Read TW04 The Zenda Vendetta NEW for Free Online Page A

visual on Sophia Falco,” he said.
    The holographic image of a breathtakingly beautiful young woman appeared standing in the staging area. She had ash-blond hair, blue-grey eyes, and a lush body that was clearly kept in peak physical condition. She was completely nude. There was a catlike sleekness to her, and even though she stood in a relaxed posture, her muscular development was evident and quite impressive. There was a pristine loveliness to her face that would have been icy were it not for the searing heat generated by her gaze.
    Though it was only a hologram, the image exuded a bestial vitality. She had a charged sexuality so potent that it hit both Finn and Lucas like a blast of hot desert wind. She was holding a laser in her hand and smiling in a bemused fashion. Finn Delaney gave a low whistle.
    “Oh,” said Andre, dryly. “I see.
Those
kind of surveillance purposes.”
    “Yes,” said Forrester, “the killing took place in the bedroom.”
    “I can’t believe it,” Lucas said. “Mongoose would never be taken like that.”
    “He’s right,” said Finn. “Mongoose was too good an agent to succumb to a sexual lure. Besides, he was as paranoid as they come. He’d probably test the food his own mother cooked for him. There’s got to be more to it.”
    “There is,” said Forrester, tensely. “This is a woman I once knew as Elaine Cantrell. We served together in the Airborne Pathfinders a long time ago. She obviously takes more trouble to look youthful than do I and she’s changed her appearance somewhat since we knew each other, but I still recognized her. If you’ll look closely at her left hand, you will see that she’s wearing an unusual-looking ring.” He paused for a long moment. “I gave her that ring. It belonged to my father.” The three commandos exchanged astonished glances. In all the years that they had known the old man, they had never heard him mention having any women in his life. And hard as it was to picture their crusty old commander in a romantic liaison, it was impossible to imagine him being involved with
that
woman.
    “The TIA knew her as Sophia Falco—code name: Falcon,” said Forrester.
    “She’s a temporal agent?” Lucas said, with disbelief. “
The Timekeepers infiltrated Temporal
Intelligence?”
    “
How?”
said Andre. “Even their clerical personnel have to undergo high-level clearance scanning.”
    “It would explain a few things, though,” said Finn, “like why the TIA could never crack them. Difficult to do if you’ve got a mole from the opposition in your organization. If you’re surprised, imagine how they must feel. It would have been extremely difficult, but not at all impossible. I can think of one way they could have done it offhand, but it would mean that the Timekeepers had far greater resources and imagination than we ever gave them credit for. They could have used reeducation conditioning.”
    “That means they would have had to subvert someone in the penal system,” Andre said. “I should think that would have been impossible. They’re constantly monitored.”
    “Difficult, but not impossible,” said Finn. “Hell, nothing is impossible. Besides, they might have been able to get their hands on the necessary equipment. It still would have been very risky. A reeducation procedure that isn’t conducted by an expert could easily result in a total mind wipe.”
    “I still don’t see how reeducation conditioning would help them plant a spy,” said Lucas.
    “I think it’s the only answer under the circumstances,” Finn said. He glanced at Forrester. “Sir?”
    “Go ahead, Delaney. Let’s hear it.”
    Of the four of them, Finn had the most extensive scientific background, having attended Referee Corps School as a young man, though he had washed out of RCS due to his undisciplined personality.
    The referees’ loss was the First Division’s gain.
    “They probably used a variation on the hypnotic mole conditioning first developed by the