Ghostwalker 08 - Street Game

probably to keep anyone from noticing a resemblance to his father. The pair had become adept at distancing their relationship publicly.
    Joe was wary, looking around, noting each man, his gaze dwelling for a moment on Ethan, the IV, blood, and Jaimie lying asleep, so pale, beside the obviously wounded man. He waited for Kane to move in front of him before crossing into the kitchen area.
    “Looks like you’ve had some trouble,” he greeted. His gaze shifted to the sergeant major and back to Jaimie and Ethan.
    “You could say that,” Mack agreed.
    “Is Jaimie all right? And your man?”
    “Ethan Myers,” Mack provided. “Jaimie’s tired. She gave blood. Ethan will be fine.” He said it with more confidence than he felt. “Everyone, this is Joe Spagnola.”
    He waved his hand toward the table. “You want to sit down?”
    “Maybe over here,” Joe said. He stayed clear of the light, away from the window, and where he knew no one had slipped behind him.

    213

    Mack sighed. “Joe, if we wanted you dead, it would have happened the first time you came up and we had a gun on you.”
    Joe winced. He hadn’t spotted the man. “Which one of you?”
    Mack gestured toward the bed. “There’s your man right there. He took a knife for the sergeant major.”
    “I’ve got to meet him. He’s damn good.”
    “All my men are good,” Mack said. “I thought, since you were hanging around, you might want some action.”
    “You’re talking about the tough guys hanging around.”
    “They’re Doomsday. They’re sniffing around the wharf looking for their weapons.
    They had a deal with an arms dealer named Madigan. He’s known far and wide as the Spider. He likes tats, has about a dozen spiderwebs covering his back and torso and down his arms. We think the weapons are in the warehouse at the end of the block.
    The deal was set and Madigan had a heart attack and is in intensive care at the hospital.”
    “You taking the guns?” Joe asked.
    “We’re not taking the chance of them falling into terrorist hands. We’ll take the weapons and tag a couple of the suspects. If they lead us to the nest, we can wipe them out for good.”
    “Any chance of making the deal ourselves and taking them out that way?”
    Mack sighed. “Madigan is too well-known, as are his men. We’ll have to get the weapons out of there before Shepherd and Estes decide to make their move and try to steal the guns. We think they’re getting ready to do just that.”
    Joe nodded slowly. “I’d say you were right. There’s been a lot of activity this evening. I’ve spotted four.”
    “Same number here. First we have to remove the weapons and take over the warehouse without tipping them off.”
    “Should be easy enough,” Joe said.
    Joe’s eyes took on a silver sheen, gleaming bright and hot as if the very thought of finally getting in on the adrenaline-laced action had changed the chemistry in his blood—or at least the energy surrounding him. Mack was beginning to understand the energy of the psychics was a little different with each one. Joe and Gideon shared something quite different, the layers shielding them from others. He glanced at Paul, still slumped with fatigue, his face in the shadows. Paul nodded once, the movement nearly imperceptible, but it was enough for Mack.
    “Marc, you and Lucas take Paul back to the room and get him to bed. Make certain he drinks a lot of water. I need you in shape as fast as possible,” he added.

    214

    “I can handle it tonight,” Paul said.
    Mack scowled at him. “I wasn’t asking. Get your ass back to that room and go to sleep. If he can’t sleep, Lucas, knock him out. Take the med kit with you. Are we clear, kid?”
    Sergeant Major stirred. Mack shot him a warning look.
    “Got it, boss,” Paul said.
    He stood up, swaying slightly. Lucas and Marc immediately closed in on either side of him. Paul glanced at his father, nodded his head, and went out.
    “What the hell happened?” Joe asked. “You’ve got three down.”
    “Jaimie gave blood and you know how she is with violent energy,” Mack said vaguely. “She’ll be fine. Ethan and Paul will both come around.”
    I’ve got something, boss. Javier’s voice slid into Mack’s mind seamlessly. The woman assassin was Lieutenant Roslyn Kramer, formerly of the army. This is her second death. The first time was three years ago in a car accident in Berlin. She’s a real ball-breaker, this one. And Mack, her file was flagged. The