“Not for you.”
Jamie tipped his head back and stared at the ceiling, eyes tracing the crown molding along the edges and the shelves that held family heirlooms.“I’m trying not to regress too much.”
“The mission seems to call for that.I just don’t like watching you become someone we both don’t like.”
“This isn’t fun for me either, Katie.”
“Most of it’s not fun for you.”She paused, then said, a bit teasingly, “I’d argue that you enjoyed the little show you and Kyle put on last night for everyone.”
Jamie wasn’t even going to deny it.“Wished it was under better circumstances.”
“Don’t we all?”
Jamie leaned forward to steal her coffee and take a sip.The whiskey was almost too much paired with the coffee, a bitter burn that coated his mouth, but he swallowed it down anyway.“So how do we fix this?Sean’s idea has merits, but we both know there’s nothing outside of a Faraday cage or neuro-jammer gun or null power that can stop our abilities.And you can’t be there every time we meet with the enemy.”
“I can build everyone shields against mental interference, but that’s a stop-gap measure.They won’t last forever, not without constant reinforcement by me, because your minds aren’t built for it.”
How Katie had described her power in the beginning, when everything about their bodies was new, was a wall between her mind and the world.It formed out of an automatic function when Splice altered her brain structure along with everything else.If she wanted to use her telepathy, she had to consciously break the wall down in order to push her power out into the cacophony of billions of minds in the world.Her brain could handle the stress of her mental power; theirs couldn’t.
“I think that’s a risk we’ll have to take,” Jamie said slowly.“How often would you have to rebuild our shields?”
“Every couple of days.”
“Then we go with Sean’s story of a new defensive tool the DOD authorized, and we hope your shields are there when we need them.”
“If you’re sure.”
“I’m always sure of my second-in-command.”
The faint smile Katie gave him was enough of a sign that she might have forgiven him for his assholery, at least for the moment.No telling what the future would bring.
Someone rapped on the door just then before opening it up.Liam stuck his head inside and narrowed his eyes at them.“Is it safe?”
“Come in and find out,” Katie told him.
“Didn’t want to get in the middle of a row between you two.I’m delighted to see no one needs a medic,” Liam replied as he stepped inside.
“We’re just finishing up.Is it time for you guys to leave already?”
“Nearly.We have reservations at the Dorchester at 1300 sharp, so let’s be off, Jamie.I’m famished.”
“The Dorchester,” Jamie said, rolling his eyes.“You couldn’t have picked a more pretentious spot if you tried.”
“Could’ve had tea with the queen, but then the spies wouldn’t get an eyeful.”
“I’ll pass, thanks.”
“Grab Kyle, would you, Jamie?”Katie said as she pushed back her chair and got to her feet.“I’ll build your shields before you go.”
“I’ll get some paracetamol for the both of you,” Liam said, holding the door open for them.
“Better make sure you get some for yourself.I’m shielding your mind as well.”
Jamie chuckled at Liam’s exaggerated wince at that announcement.“If I have to suffer, you have to suffer.”
“Your NCOs are hard as nails,” Liam sighed.
“That’s how I like them.”
