The Lost Read Free Page B

been determined and Salvatore’s dream had been born.
    Genesis, he thought. If he made this call he could finally get the wheels rolling on his project. To do so, however, meant betraying Adam, but that act had been set in stone long ago. It had never been a question of
if
Salvatore would be disloyal, just of when.
    As he took a long last look at the SolTerra building, he noted that the shades on his son’s fifth-floor office suite were closed tightly. He imagined what Adam might be doinginside. Was he playing with those weird balls of energy or just reading a report from one of his engineers? Probably the energy, he thought, recalling the state Adam had been in when Salvatore had arrived—all charged up with power.
    Power that could be deadly to someone, which was why Salvatore must act now, before anyone got hurt.
    Using the speed dial, he phoned the man who had come to him barely a month ago, claiming to know about his son and the unique abilities he possessed. Salvatore had been dubious at first, until the man had given him a little demonstration, a private light show disturbingly similar to Adam’s, from the orbs of energy to the intense aura and glowing eyes. Then the man had teleported from one side of the room to the other. If Adam possessed that power, Salvatore had not yet witnessed it.
    He had gone to meet the man—Alexander Sombrosa—in his New York office, or rather, office building, located on Sixth Avenue in the heart of the high-rent business area close to Central Park. Either the Sombrosa money was capable of buying a great deal of information or one of Sombrosa’s people had used his powers to break into the CIA building and obtain copies of a number of Salvatore’s CIA files, including a dummy file for Genesis. The real one was in Salvatore’s home and contained the details of how he had planned to use Adam to create another race of individuals with Adam’s incredible capabilities.
    “Well?” was all that Alexander said as he answered the phone.
    “I mentioned the possibility of meeting one of my agents to Adam.”
    “And how was that received?” Alexander asked, the cultured tone of his voice droll.
    Annoyed by Alexander’s seemingly cavalier attitude, Salvatore replied, “Neutral would be the best description.”
    Silence followed and Salvatore could picture the fine Mr. Sombrosa in his office, pacing high above the crowds in a suit that likely cost more than Salvatore made in a month. Sombrosa’s plans were not so far removed from Salvatore’s. Bring Adam back into the fold of his people and have him mate with one of their more powerful females to secure the continuation of their race.
    Salvatore suspected Alexander was pondering his next move, as if he and Adam were nothing more than pawns on a chessboard. Salvatore wasn’t a man who liked getting played. Deciding to take command, he said, “I’d rather not push right now. Adam can be stubborn.”
    “Just remember that time, while not critical, is of importance. The growth of Adam’s power is logarithmic now as the Equinox approaches. He will need our help to master it and keep him from harming others,” Alexander replied, sounding as pedantic as a professor bored with his own lecture.
    If I believe you, Salvatore thought, still uneasy about the alliance he had formed with virtual strangers. He had not done it lightly, but joining with them could open up a world of possibilities for Adam’s future and for his as well.
    “I understand the urgency, Alexander, but I know my son—”
    “Not your son, Salvatore. He belongs to us,” Alexander retorted sharply, finally displaying some emotion.
    Anger rose quickly. He might have taken Adam, but his reasons had not been selfish. At least, not at first.
    “When
my son
is ready, he will return home.”
    Determined to have the last word, he hung up.
    Rich and powerful men like Alexander Sombrosa always wanted to call the shots, but this time he would play by Salvatore’s rules. That