"Eve," he says disapprovingly. He picks up his cell and dials a number, then shakes his head. "Where the fuck is Michel when you need him?" He waits and then speaks on thephone.
"You better get back, soon. Like tonight. We have a major fucking breach in security and I need you to answer your fucking phone." He hangs up and goes to thedoor.
"Come with me," he says and I follow him into his office like a truant student in the principal's office. Ed sits across from me, his hands folded. He's mad at me, but I'm even more furious witheveryone.
"Why won't you explain things to me?" I say, angry that he's apparently ignoringme.
"Terri will speak with you tomorrow, since it was her files you brokeinto."
"You know the answers," I say, unwilling to stand down. "When were you ever going to tell me that I'm some kind of test project?Never?"
"You're angry. I get that, Eve. Let me enlighten you about something. This is a military operation," he says and pounds a finger onto the desk. "There's a chain of command and people get information on a need-to-know basis. You have to learn to take orders.Period."
He sends me home and I take a cab, retreating into my flat to nurse my wounds. Michel will be mad. He said Julien would try to stir things up, and he was right. I'm mad as well, confused about what to think and what tobelieve.
* * *
Chapter 16
"At the touchof love everyone becomes apoet."
Plato
The phone rings in the middle of the night, waking me up out of a dead sleep. I grab it and check the caller ID – O'Neil,Ed.
"Evespeaking."
"Hey, sorry to wake you so soon, but something's happened. You have to come backin."
"What?" I rub my forehead, still barelyawake.
"I'll be there in ten to pick you up. Buckle up, Eve. This one's gonna be a hell of aride."
"Tell me," I say, eager to hear what'sup.
"Can't," he says. "Security. Just beoutside."
He hangs up the phone and I get up and run around the apartment, trying pull myself together. I grab my coat and shoulder bag and run down the stairs. The car is there and Ed opens the door to thesedan.
"Get in. Prepareyourself."
I sit and fasten my seatbelt, thinking of his words. Buckle up,Eve.
"What isit?"
He clicks on the overhead light and hands me a fax sheet. As the sedan speeds off into the dark Boston night, I examine the fax and have to look twice at theimage.
Michel. But then I see it's not him. The hair's too short and there's the long scar on the side of hishead.
"Julien?" A shock courses through me and I feel dizzy. I turn tohim.
Henods.
"Someone took him out. He's dead, but he'srecoverable."
"What does thatmean?"
"It means a load of pain forMichel."