Echo 8 (28 page)

He took a deep breath and raised his head. Then he rattled off an account of everything that had happened since Abby had left for her board meeting, omitting nothing but the physical intimacy between him and her employee. He also skirted all the classified information, less for his own protection than for Abby's.

She studied him for a long moment while he rubbed at his stubbly jaw.

“What is it you want from me, Ross?”

Good question.
The waitress appeared with his coffee. The tension at their table was palpable, and she set the cup down without comment and moved away.

He drained half the cup before answering. “I honestly don't know. I thought talking to you might help me sort it out.”

She sighed, resting her elbows on the table. “You haven't really told me what it is that needs sorting out. I assume whatever this operation is that the Bureau has undertaken is questionable, and you're concerned about the ethics. As for why you've come to
me
, I assume that has something to do with Tess.”

He nodded slowly. “That's it, more or less. Although I don't think I would have questioned my assignment a couple of weeks ago.”

Abby raised an eyebrow. “
That
suggests to me this is
mostly
about Tess.”

He stared at his coffee cup. “I think that could be true.”

Abby sank back in her chair. Ross's eyes darted to the café's entrance and around the room. He noted the position of the entrance to the kitchen, which he knew had an exit to the alley behind the building. He pulled the hood of his jacket over his head.

“Then figure out a way to extract her, and go back to your job.” Her tone was devoid of warmth. “After that, forget about her.”

He closed his eyes. “That's exactly the advice I gave myself. But … even if I could go through with it, they're not going to let her go. They'll send someone after her. They might kill her.”

“Ah, Ross.” Abby's sigh was mournful. She shook her head at him. “I hated her taking this job. She had such a bright future—I knew it was a mistake to let her get tangled up in this.”

He gave a humorless laugh. “There's no
letting
her do anything, Doctor. You of all people should know that. She's doing it because she thinks these people deserve a better option than the ones we've given them, and she's determined to make it happen.”

Abby smiled. But the smile was for Tess. “What do
you
think?”

He swallowed the last of his coffee and scrubbed his hand through his hair. “I think she's right.”

She gave a slight sideways nod, watching him closely.

He rose from the table.

“Help her, Ross. And find a way to let me know. She's like a daughter to me.”

He nodded, and he headed for the kitchen. The cook flung a curse at him as he jogged through to the alley. As his shoes hit the asphalt he vanished.

*   *   *

When the capital came up in conversation, it usually deteriorated into a diatribe on corruption and politics. People who'd never been to the city were eloquent with regard to the high crime rate, poverty, and drug problems.

But the monuments were beautiful in the pink-orange light of the setting sun.

“In this temple, as in the hearts of the people for whom he saved the union, the memory of Abraham Lincoln is enshrined forever.” Jamie was standing Lilliputian-like at the feet of President Lincoln. He turned as Ross approached. “Hey, Bro.”

“Thanks for coming, Jamie.”

“Want to take a walk?”

A dozen people milled around on the steps and at the base of the statue.

“Yeah. Let's go.”

They headed down the steps toward the reflection pool.

“I was surprised to hear from you, Bro.”

“I know. I'm sorry for that.”

“I have to admit I might not have answered if I'd recognized the number. To what do I owe the honor?”

“You're still working for GlobeWatch?”

Jamie nodded. Pride blossomed on his acne-scarred face. “I proofread, mostly. But occasionally I write up briefs.” He shrugged. “I'm not a real writer or anything.”

“It sounds like a good start. I'm proud of you.”

Jamie gave a snort of disbelief. “So why are we here?”

“I have some information I think your employer will be interested in.”

“Yeah?” His voice rose with interest. “Secret agent stuff?”

“Yes.”

“Can't you get in trouble for that?”

“Yes. I'll lose my job.”

Jamie stared at him. “Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

Jamie ran his tongue over his lips. “Shit.”

Ross fished a pin drive from his pocket. “There are classified files on this drive, along with a letter that explains everything. Make sure your editor reads the letter. This needs to be handled carefully, or there will be panic. It's going to sound crazy, and if your employer talks to the Bureau they're going to deny it, but it's all backed up with documentation.”

Jamie stared at the drive, wide-eyed. “Whoa, are you sure the crankhead can be trusted with this?”

“I'm counting on it, James.”

His brother shot him a look of surprise. “No lecture? You must be in deep donkey shit, coming to me for help. That's ironic, right? I'm never sure if I'm using that word right.”

Guilt and regret sank into Ross's bones. He had done everything he could to help his brother, or so he'd believed at the time. Hired a good lawyer, served as a character witness, helped him navigate the complexities of the legal system. But Ross had been helpless against his brother's addiction, and instead of supporting him, he'd fallen back on his favorite coping mechanism.

“I'm sorry about the lectures,” Ross said. “It's not my job to tell you how to live.”

“Confessions like that are a little suspect at the moment, Bro.”

“I know. But I mean it.”

Jamie let out a long breath, and he held out his hand. Ross dropped the pin drive on his palm. Jamie turned it over a couple of times, and he slipped it into his pocket.

“Hang on to it until tomorrow afternoon. Unless I call with other instructions, give it to your editor before you leave for the day. And for God's sake, don't
you
look at any of it. I don't want you involved.”

Jamie eyed him, and Ross could feel the shift in his intentions.

“I mean it, James,” said Ross, stern as only an older brother can be. “This has already ruined the life of one person I care about. Do you hear me?”

Jamie swallowed. “Yeah, I got it. What's going to happen to
you
?”

Ross stared at the mirror surface of the water, awash in orange light. “I don't know.”

“You going to disappear on us?”

“Probably for a while.” He met his brother's worried gaze. “Will you let Mom and Dad know everything's okay? That I know what I'm doing?”

“
Do
you?”

“Yeah, I do.”

Jamie sighed. “Okay, Bro. Take care of yourself.” Then he grinned. “Try to be less of an asshole.”

“I'm working on that.”

“Ha,” Jamie snorted. He nudged Ross with his elbow. “I'll believe it when I see it.”

*   *   *

Ross materialized in Tess's apartment just after lunchtime the following day, but she wasn't there. He hadn't really expected she would be, but it would have made things easier.

Next he dislocated to the lab. Not finding her there either, he ran out into the corridor, followed by the curious gazes of the other agents. He bumped into Garcia in the lobby.

“Ross,” he said, startled. “I've been waiting for confirmation about your assignment. Report.”

“Where's Tess?”

The older man frowned. “Report, Ross. Did you complete your assignment?”

“Almost. I need to talk to you.”

Garcia's expression of disapproval deepened. “Almost? What does that mean?”

Perez passed them on her way to the stairs. “Where is Dr. Caufield?” Ross asked her.

The agent's eyes flickered between Ross and Garcia, but she kept walking.

“Ross,” said Garcia, “Dr. Caufield has left the institute again. She took Goff with her, as well as an important contact from his Earth.”

Having only absorbed the first sentence of this, Ross asked, “Do you know where she went?”

“I'll defer to you on that, but my guess would be the other Earth. I want you to go after her and bring her back.”

Calm down and let it come to you. She's probably with Jake
. He felt a pang about the fact she'd run to Jake instead of him, but he had no right to expect otherwise. He'd delayed while he was figuring things out, and she'd probably interpreted that as him falling back into step with the Bureau. Then he'd disappeared without a warning.

Besides that, Jake's Earth was probably the safest place for her. Especially if Goff was with her. During the energy transfers he'd filled in the older scientist about almost everything that had happened to them, and, interestingly, Goff had already seemed to develop protective feelings about her. It reminded Ross of the stuff in Tess's thesis about quantum entanglement between people.

As he thought about this, the rest of Garcia's explanation finally sank in. Goff wasn't the only one who'd gone with her. “Who is your new contact?”

“Ross, I fully intend to fill you in, but I'm still waiting for your report.”

He wanted to shout in frustration. Instead he scrubbed his face with his hand. “I came here to tell you I've had second thoughts about the assignment. I don't feel that I can carry it out in good conscience.”

Garcia's expression went dark. “You're not paid to have a conscience, Ross.”

“It's not just the assassinations. I know what some of those people are, and I agree the world would be a better place without them. But the way we're using the Echoes—Dr. Caufield is right. We can do better.”

Garcia reached out suddenly, yanking Ross's weapon from his shoulder holster. “You're relieved, Agent McGinnis.”

“Yes, sir. I am.”

The director's frown deepened, showing disappointment as well as anger. “It's a good thing we've got two of you.”

Ross's heart froze. “What?”

“Your double on the other Earth sought us out. We're working with him now. We can only hope he shares your abilities.”

“The contact—the one Tess took with her?”

Garcia nodded. “He's resourceful. He'll be back.”

The director opened his mouth to speak again, but Ross had already blinked out.

 

S
URVIVORS

May the forces of evil become confused on the way to your house.

—George Carlin

I
N THE
moments of free fall before touchdown, Mac managed to land a fist in Tess's stomach. Gasping from the impact, she lost the handful of hair, and Mac slipped off into a forking tunnel.

Damn damn damn!

She'd just managed to restart her breathing when the ground knocked it out of her again. She rolled hard away from Goff to prevent the energy transfer from initiating. He groaned beside her.

“Are you okay, Professor?”

“Aye, lass. Have I come home?”

“Yes, sir. What's left of it. And I'm an Echo here, so you'll want to keep your distance.”

“Tess?”

She glanced up to find Jake in the entry to the ruin.

Smiling, she rose and joined him. “God, I'm glad you're still alive.”

“I didn't expect to see you again. I've sure missed you.”

“What's it been?” she said with a weary laugh. “Like two days?”

“Long enough for me to start feeling sorry for myself and get pissing drunk.”

That explained the thickness in his voice. “Do you have any of that left?” she asked.

“You're joking, right? I have to pour out three bad bottles for every good one, but I'll still probably starve before I dry out.” His eyes moved to Goff. “Who's your friend?”

“Jake, this is my mentor—or at least the version of him on your world—Professor Alexi Goff.”

Jake held out his hand. “Echo 8.”

Goff smiled and shook his hand. “Echo 9.”

“I had Mac too.” She frowned. “I lost him in the tunnel.”

“Mac! The asshole found a way to get back?”

“Assholes always do,” she said with a groan. “I gave him a transfer, remember? He's made some kind of deal with the FBI. I think he's delivering Echoes for money.”

“His mother would be so proud.” Jake frowned in disgust. “Come on; let's go inside. It's too damn cold today.”

As they settled around the fire Jake picked up a half-empty bottle, offering it to her. “Where's the other twin?”

“I don't know,” she said quietly, sipping the cold wine. Considering what it had been through, it wasn't bad. “On assignment, I think. He left without saying.”

Jake was eyeing her a little too keenly. “Listen, what happened before you left … I'm really sorry if it messed things up for you with him.”

“That didn't have anything to do with it.” She frowned. “Or at least not much.”

“So you're not mad at me?”

“I'm not mad.”

There was a heartbeat of silence before he said, “Can I do it again?”

She rolled her eyes. “Will you be serious?”

“I was serious,” he grumbled. “But fine. What's your plan, Doc? Have you decided to build a summer home here?”

“Yes, actually.”

“I was joking.”

“I know, right after I told you not to.”

He shrugged. “I can't help it. It's why you love me. But what exactly are you talking about?”

“I want to set up a camp for survivors.”