The President's Vampire by Christopher Farnsworth Page B

in.”
    “Yeah,” Zach said. “You’re right.”
    That sucked a little anger out of her sails. “Your turn,” she said. “That’s what we’ve got. You tell us how you and Cade ended up in Africa.”
    “Not much to tell. This is what we do.” He repeated the same line they’d given Graves about the tracks. They all looked dubious, but Zach was a good liar. And turnabout is fair play: they were all keeping secrets from one another.
    Bell sat down and took charge in the same smooth motion. “So if we’re all up to speed, let’s get to work,” she said. “Book: I want you to talk to your Pentagon contacts. See if you can find anything with your buddies in black ops. Candle: check the A/A records. Maybe there’s something in there we overlooked. We’re behind already, and Graves is going to expect results as soon as he hits the ground.”
    They moved toward the cubicles in the office like they were heading onto a battlefield. Zach paused.
    “I need to make a quick call,” he said.
    Bell’s lips pursed in a little moue of irritation. “Knock yourself out.”
    Zach looked over his shoulder at Hewitt and Reynolds.
    “It’s private.”
    That caught Candle’s attention. “What, you need to check in with your boyfriend?” Book provided a one-man laugh track.
    A grown-up would have let that slide by. But in many ways, Zach had to admit, he was not a grown-up. “No,” he said. “Your mom. She worries if I don’t show up on time.”
    “Hey, fuck you.”
    “Sparkling comeback.”
    “Boys, boys, boys ,” Bell said, a warning tone in her voice. Candle sat down and looked pointedly away from Zach.
    “Go wherever you want,” Bell said. “We’re not your babysitters.”
    But she called after him as he headed toward the front door.
    “Is it your girlfriend?” Bell asked.
    Zach stopped. “What?”
    Bell looked a little sheepish. “It’s none of my business.”
    “Uh, no,” Zach said. “Definitely not my girlfriend. I mean, I don’t have a girlfriend.”
    She didn’t say anything else. But Zach thought she might have smiled.
     
     
    ZACH WANDERED OUTSIDE the office complex. Satisfied that he was far enough away from the building, he brought out his phone.
    It was the only high-tech gadget he’d been given, but it was undeniably cool. Android? Nexus One? Toys. Convenience-store specials compared to his phone. GPS, satellite capability, universal computer access, camera, even a built-in flashlight. If James Bond carried an iPhone, this would be it.
    It also had a special function to defeat electronic surveillance. A tap on the touch screen and he set up a kind of dead zone around himself that baffled any attempt to listen in with bugs or microphones. It would even blur his image on a security camera.
    He activated the safeguard, then dialed a number. He wondered if she was awake.
    She answered on the second ring. “Well?”
    “He’s in the air now. You’ll be able to trace him with the homing device I gave you. The tracker is in a briefcase with him.”
    “He doesn’t know, does he?”
    “Don’t be ridiculous. He’d never approve of this.”
    “What would you do if I told him?” Her voice was mocking.
    Zach didn’t hesitate: “I’d order him to kill you.”
    Silence. Then: “You don’t want to threaten me, Zachary.”
    He checked his watch. He didn’t have time for this. “It’s not a threat. You know this is the only way it works. Don’t screw with a good deal.”
    More silence. He could almost see her pouting. “Don’t take me for granted, Zachary.”
    “Believe me, I don’t,” he said. “You need to get moving. You’ve got to catch up with him.”
    The mocking tone came back into her voice. “Whatever you say, boss. You’re so commanding and forceful.”
    Zach rolled his eyes. “Just do as you’re told, Tania.”
     
     
    ZACH ENDED THE CALL and walked back into the building. He didn’t notice the shadows moving in the doorway just over his shoulder. If anyone had