That got his attention. Myers waved his hand dismissively at Archer, and the junior agent slid out of the booth to go stand next to Jefferson. Myers sat down across from them. He steepled his fingers and studied them with cold eyes. “Ahh, Ms. Newcastle, how you never cease to amaze me. Now on you, the Las Vegas MCB truly dropped the ball. Your resume was rather underwhelming, and the routine psychological profile pegged you as a rather mundane specimen of an attack survivor. Your background suggested that you wouldn’t be the type to talk about trauma, since you obviously know how to keep a secret. So you were simply warned, filed, and forgotten. If we had realized what a spitfire you’d turn out to be, then the MCB would have made you a job offer. I hate to see this much talent wasted on the private sector.”

“Why, thank you, Agent Myers. That’s the sweetest thing an MCB representative has ever said to me. But my parents weren’t first cousins, so I’m afraid I’d be ineligible.”

“Such a loss.” Myers nearly smiled. “And the information that you need?”

“How to defeat this monster and save my friends. Preferably today. I want to talk to Dr. Blish.”

“You are remarkably well informed.” Myers glanced around theatrically. “Are there gnomes here that I don’t know about?”

“I hope not. Little bastards give me the creeps. You help me and in exchange I give you an audio recording of Stricken being all plotty and nefarious.”

“What good does that evidence do me? I’m more than aware of Stricken’s nature, and he’s not the sort of man that you can touch with things like the truth.”

“Like you’d know the truth if it bit you in the ass,” Mosh muttered.

“Compliments will get you nowhere, Mr. Pitt.”

Holly shook her head. “I don’t care if you use it to hold a congressional hearing or stick it on YouTube. Personally, I planned on just playing it for Franks and letting that murder machine sort things out. I’m straightforward like that.”

“Agent Franks is currently indisposed,” Myers said. Holly began to ask another question, but Myers held up one hand to silence her. “I’ll level with you, Ms. Newcastle. When I arrived, I attempted to speak with the scientist, Blish, but was ordered out of the area. I’m supposed to be on a plane to Washington right now. Direct command of my strike force was taken over by Director Stark. He is in total operational control.”

“Sounds like you’re not a fan of the guy.” As Holly said that, Jefferson had to suppress a laugh.