Adrenaline by Bill Eidson Read Free Book Online Page B

five to ten years. But now they tell me I’ve got less than a year, if I can figure out everything I’m hearing in all that gobbledygook from the doctors.”
    “I’m ready now,” Geoff said.
    “I know you think you are. And maybe you are.”
    He shifted his attention to Steve. “And Steve, I’ve always admired you and your work. We’ve never been friends, not only because I’m in my goddamn exalted position—but because you and I are two very different members of the human race.” He smiled. “Hell, I’m ex-marine, and you’re ex-navy. It was hard for me to respect you right there. But really, it’s a matter of personality. When I was Geoff’s age, I would have tried to weaken your role and smash you because I would have been nauseated by this sincere form of business you try to promote. I would’ve seen it as a Boy Scout approach to a storm trooper’s job. Yet, your business is thriving. Now that I’ve gotten to this advanced age, I’ve been not only publicly, but privately quite proud of having you and your clean little enterprise in place within Jansten Enterprises. And now that I’m dying, I tend to give it even more weight.”
    “You’ve found religion,” Steve said.
    “Something like that. I’m not wasting my time at church, but I do recognize there’s going to be an entity with my name on it for at least a while after I go. I cut Rudden and Lerner free last week. They’ll be drifting away on some pretty remarkable golden parachutes. That leaves you two. The youngest, and best, examples of two diametrically opposed ways of doing business at Jansten Enterprises. In three weeks, we’ll be having a board meeting. I know that I can convince them to put either of you at the helm, and I know either of you would probably keep the company alive. Geoff, most likely running it as I would have. Steve, most likely running it as I should have.”
    “Just what are you saying?” Geoff said, his tone even.
    Steve saw Geoff remain stone-faced, not the slightest hint of change as Jansten’s words rolled over both of them: “What I’m saying is that assuming the two of you are willing—I’m going to recommend that Steve succeed me as president and CEO, and Geoff, you will become executive vice president and general manager of Jansten Enterprises. That’s what I’m saying.”
     
     

 
    Chapter 6
     
     
    Jammer was on the verge of beating Carly again. They were in their apartment on the edge of the Combat Zone, and he had already done it to her twice since hauling her out of the bus station the night before, blood streaming from his forehead.
    She was just in from a hard day on the street, and Jammer had his eye on her just about every second so he knew damn well that she couldn’t have his frigging sword cane. But that didn’t stop him from working himself up again. “I told you to get it back. Today!”
    “I don’t know him.” She said it quietly. Like she was talking to a little kid. Which was pretty much true. She had done enough baby-sitting before she ran away from home to know Jammer was about as patient as an infant and as cruel as a ten-year-old boy with a captured fly.
    Jammer shoved her against the wall. He grabbed his belt buckle, a broad-faced plate, and she cried out, “Don’t, Jammer, please don’t!”
    Darlene came up beside them, doing her best. She edged her body between them, saying, “Come on baby, let me calm you down, let me take care of you, don’t baby, don’t …”
    But Jammer wasn’t listening to her either.
    He shoved her away, and put Junior—the short dagger attached to his belt buckle—right under Carly’s eye. The blade protruded between his fore and index fingers, and she knew it was sharp enough to punch through metal, never mind her face. He said, “You looking to get messed up?”
    “No.”
    “That’s not the way you’re acting. The way I see it, you’re begging me to rearrange that pretty face and put you on the street as a geek fuck.” He