Ghostwalker 06 - Predatory Game

me,” Jess said. She was moving away from him. Not physically. If he didn’t know her so well he wouldn’t have sensed any difference in her, but he felt a jarring note, as if his energy had fit with hers and now it bounced back as if she had turned away. “What’s wrong?”
    She wanted to shake him. She detested playing games, but she had no choice.“Nothing.” Now she sounded sulky and felt inadequate. The moment they returned to the table, she jumped off his lap.
    “Nothing at all.” She even managed a quick, bright smile. Who smiled before they killed? She’d undergone tests most of her life, mental, psychological, physical, and emotional. She’d always been too emotional to please Whitney. He’d come close to terminating her several times, close to using her in one Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    of the programs few survived, but by that time, she’d caught on. She knew she had to play his game and be better at it, because in her world, being the best at dealing death meant surviving.
    Mari indicated the drinks on the table. “The owner sent us another round.”
    There was no more sipping at drinks or trusting her companions, not even to pretend. She watched Jess take his drink and lift it with a nod toward the bartender. Ken tipped Mari’s glass and then Saber’s. She was careful about actually putting her lips to the rim. A dusting of poison could kill in an instant.
    Appearing distracted by a dancer, she set the drink aside, still standing, tapping her foot to the beat.
    “This is great music,” she said to no one in particular, allowing her gaze to drift over the crowd. Men and women who could handle themselves had a distinct look. She touched a few potentials, men who looked good in a fight, men who carried themselves with confidence, who moved with easy, sure steps and flowing muscles.She couldn’t discount the women as a threat either.
    Mari was a soldier. There was no doubt in Saber’s mind. She’d gone through the same extensive training Saber had, and it had been thorough. She probably knew more ways to kill a man than most individuals in the room. She’d gone through psychological and emotional testing. She was trained extensively in weapons and hand-to-hand, but more importantly, she had been put through test after test on her ability to think in a crisis. On how to remain cool and calm, how to be as cold as ice in any given situation.
    For the first time in her life, Saber was grateful for the years of training, for all the times she’d been punished for showing emotion.Jess had betrayed her, sold her out to the other GhostWalkers. By all rights she should terminate him.
    “Have you met Jess’s sister, Patsy?” she inquired, hanging on to her smile.
    Ken nodded. “I have. I had met her before this happened.” He ran his hand over the scars on his face.
    “She cried when she saw me. Patsy is a very caring woman.”
    “I haven’t met her,” Mari said. “I’d like to though. Both Jack and Ken talk about Jess and his family quite a bit.”
    “Jess always invited us for holidays,” Ken said. “He has a nice family.”
    Saber continued to search the room without seeming to do so. There would be others in the crowd.
    They would want a full team if they planned to reacquire her.She pushed all sentiment away, all regret.
    Escape wouldn’t be easy. She was small and her strength wasn’t in hand-to-hand. She was good with weapons, but again, it wasn’t her specialty. She could do it—would do it—because she had to. When failure wasn’t an option, you found a way to get it done.
    “I’ve only met Patsy, and I really like her.”
    “She thinks Saber is too young for me,” Jess said. She was pulling away from him. He could feel her withdrawal as surely as if she were already gone. Something close to panic pressed on his chest until he could barely breathe. He had never panicked in his life. Not once. Not in training, not in combat, not when he’d been captured and tortured. But panic filled him until he could barely think straight.
    “Saber.” He said her name in a low voice. “Look at me.”

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    She didn’t even turn her head his way. She kept that soft, dreamy look on her face, the small half smile, and she looked as if she was very interested in the dancers.
    “I’m listening.”
    Even her voice was perky, damn her, but he knew. He