turns and walks toward the door. I feel sick and dizzy. Like I’ve been punched in the head. At the threshold, she turns and looks us up and down. First me. Then Margo.
“Forty-two regular, and size two,” she says. “We’ll find you some actual clothes.”
And then she’s gone. I’m foggy, but furious. I turn to Margo. “Business?Whatbusiness? Does she think I’m here to make some kind ofdeal?”
“Really?” asks Margo. “You don’t get it?”
“Getwhat?”
She shakes her head. “God! Men can be sothick.”
“How? What am I missing?”
“Lamont. The Destroyer of Worlds wants to go to bed with you.”
My stomach flips. My head throbs. “What? That’s…sick!”
Margo slides her arm through mine and squeezes. “Don’t worry. She’ll have to go through me first.”
CHAPTER 71
MADDY PACES BACK and forth in Burbank’s tiny comms room. “Are they okay? What the hell is happening over there?”
Hawkeye leans over Burbank’s shoulder as they try to get a bead on Lamont and Margo’s location. Maddy can feel Jericho hovering behind her, like a 250-pound babysitter.
“Give me some space,” she says. “I promised I wouldn’t disappear on you.”
Maddy hasn’t given up on finding Deva’s killer—or Moe’s—but right now, she’s more concerned about Lamont and Margo. They’ve been out of contact for nearly twelve hours. According to Burbank, the plane touched down, but that’s about all he knows.
Maddy watches as he taps his keyboard and tweaks his dials. But nothing seems to be working. Burbank looks harried and frustrated. “Look,” he says, “this system wasn’t designed for transatlantic transmission. I can barely get a reading from their sensors.”
Maddy leans in close. “What kind of sensors?”
“Biometric tags,” says Burbank. “Very primitive. Attached to their scalps, under their hair.” He points to two meters with wavering, red-tipped indicators. “All I can say for sure is that they both have pulses.”
“What about Tapper?” asks Hawkeye. “Where’s my goddamn jet?”
Burbank checks another device, taps his keypad. A set of coordinates appears on a screen. Burbank does a quick conversion. He glances at Hawkeye. “Do you know anybody in Lycksele, Sweden?”
