Faint color crept up her neck and into her face at the intimate tone he used.

“I think with Gideon, he gathers energy around him like a shield,” Paul continued, jerking Mack’s attention back to the boy. “It builds up until he needs to release some of it. His brain can’t take the continual battering. The first sign is, of course, a headache.”

“We all get those,” Mack agreed.

Paul nodded. “Yes, because we’re using parts of the brain never really used before. Whitney activated neuro pathways that we’ve never used as well. Those pathways don’t remain static, they grow in strength and branch out. Some of you have probably already begun to feel the effects.”

Mack nodded. “Some of the talents are getting stronger, but so are the repercussions.”

“We have to find a way to get our bodies and brains used to the new enhancements.”

“We’ve done that already, haven’t we?”

Paul shrugged. “But once Whitney opened the flood-gates, your psychic abilities will continue to grow. Whatever genetic changes he introduced to your bodies will continue to grow. If he really does have a breeding program and he paired you with someone, that attachment will grow as well. How could it not? Your psychic pattern with Jaimie is so closely woven, I doubt if you could break it. If Whitney managed to pair you along with your already tight connection, you’d have a hell of a time trying to live without each other.”

“He’s putting a man and a woman together whose skills complement one another, isn’t he?” Jaimie guessed. “So they can work together in the field as a fully functioning unit.”

“I haven’t seen any couples together other than you and Mack,” Paul said. “But I suspect so. I’ve been trying to keep track of observations without leaving a paper trail anyone can find.” He looked up at her. “If they were to access my computer.”

She smirked. “Piece of cake. Your bad luck that I wrote that program. I take it Whitney doesn’t have access to it.”

“Very few people do. It’s experimental.”

“What did you do for Gideon?” she asked.

“I drained off some of the psychic energy and it allowed him to sleep.”

Kane stood up. “I’ll use his bed and leave Gideon here, if that’s okay with you, boss.”

Mack nodded. “Okay, kid, I have a message I want to get to your father. Use your impossible-to-hack-into program and tell him I want a meeting. I’ll tell you when and where.”

Paul nodded.

“Everyone get some sleep. Lucas, relieve Marc in a couple of hours. We’re going to have some major work over the next few days.”

CHAPTER 14

“You’re certain about this, boss?” Paul asked, chewing on his bottom lip, frown lines forming around his mouth and brow. “This is my father we’re talking about. I don’t want anything happening to him.”

Mack smirked a little. “Don’t underestimate your old man, Paul. Long before you ever thought about getting into his game, he was playing everyone. I’m the slow one.

He sent me messages and I just wasn’t getting them.”

He glanced at Jaimie. He couldn’t very well blame her, but he’d been distracted.

Knowing he was going to have to find her again. Knowing she’d disappeared and he wasn’t going to be able to stand not knowing if she was safe, even if she wasn’t with him. He should have had his mind on his work, not on Jaimie, but until he had known exactly where she was, he couldn’t think clearly.

Jaimie looked up at him and smiled. He’d dragged her in, needing her skills, and for the first time, she hadn’t objected. She’d been working to prove to Mack that Griffen was not only betraying him, but trying to kill two members of his team.

Maybe she felt guilty, but it was more likely that her soft heart had kicked in as usual and she genuinely wanted to help the man. That was Jaimie.

Mack studied his team gathering around him, ready to be let loose. His men were a different story altogether. They were going to rescue their sergeant major and it had nothing to do with having soft hearts. On his part, Mack was outraged that anyone would try to compromise Sergeant Major or any member of his team. And he liked the challenge, needed it, the adrenaline rush that accompanied outwitting criminal minds. Maybe he had one of his own, as he knew other members of his team certainly did, but they channeled their aggressive natures onto a path for service of country.

“Paul was able to get a message through to his father, and Sergeant Major immediately arranged to fly to San Francisco on the pretense of a meeting with us over Doomsday and the weapons being held in the warehouse. We asked for more intel on the Doomsday unit. He made a big show in his office of barking out orders to get whatever we needed as we were very close to taking down the cell here,” Mack explained. “It’s a very legitimate reason for his coming. This is a big coup if we pull it off and Griffen has the rep for seeing to details personally.”

And he should have remembered that when Sergeant Major had been so vague about backup for Brian and Kane. His head hadn’t been in the game at all.

“I just want to make certain that nothing we do tips them off,” Paul reiterated.

Mack shook his head. “It won’t. Sergeant Major knows what he’s doing. He always stays at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel on Union Square, which is perfect for what we need. He has a routine he rarely deviates from, and he’ll follow that routine.

We know he’s being monitored and we’re going to have spotters to catch anyone. We also have Jaimie, our trusty ace in the hole. She’s setting up shop in his favorite coffeeshop. He’ll take his walk and head for coffee and to read the newspaper before his meeting and she’ll be waiting to start the back-trace using his cell phone.”

“Whoever is watching his every move is going to be more alert because they have to know we’re in San Francisco,” Kane said. “Especially because he’s meeting us.”

“Not necessarily, although I think if we can’t get the trace and get him off the hook, we’ll put more security in place when we actually carry through with a meeting.” He held up his hand, signifying to the others to give him complete attention. “This plan is very detailed and involved for a number of reasons. Each piece has to fall into place for it to work. No one take chances. If in doubt, walk away from your assignment and call it in. We’ll switch to our other procedures. You cannot be spotted. If they know we’re about to take him, my guess is they’ll kill him.”

Paul sucked in his breath audibly.

Mack shrugged. “If they lose him, he’s of no further use and he becomes a liability instantly. They have to kill him. They have strings back to them that can be followed and the last thing they want is for anyone to identify who they are. And God help Colonel Wilford if this leads back to him.” His gaze locked with Jaimie’s. “You can do this?”

“Oh yeah. If I’m right, I’m already halfway there. I think whoever is threatening Sergeant Major is the one trying to hack into my computer.” She leaned over and touched Paul’s hand. “I know I can do this, Paul.”

He nodded and gave her a brief, nervous smile.

“Whitney’s the one trying to hack into your computer,” Mack said. “I don’t want him to know you’re on to him.”

Jaimie shook her head. “Not Whitney, Mack. Someone else. Someone who likes what Whitney’s doing and has condoned it, but doesn’t want his experiments exposed—or himself, particularly himself.”

Mack frowned. Why would Sergeant Major send Brian and Kane on suicide missions and suppress evidence against Whitney? he asked her telepathically, not wanting anyone else to hear him.

I think whoever this is aided Whitney to begin with and now they’re trying to cover their ass. By choosing Kane and Brian, they throw more suspicion onto Whitney, Sergeant Major, and Colonel Wilford. They’re distancing themselves even while they protect him. Whitney isn’t going to kill one of us, Mack. We’re his creations. He’ll experiment on us, and if we die during the process, that’s just science to him, but he wouldn’t throw any of us away.

“Damn it, Jaimie,” Mack snapped aloud. “Did you for one moment think this might have been important enough to tell me? Now’s a hell of a time.”

“I tried to tell you before, when I was doing the back-trace,” she replied calmly.

“And don’t swear at me. I’m not one of your soldiers.”

Javier snorted and then sobered, coughing a bit when Mack pinned him with piercing eyes. Ethan helpfully pounded his back.

“This is going to be tight. We have to work it by the numbers. Javier, he knows you’re going to slip the earpiece into his pocket, so he’ll be looking for you. Don’t be too obnoxious and draw attention to yourself. We’ll need you moving in and out of the crowd.”

“I know what to do,” Javier assured. “I won’t blow it. Sergeant Major is family.”

“I’m talking about not getting killed here. You never think anyone can get to you.”

Javier sent him a small grin. “I know what you’re saying, Mama, and I’ll be careful.”

Mack sighed and shoved his fingers through his hair until it was nearly standing up in spikes. “There will be thousands of civilians. Innocents. You all know the rules.

We want Sergeant Major out of there. He’s our primary, but we cannot risk civilians.

Kills have to be clean and quiet if they’re necessary.”

They nodded.

“Javier, once you’re in that coffee shop, you work fast, but if Jaimie’s threatened at any time, get her out of there. Don’t worry about Sergeant Major or any of us. Get her clear and keep her safe.”

Javier threw a quick, taunting grin toward Jaimie. “You got that, little sister? I get to order you around.”

Mack leaned close. “Get this, Javier. She doesn’t come out of this with one scratch on her. Not one.”

Javier threw his hands into the air. “I got it, Top. I’m all over her.” He winked at Jaimie and then wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

That earned him another glare. Javier laughed. “You got it bad, boss man.”

“You’re going to get it bad in another minute,” Mack threatened, but the dire warning lost a lot since the others were laughing at him. He knew when to give it up.

“You all know what to do. We’ve done this a hundred times. Let’s bring him home safe. Take your positions.”

His team nodded and began to drift away. He caught Jaimie’s arm. “Once you’re in the coffee shop, Jaimie, you’re exposed. You’re a sitting duck if they realize what’s happening. Position yourself away from the windows.”

He was reluctant to let her go. He’d wanted her working with him, but now everything had changed. He knew her energy was unusual, that it worked differently, but until Paul had given him an explanation, he hadn’t really understood why working around violence was so difficult for her. Now he knew, not only was it difficult, it was dangerous.

“I’ll be fine, Mack,” she assured.

His hand slid down her arm to her wrist, his thumb sliding back and forth in a little caress. “Trust Javier. He’s cocky, Jaimie, but he’s good. Really good. He’ll keep you alive for me.” He leaned over and pressed his forehead to hers. “Just keep your head down and the ball cap on. Wear glasses and your hair up.”

“Nothing will happen to me, Mack,” she affirmed. “I have the easy job. Javier has to boost the cell phone. He’ll be in the line of fire.”

“Javier is safe from the devil,” Mack said, although there was an edgy note in his voice.