I hope the Engineer doesn’t take the bait.”
“We’re not done with each other,” said Thorpe.
“I’m sure it will be a lovely reunion,” said Billy. “Give Warren time to locate the Engineer. Warren’s an artist. When I met him, he was wasting his time as a card counter in Vegas, and hot-sheeted at most of the casinos. Now he has a calling.” His face was radiant. “I hate seeing talent wasted. That’s the only sin there is.”
“Oh, there’s a few more,” said Thorpe.
“Indeed.” Billy sat on the bench, arms and legs spread wide, staking his turf. “How do you like it on the beach, Frank? Not much fun being just a taxpayer, is it?”
“I’m still getting used to it.”
“You don’t have to get used to it.” Billy crunched the ice cubes from his drink between his strong white teeth. “Retirement is overrated. Even with perfect weather and congenial companions, I couldn’t
wait
to get back into action. We’ve been spoiled, Frank. Playing God, it’s the best game in the world.” He winked at Thorpe. “You can talk about the nobility of the cause, but if all we cared about was the red, white, and blue we could have just bought a war bond.”
Thorpe was going to disagree, but Billy would have known he was lying.
“I’ve started a . . . consulting firm, Frank. I’m in the process of assembling a team, the best of the best. Strictly corporate accounts. My clients are as eager for information as our former employer, just as ready to secure an advantage over their competitors, but without any presidential findings or pesky oversight boards to finesse. For us, there’s just the paycheck and the pleasure of making the chickens tap-dance.”
“What do we need him for?” asked Warren. “Just another soldier boy grown up and no place to go.”
“Not just a soldier boy,” said Billy. “Frank was Delta Force, the warrior elite, and freelancers by nature and training. No snappy salutes in Delta, no parades or public ceremonies; they actually call their officers by their first names.”
“That’s enough, Billy,” said Thorpe.
“You should be proud of yourself,” said Billy. “Frank here actually started a war by himself, set a leftist guerrilla army up against a Colombian drug cartel, and they never even knew who lit the match. Sadly, though, our government doesn’t take kindly to such initiative. If I hadn’t stepped in, Frank here might have ended up in Leavenworth.”
“Are you done, Billy?”
“I just wanted to explain to Warren why I value you so highly,” said Billy. “You’re a rare individual, Frank, creative and highly adaptive, willing to spill blood, but not enamored of violence. Kimberly was the same way.” He showed his teeth. “She was tougher, though. You’re a little too tenderhearted.”
“You want to bet?” said Thorpe.
Billy folded his hands in his lap. “Actually . . . no.”
“What about Gavin Ellsworth?” Thorpe said lightly. “Is he on your team?”
“One of my first hires,” said Billy. “A
very
cautious fellow, but a brilliant forger.” He bent forward, started unlacing his bowling shoes. “We’re going to have such a grand time working together again. I’ve got a new client, a software-development firm under considerable pressure in the marketplace. They have their sights on a rival firm’s chief designer. I need one of your signature three-cushion shots, Frank. I need to get the man fired, to make his work product suspect to his former employer, and then have our client pluck him from the depths of despair. Nothing more grateful than a rescued man, right?” He slipped off his shoes, grinned at Thorpe. “When can you start?”
Thorpe didn’t answer.
“The shop isn’t going to take you back, if that’s what you’re counting on. The shop isn’t even going to exist much longer, not as an off-the-books entity.
None
of them are.” Billy wiggled his toes. His burnt-orange socks had a pattern of tiny black clocks. “Control
“We’re not done with each other,” said Thorpe.
“I’m sure it will be a lovely reunion,” said Billy. “Give Warren time to locate the Engineer. Warren’s an artist. When I met him, he was wasting his time as a card counter in Vegas, and hot-sheeted at most of the casinos. Now he has a calling.” His face was radiant. “I hate seeing talent wasted. That’s the only sin there is.”
“Oh, there’s a few more,” said Thorpe.
“Indeed.” Billy sat on the bench, arms and legs spread wide, staking his turf. “How do you like it on the beach, Frank? Not much fun being just a taxpayer, is it?”
“I’m still getting used to it.”
“You don’t have to get used to it.” Billy crunched the ice cubes from his drink between his strong white teeth. “Retirement is overrated. Even with perfect weather and congenial companions, I couldn’t
wait
to get back into action. We’ve been spoiled, Frank. Playing God, it’s the best game in the world.” He winked at Thorpe. “You can talk about the nobility of the cause, but if all we cared about was the red, white, and blue we could have just bought a war bond.”
Thorpe was going to disagree, but Billy would have known he was lying.
“I’ve started a . . . consulting firm, Frank. I’m in the process of assembling a team, the best of the best. Strictly corporate accounts. My clients are as eager for information as our former employer, just as ready to secure an advantage over their competitors, but without any presidential findings or pesky oversight boards to finesse. For us, there’s just the paycheck and the pleasure of making the chickens tap-dance.”
“What do we need him for?” asked Warren. “Just another soldier boy grown up and no place to go.”
“Not just a soldier boy,” said Billy. “Frank was Delta Force, the warrior elite, and freelancers by nature and training. No snappy salutes in Delta, no parades or public ceremonies; they actually call their officers by their first names.”
“That’s enough, Billy,” said Thorpe.
“You should be proud of yourself,” said Billy. “Frank here actually started a war by himself, set a leftist guerrilla army up against a Colombian drug cartel, and they never even knew who lit the match. Sadly, though, our government doesn’t take kindly to such initiative. If I hadn’t stepped in, Frank here might have ended up in Leavenworth.”
“Are you done, Billy?”
“I just wanted to explain to Warren why I value you so highly,” said Billy. “You’re a rare individual, Frank, creative and highly adaptive, willing to spill blood, but not enamored of violence. Kimberly was the same way.” He showed his teeth. “She was tougher, though. You’re a little too tenderhearted.”
“You want to bet?” said Thorpe.
Billy folded his hands in his lap. “Actually . . . no.”
“What about Gavin Ellsworth?” Thorpe said lightly. “Is he on your team?”
“One of my first hires,” said Billy. “A
very
cautious fellow, but a brilliant forger.” He bent forward, started unlacing his bowling shoes. “We’re going to have such a grand time working together again. I’ve got a new client, a software-development firm under considerable pressure in the marketplace. They have their sights on a rival firm’s chief designer. I need one of your signature three-cushion shots, Frank. I need to get the man fired, to make his work product suspect to his former employer, and then have our client pluck him from the depths of despair. Nothing more grateful than a rescued man, right?” He slipped off his shoes, grinned at Thorpe. “When can you start?”
Thorpe didn’t answer.
“The shop isn’t going to take you back, if that’s what you’re counting on. The shop isn’t even going to exist much longer, not as an off-the-books entity.
None
of them are.” Billy wiggled his toes. His burnt-orange socks had a pattern of tiny black clocks. “Control
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