Five Minutes Longer Read online

  Finn stared at the huge building in front of him. It looked new. At least four stories high and next to one of the many Florida lakes. The access from the road was dominated by a big gatehouse with guards stopping every vehicle that tried to enter. Finn heaved his bag, which hadn’t seemed that heavy yesterday when he started carrying it, but now felt like there was an elephant nesting in there. He blew a breath out and wished he hadn’t finished his last bottle of water in the cab. He walked toward the guard, who carried a very respectable-looking MP5 slung over one shoulder. He put his bag down and introduced himself and tried to explain why he was there.

  Finn was completely convinced he sounded more and more suspicious until he mentioned Agent Gregory’s name and the guard checked the list of expected visitors and immediately waved him forward. Another guy in a suit, looking a lot cooler than Finn, met him at the door.

  “Hi, I’m Agent Fielding—Drew Fielding.” He seemed pleasant, with reddish brown hair and brown eyes. Clean-shaven and “buttoned up,” as his brother would have said—not always a compliment, coming from Deke. Finn grimaced at his sweaty palms and resisted the urge to wipe his hand down the front of his pants before they shook. Agent Fielding didn’t seem to notice anything, though, and led Finn through a door past a large reception desk. He waved at a couple of doors as they went past. “I’ll give you the proper tour after you’ve spoken to Agent Gregory.”

  And eight hours sleep, a shower, and a gallon of water.

  Finn licked his dry lips. He debated whether to ask why he was here and not at Quantico, then thought discretion might be in order and he should wait until he saw A-SAC Gregory. Agent Fielding took a turn to the right and started up some steps—some very narrow back stairs he thought no visitors were ever likely to see. In fact, Finn was convinced they were the step version of the service elevator. It was getting weirder and weirder, and he was getting hotter and hotter, despite considering himself physically fit and despite the air blasting out. At least there was no way he was going to take his jacket off, even if it was appropriate. His shirt would be soaked through.

  Agent Fielding stopped at what seemed to be the fourth floor, and they entered a plain unmarked door into a small, unmanned reception area. Just a few chairs and a vending machine graced the lobby. Agent Fielding waved toward a chair. “Take a seat.”

  Finn swallowed and looked at the vending machine. “Do you mind?”

  Agent Fielding followed his gaze. “Sure, sorry. I should have asked.”

  Finn put his hand in his pocket for some change, but Agent Fielding continued. “It’s free. It’s just a good way of keeping it cold.” He smiled and disappeared through another door.

  Finn eagerly pressed the button on the machine, and it dropped a bottle of water. He’d gotten the cap unscrewed before he sat, and half the contents drunk before he stretched his legs out. He could feel the water cooling his throat. He stared around him. Not what he imagined a field office would look like. He expected it to be busier somehow. If it weren’t for the official phone call he’d made, he would still suspect this was all an elaborate hoax. Finn finished his water and looked again at the closed door Agent Fielding had disappeared through.

  He sighed heavily and rubbed a hand over his tired eyes. He was never able to sleep when he was traveling. Not that he’d done much except by car. He’d flown more in the last twenty-four hours than he had in his life. Finn stifled a yawn and got to his feet stiffly. If he wasn’t careful, he’d be asleep.

  “And what use do you think he’s going to be?”

  Finn turned and faced the closed door the angry voice could be heard from. Finn’s heart sank. He hoped to God they weren’t talking about him. A quieter voice he couldn’t make out responded briefly. It sounded like a third voice joined in.

  Finn was wondering whether to risk sitting down again when the door burst open and Agent Fielding stormed out. Without so much as a look in Finn’s direction, he disappeared through the door to the stairs they had come up. Finn swallowed. Now what had he done?

  An older man appeared at the doorway. Finn would put him in his fifties, at a guess. About the same height as his own five foot ten. Quite a stocky build, brown eyes, hair graying at the temples. The same ubiquitous suit. He put out a hand to Finn and flashed a tight smile. “Mr. Mayer? Good to meet you, and I’m sorry you have had such a trying journey. Agent Gregory.”

  Finn stepped forward in relief and shook Agent Gregory’s hand firmly. “Pleased to meet you, sir,” Finn responded.

  Gregory waved Finn in front of him. “Come in, take a seat. There’s someone I want you to meet.”

  Finn walked in, sat, and looked up, a pleasant smile fixed on his face. Two seconds later the smile went, and Finn could barely hear Gregory’s words over the pounding of his heart.

  A man lounged in the corner of the room. Finn wasn’t sure exactly if “man” described the giant he faced. Certainly the office chair, substantial enough for Finn, looked like dollhouse furniture because of the guy who was sitting on it. Pale blond hair was tied back in a leather thong at his nape. He had on a suit, but this one was obviously tailor-made. No suit off the rack would fit the most powerful shoulders Finn had ever seen, and that’s when, as far as Finn was concerned, the shit really hit the fan. He couldn’t even swallow. He never registered the piercing blue eyes that stared in challenge. He barely noticed the stubble surrounding his jaw or the tightly pressed full lips.

  All he’d heard about enhanced humans came flooding back into his mind. The height. The build. The—as if to confirm Finn’s thoughts, the man turned to his right—birthmark. The small mark under his eye that looked like a lightning bolt.

  He fixed his blue eyes on Finn, and Finn felt completely pinned. His arms grew heavy. His legs felt like lead. He strained to inflate his chest to pull oxygen in. Sweat broke out on Finn’s brow; he couldn’t breathe.

  “That’s enough, Talon. Dammit,” Gregory cursed, and in an instant, the weight crushing him lifted, and Finn took a gasp of oxygen. Then another.

  “You see?” The huge man—Talon—lurched to his feet, and Finn couldn’t help but wince.

  “And how is that test at all fair?” Gregory spluttered. “No regular human can withstand you—you know that.”

  Finn had had enough. He got shakily to his feet. “Can someone tell me just what the hell is going on?” he demanded.

  “You just proved what I have been saying for the last thirty minutes,” Talon said in disgust. “That enhanced don’t partner with regulars.”

  Finn looked in astonishment at Gregory.

  Gregory sighed. “Finlay Mayer—” He gestured over to Talon. “—meet Talon Valdez. Your new partner.”

  Finn gazed in horror at Talon. Everything he had spent the last ten years working for had just come crashing down around his ears.

  Chapter Two

  “JUST WHAT exactly did you think was going to happen here?” Talon lifted a sardonic eyebrow.

  “Talon,” Gregory said in a warning voice.

  “No.” Talon looked Finn up and down. “He deserves to know why he’s here.”

  Gregory subsided, and Finn looked back at Talon.

  “Why am I here? Why am I here instead of Quantico?”

  “Because you’re too dumb for Quantico,” Talon snapped.

  “W-What?” Finn turned to Gregory. He could feel the angry, embarrassed flush work up his face.

  Talon sneered. “You were a B-average student, and your physical merits barely made up for it. Your references were mediocre at best.” He leaned over Finn threateningly. “The hiring rate in the FBI is over sixty-eight to one. In what alternate universe did you honestly think you would get in the FBI?”

  Finn leaned back and stared up at Talon, deliberately fixing a bored look on his face. “Well… you should know.”

  Finn honestly thought the guy was going to explode.

  “Sit down,” Gregory barked. “Talon, that’s an order.”

  Talon whirled around,
but Finn had had enough. “If you’ve finished with me?” He left off the honorific sir. “I realize there’s obviously been a mistake.” He bent and picked up his bag. “I’ll be out of your way.”

  “Sit down, dammit,” Gregory fumed.

  Talon stalked to the door. “You know where to find me.” He turned and gave Finn another pitying look and said, “I don’t do babysitting. When you find a real agent, give me a call.”

  Finn’s jaw dropped as Talon swept out.

  “I’m sorry. Finn, is it?” Gregory asked quietly.

  Finn acknowledged his nickname mutely.

  “Sit, please. That wasn’t how I wanted you to find out our plans. I’m afraid Talon has a very short temper.”

  “I didn’t know enhanced humans had started working for the FBI,” Finn said, curiosity getting the better of him and his temper dissipating.

  Gregory sighed. “Not officially. Not yet. The pilot scheme is underway to introduce them in gradually, and Talon’s training has been conducted away from the regular channels because of it. They are to be teamed with regular humans, as we both know there are some places enhanced humans are not only unwelcome, but actually barred.”

  Finn nodded. The government made it compulsory that they were allowed in all public and government-owned areas. Unfortunately private businesses and homeowners were still under no such obligation. Finn supposed it wasn’t fair. He just hadn’t really thought about it. “But surely the FBI would be allowed anywhere?”

  “Ever heard of the phrase ‘hearts and minds’?” Gregory sighed.

  So that’s it, thought Finn. They wanted to persuade the public, not force them.

  “I suppose he had a fair point,” Finn acknowledged. He’d just scraped by his courses. He struggled with the tests, and despite the hours of work he put in, he’d never managed better than a B average.

  To be honest he had a feeling his English teacher maintained his B because he was diligent in everything—never a late mark, never a missed assignment. Diligent, and possibly she even took pity on him a little. She even urged him to get tested for dyslexia, which completely freaked him out and had him begging her not to write that in his record anywhere. He knew the FBI had no official policy that would discriminate against anyone, but Talon was right. Even in the years immediately after 9/11, they only hired just over two thousand new agents out of a hundred and fifty thousand applicants. He was convinced a diagnosis of dyslexia would have put paid to his dreams in the FBI straightaway, even if his coping mechanisms usually only failed now when he was really tired or stressed. They simply had too many perfect candidates to take a chance on him.

  Finn sighed. “So what am I doing here?”

  Gregory leaned back. “I will overlook your tone because I am aware that you have gone a long time without sleep and you have had a confusing two days.”

  Finn swallowed his pride. “My apologies, sir.”

  Gregory nodded in acknowledgment. “Succinctly, Talon was in a lot of ways correct. Your B average would never normally get you into Quantico, and while you had glowing reports from your tutors despite your grades, your brother, in particular, was less than complimentary.”

  Finn fumed. He knew it. Why the hell the FBI had to insist on family references was completely beyond him.

  “He went as far as to indicate that you were lazy and unsuited in his opinion for a job in law enforcement of any kind.”

  Finn fisted his hands. He would kill him.

  “However, you should know that we received a letter—or rather, one of our agents who wishes to remain nameless received a letter.” Gregory’s face softened. “From your father.”

  “W-What?” Finn exclaimed. Then he hurriedly tagged on, “Sir.”

  “Three years ago. I believe it was written the day before his death. The agent in question had been instructed to keep it should you apply for the FBI.”

  Finn swallowed and stared unseeing at the floor. That was the last time they spoke about his dream of becoming an agent—the last time they’d spoken at all.

  “The agent your father wrote to served with him in Vietnam. Normally that sort of thing won’t make any difference at all, and your dad actually didn’t ask for any special favors. He just said to disregard any reference your brother made concerning his opinions on your suitability.” Gregory leaned forward and laid his forearms on the desk.

  “But even if you decided to give me a chance and ignore what my brother said, that still doesn’t explain why I’m here and not at Quantico,” Finn argued.

  “Because we want to keep this quiet for the time being. Your physical training will take place both in the gym downstairs, which will be closed for your private use, and in various locations around the city. Normal agent training is nearly eight hundred intense hours of academics, firearms, case studies, and operational skills. Skills that include everything from behavioral science to safe-driving techniques.”

  Finn knew all that. He’d read and memorized every bit of every training document he was able to get his hands on.

  “You, however, will miss all that,” Gregory said with a hint of disbelief. “Your training will be completely private and will last only four weeks. You will then take part in some joint operations with experienced agents for a period of three to four months. If you prove that the partnership—hell, the whole idea, even—is worth the gamble, then a whole new unit will be set up and staffed with equal members of regular and enhanced, and you will then receive your full FBI training.” Gregory paused. “But we have a lot of people to convince before then.”

  Finn shook his head. He was beyond tired and not completely sure he understood everything being said to him. “So, sir, what you’re saying is, we’re basically guinea pigs?”

  Gregory laughed shortly. “Essentially, yes.”

  “That still doesn’t explain why you wanted me. Setting aside the request to ignore the bad reference, why, if this is so important, do you not want someone already trained?”

  “Because Talon has had three partners already trained. The longest any of them lasted was six days,” Gregory said dryly. “Our final option is getting someone he can train himself. However, we are so far behind schedule that you are the last chance to make this work. I should also warn you that he is a complete bastard to work with and has a chip on his shoulder the size of the Empire State Building.”

  Finn chewed his lip. It had been a disaster since he walked into the office. Talon had taken nearly an instant dislike to him.

  “What are you thinking?” Gregory asked.

  “Respectfully, sir? That I’m completely screwed. Talon made it clear he’s not interested in working with a B average.” Finn used his fingers as quotation marks.

  “And how do you feel?”

  “That I have a hell of a lot to prove, sir.” Finn looked up and noticed Agent Gregory’s smile.

  Agent Gregory laughed. “Forgive me. I was reacting to you not saying your biggest problem would be in working with an enhanced.”

  Finn shrugged. “It makes no difference to me, sir. I just want a fair shot.” He knew the papers were full of whatever dirty laundry they could get, but it never bothered him.

  “I will try to keep it quiet for as long as I can, but even my superiors are agreed we won’t be able to keep this under wraps once you are out in the public eye.”

  Finn thought furiously. “Sir, even wanting someone untrained still doesn’t explain your willingness to take a chance on me.”

  Gregory’s lips thinned. “We wanted someone who would be eager to meet the challenges of the irregular entry system.”

  Finn parted his lips soundlessly, and his heart thudded. They wanted someone who wouldn’t ask questions. They wanted someone who was so desperate, they would accept everything. They wanted someone who knew this was his only chance.

  He stared back, trying to communicate silently his understanding to something he knew Gregory would never publicly admit to.

  “Am I allowed to know Talon’
s specialty?” Finn asked.

  All the enhanced were different. They all had different abilities, and some had more than one. Abilities were discovered as they transformed—one child had burned his house to the ground in complete panic after waking up with the mark. Others didn’t come to light until years after. Some of the abilities just weren’t something any adolescent would normally do, and there still weren’t that many of them. In fact, at one point, one of the papers had suggested there were barely enough of them country wide to fill a maximum security prison. It had been a veiled suggestion as well as a comment. That much Finn knew.

  “Talon demonstrated his ability for you,” Gregory said, seeming relieved at Finn’s acceptance. “I think I’ll let him discuss it with you further.” He stood and offered his hand. “Welcome to the FBI, Finn.”

  Finn shook his hand and marveled at Agent Gregory’s informality. Whatever he’d just agreed to was certainly different. He picked up his bag. Now where the hell did he go?

  Gregory opened a drawer in his desk and took out a brown envelope. “This contains your car keys, directions both to where you are staying and back here, and also directions to our outside training facility. And a cell phone that you will use exclusively during your training, programmed with all the numbers you will need. Unfortunately your delayed flight means you and Talon will both be here at noon tomorrow for initial assessments. You have medicals to pass first, and a physical test, and the usual ton of paperwork.”

  Finn sighed silently. He thought he’d done all that.

  “Go out of the door at the side of the vending machine and you’ll be facing an elevator. Take it to the lower floor, where you will find the parking lot to your right. Please don’t discuss anything we have talked about with anyone. Don’t forget you had to sign a nondisclosure agreement at your last interview.”

  Finn gave an exhausted smile and carried the envelope and his bag to the elevator. When the doors opened, he walked in, pressed the bottom button, and dropped his bag with a thud. He’d never been so tired in his life. He hoped like hell the hotel or whatever wasn’t far. He wasn’t even sure he should be driving. He opened the envelope and took out some keys. They had an alarm fob on them, so he supposed he’d just have to press it to see which car was his.