“I think we have a problem,” said Alex. “Chase, we need a weapon. Something with a little more kick than the scrambler.”
“The blaster. The one we took from, what was his name, Alex Somebody.”
“My thought exactly. It was stowed in the equipment locker. Those are pretty solid. You think it might have survived the crash?”
“It might.”
“I hate to drop this on you. But I just don’t get around very easily, and time—”
“It’s okay.”
“One other thing—”
“Yes?”
“Don’t count on three hours. She could show up at any time.”
“All right. What are
you
going to be doing?”
“I think we need to warn Viscenda an unwelcome visitor is on the way.”
I drafted one of Turam’s gun-toters to give me a hand. The weather had turned cranky. The sky was a dismal gray, and rain was threatening.
We hustled down to the pier, climbed into a canoe, and hurried across the river. The water was rough, stirred up by the wind. We didn’t talk much. Mostly it was me explaining that the individual who was coming couldn’t be trusted, and him saying I shouldn’t worry.
The lander was little more than a blackened hull with parts scattered around the field. But the ladder was intact, and the hatches were open.
I climbed inside. The seats had been blown apart, the viewports were gone, and everything was scorched. The deck crunched underfoot as I pushed my way to the rear of the cabin and opened the storage bin. The blaster was there. Apparently intact.
I took it outside, aimed it at a pile of rocks about fifteen meters away, and pulled the trigger.
Nothing happened.
I’d expected they’d be evacuating, but when I got back to the compound, everything was relatively quiet. Alex was in Viscenda’s office. Turam was also present.
“Now let me get this straight,” Viscenda was saying when I was ushered in, “you say this woman, this Petra Salyeva, is
paid
to kill people?”
“That’s correct,” said Alex. He looked my way, hoping I’d produce the blaster. I shook my head, but he gave no reaction.
Viscenda made a clicking sound with her tongue. “I’m beginning to wonder what kind of society you two come from, where people hire killers the way you would hire somebody to spread fertilizer. I mean, we have our lunatics, but I’ve never heard—” She waved it away. “Well, it’s of no moment now. And she intends to kill you? Both of you?”
“Yes,” said Alex. “I don’t think there’s any doubt about it.”
She shook her head. Will wonders never cease? “I’ve already asked why this woman wants you dead, and I haven’t gotten much of an answer, other than that she’s a homicidal bounty hunter. So let me try it another way: The person who’s paying her, why does
he
want you killed? Does he think you’re criminals?”
“It’s complicated, Viscenda.”
“Then simplify it so I can understand it.”
“We know something that he would like kept quiet.”
“What? What do you know?”
“That
you’re
here.”
“Please explain.”
“I don’t know the entire story yet, but somehow”—he struggled, trying to find the right words—“we may be connected with the event that brought on the Dark Times.”
Turam glanced skeptically in my direction. Viscenda’s eyes narrowed. “You’re not serious?”
“I am.”
“Tell me how that could be possible.”
“I hate to cut this short, but this character could arrive at any minute. We just don’t have time for this—”
“All right. We’ll talk about it later.”
Alex took a deep breath. “I think you need to get everyone out of here.”
“Tell me again: Why is the compound at risk?”
“Because this woman is unpredictable. She may have decided it’s safest for her to eliminate everybody. I don’t know that to be true. I doubt that it
is
true. But in the interests of safety—”
“Right. We evacuate, then stand by while you two are killed. Is that the plan?”
“No. We aren’t without resources.”
“
What
resources?”
“Do you think you could loan us a rifle?”
“I think we can do better than that. Listen, Alex, we are not going to be driven from our homes by this lunatic. It wouldn’t help us if we did clear out. If she destroys the compound, we’re dead in the long run anyhow. Let’s concentrate on finding a way to bring her down.”
“All right.”
“Good. Finally, we agree. I wonder if you can predict what she’s likely to do when she gets here?”
Alex explained: She would expect that we might hide snipers in the woods. “So she’ll take Chase and me across the river.”
“Then what?”
“She’ll demand to see our links. They’re important to her. She’ll take those, then I expect she’ll pull the trigger on us.”
“Then we need to put a few rifles across the river.”
“Downstream a bit. Around the curve. I’d expect her to want to stay as clear of the compound as she can.”
“It’s a wide river,” said Turam.
“It would be safer around the curve.”
“Okay,” said Viscenda, “Turam, you’ll take care of it. Meanwhile, I have an errand to perform. We’ll meet back here in fifteen minutes.”
Viscenda returned with an attractive young woman. She had black hair and dark eyes, but she looked a bit nervous. “Rikki,” said the director, “you know Chase and Alex.” She sat down behind her desk. “Rikki Brant helps prepare our food.” Her methodical, unrushed manner suggested she was simply arranging for a set of repairs on the roof.
I guess I was staring, wondering what Rikki was doing there. She returned a smile.
“There’s something else, Alex,” Viscenda said. “We are—the community is—assuming a risk no matter how we try to handle this. Salyeva knows what you look like?”
“Yes.”
“Both of you?”
“That is correct.”
“There’s a reality to our situation that we can’t avoid. You’re already aware that we’re hanging on here by a thread. Your appearance last week, the two of you, was a godsend. You are our hope for the future. Whether we survive, whether our children survive, depends on our ability to protect you. Without you—” She held up her hands. “Well, you see why we cannot take a chance on losing you. Either of you. But especially we cannot afford to lose
both
.” She smiled uncomfortably. “We wouldn’t survive that. Who, then, would bring the assistance you’ve promised? Your rescue vessel would arrive, look around, fail to locate you, and eventually go home. Have you notified them that we are here?”
“Friends of ours know.”
“Do the
authorities
know?”
“They do not.”
“Do your friends know
where
we are?”
“No.”
“All right. I assume you can’t communicate any longer with the authorities, or with anyone other than this Salyeva.”
“That’s correct.”
“That means we must ensure that at least one of you stays alive. In case things don’t go well.” For whatever reason, we all looked at Rikki.
“How are you going to do that?” Alex asked.
“By keeping one of you out of harm’s way. No one would mistake Rikki for you, Chase. At least not up close. But at a distance, and in a pressure situation, we should be able to get away with it. Alex, when you go out there this afternoon, Chase will stay with us. Rikki has volunteered to accompany you.”
I got to my feet. “Now wait a minute—”
“You’ve no say in the matter, Chase. Please sit down.”
All right. Now, I’ll confess I would have been glad to be in a safe place when the shooting started. But I couldn’t sit there and allow it to happen. “No,” I said. I was still out of my chair. “Absolutely not.”
Viscenda cranked up that laser stare. “If I must, Chase, I’ll have you restrained. Now please sit and be quiet. We haven’t time for theatrics. Rikki understands what is at stake, and she’s under no pressure to do this.”
How could she
not
be? But Rikki looked at me and nodded. It was okay. Don’t worry about me. “I won’t allow it,” I said.
“Chase,” said Alex. “She’s right.”
I wasn’t going to accept it. “Let them put somebody in for
you
, Alex.”
“We don’t have anyone who will pass for him as easily as Rikki will for you.”
We did a stare-down. Rikki said, “Please, Chase.” And I sat.
“All right.” Alex went over to the window and looked at the sky. “We’ve got one break, anyhow.”
I knew what that was. But Viscenda asked.
“We have some clouds. It’ll be difficult for her to see what we’re doing until she actually gets close enough where we can see
her
.”
“Good. I’m glad for any favorable news.”
“Viscenda, if you’re going to get into this, you might as well go all the way.”
“What do you recommend?”
“Put Chase in the woods with the rifle team. And I know what you’re thinking, but she’s the only one here who’s familiar with the lander. If we have to try to shoot the lander down, you’ll want her there to tell them where to point the guns.”
Viscenda frowned. “I don’t want to send Chase out there.”
“I know that. But if we don’t succeed, there may not be anything left here to rescue. Your alternative is to give Salyeva what she wants.”
“I do not like it.”
“Put all your chips on the table or fold your cards.”
“Whatever that means,” she said. She took a deep breath. “All right.”
Alex pressed an index finger against his lips. “And, Turam—?”
“Yes, Alex.”
“Is your rifle squad ready to go?”
FORTY-THREE
If you cannot swim, stay out of the water.
—Dellacondan proverb
Turam got out of his seat. “Have to get set up,” he said. “Chase, I’ll meet you at the front door in twenty minutes.”
Somebody brought me a green jacket. It didn’t fit very well, but it would provide a degree of camouflage. Viscenda insisted I promise not to expose myself unnecessarily. And she told Turam as he was going out the door that she would hold him responsible if anything happened to me.
Then she turned to other business. She sent a message around.
Potentially hostile visitor expected in airborne vehicle. Could arrive at any time within the next three hours. Keep kids inside. Stay out of sight yourself. Keep away from windows. Assume emergency conditions until you are informed otherwise.
She sent two of the women to unlock the storeroom and make extra ammunition available.
Someone else came in to report that spotters were in place to watch for the incoming vehicle.
Alex tried to reassure Rikki that they would be okay. She nodded and walked over to a window. Her lips were moving soundlessly. She was, I thought, praying.
He watched her for a moment, then took me aside. “Chase,” he said, “in case this doesn’t work out, do what Viscenda says. Keep your head down. And tell Audree—”
“I know,” I said. “Tell her yourself.”
He nodded. “One more thing.”
“Yes?”
“I should tell you who’s behind this. Just in case.”
I’d expected Turam to show up with two or three guys. There were thirteen people, including four women, all dressed in hunting gear, all carrying rifles. Dex was there, one of the guys who’d come back to rescue Alex. He had
two
rifles. A woman told me not to worry, they’d take care of the bitch, and they wouldn’t let anything happen to me. Or to Rikki.
Barnas was also among them, trying to look as if he did this sort of thing every day. “Okay, Chase,” said Turam, “if we have to shoot at the aircraft, what are we aiming for?”
One of the farm animals yipped. Somewhere, a door opened and closed.
I described what antigrav pods would look like, and how they might be located fore and aft, or under the wings. “Just put a couple of bullets in them,” I said, “and that’ll do it.”
Dex handed me the extra rifle. “It’s all yours,” he said.
I think I stammered. “I don’t know how to use it.”
“We’ll practice on the way.” He grinned. I’d been too caught up with Alex’s problem when I first met him, but I’d seen enough of him since to know I liked him. Dex had a lovely wife and two kids.