Page 90 of Sweetwater and the Witch

“Exactly,” Taggert said. “I admit Bowen played me. Not many people can say they’ve done that. But he paid for it. You should have seen his facewhen I stopped his heart. Can’t wait to see your face when I do the same to you.”

He generated a little more talent, taking his time. He wanted to savor the kill.

“Your previous two attempts to take me out failed,” Ethan said. He shook his head a little as if to clear it. “What makes you think this time will be any different?”

“Because I am going to handle things myself,” Taggert said. “You were right about one thing. I made a mistake hiring the Concierge to get rid of you. I won’t repeat the error. In case you are wondering why you don’t feel very well, it’s because I am using my new talent to kill you.”

Ethan closed his eyes. His breath came in hoarse gasps. “You’re an icer.”

“It’s my new talent—my third, to be precise. I was born with two, you see: one for strategy and one for technology. Vortex provided the third.”

“You made yourself a triple? You must be insane. Oh, wait. Most triples do go mad, don’t they?”

Taggert walked around his desk and angled himself on the corner, one foot off the floor. He rezzed a little more talent and smiled when Ethan shivered.

“Triples who are strong enough to handle the increased sensory load do not go mad,” he said. “They become extremely powerful. They say Vincent Lee Vance was probably a triple.”

“Look what happened to him.”

“He almost took control of the four city-states.”

“The key word here isalmost.”

Taggert waved that off. “He made a mistake by trying to use a cult as his power base. The model is flawed. Eventually all cults self-destruct. Yes, I am resurrecting Vortex.”

“It’s illegal to experiment with artificial para-senses enhancement. But you know that, don’t you?”

“As I’m sure you’re aware, there’s a fine line between cutting-edge scientific research and illegal experimentation. To date I am the only living evidence of the success of the Vortex machine, and you are the only one who knows that. My lab people don’t have a clue. As far as they are concerned, they are working on proprietary medical technology that will one day revolutionize the treatment of patients who have suffered serious para-psych trauma.”

“Congratulations. You’re driving yourself insane.”

Taggert kicked up his talent to the max. “This has gone on long enough. I have work to do.”

Ethan sucked in a rasping breath. “My family isn’t going to like this.”

“The Sweetwaters will have questions. They will no doubt put pressure on the police to investigate. There will be an autopsy. But ultimately there will be nothing to find, because you are going to die of natural causes.”

“Not today,” Ethan said.

His voice no longer shook. He got to his feet.

This was not how it was supposed to work, Taggert thought. He tried to strengthen the fix.

A sudden, disorienting sensation slammed into him with the power of a wave crashing on a beach. He could not breathe. He clutched at his chest. A terrible darkness rolled toward him. The oppressive miasma emanated from the walls, floor, and ceiling. He could no longer see the door.

In the center of the unnatural shroud of night stood Ethan Sweetwater.

“You’re right,” Ethan said. “That icer vibe is one hell of a talent. And you combined it with two other talents. No wonder you’re as mad as a ghost-burned prospector.”

Taggert grabbed the edge of the desk to keep from collapsing. He tried to refocus his talent on Ethan, but nothing happened.“What are you doing to me?”

Ethan reached inside his jacket. Taggert figured he was going for a pistol. Even knowing that Sweetwater was about to shoot him dead didn’t produce the energy he needed to fight back. He had never known such exhaustion.

But Ethan didn’t take out a mag-rez. When his hand reappeared Taggert saw that he was holding a pen that glinted and sparked in the light.

“What?” Taggert managed.

“Mirror amber,” Ethan said.

---