"One of us will be proved right, one not. Shall we wait and see?"
She gave a slow nod, moved to the true reason she'd asked to meet. "We're stronger together than we are apart."
"Yes."
"Then we remain a team?"
"No. We remain two Councilors with aligned goals."
That wasn't quite what she was used to hearing from Henry. However, it was far better than the current situation. "Agreed."
"I believe Nikita may have something of the same arrangement with Councilor Krychek."
"Nikita would strike a deal with Satan if he existed, so long as it advanced her business interests."
"And you wouldn't?"
"Of course I would." She rose from the chair. "That's how I became a Councilor."
"Have you been able to speak with Ming?"
"He knows we utilized the prototype implants without authorization. He won't be swayed to our side without considerable effort." She paused, considered whether to share the information, and decided to go ahead. "I don't believe all the scientists died when the Implant lab exploded."
"Highly likely. Ming wouldn't waste so much potential, even to make a point."
"It's possible he may be developing an implant of his own."
"We'll find it before he finishes," Henry said with sublime confidence. "That kind of a secret is near impossible to keep. Even you could not do that."
Henry waited for her to respond. She let him.
Finally, he rose and walked to stand in front of her, a tall man with mahogany skin whom the human media had dubbed "patrician." She cared nothing for that, only for his mental and political strength.
Now, he proved his political acumen by saying, "The Sri Lankans broke naturally - the anchor in that region is fluctuating."
Anchors, as Shoshanna well knew, were integral to the functioning of the PsyNet. Since anchors were born, not created, they were identified young and trained to use their abilities to merge with the Net to ensure it remained stable. But those unique Psy also had a habit of failing spectacularly - a disproportionate number of serial killers had come out of the pool of anchors in recent times.
"Do we need to bring it up at the next Council meeting?" With some things, there was better political mileage in taking the initiative.
"I'll take care of it."
"Henry, we need the anchors." They couldn't simply be rehabilitated like the others who broke. Rehabilitation left very little of a functioning mind, and the anchors needed those minds to do their jobs.
Henry's expression didn't change. "He can be brought under control with a little judicious telepathic reshaping."
"That could break his mind."
"I know what I'm doing - I've had some practice." He stared at her. "If we succeed, we'll have an anchor who's bound to us. That part of the Net would be ours to control."
And if they failed, no one would know. "Do you need my assistance?"
"Keep snowing the media. I'll do the rest."
As Henry left her office, Shoshanna did a reassess ment. Their previous relationship had been to her advantage, as Henry had obeyed most if not all of her commands. However - and if Henry continued to remain rational - this new partnership could yield even greater fruit.
Henry might not want to rule, but she did. She also knew how to take care of extraneous matter after it had outlived its use.
Chapter 20