Sizzle and Burn

evidence of loss of control. Within the organization, loss of control was viewed as a weakness.
    “Houdini claims that he was interrupted before he could complete his assignment,” January said.
    The voice on the other end was as icy as his own. Nash had considered that an asset at the start of the operation in Oriana. It was the reason he gave the operative the code name January. After exhaustive analysis, he had concluded that the disaster in Stone Canyon was due to the use of agents who succumbed to the emotional sides of their natures. Lust, envy and greed contributed to the unsatisfactory outcome of that project. He could not afford a repeat.
    “In other words, Houdini failed,” he said. “That means that you failed.”
    “There will be other opportunities,” January said, sounding not the least bit ruffled by the implied threat. “In the meantime, I have come up with a new approach to the problem, one that is more…subtle.”
    Nash ground his teeth. The implication was clear: January was reminding him that it had been his idea to use Houdini to take the J&J agent out of the picture. He had envisioned a quick, surgical strike. The kill was to have looked like a routine parking lot mugging gone bad. No clues. No witnesses. One dead Jones.
    His intense hatred of the Jones family was in his blood, bequeathed to him by John Stilwell, his Victorian-era ancestor. Stilwell had been destroyed by Gabriel Jones and the woman who later became Jones’s wife.
    The Jones family had probably forgotten all about the first John Stilwell. What the bastards had not counted on was the fact that, in the year preceding his death, Stilwell pursued his own personal breeding program. His secret journal detailed how he deliberately seduced and impregnated at least two female psychics in London, women he believed had genuine paranormal talents. John Stilwell had been fascinated with the discoveries of Darwin. He had been curious to see if his own psychic abilities could be passed down and strengthened by mating with women who also possessed such powers.
    Darwin’s theories had proved valid, although John Stilwell had not lived to see the results.
    Phone pressed tightly to his ear, Nash started to pace the office. It was true that using Houdini to deal with Zackary Jones had been his idea. The Stone Canyon project had been wrecked by a Jones. He did not intend to allow another member of that damned family to interfere again. But now that things had gone wrong, he had to make certain that he did not take the blame. If anyone went down, it would be January. Fortunately, he had been careful to insulate himself from any fallout if there was a disaster, just as he had after the Stone Canyon affair. He was certain that members of the Inner Circle had not learned about his connection to that operation. Nevertheless, a second cover-up would be extremely risky.
    The members of the Inner Circle had little patience with failure. He did not blame them. When he assumed his rightful position as head of the organization, he intended to enforce a zero-tolerance policy as well. The Darwinian approach to management ensured that only the strongest and the most powerful survived. But meanwhile, he had to protect himself.
    “You are in charge of this operation,” he said. “It is imperative that you recover what Quinn failed to deliver to us.”
    “It’s unfortunate that Houdini was ordered to dispose of Lawrence Quinn before the data on Quinn’s computer was analyzed and discovered to be false,” January said. “If Quinn had been kept alive he could have been interrogated.”
    He fought back another wave of rage. When this was over, January would most certainly have to go. An unpleasant accident, perhaps.
    “I anticipate that the next time you call, it will be with news of success,” he said evenly. “Otherwise I shall be forced to replace you.”
    “One more thing,” January said, ignoring the threat. “Houdini is asking for a higher dose. He claims that the reason he missed the target was because he was given too little of the drug.”
    Nash stopped in mid-stride, fear streaking through him.
    “What’s your opinion?” he made himself ask.
    “Judging by what I saw last night, I’d say he’s losing control. He couldn’t hold the illusion. Kept switching it on and off. That’s what slowed him down. The experiment is a failure and should be terminated.”
    Cold fear knifed through him. Houdini wasn’t the only experiment the