Deader Still

The guard snatched it from him and looked down at what was written there. His eyes widened.

“This one might take me a while,” he said. He reached up and pressed the button on his communication device. “We’re going to need three men to Level C. I repeat, three to Level C. Make that four . . . and dress for a mess.”

He folded the paper back up, handed it to Co

“ ‘You two wait here’?” I said. “Where the hell does he think we would go?”

While Co

The sway of the barge caught all of them off balance, and the cart Faisal was on tipped forward, putting him in danger of slamming down on his face with no way to break his fall. All five men strained to upright the cart and luckily stopped it before it fell all the way over. They set it firmly on the ground and backed away from it with caution.

“Jesus,” I said. “Do you keep him all Ha

The guard shook his head.

“Why do you think it took me so long?” he said, with a laugh. “Nah, we usually let the prisoners roam free among themselves . . . No one really cares if one prisoner goes after another out here, you know? But, well, we can’t really have him ru

I refrained from joking that I was an i

“Now, I’m go

There was no reaction from Faisal whatsoever, unless you counted blinking.

The guard and his four companions headed off toward the surveillance room, talking amongst themselves, their laughter giving me the creeps as it echoed in this dreary and depressing place.

“Hello, Faisal,” Co

Faisal ignored Co

Seeing Faisal again brought back all the fear and intimidation I had felt when we first met, but there was a new fire of hate in his eyes. And why not? I had driven Jane to betray him, depriving him of her. Thanks to Wesker, we had even thwarted his assassination attempt on her with his corporate “headhunter.”

“I get the impression you’re not too excited to see me,” I said.

“Relax, kid,” Co

This seemed to grab Faisal’s attention, and he finally looked at Co

“Oh, no,” Faisal said. “On the contrary. I’m quite thrilled to see Mr. Canderous.”

“Why’s that?” I asked.

“Because it means you’ve been in contact with your little crimson-haired friend, doesn’t it?”

My face went red when he said it.

“Is that Mina?” Co

“So was I, if you remember,” I said. “But she’s actually a redhead. Dye job.”

“What’s this?” Faisal said, smiling now. “Sounds like Co

“I can explain more about Mina later,” I said, glancing at Co

Co

“Co

Co

“Why, kid?” he said, one arm free. “So assholes like him can continue to work people like you over with their lies? Forcing you to make stupid choices, jeopardizing other agents . . .”

“He’s baiting you,” I yelled, but Co

Before I could pull away, the electric snap of my powers reaching out shocked me. In the anger and desperation of the moment, I forgot how easy it was to lose control of them when my blood was up. I tried to pull the power back into me, but it was no use. I caught the briefest of glimpses into Co

“You okay, kid?” Co

“Nothing,” I lied. “My power almost went off, but I stopped it in time.”

“Sorry to interrupt your little slap fight,” Faisal said, “but did you come here for some sort of purpose?”

It was my turn to ignore him for a change.

“He’s baiting you,” I said to Co

Co

I stood there in silence for a moment.

“Can I get in on this Hallmark TV moment, too?” Faisal said, and now there was real venom in his voice and frustration. His attempt at toying with us had failed him. When we didn’t rise to it once again, he said, “I’ll assume you’re not here simply because you miss my wi

“Finally something we can agree on,” Co

I recounted the mad state I had found Cyrus in below the Guggenheim, how creepy and phantomlike he had become . . . all this on top of being a cultist.

When I was done, all humor had left Faisal’s face.

“I hadn’t realized Cyrus had gone this far off the deep end,” he said. “It’s bad for business.”

“I’m surprised you care,” Co

“Not when it interferes with my grander schemes, it isn’t.”

I raised my eyebrows.

“Your schemes?” I said. “You want to elaborate on that?”

Faisal smiled. “I’d rather not.”

“Fine,” I said. I looked at Co

But the sound of Faisal’s voice stopped me in my tracks. “I hate being on this barge,” Faisal said loudly. I detected a hint of desperation in his voice.