Double Cross

Perhaps I was in a rage state. Can you give me some gory details? I want to hear it from you,
Dr
. Cross.”
    “Is that part of this, Kyle? The psychologist connection?”
    “Could be. I never thought about it quite like that.”
    I stared at Kyle for a moment and didn’t speak. He was so incredibly evil, with no conscience. I wondered how his reflexes were these days. He seemed confident enough with the gun in his hand.
And why shouldn’t he be? Why would he have any trouble shooting me now
?
    “Kneel on the ground, Alex. Just to be on the safe side. All that training at Quantico is kicking in.”
    I stood there, refused to obey him.
    Kyle held his gun arm out, perfectly straight and still. “I said—
kneel on the ground
. There’s still a chance that I won’t kill you. I might want an audience for what I’m going to do
next
.”
    That got my attention.
An audience
? “What are you going to do now, Kyle? And what part did you play for DCAK and his partner?”
    He smiled and seemed to be formulating an answer. “Interesting questions. If I tell you, is it because you won’t be around to see it or because I want you to be able to anticipate the
slaughter
, as you call it? Kneel! This is your last warning, Alex.”
    I bent my knees slightly, and then I went down on them. I didn’t see that I had a choice. Kyle didn’t like to be disobeyed. That much I knew for sure.
    “Ah, that’s good. This is how I like seeing you. As a supplicant. You know, I almost wish DCAK was alive to witness this.”
    “You could have saved him.”
    “Maybe. Probably not. I really think the boy wanted to die. I studied his early murders while I was still an agent. He made contact with me at Florence. I think . . . I might have been a father figure to him. You’d know better than me. I can’t live in the past, though. I’m not much for regrets either. You can understand that, can’t you?”
    “What did he mean when he said, ‘
In your honor’
?”
    “Oh, that. He was a fan, of course. Who isn’t? So was the girl. His sister? Who knows? They got the messages to me at ADX through my lawyer. Another fan. They’re all just freaks, Alex. Although . . . he did give
you
a good run.
    “I helped him with a few ideas. The football stadium—that was me. And I suggested Tess Olsen, of course. That one was
in my honor
.”
    Kyle walked forward, and he put the gun to my temple. There wasn’t any unsteadiness in his hand.
    “I, Kyle Craig, being of sound mind and body,” he said, and smiled broadly, wickedly, insanely, “choose to
spare
the life of Alex Cross. At this time, anyway.”
    He took a step away. “I told you, twenty-three hours a day. Four years in there. I can’t let you off this easy. A couple of minutes of abject fear—that’s
nothing
in comparison to what I went through. It’s not enough payback. Not even close! You’ll see.”
    Kyle continued to back away. “I have bigger and better plans for you, Alex. One thing is for sure, I’m going to torture you and your family to death. Don’t bother to try to hide them. I’m really good at finding people. That was my specialty at the Bureau. I have skills, Alex. The Mastermind. Remember?”
    “Put the gun down, Craig. Do it slowly, you piece of shit. Or you really will understand
payback
.”
    It was Bree. I couldn’t see her yet, but I wanted to warn her.
    About Kyle Craig, and why you should never, ever warn him.
    My mouth opened —

Chapter 125

    “BREE!”
    Kyle had been an FBI field agent, and before that he was with Special Forces in the army. He was an expert with knives, guns, even explosives, and I knew that from past experience. He was no one to fool with—no one to
warn
.
    He heard Bree’s voice, and before she finished her threat, he was twisting his body around toward her and diving at the ground. I watched—unable to do anything to stop it from happening.
    “Bree!”
    His Beretta came up level and was aimed at the center of her chest—he wouldn’t take a chance of missing what would be a difficult shot, especially while he was still moving. He had her in his sights, and I had one thought:
Take me instead
.
    I’m not sure if Bree waited until she had finished the words “you really will understand
payback
.” I doubt it.
    She fired—and Kyle Craig jerked in midair. His mouth flew open in surprise. His eyes went wide.
    He never got a shot off. He landed with a dull thud on the ground and lay there with one leg twitching. Finally he