Page 59 of Broken Wheels

Michael’s eyes blazed. “What if we?—?”

“No,” Josh said adamantly. “If they find out we’re looking into it, they’ll come after us, guns blazing. They’ll also go after our families or anyone else they think will get us out of the way. This is why I didn’t want to tell you.”

“Then what do you suggest?” Michael demanded. “That we look the other way?”

Josh went quiet for a moment, forcing himself to breathe evenly. “I can’t tell you the nightmares I’ve had about this. What happened at the mall? What I saw? That’s going to haunt me, but I’m a pragmatist. I know that no matter what else, it involved a handful of people. But Project Achlys? They planned to release it on a widespread scale, killing maybe thousands of men, women, and children. And if I’m right, they’re still intent on using it. Well… someone is.” His heart pounded.

“Then we have to know for sure,” Michael said in a firm voice.

Dixon coughed. “Doc is going to hack the information.” His hand squeezed Josh’s knee.

Michael looked to Gary. “Are we going to be okay with this? I’ve seen the agreement, and?—”

“And they broke it very egregiously,” Gary retorted. He locked gazes with Josh. “Do what you have to do.”

Now came the part he dreaded the most. “I’ve already been hacking,” he said in a low voice.

Gary rolled his eyes. “Well, duh.” He narrowed his gaze. “You’ve been at it since this whole Porter thing, right?”

Warmth flooded through Josh. He really does know me so well.

He nodded. “I paid one of the cops to procure some of the evidence for me. It was something he secreted away, so it wasn’t like I was asking him to steal for me. I’ve been looking it over since I got it.”

Michael crossed his arms. “Tell me you found something, after running so many risks.”

“The missiles they used to attack us? They were government-issued. No big surprise there, since Porter was a general, but when I tracked the numbers back in the chain, care to guess where it led to?”

“I’m not sure I want to,” Gary murmured.

“They were the same model and serial number as the one that dropped the payload on Kingsman. Now, it could have been a coincidence, but I’m not really keen on that word. I think this whole thing has been one big conspiracy, and that I’m at the center of it now.”

They stared at him in shocked silence. Then Michael frowned. “Wait a minute. Something you just said…. About how someone might still intend using it. You weren’t talking about the government, were you?”

Yeah, Michael was no slouch when it came to brains.

“I started digging into the databases. Yes, the project was scrapped, and the files are marked Top Secret.” He paused, unable to repress a shiver.

“What else did you find?” Gary asked.

He took another calming breath. “I discovered a digital footprint. Someone else had been there.” He gazed at them, his heart sinking. “And they may have stolen the files too.”

Dixon’s phone buzzed, and he scowled. “I asked for no calls to be—” He stared at the screen. “It’s Special Agent Chalmers.” He put the phone to his ear. “Agent—” Dixon froze, listening intently, and Josh’s heart went into overdrive. He watched Dixon’s expression become more grave, and Gary’s breathing grew more labored.

At last Dixon finished the call and pocketed his phone.

“What’s happened?” Josh could barely keep still on his chair.

For a moment Dixon said nothing, but stared at the table. Then he met Josh’s gaze. “You remember Detective Reginald Marsh, in Racine?”

Josh nodded, fear spiking through him, almost a premonition of what Dixon was about to share.

“He’s dead. And it wasn’t natural causes.”

Chapter 18

Josh stared at Dixon, stunned into silence.

This makes no sense.