Labyrinth Read Online Free Page A

an angle to the brick and stone exterior displayed the full magnificence of the mansion. Light poured out of the massive windows and ivy crawled over one entire side wall.
“Impressive,” Annja said.
Greene sniffed. “It’s horrendous. A grotesque stain upon what would otherwise be a beautiful landscape.”
“You’d deny him his right to own a home like this? It’s not like he got his money from poisoning kids or burning down forests.”
Greene shrugged. “Money is greed. Its only real value is in bringing our planet back closer to the purity of its origins. Does it look as if Fairclough cares about anything but his own personal pleasure?”
Annja shook her head. “His bank account is his own business. As far as I’m concerned, Fairclough got his money doing something good—promoting the value of books. I think a lot more people could use a reminder of how great books are. No one reads much these days unless it’s an easy-to-digest sound bite. Just take a look at the last election cycle.”
Greene cocked his head to study her. “I don’t vote.”
“Then you’ve got no right to complain.”
He laughed. “You’re pitifully naive, Annja. You think your vote matters?”
“I don’t know. But it’s a right and a responsibility, so I take it seriously. Not that I’m around much during elections.”
“You’re allowed to vote only because the corporations—those with the real power in the world—let you. This is how they manipulate you into thinking you have some measure of power, when you don’t. None whatsoever.”
“What paranoia.”
Greene raised his eyebrows. “Think about it—what happens if one party gets too much power? Next election, the other party gains more power to balance it out. In recent years extremism has become mainstream with the advent of the Tea Party. I mean, really, look at that swath of candidates who came to power last year. Idiots, racists and people who wanted to destroy the Constitution they claimed they would die to protect. And you all fell for it. Pathetic.”
“So, what would you do—kill them?”
Greene shrugged. “Well, it’s not a perfect solution. But for the time being, it works pretty well.”
“Can I get out of this van now and get some fresh air?”
Greene nodded.
Annja grabbed the side panel door release and jerked it back on the rails. As it slid open, a rush of fresh air greeted her and she breathed it in deeply. It felt good to flush her lungs.
The air outside was heavy with moisture and she could see droplets of water on the grass. She stepped out and felt the gravel beneath her shoes.
Greene emerged behind her and she heard the driver’s door close with a slam. She glanced and saw Greene’s associate come around the hood of the van.
Greene waved him over. “Annja, you haven’t been properly introduced to Kessel yet.”
Kessel stood in front of Annja and folded his arms. He said nothing.
Annja looked him up and down. “Does that pose go over well with the ladies?”
Kessel said nothing. Annja glanced at Greene. “Real conversationalist you got yourself here.”
“His tongue was cut out during the first Gulf War by the Iraqis when he was captured and tortured for information.”
“Why would they cut his tongue out if they wanted him to spill?”
“Kessel told them from the start that he wouldn’t divulge any information that would compromise his unit. They didn’t like that response. So, instead of trying to break him, they simply sliced his tongue off like some piece of meat and fed it to a dog.”
Annja shook her head. “Horrible.”
“Effective,” Greene said. “But it did have an effect on Kessel that led him eventually to me. He came to see that all the wars being fought were simply proxy battles engaged in by corporate masters. That soldiers like him were being manipulated as expendable pawns. He grew to despise the vast industrialism rampant in the world today.”
“You really think that?”
Greene nodded. “Yes. I do.”
Kessel