The uneasy feeling that they were being played hit him.
He rubbed the back of his neck and headed across the parking lot towards two black-glass front doors.
Behind him, a door slammed and footsteps echoed. Gabriel found himself clenching his fists, and he slowly flexed them in an effort to relax. An hour in Illie's company and he was ready to punch the man out. Not the best of beginnings.
The glass doors opened. He headed across to security and flashed his badge. "We've an appointment with Director Douglas."
The security officer nodded. "Take the second elevator down to level five. You'll be met in the foyer and taken to the director's office."
"Thanks." Gabriel continued on. His new partner followed quietly. Maybe he'd finally caught on to the fact that silence was appreciated more than endless streams of chatter.
Gabriel punched the elevator call button. Illie stopped and cleared his throat. "Have you seen the recent photos of the director? The woman's quite a babe."
Then again, maybe Illie was silent only because he'd temporarily run out of inane things to say. "We're not here to access the director's babe rating."
Illie's responding grin could only be classed as cheesy. "Hell man, it doesn't hurt to look, does it?"
"I'd prefer it if you concentrated on the matter at hand, not adding another notch to your belt." He stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for sublevel five.
Illie's gray eyes narrowed slightly. "That would be easier if I knew why in the hell we were here."
Gabriel shrugged. "If you've read the file you know as much as me."
"Nothing like sending agents out blind," Illie muttered.
"Though it's no wonder this mob got robbed. Security didn't even bother asking about our weapons."
Gabriel smiled. Despite his years in State Police, Illie had a lot to learn. "They didn't have to. Did you notice the black globe in the ceiling?"
Illie frowned. "Yeah. Camera, wasn't it?"
"No. It's a device that renders laser weapons ineffective.
There were also metal detectors on either side of the entrance, so if we'd been carrying standard weapons, the guard would have known."
"I didn't see them."
"You wouldn't. They're built into the frame. The only giveaway is a faint red beam." Something human sight rarely picked up.
"Damn," Illie commented. "Must have missed that session of training."
According to his file, Illie hadn't missed any, which didn't mean he was actually paying attention. "O'Donnell was your instructor, wasn't she?"
A slow smile stretched Illie's mouth. "Yeah."
Which accounted for the lack of memory. O'Donnell was a pretty blonde in her mid-thirties and decidedly single.
The elevator doors slid open. The waiting guard motioned them to follow and led the way down a sterile white corridor.
They passed through two more security stations before the whiteness began to bleed away, replaced by muted greens and blues.
Kathryn Douglass turned from the window when they were ushered into her office. She was a tall, slender woman with silver flecked brown hair and alabaster skin. Her age was hard to guess—he thought mid-fifties, but wouldn't have been surprised if she was older. Either way, she was striking.
"Assistant Director Stern," she said, offering her hand.
"Thank you for being so prompt."
Gabriel clasped her hand. Her touch was firm, almost challenging. More like a man's than a woman's. "This is my partner, James Illie."