Page 53 of Hellbent

“From me?”

“You had to be. You were never the best. Everyone loves a thoroughbred, sure. But they root for the underdog.”

“Who’s rooting, Charles?”

Van Sciver kept on. “Helluva move you pulled all those years ago back at the home. Beat me to the starting gate.”

“That was long ago.”

“It was the past, yes. And it’s the present, too. You define me, Evan. Just like I define you.”

Evan watched the headlights blur past on the freeway. He could sense Joey’s gaze heavy on his face.

“The Mystery Man wanted me,” Van Sciver said. “Not you.”

“Yes,” Evan said. “He did.”

“We were so young. Remember when we thought he was important? Remember when he held all the power in the world?”

“I remember.”

“Now he works for me. The Program’s pared down, way down, but when I decided to recruit a little fresh blood … well, he’s still the best. Though even he makes a mistake now and again. Like the girl. I’m sure she’s told you all about it.”

Joey’s hands tightened on the wheel. Van Sciver’s voice, deep and confident, was carrying from the receiver.

“A mistake,” Evan echoed. “I asked her how to find you. She couldn’t tell me anything. She’s not even bait. She’s useless.”

Joey looked straight ahead, drove steady, but Evan could hear her breathing quicken.

“She’s another stray mark we have to erase,” Van Sciver said. “She knows my face.”

“What’s she gonna do? Hire a sketch artist? She doesn’t have the skills. She’s damaged goods. She’s not even worth killing.”

“Yeah, but Johns took her in, so I’m gonna kill her anyway. Because he took her in. Because that makes her important to you.”

“Your call to make,” Evan said. “If you think you can afford not to concentrate on me.”

Van Sciver sounded amused. “You have no idea, do you? How high it goes?”

“What does that mean?”

He laughed. “You still think it’s about me and you.”

“That is all it’s about,” Evan said. “From the minute you took Jack.”

The reception weakened and then came back, the Subaru skirting the edge of the Wi-Fi hot zone.

“For years I’d reconciled myself to living off the radar,” Evan said. “I was content to hide in the shadows. To leave you alone. Not anymore.”

Joey had inched above the speed limit, and Evan gestured for her to slow down.

“Evan,” Van Sciver said. “That’s what we’re counting on.”

The connection fizzled into static, then dropped.

Evan turned off the Samsung and pocketed it. He leaned to check the speedometer. “Keep it at sixty-five.”

Joey’s chest rose with each breath, her nostrils flaring. “‘Not worth killing?’” She shot his words back at him.