Blood Sins

tried to have her killed.'

'She was also bait for a trap, was she not? Bait for you?'

'Bait. We're not entirely sure what his ultimate aim was. We can't be. All we can know is what happened. Dani was the one he attacked, the one whose abilities he tried to take, most likely because he knew those abilities could be used as offensive weapons. Maybe he didn't go after the rest of us because he believed we weren't so vulnerable. Maybe he can only take one ability at a timeor that was his limitation then. Maybe it was all a test of our strengths. And weaknesses. Maybe our abilities weren't important to him because he already has his own version of them.'

'That's a lot of maybes.'

'Yes, I know. I did warn you, Senator, that there'd be no quick or easy answers, not if we want the whole truth. But we did get the man who murdered your daughter with his own hands.'

'And do you believe, Agent Bishop, that the man who commands or wills another to act for him is any less guilty of the act committed?'

'You know I don't.' If anything, more guilty.

'Then you know why I can't be satisfied by the capture of that evil creature clawing the walls of his cell as we speak.'

Bishop nodded. 'Believe it or not, Senator, I want the man behind that killer as badly as you do.'

'Oh, I do believe that.' LeMott's smile was hardly worth the effort. 'He's the first real threat you've faced, isn't he?'

'The Special Crimes Unit'

'Has withstood many threats over the past few years, yes. I don't mean to detract from that in any way or demean your considerable accomplishments. The SCU has faced evil in most of its incarnations, including many killers, and usually defeated them. We both know that. But this is a different kind of threat. A far, far more dangerous threat to you and your people. From all the evidence available, this killer means to use your own tools, your own weapons, your own advantage against you. And though you certainly have him outnumbered, his advantage is that it hardly matters how many agents you send after him.'

'It's not the number, Senator, it's their training and skills versus his.'

'And their abilities versus his? Abilities he wants? Abilities he can apparently take from them by force without even laying a finger on themand then use those abilities against them?'

'We don't know what he's capable of. But what happened in Georgia may have taught him at the very least that he lacks the ability, the strength, to take anything he wants. He has limits just like the rest of us. Weaknesses. Vulnerabilities. He's certainly not all-powerful. Not invincible.'

'We can both certainly hope not. But it does seem clear, Agent Bishop, that your enemy knows you at least as well as you know him and quite probably better, especially if he tracked and watched Agent Templeton as long as the photographic evidence you discovered in Venture suggests.'

'We don't know that he tracked any other member of the unit.'

'You don't know that he didn't.'

'No. If it comes right down to it, there's no way for us to be absolutely certain that he was the one doing the surveillance. Those photographs could have been taken by a private investigator hired for the purpose.'

'A private investigator too dim to realize his target or targets were FBI agents?'

'Maybe that's why we only found shots of Hollis. Maybe whoever it was decided that it was just too risky to follow and photograph agents of the federal government.'

'More maybes.'

Bishop was keenly aware that he was, as he had been for many months now, dealing with a powerful man who had nothing left in his life except a raging grief and an obsession for revenge.

Not justice for his murdered daughter, not anymore. Abe LeMott wanted revenge. For the loss of his daughter. The loss of his wife. For the destruction of his life.

Which made him hardly less dangerous than the man they both wanted.

So Bishop chose his next words carefully. 'Whatever he may or may not know about members of the SCU, what we know is that he does have at least one weakness, one vulnerability. Where there's one, there's more. That's been true of every criminal, every evil, we've ever fought. It's true of Samuel as well. We'll find those weaknesses. And we'll find a way to exploit them.'

'Before you lose any more of your people?'

'I don't know. I hope so.'

LeMott's eyes narrowed. 'You haven't seen the end of this, have you? No vision of how it all turns out? You and your wife?'

'No. We haven't.'

'But you won't let that stop you.'

'No.'

The senator conjured another smile, just as faint as before, and this time there was a hard, flat shine to his eyes. 'I could hardly ask for more than that, could I?'

Bishop was silent.

'I trust you'll keep me advised, Agent Bishop. I do appreciate that courtesy.' LeMott didn't rise or offer his hand, but it was clear nevertheless that the meeting was over.

'Of course, Senator.'

Bishop didn't wait to be shown out; after so many months, he knew his way and as always took the less-public exit that bypassed both the senator's secretary and his assistant. The door led to a short, infrequently traveled hallway, which in turn led to a wider, brighter, much busier space. People passed in both directions, some carrying briefcases or folders, many talking on cell phones, and all wearing preoccupied expressions.

A tall, gorgeous brunette with electric-blue eyes stood half screened from many of those passing her by a big plant on a pedestal, and as Bishop emerged into the busy hallway he saw her open the I.D. folder she was holding in one hand and flash her badge in the face of an obviously crestfallen young man. The admirer took two steps back, saw Bishop approaching, and managed a weak smile before continuing hastily on his way.

'I never know if it's the badge or the wedding ring,' Miranda said thoughtfully as Bishop joined her.

'Combo,' Bishop told her. 'You always hold the badge in your left hand, so they see both.'

'Ah. Well, as long as it discourages them. Do you have any idea just how many married men in this building are looking for a little action?'

'I think I'd rather not know.' Bishop took her hand, and they joined the flow of traffic moving toward one of the main exits. 'I take comfort in the sure knowledge that my very hot wife is not only disinterested and able to read minds but is also a black belt and a sharpshooter.'

'That would probably give them pause.'

'If they're thinking with any body part north of their belts, yes.'

'One can only hope. This is a government building.'

Both their voices had been a little amused and wholly casual, and anyone not also telepathic couldn't have imagined that a much more important and far more grim conversation had also just taken place.

How far do you think he's gone?

God knows.

You couldn't read him?

I couldn't read him quite well enough to get detailsand it's getting more difficult to read him at all He avoids even shaking hands with me now, and I don't think it's because he's pissed at the lack of progress. But given his history, his background, and the emotions driving him right now, my guess is that the senator's gone as far as money and connections could take him. It's a sure bet he has someone inside law enforcement in North Carolina.

What about the church?

He's known about Samuel since October. Goddammit, I should never have given him a name.

You had to. No choice.

Maybe. Not that it matters now. LeMott's had almost as much time as we have to get someone inside. If he's succeeded