Nowhere Safe

CHAPTER 44



“Everything is on schedule for today.” The Chessmaster studied the Monday morning traffic moving through downtown Miami eight stories below, and spoke into a new sat phone. Change was important when dealing with jackals. “Your man must be ready no later than sixteen hundred hours.”

The General stated, “He will be. He needs twenty minutes to construct the unit and have it ready to activate. Sure your timeline is firm?”

“Yes. Even if it changes, we’ll still have several hours notice.”

“High Vision wants to resume shipping next week,” The General ordered in his get-it-done voice.

“Not a problem.”

The General had the misguided notion that he was in control of the Miami project. Once the unit was successfully tested, the Chessmaster would step from the minor leagues into major league power. All The General wanted was to appease an associate with a new weapon.

The Chessmaster had far greater aspirations. Knocking The General off his arrogant pedestal would be a personal pleasure, but he had to be kept content in the meantime.

“Solve the problems in Miami tonight,” The General reiterated with more force.

“I’ve told you it will be. You’re the one who cautioned me against doing anything drastic in the beginning or this would have been handled sooner. My way.”

Not true. The Chessmaster had enjoyed putting Trish Jackson through torture for drawing Zane’s attention to Colbert when she’d schmoozed Colbert at the holiday party. Then Colbert went sniffing after Zane’s sister. Idiot. If he hadn’t started thinking with his dick he’d still be alive and running interference for the Chessmaster.

The General was getting nothing until the weapon his man was constructing functioned successfully.

“What is your way?”

“I’m loading evidence into the task force computers that will have to be found by specialists so that it doesn’t appear planted. But they’ll go looking as soon as they receive a tip after tonight’s disaster. If your unit does its job, I’ll do mine, then Zane Jackson and his two friends in the DEA will land in adjoining prison cells.”

“What about his sister?”

“She’ll be onboard for the test.” Literally.

As soon as Trish was out of the way, Zane would be arrested for his role in her death, based on ghost information a forensic computer tech would discover. That would lead the tech to investigate everyone Zane was close to, starting with Ben and Vance, who would be fingered for their roles in killing a US Senator.

Josh Robertson might disappear before he got his due. A hardened agent would, but he’d followed the Jackson bitch to Atlanta. From all signs, Robertson had made the unforgivable mistake for anyone in his line of work. He’d gotten personally involved.

The Chessmaster hoped that was case, and that Robertson showed up during the test. Neutralizing him in the ensuing chaos would be a breeze.

The General only wished he could strategize at the Chessmaster’s level. This time tomorrow, High Vision would have what they wanted. The General would have what he wanted.

And the Chessmaster would show the Orion Hunters exactly who held the power in this country.