But Mosh was still suspicious of the slimy bureaucrat. “Aren’t you worried about us talking if we get caught?”

“Absolutely not. Because if it comes to that, they will more than likely shoot you on sight. Though very capable in their own right, STFU’s greatest weakness is its relatively small number of staff, which is the only way something so shrouded in secrecy can exist. In operations like this, they depend on us or other government agencies to provide security and firepower. In our current situation, Stricken, knowing he’s in a power struggle, won’t endanger his secrets by leaving their protection in the hands of men that may be loyal to me. So he hired some outside contractors on short notice and put them under the supervision of one of his pets seeking a PUFF exemption. They strike me as the shoot first and ask questions later type. If by some miracle you are taken alive, by the time they confirm the information that they torture out of you, I personally will be on the way to Costa Rica to live out my days under a new identity. Thus, I would strongly recommend not being caught.”

Torture? It wouldn’t come to that. Mosh knew that he would gladly blab Myers’ name the second they got caught.

“You know, Myers, I like you a lot better as a subversive terrorist. Super villainy really works for you,” Holly said with forced cheer. “We’re in. Let’s go for it.”

Mosh glanced nervously at the MCB agents. The ones with visible faces looked as nervous as he felt. This whole sinister inter-governmental rivalry thing was way over his head. He despised the MCB for everything they stood for, but Holly seemed to think that they were a whole lot better than the alternative. That was really saying something about the alternative.

The ghost of Mordechai chuckled inside his head. “Boy, these policemen are not your friends. They are liars who hide monsters and threaten poor survivors. They do terrible, misguided things, but they are so much better than the pale one. Him, you avoid. I have seen with my own eyes what happens when his kind becomes in control. Now go. Next part may become…difficult. Hurry. Time is short.”

If I live through this, I want you the hell out of my head, old man. No wonder Owen had gotten to be so nuts. This talking to dead people business was a bad trip. “So what’s next?”

Agent Myers slid out from the booth, carefully adjusted his tie, and said, “Try not to get shot.”

Chapter 20

Chapter 20