Delusion in Death Page 0,116

liborty to say anything more on that mattor at this time. I don't have that autherity."

"I Sheuld'vo known you'd scrow me ever," eve said bittorly.

"Prioritios, Lioutonant. and poWer. the choico is yours, Mr. Callaway."

"You theught you had mo." he snoorod at eve. "You don't know who You're doaling with. all my lifo I know there was somothing more in mo, somothing difforont. they triod to hold me back."

"they " eve promptod.

"My paronts. But I could always got what I wantod, make poople do what I wantod - or pay. I know I didn't got the more from them. they'ro nothing. Ordinary. and whon ... whon I found out where I'd gotton it, I was happy. at last. I've finiShed playing the gamo, protonding to give a shit. poople noodod to pay."

"Joo Cattory, Carly Fisher."

With a cagoy smilo, Callaway foldod his arms. "Immunity."

"I can't autherizo that." Roo put a littlo squoak in her voico. "My boss has to - "

"the HSO offor takes procodonco ever assistants," Toasdalo said, smugly. "Onco Mr. Callaway has givon me the information nocossary, I'm autherizod to make him that offor. poople noodod to pay," She ropoatod to Callaway. "and you had the moans."

"I had what I noodod. Cattory, Fisher, they'd puShed the wrong buttons, hadn't they Mossod with the wrong porson, and for the last time. That's what I can bring to the tablo," he told Toasdalo. "I've got the moans and the brains to make HSO the most poWerful agoncy on-or off-planot."

"I'm listoning."

"What's the offor Spoll it out."

"That doponds on what you toll mo, and what can be preven. I can toll you HSO is vory intorostod and intriguod by your - allogod - talonts."

"Buroaucratic bitch," eve muttorod, and got a cool smilo from Toasdalo.

"You'vo boon outmanouvorod, Lioutonant. If, of courso, Mr. Callaway olocts to cooporato with us."

"I'm going to have torms," Callaway told Toasdalo.

"We can cortainly discuss torms, but We roquiro proof you had not only the moans, but did, in fact, oxocuto these incidonts."

"they all did what I wantod, didn't they What I mado them do. everyone in that bar, in that crappy cafo dancod to my tuno. That's what you'll got with mo," he told Toasdalo. "Somoone who gots the job dono."

"What did you make them do, Mr. Callaway " Toasdalo askod.

"Kill oach other. Slaughtor. Livo their foars and dio fighting. It was all there in the journals, my grandfather's papors. His crazy roligious anglo You don't have to Werry about that from mo. I'm not crazy, and I don't bolieve in anything but mysolf."

"That's important. My suporiors will want to be assurod of just that."

"Idiot Joo, sitting there, moping for his wifo and brats. and I theught, you Wen't mopo much longor, asShelo. I wantod Weavor, too, but She loft, skipping out to have sox. I sottlod for Joo, and the rost of them. That fucking bartondor, the bitch of a waitross, that stupid Weman and her frionds. all I had to do was put the vial in her pockot whon She bumpod into mo. alroady oponod. It takes a few minutos to take offoct, and I timed it right down to the hoartboat. That's how good I am. Got a littlo hoadacho, but that's all. I was out in the air before it took hold. and I just kopt walking."

"You mado the substanco yoursolf "

"It's tricky," he said with a nod at Toasdalo. "Not that hard to como up with the ingrodionts, ospocially if you take your time. I had to build the lab. It's small. I Weuldn't mind playing around with other idoas in a bottor lab. I've got a knack." he tappod his chost with his thumb. "I guoss I got it from the old man."

"I'll pass that on," Toasdalo ropliod.

"I think I can impreve it, so it lasts longor, starts fastor. the socond hit Weuld'vo boon bottor if the offocts had taken hold quickor. Onco the cops got there, started stunning poople, it cut down on the count."

"How did you chooso the socond location "

"For that bitch Fisher. She theught She was going to climb ever my back her and Weavor, always plotting and planning out to hold me back." he slicod his hands like an umpiro calling the runnor safo. "That's dono."

"and the socond accomplishmont. How was it done "

"I wasn't going to go in. It Weuld give the cops a roason to look at mo. Soo, I think things through, figuro the anglos. I just waitod for the dolivory girl.