Assassin's Apprentice: Chapters 45-46

45.

Kit Carson IV sat behind his massive desk in the security wing of his mansion, dialing the world’s most expensive telephone. It was five o’clock in the morning. He wore his pajama bottoms and a three-day growth of whiskers. Despite sleeping pills prescribed by his doctor, he had been unable to sleep lately and usually arose after a few hours of fitful tossing.

The phone rang twice and a sleepy female voice answered, “What’s wrong?”

Two weeks had passed since Kirkland had been completely destroyed in the worst fire in the history of Bishop County. Fire trucks from five counties had joined the fight. Three firefighters had been injured. Kit had arranged to pay for all their medical bills as well as donate generous bonuses to each fire department.

All that was left now of the building was a crater filled with melted scrap. To a passerby, it looked like a smoldering garbage dump. Official cause: chemical fire. The feds had been anxious to close all related investigations, thanks to pressure from the Pentagon.

The Pentagon had already been in touch with Kit, anxious to resume talks about building a new lab for them. A Gen. Coalman was the front man. Very enthusiastic and accommodating, a professional public relations type. Not at all the gruff, moralistic commander that Scott Meisner was. This time, Gen. Coalman suggested, the Pentagon would oversee the experiments right from the start. That way, they could make sure there were no more accidents like the one in Wyoming. Kit had agreed.