Conspiracy of Shadows - Prologue Part 2

Forsyte sat in the driver's seat of Hughes' limousine gazing out at the rain-soaked streets of Rooks Port. He leaned back and listened to the rhythmic ping-ping of raindrops as they fell against the roof of the car, watched the water roll down the windshield like tears. He smiled.

Nearly an hour ago Hughes had ordered him to return to the manor with the limo. But Forsyte, whose name wasn't really Alex Duffey, had prior orders that countermanded those issued by Hughes. So he’d waited until the limo had traveled three blocks and then he had made his move.

"Pull over, please," Forsyte said. "I think I'm going to be ill."

Forsyte had feigned sickliness for the past two years just for this moment. Troy, Hughes' personal driver for the past five years, didn't even hesitate. He directed the limousine to the curb and brought it to a stop. Huddled over, one arm across his stomach, Forsyte struggled with the door.

"I'll get the door for you," Troy said as he opened his own door and climbed from the driver's seat.

Forsyte watched as Troy moved around the car. Then, the door opened and Forsyte stumbled out. Troy caught him under one arm and steadied him. Surreptitiously, Forsyte glanced around to be certain no one was out; the streets were deserted. Forsyte quickly took hold of Troy's arm and pulled him roughly forward. Taken by surprise, Troy staggered, completely thrown off balance. Then Forsyte twisted Troy's arm and spun Troy against the limo, the sudden impact forcing the air from Troy's lungs. As he struggled to catch his breath, Forsyte pinned his arm behind him and slapped a cuff around his wrist. Then, in an instant, Forsyte had Troy's other arm and cuffed that wrist as well.

Troy was still gasping for air as Forsyte yanked the chain between the cuffs with one hand and pulled Troy backwards. His other hand firmly on the back of Troy's head, Forsyte forced him over at the waist. Then, with a quick shove, sent him sprawling, face-first, into the passenger area of the limo. Forsyte climbed in behind him and pulled the door shut.

"I have no intentions of hurting you further," Forsyte told Troy as he helped him to sit upright.

Troy pulled away from Forsyte, moved across the seat and propped himself against the other door. He was still too disoriented to do any more than that. But, just in case Forsyte was reading the situation wrong, he drew a .45 from under his jacket, slid the safety off as he held it up for Troy's benefit, then laid it across his lap. Troy's eyes went wide; his body tensed as he pushed himself back harder against the door.

"I thought you said you wouldn't-"

"Only if you make it necessary," Forsyte cut in. "I just need you to answer one question for me."

Troy relaxed a little, but his eyes remained fixed on the .45.

"What do you want to know?" asked Troy.

"I want to know the truth," Forsyte said, and then lashed out with a quick punch to Troy's temple. Troy collapsed, unconscious.

Forsyte slid the gun back into its holster under his jacket. He reached over and pulled Troy down onto his back and then, leaning over Troy's body, he placed his hands on either side of Troy's head. He closed his eyes and concentrated.

Telepathy was sometimes a side effect of postcognitive psychometry, but in Forsyte's case it was a very minor side effect; one that he'd kept hidden from his employer. With some mental effort, his mind's eye gazed into the dulled thoughts of the chauffeur. And there, in the psychic maelstrom of Troy's mind, Forsyte found the information he needed: the location of the rendezvous point. Forsyte released his hold on Troy's head.

Forsyte moved to the other end of the seat. He dragged a sleeve across his wet brow, wiping the beads of sweat away. Here comes the migraine. Then he pulled a cell phone from a pocket and dialed a number from memory. The line rang once, clicked, went silent for one brief second, and then beeped.

Quickly, but succinctly, Forsyte spoke into the phone. "Agent Bryce. Field designation: Forsyte. Operation Nineteen-A slash Zero Seven. Converge at Erin and Adams. ETA: forty minutes."

Forsyte ended the call and slid the phone back into a pocket. Then, after he had attended to a few other small details, Forsyte had driven the limo to the rendezvous point where Hughes would be expecting Troy to be waiting.

Now Forsyte sat quietly in the limo and thought, finally. For the past two years he'd pretended to be someone he wasn't; little more than a glorified bloodhound on Hughes' payroll. As an undercover operative for HAVEN - the Headquarters for Advanced Vigilance and Enforcement - Forsyte had infiltrated Hughes' network, all in hopes of securing a book that was rumored to be a powerful artifact. And now it seemed that Forsyte was only minutes away from completing his assignment.

A knock against the tinted driver's window brought Forsyte out of his reverie. He glanced over at the digital clock set in the dash of the limousine. Prompt, as always, thought Forsyte. Exactly thirty minutes ago Hughes' concise message had come over the commlink.

Another knock, this one more urgent.

Forsyte checked to be certain of the contents of his jacket pocket, then took a deep breath to strengthen his resolve.

"Well, I suppose it’s time to formally tender my resignation," Forsyte mumbled to himself as he pulled gloves onto his hands. He flipped up the hood of his jacket, opened the door and stepped out to face Hughes.