Jenkins buried his chin in his neck and frowned. “You’re shitting me, aren’t you? We’re old running buddies, Zan. And if I remember correctly, you’re the one who introduced me to the wonderful world of UAVs. I owe you a lot.”
Xander nodded and looked around the room. “How about five million and we call it even?”
Jenkins patted his pockets. “Sure, just let me get my wallet. I believe I have that much on me.” But then the smile suddenly vanished again. “It’s not true, is it? I can’t imagine that it is.”
It was Xander’s turn to frown. “What are you talking about? You mean about the bad guys out after all the pilots from the RDC? That’s true.” He looked over at Tiffany, who gave him a small nod.
“Not that,” said Jenkins. “The other stuff.”
“Now you’ve got me. What other stuff?”
Jenkins wrinkled his lips. “That’s what I was afraid of. Here, I recorded this so I could replay it again, since I couldn’t believe it the first time.” He took a small tablet computer from the end table and punched a button. Above the huge river-stone fireplace, double panels began to slide away to reveal what had to be a hundred-inch flat screen TV. Billy noticed Xander’s mouth drop open. “Hey, my eyesight’s getting bad, and this is the only way I can watch my soaps.”
He pressed another button and the TV came to life. On it was a recorded news report from CNN. Xander’s headshot was displayed in a box on the left. Billy turned up the volume.
“…was responsible for the release of classified information regarding the Rapid Defense Center and may have been working directly with the group — or groups — that carried out yesterday’s attack. Documents found in the ruins of Moore’s Henderson, Nevada, home have left the authorities with little doubt that he removed highly sensitive data that revealed the security setup of the RDC, as well as the steps required to launch an attack on the facility.”
“What the hell?” Xander said.
“It has also been revealed that Xander Moore was the author of a report that detailed how such an attack could be carried out, even though it was disguised as plans for an assault on a foreign-based facility.”
“This is all bullshit!” Xander said. He looked to a silent Tiffany Collins. “You were there, you know they’re lying.”
Tiffany stared at him with unblinking eyes.
The newscast continued. “It is believed that Moore set fire to his own home to cover up his activities, as other personnel from the Center were being targeted in the area by drone attacks.” Tiffany’s headshot now appeared. “After making contact with her station this morning, the fate of Fox News reporter Tiffany Collins is still unknown at this time, with her last known sighting being in the company of Moore at a home she owns in the town of Idyllwild in Riverside County, California. Eyewitnesses report that a gun battle took place near the home earlier this morning between government agents and Moore. Authorities we spoke with said they have no reason to believe at this time that the news broadcaster is involved in any of Moore’s activities, but they say they are still investigating Collins’ background for any possible links. In the meantime, the manhunt for Xander Moore continues.”
Billy pressed the pause button with an image of both Xander and Tiffany now filling the entire screen.
Xander turned a pleading face to Billy Jenkins. “It wasn’t me… in fact, I think it was Jonas.”
“Jonas Lemon?” Billy said, as his mouth fell open.
“Xander nodded. “He used to work at the Center… until I had him fired.”
Billy pursed his lips. “Maria, I think I’m going to need my usual!” he called out into the other room. “Jonas fucking Lemon. This sounds like something he would do.”
“You know him?” Tiffany asked, finally coming out of her stupor.
“You don’t believe any of this, do you?” Xander asked Tiffany before Billy could reply.
“Of course not, but now I’m being investigated!”
“You think Jonas did this to get back at you?” Jenkins asked Xander.
“There’s been no love lost between us for years, Billy, and you know it.”
“It wasn’t your fault he got kicked out of the League.”
“Even so, he landed on his feet after that and went to work for the military in the Predator program, before eventually being pawned off on the RDC.”
Billy shook his head as Maria brought him a caramel-colored drink in a tumbler. “That was one crazy son-of-a-bitch. But now they’re blaming you, and with evidence planted at your house, obviously. What are you going to do?”
With desperate eyes, Xander looked towards the hovering Maria. “Bring him what I’m having,” Billy said, reading Xander’s mind. “He looks like he needs it.”
“Yes, Mr. Billy, and for you, ma’am?”
Tiffany shrugged. “Sure, why not? This thing just got a whole lot more complicated… and personal.”
Billy leaned over toward Tiffany and handed her his cellphone. “Here, call someone. Let them know you’re not being held captive by some crazed terrorist. I’ve known this guy since he was eleven and I was fourteen. He ain’t no saint, but he’s no traitor, either. There’s no way he could be involved in this like they say.”
Tiffany took the phone and stood up. She looked down at Xander. She went to say something, but ended up instead just shaking her head.
“It’s cool. Now go make your call. I’m sure all your friends and family are worried sick about you. But don’t let them know where you are, not yet.” He looked over at Billy. “I’m sure my old friend here will let you borrow one of his clunkers so you can get back to your normal life. I just need a little time to work out what I’m going to do next.”
Billy Jenkins smiled up at the news reporter. “Take your pick from the garage, sweetheart… as long as you promise to return it to me in person.”
Flashing a strained smile at the men, Tiffany left the room.
Billy now leaned in closer to Xander. “Seriously, bro, what are you going to do? I’ve been watching the news and this thing is huge. The country’s gone bat-shit crazy. You know they declared martial law?”
“We heard it on the radio. But how can they honestly believe I had anything to do with this?”
“Jonas — if he really is behind all this — has been planning it for a while. He probably had you pegged to take the fall from the beginning. And if there’s one thing to be said about that bastard, he had one scary talent for planning shit.”
“They — or he — sent a hit squad after me this morning, and they weren’t government agents. Government-trained, I’m sure, but no agents. I guess they want me dead so I can’t dispute any of this, leaving Jonas to run free. I was wondering why they were putting so much effort into trying to kill me.”
“Did they succeed?” Billy asked with a smile, just as Maria entered the room with their drinks.
“I’ll let you know in a day or so. But now you could be in trouble, too.”
Billy took his second tumbler and chugged it. “Don’t worry about me, bro, I’m rich! While you continued to play with your little toys, I went off to build them. And the gov’ment’s been berry, berry good to me,” Billy said in his best imitation of Minnie Minoso’s famous quote regarding the game of baseball — accent and all. “Let me make a few calls,” he continued. “I’m sure I can get this straightened out, if not publicly, then at least with the powers-that-be.”
“That would help. Thanks.”
Tiffany reentered the room and made a beeline for her drink. She, too, downed it in a single gulp.