AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Ever.
But Tenpenny had needed what he’d needed.
He’d tripped on a single sin.
And that had undone a little part of the universe.
56
Ground Truth
Evan trudged along the sand just above the shoreline, a night wind blowing grit into his eyes and teeth. The air felt wet and heavy, matting his hair. He wore an oilskin coat and a full-zip hooded sweatshirt over a flannel, and he lugged a fishing pole and tackle box. The lights of the mansions above were bright, radiating an otherworldly glow. He’d made his way along the coast from that choke point at Halsey Neck, getting a read on the ground truth and timing the fog shrouding the dunes for maximum thickness.
The private patrols were out in force again, but now there was a significant uniform presence as well. Tenpenny had clearly wanted proper law enforcement in place, everyone on high alert. Cruisers were parked at intervals along Meadow Lane, cops bullshitting with the private security guys.
As Evan cut toward Tartarus, a spotlight stabbed his eyes from the road about fifteen yards away. An officer, backlit with his peaked cap, called down at him. “Sir, we’re gonna need you to clear out.”
“The hell, man,” Evan said, shaking the tackle box. “It’s public property.”
“We have a credible threat. And we’ve initiated a lockdown of this area.
Evan squinted up into the glare. “Threat? What threat?”
“I’m not at liberty to disclose that information.”
Evan shook his head like a world-weary local. “You don’t even know, do you?”
“One of the residents has reason to believe there’s a clear and present danger. And? He pays more taxes than you.”
Evan scowled and turned to head off. “These billionaires?” he said. “Probably not.”
Back at the Hampton Bays house, Evan sat on the shabby-chic couch. He stared at his RoamZone for a long time before dialing.
She picked up on the first ring. “Templeton.”
Evan said, “It’s me.”
A long silence. He pictured her frantically scrambling to record the call or gesticulating at a coworker. He didn’t care. They’d never backtrace through the dozen software virtual-telephone switch destinations, and besides, he’d recently transferred the phone service to a pop-up telecoms joint that kept no logs, located in a corner of Skopje.
“Is the mission complete?” Templeton asked.
“No.”
“Have you made contact with the principal?”
“I’ve been looking into everything.”
“Does your curiosity align with the president’s … goals?”
Evan chewed his lip. “Her goal of pushing through a trillion-dollar corporate giveaway to win reelection?”
A brief, heated pause. Then, “Grow the hell up, X. There’s corruption in the system? No shit. Things could be more effective? No shit. Whether we go to war or build infrastructure, this is how it works. It’s ugly and dirty, and no one gets a hundred percent of what they want. But it’s the only way to get anything done. You’ve got a better plan to run a twenty-three-trillion-dollar economy?”
“No,” Evan said. “But Devine thinks he does.”
“Sounds like he’s winning you over.”
“No,” Evan said. “I think he’s just as full of shit as the president.”
