Shadow Dragon (43 page)

CHAPTER 105

“Here you go, boss,” Carrie said as she handed Allan the paper. It was a draft copy of the latest in a series of articles she had written about the events that had taken place in Montana.

Dilbeck picked up his reading glasses, leaned back in his burgundy-colored leather chair, and propped his boots up on the corner of his desk.

Over the last week and a half, Carrie’s articles—along with the amazing photographs taken when the FBI returned to the site—had been picked up by all the major wire services, including
USA Today
. She had made headlines across the country. But that was just the beginning. It had been the top story on every national newscast and twenty-four-hour news outlet, including CNN, FOX, and MSNBC every day since. She had been on the morning shows of every local affiliate in Denver and had even been on the
Today Show
and
Good Morning America
to talk about her ordeal. Talk-radio stations across the country had lit up with callers as people endlessly argued the merits of GenTech’s genetic engineering program and her exposé of it. Some praised Carrie’s courage, calling her a hero, while others mercilessly blasted her as a traitor for blowing the whistle on one of the country’s confidential defense secrets. In an effort to ensure her safety, the FBI had provided her with around-the-clock protection.

While debate on the subject had waged on, the military had quietly gone in—or so they claimed—to ensure that no creatures survived. Thanks to equipment left at the scene by the first recon team—which the military vehemently denied it had anything to do with—they had been able to locate the dragon’s lair relatively easily. Three of the creatures had been found, one of which was fully grown and had been badly wounded. According to a statement released by the secretary of defense, all of the creatures had been accounted for and destroyed.

As of yet, they had not been able to determine who was responsible for sending in the first recon team. The members of that team had all apparently been highly skilled and highly paid mercenaries. None of the men identified were shown to have been actively employed by any of the national service branches. There were rumors of them having worked for something called the Terrorism Defense Agency, supposedly a covert branch of Homeland Security, but nothing had been found to validate the existence of any such agency. Unfortunately, the chances of identifying the specific entities and individuals responsible for the project had become even more unlikely as of this morning.

Anderson Colquitt, who had remained out on bail pending his arraignment, had been found dead in his home of an apparent suicide. Officials with the FBI, however, stated that there were suspicious circumstances surrounding the former general’s death and that they would be investigating it as a possible homicide.

To Carrie, it meant that the cover-up was in full effect. They would never get all the answers now.

While Allan continued to read, she looked out the door of his office. Across the room, she could still see the one-eyed plastic Ogre perched on top of Charlie’s monitor. No one had had the heart to take it down yet. It broke Carrie’s heart every time she saw it. The guilt she felt for his death was something she would never get over, and it was part of the reason she had made the decision she had. Denver held too many bad memories for her now. She needed to move on and put the events of the past few weeks behind her. The same went for her personal life. That was why she had decided to sell the rights to her grandparents’ place in Montana and why she had decided to accept the job offered to her by the
Washington Post
.

Allan lay down the paper and looked up at her. “The story’s terrific, hon,” he said as he pulled off his readers and tossed them on the blotter. “If you don’t win the Pulitzer, they might as well stop giving the damn thing away.”

Carrie smiled. “Not that you’re biased or anything, but thanks,” she said.

Allan’s face took on a somber look then. “So I guess this is it, huh?” he asked.

“Yeah, I guess so,” Carrie agreed. “I’ve already packed up my office. The movers should be here to pick it up in the morning.”

“We’re all going to miss you, darlin’. You sure you won’t let us take you out for drinks one last time before you leave?”

“No, I’m not much of a drinker anymore, but thanks anyway,” she said as she looked at her watch. “Besides, I’ve got to get going, or I’ll miss my plane.”

“Now where is it you’re going?” Allan asked.

“I don’t have to be in Washington until next Monday. I decided it would do me some good to get out of the country for a while, try to put all of this behind me. And I’ve had enough of the cold weather to last me the rest of my life. I figured I’d spend a few days soaking up the rays in Cabo.”

“Won’t the place be crawling with college kids?”

“Oh, I don’t think they’ll bother me where I’m going to be,” she said with a grin.

“Well, good luck, hon,” he said as he stood up. “You give those lying and cheating bastards in DC hell, you hear me? And you remember, if you ever need anything, all you’ve got to do is call me.”

“I’ll remember,” she promised as he gave her a big bear hug.

Afterward, as she was leaving the office, she could hear Allan clearing his throat behind her.

CHAPTER 106

Kyle pulled into the driveway in the midst of a typical Texas thunderstorm. Heavy rain drummed on the roof of the car, and strong wind tugged at the door as he opened it, threatening to jerk it from his grasp. Thunder rumbled overhead as he dashed up the drive to the front porch, getting thoroughly soaked in the process. He reached for the knob, but the door opened by itself.

Valeria Sanchez stood in the doorway. “Mr. Kyle,” she said and smiled as he stepped inside. “It is so good to see you.” She reached around his waist with her short arms and hugged him.

“Careful, Miss Vera. I’m all wet.”

She dismissed it with a wave of her hand. “It’s okay. I don’t mind.”

“How have you been?” Kyle asked.

“I am good. Your mother is upstairs in bed.”

Kyle looked at Miss Vera. It was the middle of the morning. Had Janet’s condition worsened already?

Miss Vera apparently noticed his expression, for she quickly said, “No, no, she went out last night. She took her breakfast in bed this morning.”

Kyle frowned and nodded. In other words, she was hungover.

He went down the hall to the downstairs bath to dry off before he went upstairs. The last thing he needed was to piss Janet off right from the start by dripping on the carpet.

After he dried off, he went upstairs and down the hall to the large master bedroom. When he stepped into the room, he noticed that Janet had redecorated—again. She sat propped up in the bed amidst a swarm of decorative pillows.
The View
was currently on the flat screen television mounted above the fireplace.

She must have assumed he was Miss Vera, for at first, she didn’t look over, but as he neared, she turned in his direction. The blank expression on her face turned to one of surprise.

“Kyle, darling, you’re here. Finally,” she said in an exasperated tone. He leaned over and put his cheek against hers while he reached around her in a halfhearted hug.

A wicker breakfast-in-bed tray sat on top of the extravagant comforter. The dishes from breakfast, if she had eaten anything at all, had been cleared away. All that remained was a half-full glass of what looked like orange juice but was actually, as Kyle knew from experience, a screwdriver. He could smell the alcohol on her breath.

“I’m so glad you’re back,” she said, slurring the words. Whether it was from alcohol or pills, Kyle couldn’t be sure. “I can’t begin to tell you how awful things have been around here.” Apparently, she hadn’t been watching the news lately. She acted like she had no clue of what he had gone through, or if she did, she just didn’t care.

“I see you’ve redecorated,” he said, sitting on the edge of the bed. The walls had been painted a sandy brown color. Floor length burgundy-and beige-colored drapes hung on each side of the French doors that led out onto the balcony overlooking the pool. Sheets of rain currently obscured the view.

“Yes, have you seen your room? You never got back to me, so I went ahead and had it redone, and while I was at it, I decided if I was going to be spending so much time in here over the next few months, I might as well enjoy it.”

Kyle nodded. “Have you started the chemo yet?”

“No, I put them off for a week,” she said with a dismissive gesture. She picked up the screwdriver and took a big drink.

“What do you mean you put it off?” Kyle asked.

“I wasn’t ready. If I’m going to be out of commission for a while, I wanted to have a little fun first.”

“You can’t just schedule it at your leisure,” Kyle said, the old frustrations with her arrogant attitude beginning to creep into his voice.

“I feel fine.”

“Just because you don’t want to admit it doesn’t mean you’re not sick,” Kyle said.

“Besides, it will be easier for me with you here now.”

There it was, the moment he had been dreading. There was no point in putting it off any longer.

“Janet,” he said with a sigh. “That’s what I’ve come to tell you. I’m not coming back.”

“What?” she looked at him incredulously.

“I’m being transferred to Quantico to train as a special agent.”

The offer had come as a surprise to Kyle. He had fully expected to be fired. Instead, in a typical political move, the FBI had decided to use all the publicity to their advantage. During one of the press briefings after the incident, the director of the FBI had stated, “Kyle Andrews is exactly the type of person we want helping to protect our country. That is why I am pleased to announce that Mr. Andrews will be transferring to Quantico to train as a special agent.”

While it hadn’t come about in the fashion he would have wished, Kyle knew this was his one shot. If he didn’t play ball and go along with them on this, he would never get another chance. Besides, he owed it to Lewis. He had accepted the offer.

“Well, just tell them you quit,” Janet said.

“I can’t.”

“Of course you can. It’s not like it’s the military.”

“Okay, I
won’t
. This is something I want. It’s important to me.”

“Oh, and I just guess that I’m not important, is that it?”

Kyle rolled his eyes.
Here we go again
, he thought. He wanted to tell her that she had never been there for him, that she had never cared about anyone but herself, but he knew that would only make things worse. Instead, he just said, “No, that’s not it.”

“After all I’ve done for you. And this is the thanks I get,” she said, the bitterness coming through loud and clear.

Kyle didn’t respond. Nothing he said would ever make her see things any differently.

“You ungrateful little bastard,” she continued. Even the drugs couldn’t rid the venomous tone from her voice. “I wish I had never had you!” she spat at him.

And there it was—the truth of the matter. She had never loved him and never would, no matter what he did for her. All she had ever cared about was herself.

Kyle got up and started for the door. He had felt bad about his decision before, but her behavior now actually made it easier for him. “Goodbye, Janet.”

“Get out!” she screamed, throwing the glass at him. It shattered against the wall and sprayed the fresh paint with vodka and orange juice, which ran down into the expensive carpet.

Kyle walked out without looking back.

Miss Vera was waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs.

“Are you okay, Mr. Kyle?” she asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” he said. “Trust me. I’ve been through a lot worse lately.”

She nodded and then said, “I think you are doing a good thing. Miss Vera is proud of you.”

Kyle smiled. “Thanks, Miss Vera.” He put his arm around her shoulder. “Coming from you, that means a lot to me.”

“So what you do now?” she asked.

“Well, I don’t have to be in Virginia for another week. The bureau thought I deserved a little time off, and I’ve always wanted to learn how to sail, so I chartered a boat down in Cabo for a few days.”

Now it was Miss Vera’s turn to smile. “That’s good,” she said. “You have fun, and don’t you worry about your mother. I take good care of her.”

“I know you will. And thanks … for everything,” he said with one last hug.

Kyle stepped outside and headed for the car. As he did, he noticed it had stopped raining, the worst of the storm having already blown through.

And as the remaining clouds trailed away, he could see blue skies behind them.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to personally thank all of my friends and family members who read the early versions of my manuscript and who offered their comments, suggestions, and support. I would like to thank Sarah Valenzuela, my brother, Shane, my nieces, Courtney and Kiley, and I would especially like to thank my mom, Sandra, who read and reread it numerous times, always offering excellent comments and encouragement as I worked to improve it.

This novel would not be what it is if not for the excellent staff and students of SMU’s Continuing Education Creative Writing Department. The courses gave me a great understanding of what makes up a novel while they also taught me how to become a better writer through practice and honest critique. A couple of members of the staff I would like to thank specifically include Joy Scallon, who read a much longer early draft and encouraged me to push on as I neared completion, and most importantly, Suzanne Frank. Suzanne, an author herself, is the director of the creative writing department at SMU and has created an excellent program for both published and aspiring authors. Suzanne always offered honest, insightful comments and wasn’t afraid to tell me when something wasn’t working or when she thought that I could do better. Thanks Suzanne!

I would also like to thank Pat LoBrutto for assisting with the editing of this book and for helping me to cut it down from its earlier version.

Finally, I would like to thank each and every one of you who bought this book and read it. I truly hope you enjoyed it, and I would love to hear what you thought about it. I can be reached through my website at LanceHorton.com and ShadowDragon.info.