Grinning, John said, "Oh, I wouldn't say that..."

"I would," she cut in. "His heartbeat was seventy-six. Respiration normal.

How? Why?"

With a sense of being pinned like a bug, John answered, "That's just Cade, Mandi. Always has been, as far as I know. Years ago I asked him the same questions you're asking me. He told me that it's as if someone else takes over for a little while. The psychs call it disa.s.sociation."

At Mandi's peering gaze, John's arms uncrossed in a gesture of protest and he said, "Don't get me wrong. Cade's not crazy, Mandi. He's fifty-three, for G.o.d's sake. If he was going to go nuts he'd have done it before now. Jesus, you ought to hear some of the things he's been through."

"Great idea, John. When can I see his records?"

John's eyes got somewhat larger as he said, "Uh, well..."

Mandi put a finger on his chest that felt like a steel rod and said, "No.

Don't say 'uh, well'. Just say when I can see them."

Gathering himself against her imposing presence, John said, "Mandi, before I say 'when', I have to ask 'why'."

Letting her finger drop from his chest, Mandi said, "I wanted him for my project. I was going to talk to you about it, but now I have some doubts about him."

"Uh, isn't he kind of old for what you have in mind?"

Thumbing toward the lobby, she asked, "You can ask that after what happened out there? That guy was half Cade's age." She shrugged and added, "Besides, he calls himself semi-retired and he joined this op without a second thought, didn't he? Do you really think he'd turn me down?"

With a wry grin and a sigh, John shook his head.

"No. There's not a chance in h.e.l.l of that, once you tell him what it's about. Okay. You'll see his records."

"When?"

"Is now good? He'll be filling out reports in the ops room, so we can use the computer in my room."

Mandi nodded and said, "Thanks, John. I wouldn't ask if I didn't need to know."

They headed up to the fourth floor and John pulled up Cade's records on his computer.

"This isn't everything," he said, "But it ought to be enough for now. If you aren't satisfied with these, you can see his complete file on Monday."

Mandi thanked him and began reading as John lay down with a damp towel over his face and dozed. Fifteen minutes later Mandi slid her chair back and stood up. John pulled the towel off his face and looked at her.

"Well?" he asked.

"You never mentioned that he'd been a mercenary, John."

"You didn't ask." Indicating the computer with a nod, he asked, "How do you feel about him after reading all that?"

Glancing at the computer screen, she said, "I'll still want to see his full file on Monday. There are a lot of variables."

"If you'll swing by the office, I'll arrange it."

John started to get up, but Mandi raised a hand and said, "No, stay put. I can find the door. Thanks, John."

"Only for you, ma'am," he said, putting the towel back over his eyes as he chuckled and repeated, "Only for you."

Chapter Eighteen

Instead of using Mandi's roof entrance to the hotel, she and Cade walked down the vehicle reception ramp to the street, then continued walking south until Mandi said, "All clear."

Wrapping an arm around Cade, she leaped into the air. Minutes later they touched down beside a fast food restaurant which was surrounded by several similar restaurants.

After buying half a dozen super-burgers, they sat at one of the plastic-umbrellaed tables and dug into the food. Mandi spoke as she unwrapped her second burger.

"Ed, your records indicate that you've made twenty-four kills and no arrests while you've been with the NIA."

He met her gaze and said, "I wondered why you were so quiet, milady. That many, huh? d.a.m.n. Does that include the last two?"

Her gaze narrowed a bit as she asked, "Do you have a good explanation for not taking any prisoners?"

Speaking around some burger, Cade said, "Nothing that isn't in my records.

Basically, ma'am, they just wouldn't cooperate. They never gave me the chance to arrest them."

"You're sure about that?"

He nodded. "Any of them could have put their weapons down, but they didn't.

Where are you going with this? Having second thoughts about converting me?"

Maybe Mandi's mild surprise showed in her face. Cade's eyebrow went up as he sipped his Dr Pepper.

Nodding, she said, "I had some reservations, yes."

Cade shook his head and said, "Nope. Not 'had'. You have some real, live doubts. You're thinking maybe you've converted the wrong guy."

Finishing his third burger, Cade sipped his drink again and said, "I don't happen to think so, of course. Speaking of conversions, what's my max going to be?"

Mandi swallowed her last mouthful of burger and said, "Your max will depend on how well your system converts. If you're average, you'll be able to lift about six tons by Friday."

Staring at her briefly, Cade said, "Well, d.a.m.n. That's a bunch. How much can you lift, Mandi?"

'That's a bunch?!' thought Mandi with a flash of anger, 'Is any of this really reaching this guy?'

"A h.e.l.l of a lot more than that!" she snapped, then she sighed and said, "Oh, h.e.l.l. Sorry. You just don't seem to be taking any of this too seriously, Ed."

Making a stern, somber face, Cade said, "If it would help, I could fake it for you. See?"

When her irritation seemed to increase rather than decrease, Cade also sighed and asked, "Is it reversible?"

"No."

"Will it be bad for me in any way?"

"No. Exactly the opposite."

"Can I possibly envision at this moment what it'll be like?"

"Well... no, not really. You may think you can..."

Raising his hand, he interrupted her.

"No, I can't. You tossed a Crown Vic around. One car, about a ton. I saw you do it, so okay, I believe it. But me lifting six cars? It isn't that I don't believe you, Mandi, it's just that the feeling of power like that just isn't there for me yet, and it won't be 'till I've done something to make it feel real."

Sipping his drink, he added, "But what's really got you tweaked is my kill sheet." Cade shrugged. "Can't change those numbers. Can't undo the conversion, either. Seems to me that if I turn out to be a big mistake, you'll have to kill me rather than let me run loose in the world. Fair enough, ma'am. Are you ready to go see what they have next door?"

For a long moment, Mandi simply stared at him, then she swung her legs from beneath the table and stood up. Cade did the same and they walked around the hedges between the restaurants to another chain burger joint.

"There's a Mexican restaurant the other way," said Mandi.

"That's why I didn't go that way. You like Mexican food?"

"I just mentioned it, Ed. It's there, that's all."

"Yeah, and it can d.a.m.ned well stay there. I wasn't hungry enough to eat Mexican food when I woke up today."

Mandi snickered and asked, "You really don't like Mexican food, huh?"

"No, ma'am, I really don't. The stuff's a health hazard."

"It won't be a problem for you after the conversion."

"Great, but I still won't want any."

At the end of the hedges a loud rustling sounded as a guy in his twenties jumped in front of them and said, "Gimme your money," as he aimed a stiletto at them.

Cade opened his jacket and put his hand on his Glock as he said, "You don't get to keep the knife. Drop it, then get lost."

"You aren't going to arrest him?" asked Mandi.

The guy had spread his arms and leaned as if to put the knife on the ground.

He suddenly leaned the other direction and took off running. Cade ran after him, caught up with him almost instantly, and grabbed his knife arm.

Bones snapped and crushed in his grip. The guy screamed and the knife fell from his hand to the pavement as he stared at Cade in shock and agony.

"d.a.m.n it," muttered Cade, "That's the second time... You. Get the f.u.c.k out of here. Now."

The guy seemed about to faint as his gaze fell to his crushed forearm. Cade raised his voice a bit. "Now!"

Without a word, the guy slowly backed away, then slipped into the hedges between the restaurants, disappearing into the darkness beyond.

Mandi walked up as Cade picked up the knife.

"It happened again," he said. "I mashed the holy s.h.i.t out of his arm."

"So I noticed. Look on the bright side; at least you didn't kill him, right?"

Glancing at her, Cade said, "I didn't arrest him, either. What does a double negative do to my ratio?"

Giving him a droll look, Mandi said, "Very funny. Ha, ha."

Cade stopped at the restaurant's dumpster and snapped the knife's blade in a lid hinge, then tossed the broken parts in the dumpster as he said, "About a week, right? Then I'll be as strong as I'm going to be and I can start learning how to handle things so they don't break?"

"You could start now," said Mandi. "It's just a matter of conditioning and a little thought before action." She thumbed at the restaurant they'd just left and said, "For instance, you didn't squash your cheeseburger. Nor your drink cup."

As Cade opened and held the restaurant door for her, he said, "Hm. Good points. Guess I just need a little practice."

The paper-hatted clerk manning the counter seemed kind of nervous as Mandi and Cade approached.

"Uh... was that guy trying to rob you?"

Looking above the guy at the menu on the wall, Mandi said, "We'll have six number fours with everything. Fries with each."

She then looked at the clerk, who took the hint, nodded, and asked what they wanted to drink with their meals.

They again took their food outside to a patio table, and as they sat down, Mandi asked, "Aren't you curious about why the conversion makes you so hungry?"

Chuckling, Cade said, "Sure, but I'm more curious about how long I'll be this hungry. This could get expensive."

Smiling around some french fries, Mandi said, "The first few days are the worst, and by the end of the week you'll have other options. For example, you'll be able to draw power from heat, light, and electricity as well as food."

Nodding, Cade said, "Cool. I never did like cooking."

Mandi laughed. "John said you live on canned soup, coffee, and microwave meals."

"Yup. That and raw veggies as snacks. I hit the buffet at a steakhouse a couple of times a week, too. You're saying I'll be able to recharge on house current?"

"I'd recommend two-twenty current. It's faster."