Read The Fall (Book 4): Genesis Game for Free Online Page B

to study.”
    Laura waved for him to continue. “What do you think, though?”
    Kincaid chuckled. “I think you asked me here because I have no skin in the game. You know I make judgments based on logic. You want me to tell you what my take on their arguments is.” Kincaid shook his head. “Look, you know what I'm capable of. You know when it comes to keeping people I care about alive; I'll break rules and bones without batting an eye.”
    Laura stared at him for a hard few seconds. Having known her for years, the look on her face made Kell want to get up and move around out of sheer nervous tension. Men had died under that gaze.
    “People think you're crazy,” Laura said. “I think you're just amoral enough to not give a shit about anything else when your priorities are in danger. So what I want is for you to pretend for a minute that this trip is your priority, and tell me what you think we should do.”
    “Okay,” Kincaid said. “We should do it, and as soon as possible. We have no way of knowing what will happen to the people Emily identified. From what she said, where they live is dangerous. If we're going to try for samples, it should be sooner rather than later. I know Lee wants John to go instead of Kell,” he said, glancing at Kell with a respectful nod, “but that's fucking stupid. John's a good guy, but he's never had to survive out there. He isn't a fighter. Even hurt, Kell has the experience to take care of himself and the temperament not to lose his shit when something goes wrong.”
    Laura pursed her lips. “ When something goes wrong?”
    “Sure,” Kincaid said. “Something always does. When things start to turn pear-shaped, Kell won't flap his hands and run in a circle. He'll take action.” Kincaid looked at Kell again, eyes resting briefly on the mass of straps and bandages covering his shoulder. “He might do something dumb, but he'll at least do something.”
    “Thanks,” Kell said.
    “You're welcome,” Kincaid replied, no sarcasm in his voice. “And because things go wrong, Lee is also right. We'll need to send a team with him that won't make a fuss or pick fights, but will end them if they happen. Ideally we'd send five or six people in one vehicle capable of being as stealthy as Emily would like while being as secure enough to make Lee happy.”
    Laura smiled approvingly. “What about Griner and Perkins? They're elected council members. Do their opinions matter to you?”
    Kincaid shrugged. “They would, if they weren't completely neutral and trying to make it look like they aren't. They're more concerned with what we're doing here. They care about crop yields and security upgrades. They want a cure just like everyone else, but they expect you to make the calls when it comes to that stuff. For what it's worth, I think Perkins has a point when wondering if the trip will be worth it just for samples. But then I don't know the science, so maybe Kell can do wonders with some blood and scrapings. That's probably something you'll ask him about. Griner has no spine, though. He just wants to wash his hands of the whole thing. He has to know how lucky it was for Emily to find not just one but a group of people that fit Kell's criteria.”
    Kell sat in stunned silence. He had been right. Whatever peculiarities Kincaid's brain might have, it made him a nearly perfectly blank slate when it came to analyzing situations like this. He had few prejudices to skew his judgment, almost no preconceived notions. It was as astute an analysis as Kell could have given and in far less time.
    “I like this guy,” Kell muttered.
    “That's good,” Laura said. “Because I'm thinking of putting him in charge of this trip.”

Six
     
     
     
    “Why didn't you let her kill me?” the prisoner asked.
    Kell sat across from the girl, whose name turned out to be Cari, as she leaned carefully on the narrow cot with her back against the wall.
    She was young, confirming Kell's first impression. Underfed and