I clicked off. Rachel Swenson slipped into the seat beside me.
“I went by your place,” she said, “but there was no answer. Saw Mags tied up out front.”
We both looked out the front window. Maggie was huddled against the side of the building, tail sucked between her legs.
“She’s scared of the weather,” I said. Rachel nodded and made a soft sound in her throat. The pup was our common ground. Our surrogate child. The only safe patch in the shifting terrain of a relationship.
“I thought you’d be in court today,” I said, my voice easing.
“I had an early morning conference call.”
“You want a coffee?”
“We need to talk.”
“What is it?”
Rachel glanced around the shop. It was mostly empty, but her voice dropped anyway. “Late last night, Homeland requested an ex parte order allowing them to take control of the National Guard in the event of a health emergency on Chicago’s West Side.” A pause. “This morning, they withdrew it.”
“And you think I know something about this?”
“I already know about the lightbulbs. I know about the subway. And I know you got called into something yesterday. Something you thought might be heavy.”
A double burst of lightning split the sky into shards of purple and white. Maggie lay down on the pavement, curling herself into a tight ball and tucking her nose between her paws. She kept one eye fixed on us.
“We’d better get her,” Rachel said.
“In a minute. You ever heard of CDA Labs?”
“What does CDA have to do with the government’s petition?”
“You’ve heard of them?”
“I know who they are, yes.”
“How?”
“I didn’t come here to answer your questions, Michael.”
“It’s important.”
“Isn’t it always?” Her voice mocked my own, and, for a moment, I saw her, clothes torn, face bruised, tied up in an abandoned Cabrini-Green high-rise, wondering if the shotgun pointed her way was loaded. Then there was nothing, save the creaking wreckage of our relationship and the knowledge there was little I could do to fix it.
“The government withdrew its petition, Rach. If there was a problem, it’s been taken care of.”
“Not necessarily.”
“What does that mean?”
She folded her hands together, stared at her crossed thumbs, and drew a cleansing breath.
“Five years ago, George W. issued an executive order giving the feds specific power over the Guard in the case of a national emergency. From what I understand, one of the geniuses in Justice realized this morning they could mobilize in Chicago without any action from the courts.”
“Can they?”
“There might be some constitutional issues, but probably.”
My phone rattled on the table. I held up a finger and checked the caller ID. “I gotta take this.”
I stepped outside and gentled Maggie as I picked up the call. Molly Carrolton didn’t bother with the formalities.
“Where are you?” she said.
“Just got some coffee. Why?”
“We need you back at CDA.”
“What’s going on?”
“Things are escalating.”
The first volley of thunder cracked and rolled overhead. The pup shivered under my hand. Inside the shop, Rachel had gotten herself a cup of tea. She was staring at me through the glass as she added milk and sugar.
“Where’s Ellen?” I said.
Silence.
“Molly?”
“Get down here. Before they come get you.”
“Who are ‘they’?” I said, but the line was dead.
I flipped the phone shut as Rachel walked out of the coffee shop.
“I’ve gotta go,” I said.
“Your case?”
“One of them. Listen, I’d like to talk about this. Let me give you a call.”
“So there is a connection to what you’re doing?”
“Let me call you later. We can grab dinner or something.”
She took a sip of her tea. “You’re not going to be able to play them, Michael.”
“Play who?”
“Not like you do everyone else.”
“Rach… ”
“It just won’t work. Not with them.”
“Dinner, tonight. I’ll call you.”
Rachel scratched Maggie behind the ears and left me standing on the sidewalk. As I arrived back at my apartment, the first spit of rain began to fall.
CHAPTER 24
CDA’s lobby was full of three men in dark suits and sunglasses. They didn’t look very friendly, so I took the road less traveled. Also known as the freight elevator. It didn’t make a damn bit of difference.
“This way, Mr. Kelly.”
Two more guys wearing dark suits and shades were waiting on the third floor. They led me down the same blank corridors, past the lab where I had gotten my first taste of black biology, and into yet another conference room.
“They’ll be right with you.”
The suits left before I could ask who “they” were, or why “they” all wore sunglasses during a thunderstorm in March. Three minutes later, the door opened again. It was Molly.
“Sorry, Michael.”
“Not a problem. When did the Men in Black show up?”
She tried to smile, but her features wouldn’t cooperate.
“What’s going on?” I said.
“Come with me.”
She walked me down the hall and back into the lab. I didn’t see any of the government types along the way. In fact, I didn’t see a soul.
“Everyone go out for a liquid lunch?”
“They’re over at our level-four facility.”
I skimmed her eyes and saw dark shapes, swimming fast just beneath the surface. ”What’s going on, Molly?”
“We might have a release.” Her voice caught on the words, but they tumbled out anyway.
“Of a weapon?”
She nodded and glanced at the door.
“Are they coming back here?” I said.
“Pretty soon. We’ve been down at Cook all morning. They decided to take it back here for a conference call with Washington.”
