The Brigade is just five men and some small paramilitary groups, right? David against Goliath.”
“That’s the point. The next world war will be won quickly, with small, mobile forces using innovative technology. We will run circles around the giants.” Kell gave Ortega an apologetic wince. “I should let you explain.”
“You’re doing fine.”
Kell turned back to Miranda, his eyes sparkling. “We have twenty paramilitary groups ready to move in after the bombs go off. Combined with our networks in the social, financial and religious core of each major region, that will enable us to seize power by offering stability in the midst of chaos.”
“The bombs?” she asked warily.
“They will provide our opening salvo. Strategically placed explosives in ten capitals, including Washington, New York, London and Beijing, timed to ensure that President Standish and comparable world leaders are home and will be instantly killed. We have the capability to immediately dominate global communications, and we will disseminate the message that fifty more bombs exist-in other capitals as well as dense population centers. If the Brigade encounters resistance, those will be set off as well. But we anticipate that negotiations will commence immediately, especially after we deploy the pharmaceutical weapon I developed.”
Miranda shook her head. “That’s pretty ambitious, Jonathan. Aren’t you afraid the CIA and Interpol will stop you before you can get anywhere close to sixty bombs planted?”
“The last one was put into place yesterday. In Tokyo.”
She shot Ortega a horrified glance, and was impressed when he nodded coolly. “As I told you upstairs, this is not a theoretical exercise. Our progress has been swift. More proof that the world is ready for this sort of takeover.”
“Still…” She shook her head again. “Even with the power pill, your tiny forces can’t overcome huge armies. It’s an amazing drug, Jonathan, but it only lasts a few hours, and it didn’t really make me that much more powerful, mentally or physically. It cleared my head-that was amazing, I admit. But…”
“I agree,” said Kell. “The power pill offers miraculous temporary relief for persons with severe phobias, but those people aren’t likely to join the military in the first place. Most soldiers-whether in traditional armies or paramilitary forces-already have above-average ability to suppress their fear. Adrenaline works well for them.” He cleared his throat, then admitted, “It is my other formula that will be vital to the takeover. I’m not proud of it, but it’s a necessary evil.”
“Your other formula?”
“Liquid fear,” he told her softly. “We can easily introduce it into the water supply. As it turns out, it’s much easier to turn normal people into phobics than to make phobics like myself normal.”
“Oh, Jonathan,” she whispered. “What have you done?”
“Miranda!” Ortega glared. “There’s no room for sentimentality if we’re to be successful. Change has a price. For global change, that price is high. But necessary. You’d better learn that lesson right now.”
“But at some point, the price becomes too high,” Kell countered softly. “That’s the reason for our summit this weekend. Technically, we can make our move on Monday. And it would be dangerous to delay much longer, since suspicion is obviously growing. But I’m not comfortable with the anticipated civilian casualty projections, and neither is Chen.” Turning away from Ortega, he explained to Miranda, “Originally, we projected a ceiling of ten thousand. Now Gresley tells us it will be ten times that. I have insisted that that number is unacceptable, and Victor Chen agrees. But Gresley and Tork disagree. Gresley, because he is uncaring. Tork-well, he’s brutal by necessity. It’s the reason he was chosen to head our paramilitary effort, but still, there must be a limit.”
“Monday?” Miranda murmured.
Kell shrugged. “That’s up to the Brigadier. It’s the reason I insisted on a face-to-face meeting with him. This issue-civilian casualties-is critical. If something can’t be done-if Ortega doesn’t stand with Chen and me and demand that the effort be delayed until we can insure a lower figure-I will withdraw. I believe Chen will also. And without my drug, and Chen’s communication network, the Brigade will have much less chance of success.”
Almost speechless, Miranda looked to Ortega, and was again impressed by his ability to seem unsurprised, and also unconcerned.
His tone was firm yet had an inspirational ring to it befitting a true Brigadier. “We’ve come this far. I’m confident we’ll reach a compromise this weekend that will satisfy everyone. But Jonathan, my old friend, you’ll need to be reasonable. As will Gresley. I agree, one hundred thousand is too high. But ten thousand was unrealistic from the start.”
Kell nodded. “I understand. As long as you understand I have my limit. This isn’t just a power grab for me, and I hope not for you, either. It has a moral component. One that I’m proud of. One that I will insist we respect.”
Ortega arched an eyebrow in Miranda’s direction. “Obviously, our host and I need to talk. We don’t want to bore you with meaningless details, so why don’t you go up to bed. I’ll join you in an hour or so.”
“But-”
“Miranda? I don’t want to argue.”
“Do what he says,” Kell warned, adding with a wistful smile, “you need a full night’s sleep. It will lessen the hangover from the power pill.”
She sighed. “Promise me you two won’t argue? If it’s true-if you’re this close to succeeding-you shouldn’t let anything come between you now.”
“We won’t,” Kell promised. “But this discussion is long overdue. I agree with the Brigadier. It needs to take place in private.”
“Good night, then.” She leaned over and kissed Kell’s cheek.
Then she stood and stepped over to where Ortega was sitting, but he waved her away, then began talking to Kell again as though she had already left the room.
Nice touch, she drawled silently. As much as she resented being sent away, and as anxious as she was to hear more details, she knew Ortega’s behavior was reinforcing Kell’s belief that Ortega was the Brigadier-a strong, maybe even omnipotent, leader.
As long as he doesn’t overdo it, she decided, remembering how rough he had been on Kell when he first strode into the drawing room. It had been effective, but still difficult to watch. Would he browbeat the poor phobic again now? Or worse, get so impatient, he dropped the charade and interrogated him the way a former black ops specialist was trained to do?
Despite Kell’s willingness to sacrifice thousands of civilians, Miranda still felt affection for him, which she chalked up to maternal instinct. He was like a child-self-centered because he was so vulnerable, so weak-not because he was evil. If only he had been allowed to develop into a full-fledged adult, without the debilitating phobias, she was sure he wouldn’t have gone along with the idea of civilian casualties at all.
Still, there was no question that they had to get the information they needed at almost any cost, even Kell’s sanity, if necessary. If even one of the Brigade’s bombs went off, the world would be plunged into chaos. Miranda didn’t really believe the group had the global clout Kell thought they had, but if they thought they had it, and if their crazy faith in the Brigadier gave them the confidence to try anything-an assassination, interference with communication, or deployment of Kell’s creepy Liquid Fear-
Yes, Ortega would be right to use any tactic at his disposal. She just prayed for Kell’s sake that he wouldn’t go overboard. If he did, wasn’t it her place to intervene?
She lingered in the back hall and listened as Ortega began to speak, and almost immediately, she relaxed. Far from browbeating Kell, he was praising him for his vision. For his concern over civilian casualties. For his brilliance in the research laboratory. He assured Kell that he was an important-perhaps the most important-member of the Brigade, then suggested that they go through their plan, step-by-step, so that Kell could voice any misgivings, however slight. Ortega was determined, he said, to address them to Kell’s satisfaction.
He’s so inspiring. He can charm anything out of anyone, anytime he wants to, she told herself wistfully. He made you trust him. Practically made you fall in love with him that night. Now he’s going to get Kell to tell him every single detail of the Brigade’s agenda, just like that.
She didn’t need to worry about Kell anymore. And now that the power pill had worn off completely, she had to admit she needed to get to bed. She’d be asleep before her head hit the pillow, which would help avoid the awkward moments that would have arisen if she and Ortega had hit the sack at the same time.
Especially with the way he’s power-tripping, she thought with a rueful laugh. Then she sighed. Wasn’t that exactly what he had been trying to avoid? The very reason he had sequestered himself in the mountains?
