Fired Up

offer. If they tell you what they know about who they’re working for, you’ll let them have the antidote. Doubt if they’ll take the deal, though.”
    “They were ready to kill Chloe and probably the housekeeper and Stone as well. I’ll be damned if I’ll offer them the antidote.”
    “Your choice.” The shrug in Fallon’s voice was clear. “But if it makes you feel any better, the antidote is a life sentence in and of itself.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “It will keep someone alive and reasonably sane, but the stuff has some serious side effects: It erodes the natural psi abilities along with the formula-enhanced version. It would probably take a high- level talent like you down to a two. And there are other complications. Panic attacks. Chronic anxiety problems. Disturbing dreams. In effect, you end up with a bad case of what the Victorians called shattered nerves.”
    Jack contemplated the idea of two bikers with really bad nerves.
    “Any chance of recovery?” he asked.
    “We don’t think so. For obvious reasons we haven’t been able to run a lot of human experiments, and animal models don’t work when it comes to psi drugs. It’s probably all moot in this case. Like I said, I doubt that the two hunters you’re holding would accept the antidote.”
    “Why not?”
    “We’ve had some experience with Nightshade agents. They’ve all been thoroughly brainwashed. First, they won’t believe you when you tell them that being deprived of the drug will make them crazy. Their handlers assure them otherwise.”
    “And second?”
    “They’re as paranoid about Arcane as we are about them. Odds are they won’t let you administer the antidote because they’ll believe that you’re trying to kill them. Call me after you talk to Stone.”
    “Will do.”
    “Oh, and by the way, congratulations on your new talent.”
    Jack froze. “What are you talking about?”
    “I could buy the fact that you got lucky yesterday and took down one hunter, but I’m not buying that you were able to take down three people today, two of whom were hunters.”
    “I only got the one hunter,” Jack said evenly. “And the woman. No big deal. Chloe handled the other hunter.”
    “Whatever. Like I said, congratulations.”
    “You don’t sound worried.”
    “As long as you’re taking out Nightshade agents, I don’t have any problem with your new talent. I need all the help I can get. Call me after you talk to Stone.”
    Fallon broke the connection.

    PREDICTABLY, IT WAS CHLOE who insisted that they make the offer to the Nightshade agents. But Fallon Jones was right. They refused. The cops removed the duct tape and wire bindings and replaced them with standard-issue handcuffs. They stuffed both men into the back of a patrol car and drove away.
    Chloe and Jack stood on the front steps and watched the vehicle disappear.
    “I’m betting they both escape within twenty-four hours,” Chloe said. She shook her head. “They’re hunters. They’re not only preternaturally fast—they’ve also got para- hunting skills. The cops won’t even know they’re gone until it’s too late.”
    “Fallon says they’re as good as dead,” Jack said. “He told me that Nightshade will drop them like live bombs now that they’ve been picked up by regular law enforcement. They won’t get any more of the drug. First they’ll go crazy. Give them twenty-four, maybe forty-eight hours at most, and then they’ll commit suicide.”
    Chloe shuddered. “The drug is a terrible creation. Jones is right. Nightshade must be stopped.”
    “I’m not usually into conspiracy theories, but I’m starting to think Jones has a point about this one.”

37
    CHLOE GRIPPED THE COFFEE MUG EMBLAZONED WITH THE Drake Stone logo in both hands and looked at Drake. She was seriously impressed by his resilience.
    “I can’t believe you’re going to do your show tonight after what happened to you today,” she said. “A lot of folks would be gulping sedatives and worrying about post-traumatic shock.”
    They were sitting outside by the pool. Overhead the patio heaters spread a pleasant warmth. Drake had fixed the coffee, himself, after sending his housekeeper home to her family to recover.
    “You know that old showbiz saying?” Drake asked.
    “The show must go on?” she quoted.
    “No,” Drake said. “The any-publicity-is-good-publicity saying. Tonight my name is going to be all over the evening news here in town. I haven’t had press like this