Page 67 of Circle of Death
Hawkeye turns from the front seat. “More news, boss.”
Just what I need. “About what?”
“Toor Bayani is in New York.”
“That murderingthug?” It’s Jessica from the backseat. Strong opinion, as usual.
“What’s he doing here?” I ask. “He’s a homebody.”
“Not sure,” says Hawkeye. “All we got was a glimpse. We think maybe…”
I cut him off. “We should be tracking him. Every move.”
“There’s something else, boss,” says Jericho, catching my eye in the rearview mirror.
Something else? At the moment, all I want to think about is a soft bed and a warm shower. I can see that Jericho is nervous. He glances back at Maddy. “You want to tell him, or should I?”
Maddy leans forward until her chin almost touches the back of our seat. “The murderer at the World’s Fair,” she says. “I found him the other night. I almost had him.”
I feel myself flushing with anger. “Maddy!For Christ’s sake, what the hell were you doing there at the fair by yourself?”
“Wetalkedabout this!” says Margo. She’s furious, too.
Maddy looks right at me. “I wasn’t by myself. Which you know perfectly well. Because you’re the one who told Jericho to tail me!” Her voice rises. “That’s why the killer got away. If I’d been on my own, I would have nailed him.”
I kick the back of Jericho’s seat. “You saw him?”
Jericho looks back. “You want a description? Tall, strong, and ugly as shit.”
Tapper hops onto the running board, then squeezes into the back with Maddy and Jessica. As soon as he shuts the door, Jericho hits Forward and heads for the airport exit. The heavy Humvee rattles and shakes. It’s no cushy limo, that’s for sure. More like riding in a tank.
Suddenly, there’s a huge blast behind us. The whole inside of the vehicle lights up. A concussion wave rocks us to the side. I jerk my head around to where the jet was sitting. All that’s left is a column of flame, with shreds of metal raining back down through black smoke.
“Jesus!” says Jericho. He hits the power and cranks the Humvee onto the main road. In a few seconds, we’re doing sixty. I look around for attack drones. But the sky is empty. What was it? Bomb? Missile? Lightning strike?
I look over at Margo. I can tell she’s way ahead of me.
“That was a welcome,” she says. “Your girlfriend’s in town.”
CHAPTER 80
AS WE PULL into the driveway, Bando runs out to meet the Humvee, wagging his tail like crazy and jumping up against the side panel. I can see Burbank waiting outside the front door of the house. When Margo slides out of the vehicle, she walks right up and gives him a big hug. He flinches. Awkward to watch.
“Thanks for keeping track of us,” says Margo, squeezing him tight.
“You’re welcome,” says Burbank, his voice strained and anxious. He gives Margo a tentative pat on the back. “I’m glad you’re both okay.” His expression says,Please let me go.
We all gather in the front parlor for a crisis meeting. Except for Burbank. He skitters back upstairs to the privacy of his comms room. Enough close human contact for one morning, I guess. Maddy kneels on the floor to give Bando some attention. Everybody else is looking at me.
“What now, boss?” Tapper is still in his bright red jumpsuit, practically bouncing on his toes. After two hours in a cramped cockpit, he’s clearly ready for action. I am, too. But the question is, which problem to attack first? Too many to choose from.
The Destroyer of Worlds is clearly in New York, and gunning for Margo. And somewhere, her scientists are working on some kind of super-weapon. The dictator of Chinasia is lurking nearby, too. If the Destroyer and Toor Bayani are planning an alliance, we’re looking at a partnership made in hell. These two are bad enough operating separately. Who knows what horrors they could bring down on humanity if they team up?
And then there’s the World’s Fair killer. Not just a serial murderer, but an actual monster—a monster who almost took Maddy’s life, even with the mighty Jericho Druke watching over her. Who knows how many more young people have been murdered in the past few days? The cops will never tell, that’s for sure.
I decide to split my forces. I nod to Tapper and Hawkeye. “I need you two to find Bayani. Track him down and see what he’s up to, who he’s meeting with. Stay quiet and keep low. Remember, the Destroyer knows you’re the ones who gave up her location.”
“Right,” says Hawkeye. “If she catches us, we’re dead.”
