The Prophet Motive Read Online Free Page A

getting the sense you don’t want me pulling some rookie off traffic duty to do the undercover work.”
    “Certainly not. We’ll need an operative with significant undercover experience. Someone talented. Who’s not afraid of hazardous duty. Not afraid to witness—or, dare I say, even commit—some of the most offensive, immoral, and anti-social acts imaginable. I can’t say with any exactitude just how strange or sick life will prove to be inside Earthbound—not without more information—but I can tell you there won’t be any of the normal social constraints on behavior. There won’t be any limits at all, other than the imagination of one man. The man calling himself ‘The Wizard.’ ”
    Captain Switzer gave a nod, followed by a stealthy peek at her chest. “I’ll contact Vice. Narcotics. See who’s available.”
    “I’ll do it,” John said. “I’ll go in.”
    Eddie Bourne’s head whipped in the direction of his partner’s. “You? Do the infiltration, you mean?”
    Captain Switzer said, “No, no, John. Can’t have it. I remember you worked undercover quite a bit for Narcotics prior to joining Homicide, but I can’t afford to lose a detective for what might prove to be weeks on end.”
    “Let me do this,” John said.
    The two men locked eyes. Some kind of rapid, fluent, non-verbal messaging passed between them, it seemed to Marilyn, a calculation or cashing in of IOUs, perhaps, and then the captain was saying to her: “It’ll be John.” To Eddie, he said, “You’ll stay here and handle the caseload while he’s gone. Wish I could get you some help, but—”
    “Not so fast,” she said. “I’ll need to take a look at Inspector Richetti’s latest fitness-for-duty evaluation. I’ll also want to run some tests on him. We need to be sure there’s nothing in his psychological profile that indicates a problem.”
    “Doctor,” Captain Switzer said, “I’ve known John Richetti for roughly fifteen years, and while he may have more than his share of personal problems, you can take it from me, he’ll do.”
    “Oh, stop,” John growled at his captain. “You’re too kind.”
    “With all due respect,” she said, notepads slapping shut around her, pens being stowed away, “it’s my job to determine—”
    “Tomorrow morning, John,” Captain Switzer said, “you’ll begin a one-day training session with Doctor Michaelsen on how to resist cult mind control techniques.”
    “One day!” Marilyn said. “That’s not enough time!”
    “Do the best you can.”
    “Captain!” she said. “I really must object!” The others froze. She calmed her voice, about a notch below frantic. “The very fabric of an individual’s psychological stability can be torn to shreds by a cult, leading to the most severe psychiatric symptoms, even in a person with no history of mental disorder. And if Inspector Richetti is suffering from mental distress of any kind, it would render him susceptible to what might well prove to be a sophisticated, sustained thought reform and control program. Let’s not endanger—”
    “Doctor,” Captain Switzer interjected, “we appreciate your assistance and your advice. But you have to understand, a murder trail grows cold very quickly. We don’t have time for all your tests. We don’t have time for you to teach John everything you know about cults. We need to get him inside Earthbound, pronto.”
    Marilyn sighed. Cops just never did get it. “I’ll block it,” she said, just as the others screeched their chairs back, ready to stand. “I’ll block the entire investigation. I’ll go upstairs, Captain, over your head, and I’ll do my level best to get the whole operation called off.”
    She locked eyes with the captain, although in the right corner of her vision she could see John Richetti’s mouth agape. Captain Switzer broke the silence about ten seconds into it.
    “How about a compromise, Doctor? If you’re so worried about the psychiatric risks, then why