and hire a hit on Cliff.â
Jeff looked shocked. âWe canât condone assassination.â
âIâd condone anything that would get Cliff, LaRue, Reid, all their clones, and all their evil dead gone and buried forever.â
Buchanan nodded. âI assume the LaRue and Reid clones backed up Goodmanâs memory and have clones of him on the way. But killing him would give us a little time, and itâs time we might need. My gut tells me that heâs going to make a big move soon, and if weâre not ready, weâll all be destroyed.â
CHAPTER 4
âI CAN AGREE WITH THAT. In the other universe, he was definitely making his big move. There were enough parallels that itâs really possible heâs ready in this universe as well.â
âMurdering eight of our Secret Service detail, and they were eight men who reported to him, sounds like moving up a timetable to me,â Jeff agreed. âEspecially since he was trying to frame Buchanan here.â
Who nodded. âI think the Mastermind trying to get me out of the way indicates heâs ready to roll out his plan. Whatever it is.â
âSeriously, I think heâs got a death ray. He had one in the other world, and that was with far fewer scientific resources available to him. Oh, and this is a biggie that you and all the others need to knowâLaRue isnât a human. Sheâs an Ancient turncoat working for the Zâporrah.â
Both men stared at me. âWhy did you wait to tell us this?â Buchanan asked finally.
âDude, Iâve been home less than twenty-four hours. Itâs early morning. So this is me telling you quickly. Besides, Chuckie was there when I came back and I think we all agreed that we didnât want to tell him whatâs going on until weâre sure he can handle it and we can handle him and his reaction.â
Jeff nodded. âLetâs get dressed and get ready as if itâs a normal day. Weâll figure out how to break the news to Chuck.â
âFigure out how to brief everyone other than Reynolds,â Buchanan said. âAnd figure it out fast. Because it sounds like we need your intel and you absolutely need ours, and thereâs no way the many A-Cs who figured out who the Mastermind is are going to be able to keep that from Reynolds. Iâm not even convinced you can keep it from him, Missus Chief. He knows you better than anyone else, and Iâm pretty damn sure he knows when youâre lying to him.â
âMaybe we can focus him on the Stephanie situation?â Jeff asked.
âThat would tell him that his supposed best friend is dating your niece on the sly, and I can guarantee that Chuckie will put two and two together immediately because of that.â
âWeâll think of something,â Jeff said, rather desperately. âWe only need to keep it from him for a little while anyway, right?â
Buchanan stood up to leave. âDepends on when you want Reynolds on a murderous rampage. Because the minute he knows, I can guarantee thatâs going to be his reaction.â
âHeâs normally a very calm, controlled person. And Iâm saying this based on years of experience with him.â
âYes, and Iâm saying this based on an understanding of human motivations and reactions learned over time. And from your mother. Heâs not going to be the man youâre used to.â
Jeff nodded. âHeâs been dealing too long and too poorly with losing Naomi. This is a betrayal of the highest order, baby. Weâre all prepped to have to lock him into isolation for his own safety.â
âWow. I go away for a couple of weeks and everyoneâs got delusions of doom going. Fantastic.â
Buchanan grinned. âIâm sure you can handle it, Missus Chief.â With that he left.
Jeff and I showered and got dressed. Okay, we showered, had a lot of mind-blowing sex, and then dressed. Hey,