“I can see that,” said Robie. “I’m sure you have a plan to do just that.”
Blue Man looked at Gelder. Gelder glanced up at Robie.
“Well, actually, you’re the plan, Robie,” said Gelder.
Robie did not look at Blue Man, though he could feel the man’s gaze now on him. “You want me to go after Reel?” he said slowly. This scenario had never occurred to him and he suddenly wondered why not.
Gelder nodded.
“I’m not a detective,” said Robie. “That’s not my strength.”
Blue Man looked at him. “I would disagree with you on that point, Robie.”
“But regardless, send a killer to find a killer,” said Gelder simply.
“You have lots of them on the payroll,” Robie replied.
Gelder stopped picking his nail. “You come highly recommended.”
“Why? Because of what happened recently?”
“We would be derelict in our duties if we ignored that,” said Gelder. “You’re just coming off an assignment. I think you can be better deployed tracking down Reel.”
“Do I have a choice?”
Gelder stared across at him. “Is there a problem?”
“Despite what you said, I don’t think I’m the right man for the job.”
In answer Gelder slipped a small square electronic tablet from his inside jacket pocket. He scrolled down some screens, reading as he did so.
“Well, let me give you some ‘specifics’ as to why you are the right man for the job. You graded first in your class with record marks. Two years later Jessica Reel was first in her class with a score that would have been a record but for yours.”
“Yes, but—” Robie began, but Gelder put up a hand.
“In a practice scenario you were the only one to track her down and capture her.”
“That was a long time ago. And it wasn’t the real thing.”
“And finally, you saved her life once.”
“Why does that matter?” asked Robie.
“It might make her hesitate for a second, Robie. And that should be all you need.” He added, “Not that I was required to provide an explanation for you to follow a direct order, but there you are. Consider it a gift under extraordinary circumstances.”
He rose and glanced at Blue Man. “Keep me informed.” He looked back at Robie. “As always, failure is not an option, Robie.”
“And if I do fail I better die in the process, right?” said Robie.
Gelder looked at him as though he had merely stated the obvious.
The next moment the door opened and the number two man walked out through it. He closed the door behind him with the finality of a coffin lid shutting.
Blue Man glanced nervously at Robie, who was still staring at the door. Then Robie slowly looked over at Blue Man.
“You knew about this?” Robie asked.
Blue Man nodded.
“And what do you think about it?”
“I think you are ideally suited for it.”
“Dead or alive? Was that bullshit or code or both?”
“I truly think they want her alive. She needs to be interrogated. She was one of our top operatives. We’ve never had one of them turn before.”
“Well, you know that’s not true. There seems to be a run on turncoats in the agency lately.”
Blue Man looked pained by this statement, but he could hardly dispute it in light of recent events.
“So that’s what you think this is? She was turned? So why kill Jacobs? Now we know she’s gone bad. It’s not like she can walk back into the job and start collecting valuable intel for her new employer. Doesn’t make sense.”
“It has to make sense in some way. Because it’s happened.”
Robie said, “Jacobs is dead. Reel is nowhere to be found. Her being turned is only one possibility. There are others.”
“I suppose that the longer you stay in service the greater the chance that someone will try and turn you,” said Blue Man. He tapped his fingers on the table and looked off.
“The more years of service, the more value you might have.”
Blue Man glanced over at him. “Others have been tempted. Successfully.”
“A few out of many.”
“Still a problem.”