Page 62 of 72 Hours

“But you joined us,” I said. “You joined the very Team that had closed down your enterprise. The Team you’re so disgusted by.”

There was that smile again; the creep of insanity, the curve of cruelty. It was a shocking contrast against the pale youthfulness of his face. “Yes, I did, didn’t I? And it was so fucking easy. Easy to smile and open my eyes wide and show gratitude for the chance to work with you all. But it was all for my own reasons. If I couldn’t be with Kes, I’d join the very organisation that had ripped us apart. To do the same in return.”

“You were always planning something?” Niall sounded amazed.

Greg shrugged, like that was the least of it. “From the day of my induction. I just needed to find the right time. Just some minor sabotage and confusion to start it all off... then some deliberate attacks on the precious Project Team.” He was looking at us, but his eyes had glazed over. “I’d make you all feel the same pain and misery. Make you see how stupid you were, how arrogant. And how easy it was to destroy it all, just as you did for me and Kes.”

I drew a deep breath without seeming to. My eyes darted to Sheri, hoping my slight frown warned her to stay still. “And Simon? You worked so well with him, Greg. You may be a fine actor, but I think you had some reluctant admiration for us. I think you were proud to be associated with the Team.” I made my tone conciliatory. “I always saw Simon as your friend and mentor.”

Greg looked at me warily. “He’s the only one of you that deserves any credit at all. The only one who gives a thought for the victims, who cares for anyone beyond Team directives.” I’d been right; he had one hell of a crush on his boss. “I don’t hold him specifically responsible for the raid. I found out who was there, you see. I know the main Team members, and I know those who took Kes away.”

Niall glanced at me. “I don’t understand how Simon could have been so misled by someone who worked closely with him.”

I shook my head. “Greg genuinely admires Simon.” Cares for him. “Isn’t that true, Greg?” I watched the young man flush slightly and his brow crease. “That’s what Simon would have sensed when he worked with him. He’d have assessed the loyalty, not suspecting the underlying treachery.”

“Simon found me invaluable.” Greg showed pride again “And I found his protection and his knowledge also invaluable.” His smile was softer, but still chilling me. “Yes, maybe I did enjoy my time there. You all seem to consider each other a family of sorts. But that’s not important to me, is it, because I have my own family already.”

“You let us suspect him, though,” Niall said. “You let us think, however briefly, that he might have had involvement in the attacks. You encouraged us to think that.”

“Niall,” I said, my tone warning. “I’m sure Greg didn’t—”

“But he’s right,” Greg interrupted me. “Whatever I think about Simon personally, he’s still one of you, isn’t he? One of the Project Team.”

“Yes, he is,” Niall said. “Tell us where he is.”

Greg just laughed. “I’ve been watching and following the whole bunch of you for months now. At last I know exactly where every one of you is—and it’s information that you don’t have yourselves! That’s a good feeling, Niall Sutherland.” His eyes darkened and he brought the gun around to point towards me again. “And now I can deal with you both. Properly.”

I WAS MEASURING THE distance between us and the gun—thinking how I might distract Greg, how I might keep him from going for the others first—when Niall’s words startled me.

“What makes you think you’re going to be any more successful now, Greg? I mean, we all still seem to be around, despite your efforts. All those attempts... all that planning. And we’re still alive.”

“Niall.” What the hell was he doing?

Greg flushed with anger this time. “Fuck off, Sutherland. I can still kill the girl, you know. I can still kill you all.”

Niall shrugged. He’d also taken one step away from the alcove, moving back into the room to stand beside me. “But you haven’t managed it so far.”

“What the fuck are you trying to do?” Greg sounded amazed at Niall’s rash behaviour. Chances were we all agreed with that. “The whole Team’s in chaos! I think I’ve caused enough damage so far to impress even you. Lam’s lost a leg—”

Niall sighed, as if the whole thing was starting to bore him. “No, he hasn’t. He’ll soon be walking again. He’s a very resilient man, you see.”

Greg’s eyes narrowed. He didn’t know whether to believe Niall or not. Judith was now playing things very close to her chest, and obviously the news from the hospital hadn’t filtered back to base yet. “You’re just saying that. I know how you’ve all fawned over Judith and her relentless climb to power. Not any more! There’s failure and disaster written all over her precious Team. If she survives, she’ll never be allowed on anything more than junior field work again. What has her loyalty for her people done for her? The silly, devoted Cissy—”

“She had nothing to do with Dove!” It burst out of me before I could stop myself.

“Yes she did, as much as any of the Team’s personnel. She was Judith’s right hand, wouldn’t you say?” His mouth slid up into a smile again. “And what worse thing can you do to a leader than disable their right hand?”

Disable... his vicious little bomb had killed Cissy, whether the strike had been aimed at Judith or not. It had hurt Judith more than she’d ever admit to us. I had to say that I’d never felt I could kill a person in cold blood before, but staring at Greg then, I felt the first glimmer of a pure, white-hot hatred.

“And Brad Richards....” Greg was continuing. It was like some hideous litany of his, his resume of sadism. “The mysterious Brad, closeted away with his gadgets and his secrets. Hanging around Simon, thinking he’ll share his life and affection, thinking he’s a match for him, when he’s only got half the brains and nowhere near the charm.”

His expression twisted with the jealousy he probably thought he’d kept well hidden. I wanted to rip his fucking head off for what he’d done and what he was saying about my friends and colleagues! Greg had no idea of Brad’s strengths and resourcefulness. He’d seen the attraction between Brad and Simon, but he’d underestimated its depth and devotion. Or chosen to ignore it. He accused us of arrogance, but who the hell was he to talk?

“So will Brad be the one to chase after his partner? After my elusive boss?” He caught the flash of shock on my face, and knew he’d guessed that right. “Maybe he’s on the way even now, trying to find out where he is. How he is. So let’s see what happens if he finds him. That’ll be nothing but useful for me.”

My face felt drained of blood.

Niall stepped forward again, arms held out at his side to try to reassure Greg he wasn’t threatening him. But from the clench of his fists, it looked like he was barely holding himself back. He spoke through gritted teeth. “All right, so Judith is devastated, but she’s still leading this Team. We’ll still follow her; you can’t destroy that loyalty. You’re a fool if you think we’re so easily swayed. Joe will recover eventually. Brad will find Simon and release him and your whole vendetta will crumble around you, a catalogue of inefficiency and clumsiness that the whole Team will pick over in years to come as a study of how spectacularly you failed—”