The Persona Protocol - By Andy McDermott Page 0,84

His expression told Bianca that while he was somewhat annoyed by Adam’s unexpected usurpation of his social offer, he wasn’t going to block it. ‘And so long as it doesn’t affect security, I don’t see any problems.’

‘Security!’ exclaimed Kiddrick, seizing a lifeline. ‘That is an issue. As an intelligence operative, Adam is strictly prohibited from unauthorised meetings with foreign nationals. And she’ – he pointed at Bianca – ‘is a foreign national.’

Bianca was already angry at his high-handed attitude, and the stab of his finger only increased her ire. ‘Excuse me, Nate, but I have full security clearance granted to me by the Director of National Intelligence himself.’ She held up her ID. ‘I think that authorises me to talk to Adam whenever I like, inside or outside the office.’

All eyes turned to Morgan. ‘I’d say that was correct, yes.’

Kiddrick went red with fury as he realised he had been outmanoeuvred. ‘This – this isn’t over!’ he spluttered, stalking away. ‘I’ll take it higher if I have to.’

Morgan started after Kiddrick. ‘Nathaniel – my office. We need to talk in private.’ He paused to look back at the little group. ‘I’d prefer it if you didn’t go bellowing national secrets down K Street.’

‘I don’t think that’ll happen,’ said Tony. Morgan nodded and followed the fuming scientist. ‘Will it?’

‘It won’t,’ Adam told him.

‘Good. Of course, none of this actually matters unless Bianca actually wants to go.’ He regarded her questioningly.

In the heat of the discussion she hadn’t had a chance to think about that, but now she knew there was only one possible answer. ‘Adam? Yes, I would love to go for a drink with you this evening.’

‘Good. Thank you,’ Adam replied. He didn’t quite smile, but he still appeared pleased.

‘Well, you kids have fun,’ Tony said, before adding with faint warning: ‘Don’t do anything crazy, okay?’

‘I’m too tired for that,’ Bianca assured him.

Adam, on the other hand, said nothing.

22

Where Nobody Knows Your Name

The bar to which Adam took Bianca was called the Rose & Crown, an ersatz British pub incongruously located on the ground floor of a glass and steel office block. ‘I thought this might make you feel at home,’ he said.

The interior was more a caricature than a reproduction of the real thing, but she decided to keep any mockery to herself. There were more interesting things to discuss. ‘Have you been in here before?’

‘I don’t know,’ he replied. On her questioning look, he went on: ‘It seems kind of familiar, but . . .’ He shook his head. ‘Which is why I wanted to talk to you, outside of STS.’

They ordered drinks, then found a table. Bianca sat facing him. ‘What did you want to talk about?’

‘The other night, when you were asking about my past, and I wouldn’t tell you?’

‘Yes?’

‘I realised afterwards that . . .’ He searched for the right words. ‘It wasn’t so much that I wouldn’t tell you. It was more that I couldn’t.’

‘Why not?’

‘That’s the worst part – I don’t even know. But once I started thinking about it . . .’ He looked down at his drink for a moment, then back at her. ‘Ask me something about my past. Anything.’

‘Okay,’ she said. ‘Ah . . . do you have any brothers or sisters?’

‘I can’t disc—’ he began, suddenly cutting the words off. ‘You see? I didn’t mean to say that, it just came out before I’d even had a chance to think about it. Like a programmed response.’

He was trying to cover it, but she could tell he was distressed by the realisation. ‘But do you have any brothers or sisters?’ she asked gently.

‘I’m . . . not sure,’ he managed to say.

‘What about anything else?’ The standard PERSONA questions came to her mind. ‘Do you know your mother’s maiden name?’

A look of pained puzzlement. ‘I . . . no. I don’t know.’

‘Your best friend when you were a kid?’

‘I don’t know! I never thought about it until you brought it up; it didn’t even occur to me to try. But now that I have . . .’ He rubbed his temple with his fingertips. ‘I can’t remember anything about my past. At all.’

Bianca was shocked. ‘Nothing?’

‘Nothing specific. I know general things like . . . like I was in the military – I know how to field-strip weapons, unarmed combat techniques, things like that. I even know some obscene marching songs.’ They both smiled a little at the brief injection of frivolity. ‘So I’ve been trained, and I remember