Free SECRET IDENTITY by Linda Mooney Page A

or evidence of foul play.
    Like an explosive device? Or the remains of one?
    If you’re thinking bomb, Lo, that may not be the case. It
could be something as simple as programming a computer to perform a certain
function at a certain time.
    I’m walking blind here, Luke.
    I’m right here with you, Lo. Just turn on your protective
senses, and let me see if I can detect anything.
    He held out his hands, seeing if he sensed anything. The
whole place felt empty, like the aftermath of a major storm. The energy which
had been released was totally spent. This place was calm.
    Lorne’s eyes went to his right hand. He had grabbed Brenda’s
arm with his right. He had held her hand at the funeral with his right. Both
times he had fought the urge to pull her into his arms and keep her there,
letting her snuggle against him.
    Pushing his powers of protection a notch higher, he
continued to sweep the rooms, methodically moving through them like a human
vacuum cleaner, making certain he scoped out every square inch, including what
remained of the walls and random portions of the ceiling.
    The further he moved away from the labs and into the main
factory, the more destruction he saw evident. Here, very little remained that
was bigger than a breadbox. Again, the room felt cold to him. As void as space.
    Luke, I’m getting a distinct vibe that the explosion may
not have been centralized in the labs like we first thought.
    Ditto.
    Two of the victims I recovered came from this area.
    Already there, bro. Running background checks on them
now.
    The factory had been staffed by a skeleton crew. Fifteen
people, max. The men he had recovered were identified by their colleagues,
which meant they were supposed to have been there. So unless one of them was
working as a mole, investigating that possibility would be fruitless.
    A glance to his left revealed a smaller room. It either had
to be an office or a storeroom of some kind. Maybe a janitor’s closet.
    Luke, I have an alcove to my left. Leave it? Or catch it
on the way back?
    Might as well clear it while you’re there.
    A vision of the floor plans remained in his mind’s eye,
courtesy of his big brother. Nothing like a perfect memory to go with the guy’s
other mental skills. Lorne could see the extra room on the blueprint, but there
was no title or explanation for it.
    He started to walk through the narrow opening, when his
hands started vibrating, as if he was holding onto an engine revving at top
speed. At the same instant, Luke’s voice rang in his head.
    You breached something, Lorne! Get the fuck outta there,
now!
    “Everyone out, now !” Lorne yelled, making sure his
voice could be heardby those still inside as he threw on his protective
shield and shot straight up through the remains of the ceiling and roof. A
microsecond later, an ear-splitting blast sent shockwaves throughout the
factory. He was ready for it, throwing an umbrella shield over the entire area,
effectively encapsulating it.
    The smaller percussion roiled like a pot boiling over,
filling the dome shape with smoke and steam. It was smaller explosion, and
although it was not as bad as the first one, it was still capable of causing a
lot of damage. He didn’t want to take any chances.
    Lorne glanced up to see the police and detectives who had
gone inside had made it out safely. Plus, another news truck had joined the
others. His actions were being filmed. The Defender in action. No doubt
it would be replayed countless times, ad nauseam, in the days to come.
    He glanced over at the parking lot where he knew Brenda had
left her car. The vehicle was still there, but she wasn’t. Panic set in. Oh,
shit, Brenda! Don’t tell me you went inside the building!
    A movement behind the trunk of a shattered tree several
yards away caught his eye. Lorne let out the breath he’d been holding and
willed his galloping heart to slow down. She had ducked behind the tree for
safety, out of the line of fire.
    Once the smoke began to