Free The Nameless Dead by Paul Johnston

forehead with his forearm. ‘Not bad for a Bureau guy.’
    ‘Not Bimsdale. How’s Matt Wells coming along?’
    The sergeant grinned. ‘Sorry,’ he said unconvincingly. ‘Yeah, Wells is in pretty good shape. Someone taught him some useful moves.’
    ‘Any sign of him losing control of himself?’
    ‘You mean like some kind of robotic fighting machine?’
    ‘That’s exactly what I mean, Sergeant.’
    ‘Nope. He gets into the zone well and stays pretty cool.’
    Sebastian considered the reply. ‘All right. Give him daily sessions at the range from tomorrow.’
    ‘Just pistol, or rifle, too?’
    ‘Both. And Sergeant? Make sure he knows that at least two weapons will be trained on him all the time he’s armed.’
    As Sebastian walked away, Quincy Jerome wondered, not for the first time, exactly what kind of game was being played around him.
     
    Bimsdale was alone in Rivers’s office when his boss arrived.
    ‘Impressive, Arthur,’ Sebastian said. ‘You’re wasted working for me. You should be in a field office, leading the charge.’
    ‘Not me, sir,’ the young man replied. ‘I can learn so much from you.’
    His superior gave him a questioning look. ‘Tell me, how does fighting square with your Episcopalian principles? Your file says you shot a man in Montana.’
    Bimsdale nodded. ‘He was threatening to execute a hostage.’
    ‘So you killed him and got a reprimand for excessive use of your weapon.’
    ‘The hostage was an eight-year-old boy, sir. He’d been…’
    Sebastian raised his hand. ‘I read the file, remember. I asked about your religious beliefs.’
    The young agent held his superior’s gaze. ‘So did the recruitment board. I told them that being an Episcopalian would affect my performance only in positive ways.’
    ‘What does that mean?’ Sebastian asked, as the door opened.
    ‘Ah, there you are,’ Rivers said. His glasses were perched on his bald head and he had a sheaf of papers under his arm. ‘All’s well in Washington, I hope.’
    Sebastian nodded, glancing back at his assistant as if to say that their discussion would be resumed. ‘Bring us up to speed on the subject Matt Wells, please, Doctor.’
    The scientist sat down at his untidy desk and triedto find a space for the papers he was carrying. ‘Matt Wells,’ he said, as if the name was unfamiliar. ‘Yes, yes, Matt Wells.’ He dug out a laptop and opened it, then pulled his glasses down. ‘Indeed,’ he said, peering at the screen. ‘Response to the latest trigger was good, definitely improved on the previous one. Evidence of deep conditioning minimal.’ The doctor looked up. ‘Of course, you realize that the very nature of such conditioning militates against us finding traces of its presence.’
    Sebastian nodded. ‘And your drug regime?’
    ‘Substantially curtailed now. The effects became counterproductive as the subject gained more conscious control over his reactions to triggers.’
    ‘So Wells is functioning like a normal human being again?’
    Rivers considered that. ‘What is normal, I wonder? According to the report you provided, the subject’s behavior prior to what happened in the cathedral was largely rational.’
    ‘That was what made the attacks on the President by him and Karen Oaten so disturbing. They were impossible to predict.’
    ‘And you are wondering whether they still have it in them to behave like that.’
    ‘Of course. That’s what all this is about, no?’
    The scientist pursed his lips. ‘To be frank, I don’t know. I’d say it was unlikely, given the treatment both have received, but I can give no guarantee. Of course, we have treated the female subject less intensively because of the pregnancy.’
    ‘Would you say allowing Matt Wells to shoot on the range was a risk?’ Sebastian asked.
    ‘Undoubtedly, but probably a small one.’
    ‘Just as well. I’ve already authorized it.’
    Arthur Bimsdale looked shocked. ‘Did you, sir?’
    ‘Yes, I did, Special Agent. I’m