A few phone calls later and CJ found himself slipping stealthily down the corridor of one of Boston's premier hotels.
He paused in front of a particularly nice piece of art work and allowed himself a small flash of sadness as he imagined Max working out how much she could fence it for. The door he needed was five feet away and CJ tilted his head in a purely feline manner to listen for any sounds from within.
He flashed a sudden feral grin as the sound of Donald Lydecker on the phone filtered through the door. He moved so her was stood in front of the green oak door, the heavy red carpet under his feet ensuring he didn't make a whisper of noise.
The number twenty-five on the door was ornate, the gold twisting and embossed. CJ traced them with his eyes as he silently picked the lock, ready to stop the instant Lydecker hung up the phone. The door clicked as the lock broke and CJ lightly gripped the handle to stop it swinging in.
Waiting to hear the distinct click of the phone being hung up gave CJ time to mull over all the missions that this reminded him of. A sick nausea rose in his stomach at the thought.
Think of Max, he told himself and then mentally berated himself for using the old comfort technique. Jen, he reminded himself forcefully. You love Jen. But the sight of her sweet face that he had got into so much trouble just made him feel worse so the face of Max, dying in his arms, was chosen again. The sight gave him a sort of vindictive energy he was all too willing to use against his former commanding officer.
Click. The sound was ridiculously loud to CJ's senses and then he heard the sound of the bathroom door opened and closed and the rush of running water. With a grin that he knew he would have been reprimanded for back in Manticore CJ pushed open the door and slipped into the nearly black room. He had no worries that the colonel would shoot him on sight. CJ was fairly sure that he would have been waiting for this visit.
The hotel room was expensive and CJ took in the shoulder holster, complete with .42, slung over a high backed leather chair. CJ tutted silently, the colonel was getting sloppy in his old age.
Silently lowering himself into the chair with a perfect view of the bathroom door, CJ helped himself to the gun and settled in for a wait.
Hours of training meant the soldier inside of CJ was well prepared for the wait. Alec and CJ, on the other hand, were bored out of their minds. CJ had to keep telling himself not to wander around the room, he'd already done one quick sweep and disposed of two bugs. He didn't need to move again.
So CJ was inordinately pleased when the door to the bathroom opened, issuing a cloud of steam and framing the figure of Lydecker.
He started and then resumed his normal placid expression as he saw CJ, gun pointed straight at him. "I thought you might show up," he shook his head ruefully, "I wasn't expecting it to be so soon though."
CJ shrugged. "I always was better than you thought I was."
Lydecker laughed. "That was you, Alec. Always exceeding my expectations," Lydecker moved over to the dresser and pulled on a shirt over the jeans he was already wearing. "Sorry, is it CJ now?"
"Alec, CJ. I'm not picky."
Turning around, Lydecker leant against the dresser and stared at him. "What do you actually want here, Alec?"
"I want you to leave me and anyone you have connected with me alone."
Lydecker shrugged. "I have no interest in the little blonde thing you call a girlfriend. I'm surprised at you, actually, she really does seem to lack the spark that attracted you to Max."
"You'd be surprised how much spark that little blonde thing has. Will you leave them alone?"
"Yes," Lydecker replied, evenly.
"Why should I believe you?"
"What other choice do you have? You gonna drag them out of their lives because you screwed up? I don't think so." Lydecker walked to a table in the middle of the room, CJ's gun tracking him the whole way. "The fact is, Alec, we want to secure your services."
A short, bitter laugh escaped CJ. "Who do you need killing, now?"
"Max is dead," CJ worked to stop the gun wavering at the sound of her name. "We need someone to try and stop this little problem that we think only she could've stopped."
CJ stood and walked to the table, keeping his gun trained on Lydecker he flicked through the thick file lying on the polished surface. Lydecker stared at him, glad that is was this particular transgenic he had found. A transgenic that always saw the full picture three steps before everyone else.
"The runes," he said tiredly. "So I guess I know who you want me to kill."
"White."