Kira said nothing.
“Makes sense,” mused Frey, thinking aloud. “There was always the chance I’d double cross you, and then all bets would be off. And it pays to be prudent and paranoid. We both subscribe to that philosophy. Which reminds me,” he said. He quickly ordered four of the six mercs to take up positions outside of the house.
“See what I mean,” he continued after the commandoes had exited. “I know this many mercenaries is overkill, especially since I was certain you were kindly delivering yourself to me. But I always err on the side of paranoia. Like you. Besides, these assholes missed you at Advanced Physics International, and I wanted to give them all a chance to redeem themselves. There are two more I’d love to introduce you to, but they’re busy keeping an eye on things about a hundred yards from here. Snipers. Just in case someone was following you—without your knowledge, of course.”
Desh saw a flash of alarm in Kira’s blue eyes, undetectable by anyone who didn’t know her as well as he did, but very real nonetheless.
Frey dangled the tranquilizer gun by its trigger. “I can respect bringing the pistol for paranoia’s sake. But why this one?” he asked, scratching his head. “Surely if the shit hit the fan, you weren’t worried about sparing lives.” He studied her carefully but she remained expressionless. Finally, he shrugged. “Oh well. It doesn’t really matter. I’m planning to take a gellcap a little later and I’m sure it will all make perfect sense to me then.”
“This is a big mistake,” insisted Kira. “What about teaming up to prepare for the aliens? You know I wasn’t bullshitting. The world—which includes you,” she added pointedly, “will have the best chance to survive if we work together. Making full use of my collection of geniuses. Why would you give that up? Not to mention the secret to longevity? It makes no sense.”
Frey smiled. “I won’t be giving up a thing. We’ll still work together. We do still need to make sure my extended life isn’t cut short by these fucking aliens,” he said. “And I’ll still tap into your organization of sickeningly loyal geniuses. But you can’t have two equal partners. You yourself said a single dictator running the world was far more efficient than leaving it to bickering governments. Same is true in any business endeavor. You never want two fifty-fifty partners. You have one in charge and you have subordinates. So I’m just setting the tone. You’ll be a valued subordinate. Like Dutton here. I’ll decide if and when you’re enhanced, and how you’ll help us. And I’ll watch you to make sure I’m the one calling all the plays. I like to have leverage on people I work with, helps me sleep at night. When I have the proper leverage, you’ll have some autonomy again. But not until.”
“You fucking bastard!” snarled Kira, her face a mask of rage. “I can’t believe you’re doing this!”
“Come on, Kira. You and I are exactly alike. You yourself said that heaven was only good for the air-conditioning. Don’t pretend you’re motivated by anything other than total ruthlessness and self interest.” He paused. “And I came up with a great idea for leverage. You want to hear it?”
Kira seethed but didn’t take the bait.
“Remember when Putnam told you he had surgically implanted a powerful explosive in your skull, which he could detonate at will? Well that was just a hoax at the time. But it’s a hell of a good idea.”
“If you think you’re going to get the secret of my longevity therapy under coercion, you’re out of your mind. I was going to give it to you freely. But if you don’t reverse course on this, I’ll see you rot in hell before you get anywhere near it.” She paused and gathered herself, deciding to come at him from another angle. “Look, you’re an intelligent, rational man. Can’t you see the world is big enough for both of us? How can you not see that working together is in your own best interest?” she pleaded.
“There’s an old story,” interjected Matt Griffin from out of the blue, still sitting behind them against the wall. “About a scorpion and a frog.”
Frey turned and glared at the bearded hacker. “Did I invite you to join in on this private conversation?” he barked angrily.
“I just saved your ass from nuclear Armageddon,” replied Matt with uncharacteristic fervor, as though something had snapped inside of him. “So I invited myself.” His expression softened as he fought to calm himself. “To continue,” he went on as if he were never interrupted, “a scorpion asks a frog for a lift across a river. The frog refuses. ‘The second I let you on my back, you’ll sting me,’ points out the frog. ‘No I won’t,’ says the scorpion. ‘Because if I sting you, you’ll sink to the bottom, and I’ll die as well.’ The frog considers this and can’t find any flaw in this logic, so he agrees, and allows the scorpion to climb on his back. Halfway across the river the scorpion stings the frog. As the poison is taking effect, with his last breath, the frog says, ‘but why? Now you’re going to die too.’ The scorpion shakes his head sadly and replies, ‘I know. But I couldn’t help it. It’s just my nature.”
There was silence throughout the room as everyone digested Griffin’s tale. “Okay,” said Frey. “Good story. But now you’re done talking.”
“You should think long and hard about the moral of this story, Frey,” insisted Griffin with an air of contempt. “Your instincts are self-destructive. So why don’t you fight them? Why don’t you pretend you’re in this for your rational self interest instead of being a totally fucked up asshole.”
Frey turned to Griffin and without saying a word fired a tranquilizer dart into his stomach. “Did you not hear me say you needed to stop talking?” said Frey as Griffin’s eyelids slid shut and he slumped over, unconscious once again.
Kira shot Frey a withering stare.
“No reason to get upset,” he said with mock innocence, handing the tranquilizer gun to Dutton. “I’m just trying to help out. I’m guessing he needs just a little more rest and recuperation. Don’t you worry though, Kira. I have big plans for Matt here.”
Desh contemplated escape, but with his hands tied—tightly—behind his back with plastic handcuffs he didn’t have a chance. But as he had told Kira—when he thought she still was Kira—there was no honor among thieves. He would stay alert for a chance to create a wedge between Frey and Dutton. His initial attempt in Florida had failed, but there had to be some way to get them to follow their natural tendencies to stab each other in the back. He couldn’t turn Dutton against Frey, but maybe he could do the opposite. It was a long shot, but the only chance he could see. Until an opening presented itself, he would stay perfectly still and off the radar; a forgotten presence. Griffin had shown that sticking your head up could have unfortunate consequences.
“Matt’s story,” continued Frey as if nothing had happened, “cute as it was, missed the point. You’re no frog, Kira Miller. If anything, you’re a bigger scorpion than I am. We’re both wired the same way—at least now. If I didn’t take the upper hand, you’d eventually try to take it yourself. It’s inevitable. Putnam was trying to screw your brother. I was trying to screw them both. Round and round it goes, with the smartest and most ruthless ending up on top. And you’re already too damn smart for your own good, even without your pills.”
Kira was about to respond when there was commotion from just outside the door. The handle was turned roughly and the two snipers Frey had mentioned entered the room, supporting a limp male body between them. His head flopped down against his chest lifelessly, and blood seeped from a hole in his shoulder. As soon as they passed the threshold, the two mercs released the body unceremoniously and it fell to the floor like wet cement.