Page 63 of So Sinister
She stopped dead and turned around.Asset Sierra-9 remained where she was by the table in the coffee shop.She sent another command.She knew Asset Sierra-9 received it because she could feel the dog’s mind absorb it, but the dog still didn’t move.
Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me.“Sir, we might have a problem with Asset Sierra-9.”
“Again?”Chastain said over her earpiece.
“I’m going to see if I can get through it,” she said.
She knelt in front of the dog, still smiling, and kept her voice soft.“Hey, baby.You okay?Don’t be scared.”
She locked her eyes on Asset Sierra-9 and repeated her command, along with a promise of what she would do to the dog if it didn’t comply.
Asset Sierra-9 met Miranda’s eyes, and an image came to her.The bruisers, not fooled by Miranda’s disguise, recognizing her and Asset Sierra-9 from the descriptions Dr.Friedman had given them.
A sharp pain burst behind her eye.She cried out and flinched backwards, shaking her head.
“Ma’am?”a concerned passerby asked.“Are you all right?”
“Fine,” Miranda said, blinking some more.She looked at the stranger, a young woman wearing the lanyard ID of a junior analyst, and smiled.“Just got an eyelash in my eye.”
“Oh, yeah, I knowallabout that,” the analyst replied, as though the fact that they both had eyelashes was something momentous they had both accomplished together.
Well, youdiduse that as your excuse.
She grabbed Asset Sierra-9’s leash, waved goodbye to the analyst, and headed toward the exit.“Sir, something just happened.”
Chastain sighed.“Can you accomplish the mission, or what?”
“I can, but not the way we planned it.Asset Sierra-9 showed me an image of the bodyguards recognizing me and putting a stop to the attack.”
Chastain was quiet for a long moment.When he broke his silence, he made no attempt to hide how incredulous he was.“Thedogshowed you the future.”
“Not… I don’t think so.It was more like she disagreed with my plan.”
“More likewhodisagreed with your plan?”
“Asset Sierra-9.”
“Who is a…”
Miranda lifted her hands, earning an odd look from the security guards at the gate.She smiled at them and lowered her voice, keeping her gait neutral.“A dog, sir.”
“Anit.You called it ashe.”
Miranda rolled her eyes.“The point, sir, is that the plan we have didn’t take into account the presence of the guards, or the possibility that they would recognize us.”She frowned.“Not to mention the staff.”
“He needs to die, Whitaker.”
“He will.We’re going to do it in the parking lot.We’ll wait behind his car, and Asset Sierra-9 will take him when he arrives.I’ll shoot the two guards.”
“Too messy.And it’ll look like an actual attack.The point was for this to look like an accidental mauling.”
Miranda pursed her lips.“Very well.I won’t shoot the guards.We’ll lose Sierra-9, but we’ll get Dr.Friedman.”
Chastain sighed.“I suppose that will work.And you’re not growing sentimental toward your asset, so that’s good.”
“Yes, I apologize for acknowledging that the asset is indeed female, sir.”
“Don’t get snippy, staff sergeant.When do you anticipate you can get this job done?”
