Sins of the Prince3

1995

Mason

With the engine running and the Genomex sedan pulling away from the New Bristol village police station, I turned to Adam and said, "You are fortunate to have access to Breedlove's attorneys."

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

How like you, Adam, to attempt to divert focus to me.

"Not in the least. Breedlove insisted. Going out into the cold and snow at 11 PM to bail you out of another DUI charge is not the evening I had planned."

I could feel myself beginning to sweat beneath the biopolymer, but knew the back seat of the sedan was still cold. I turned away from Adam.

"You're going to use this to make me look bad."

I sighed. I really was not enjoying a moment of this, especially with my first suggestions of queasiness.

"No, you are making yourself look badly. No one else has done anything."

"What are you going to do about my car?"

"That is between you and your insurance company."

Whatever your insurance payments are, I'm certain I could not afford them.

Breedlove had made a point of telling me not to have one of the agents drive Adam's car back for him. Paul wanted "Adam's wings clipped", as he put it.

"This is not the way to my apartment! Where the hell are we going?"

"Breedlove Manor. I was directed to bring you there tonight."

You can become Paul Breedlove's late night headache. My agents can finally end their shift, and I can return to a warm bed and perhaps even sleep.

The snow was falling heavily now, large wet flakes coming down thick and fast. The sight of them whirling in the beams of the headlights made me dizzy. I closed my eyes.

I thought about slipping off my right glove and touching my face and hand to the cold glass to cool myself, but Adam would notice this. I dare not show weakness to him.

"Paul's upset?"

"He is."

He has been upset. Your actions jeopardize Genomex and all of the work done there.

"Why does he want to see me tonight?"

"You will have to ask him."

But most likely, he wants to verbally flog you.

We were now out on a dark stretch of interstate highway cut through farmland. I knew I was not going to make it to Iolantheana.

"Pull the car over, Mr Fares."

My men knew what that meant. I did not need to explain myself.

I had the car door open as soon as the car stopped. I made my way beyond the paved berm onto the snow-covered grass, then collapsed onto all fours.

My head was swimming and I felt like I might vomit the entire contents of my gut…but the cold air felt so good, as did being absolutely still.

I don't know how long I was like that, but nothing came up. For the past 36 hours I had been too sick to consume anything except water or orange juice. I raised myself up on my left arm, and scooped up a handful of clean, fresh snow, and held that against my forehead.

I could hear the footsteps of agents Fares and Rossiter crunching towards me through the snow.

"Should we call Medical, Mr Eckhart?"

"Not just yet, Mr Fares, thank you. I should be fine in a few more minutes."

I was in fact feeling better.

All three of us were startled by the sound of the sedan pulling away at speed, churning up a spray of snow and gravel as it roared off into the snowstorm.

"Damn."

"I shouldn't have left the car engine running, Mr Eckhart." Fares sounded worried.

"Adam shouldn't have stolen the car. Call Genomex, have another car sent to pick us up, and report ours as stolen to the highway patrol."

"But that's Adam driving it."

"It's still stolen."

To be continued.