Deadly Weakness (Gray Spear Society) by Alex Siegel Page A

held was much slimmer than a standard Society phone.
    "Maybe he's working on a mission," Norbert said. "That phone could be part of a cover story."
    "Aaron told us to monitor all communication. I want to know who he's talking to."
    "You can do that?"
    "Sure," Leanna said. "We can tap the access logs from the surrounding cell towers. Then we just have to triangulate the position and match it up with..."
    He threw up his hands. "Just do it."
    Both twins started typing at once. He was always amazed at how they worked perfectly together without needing to tell each other what to do.
    Meanwhile, Xavier put away his phone and walked off. The short mysterious call had ended.
    After a couple of minutes, Bethany said, "He called Race Hanley."
    "And who is that?" Norbert said.
    "An FBI agent," Leanna said.
    "That's interesting, but there are good reasons why Xavier might talk to the FBI. Aaron has several contacts in the FBI office in Chicago. We rely on them for information. Cultivating contacts is a big part of a commander's job."
    "You don't want to tell Aaron?" Bethany said.
    Norbert shook his head. "He's busy watching the tournament. I won't annoy him with something as trivial as a simple phone call. If Xavier threatened somebody or broke into a room or had a secret meeting, I'd certainly report it."
    Bethany still looked concerned.
    He leaned down and kissed both girls on the forehead. "Why don't I go out and buy some lunch for us. Do either of you want anything special? Or should I just get the usual."
    "The usual," both twins said at once.
    Why do I even ask? Norbert thought. "I'll be back in an hour. If I'm late, call me. If I don't answer, call Aaron. And don't forget we have an emergency rappel system on the roof. Use it if you need to escape in a hurry. Just tighten the straps and jump."
    He walked quickly towards the elevator.
    * * *
    Special Agent Race Hanley, chief of the FBI Special Missions Unit, rubbed his sore knee. The cold dry weather was causing his old war wound to flare up. Every time he felt that particular pain, he was reminded of how his military career had ended in such an ugly and premature way.
    He was sitting in his hotel room. The room also served as his field office, but it was a poor one. A small desk didn't have enough space for the paperwork that always followed him around. A sharp edge made it uncomfortable for him to use his laptop. The queen sized bed reminded him of the wife that was so far away. He wished she were here now.
    He looked at the framed picture of Peggy on his desk. Her silky red hair was her nicest feature. Her face wasn't especially pretty, but it was always smiling. People told her she had a great personality.
    Race and Peggy had been high school sweethearts and had married immediately after graduation. Two weeks later, he had shipped off with the Navy.
    They were still married after fifteen years, a fact that sometimes surprised him. During his military service, they had seen each other only during occasional shore leaves. Even though he was a civilian now, they still didn't spend enough time together. The FBI often sent Hanley off on long assignments far from home. They still planned to have children one day, when he finally settled down.
    He stood up and walked. The knee was really bothering him, but he forced himself to walk normally. It looked weak when he limped like a cripple.
    His bedroom was part of a large suite in the hotel. He entered a central room where another man was seated on a couch.
    He was Colonel Rosecrans of the U.S. Army. He was responsible for the military component of the Special Missions Unit. The number of men directly under his command varied depending on need and availability, but he could call upon a hundred Army Rangers and other special forces operators in a pinch. Rosecrans had a thin face and leathery skin. Coarse gray hair made him look ancient, but he was only fifty.
    "My contact finally called," Hanley said.
    "And?" Rosecrans said.
    Hanley took