The Beast That Was Max Read Free

without a team?"
    "There's a bigger picture, Max. You're used to a role, which you perform to an exceptional degree. But there's a lot going on right now, and everybody has to pitch in."
    Max took a deep breath, curbed the Beast, brought the Lincoln down to the speed limit. He focused on the assignment flaws. "What am I supposed to do, not sleep? Who gets the food? Who patrols the perimeter? What if there's an emergency with the target? Security breaches in the setup?"
    "We didn't think you slept." Someone laughed in the background.
    "Put Mr. Johnson on."
    "He's not here."
    "Who's coaching you?"
    "Is that the problem you're taking up satellite time to resolve?"
    "What I want to resolve is an inappropriate allocation of resources. What I want to point out is that you're sending a killer to protect a target, with no backup or planning or coordination. What I'm telling you is that I feel like you're setting me up, and if you don't tell your superior what the hell's going on and get me off this assignment I'll personally kill the fucking bitch you want me to protect, and then I'll gut the bastards who were going to pick her up, and then I'll send the bunch back to you through the mail in three-by-five envelopes. Postage fucking due." He raised the phone to smash it against the dashboard. The Beast pushed him to sideswipe a passing car and send it crashing into the guardrail.
    "Fucking clerks are taking over the world," Lee muttered, looking out the passenger window. "No wonder it's all going to hell." He met Max's gaze, winked. "Don't let them bully you, Max. But don't let them make you do something stupid, either."
    The voice on the line settled into a cool, professional tone. "We realize your briefing has been inadequate. However, we know you are flexible enough to adapt to new situations. In addition, you have not been left entirely without resources. The safe house is fully supplied and equipped with electronic security, and the area will be monitored by local agencies for unusual activity. We can divert local assets to you if an emergency arises. And, because of the unusual circumstances, we have just been authorized to convert your assigned safe house to Nowhere House status. That should satisfy all of your concerns. You will not need a team because you will not be found, and there is a low probability of engagement with opposition forces during transport to and from the safe house."
    A chill passed through Max. The Beast stopped short.
    The Nowhere House was well beyond the wetwork world in which Max traveled. "Who is this woman? Who is after her?"
    "It doesn't matter who she is," the voice said, toning down the strained formality of its speech. It was as if Max was communicating with several people at the same time, and he wondered if the man on the other end of the line was somehow channeling various officials and representatives assigned to deal with Max. Or perhaps he was simply mad. "The people after her are amateurs. It's the people she's going to who are important and require reassurance. They know you, even like you and your peculiar talent. They feel their property will be safe in your hands. More important, your presence raises her value. Getting the best to escort her is a sign of her importance, a badge of honor."
    The Beast recovered from its momentary surprise and resumed pressuring Max to kill. "I can't do this.”
    “What's so hard?"
    "I've never done what you're asking. I've never had to protect anyone except myself." And the twins , he thought. But they were different. They meant something to him.
    "You're an assassin, you know how you would kill her. Anticipate. Though, as I said, it's almost certain you won't see action."
    "So I'm wasting my time. The hell with this. You do it."
    "If you don't pick up this assignment, you will die.”
    “You'd terminate our contract over this woman?”
    “She is part of a plan. So are you. Changes require consequences. Reparations. Adjustments. Your defiance can serve