Even the dullest wolf knows it’s not goodwhen the moose and the rabbit conspire in a language foreign to thepack, Basilard signed.
It was an old saying that usually elicited asmile amongst Basilard’s people. Sicarius stared at him withoutcomment.
I’m supposed to be getting your lineageout of you, Basilard signed.
“My parents?” Sicarius asked inTurgonian.
Basilard suspected it was for the sake ofthose listening rather than a need for clarification. The guardsrelaxed at the words.
I just got here, Basilard signed.If we’re so deep, how do they travel to the surface?
“I was never told,” Sicarius said as hisfingers twitched his real response. With his hands separated andrestrained, he could not make the arm motions that accompanied manyof the Mangdorian signs, and Basilard struggled to follow thewords.
Mental sciences. No thing. Women create whenneed.
Thing? Basilard guessed he meant there was nomagical artifact or other contraption they could snatch to travelto the surface on their own.
…unconscious…don’t know how manydays… Sicarius kept speaking as he signed, “Though I wasgiven to understand it was an arranged mating, and my parents werechosen for their desirable attributes.”
Basilard caught himself listening to thewords. Were they the truth? Had Sicarius been bred like a hound?Basilard had heard what Hollowcrest said in Larocka’s mansion, thatSicarius had been trained from birth to be a tool for the empire,to obey Hollowcrest and Emperor Raumesys. Which meant he hadnot likely had a choice about the assassination mission toMangdoria.
That didn’t matter. He had still done it.
Sicarius was glaring at him, and for a momentBasilard wondered if he read minds in addition to his other skills.But, no, Sicarius signed slowly, with emphasis, and Basilardrealized the glare was for not paying attention.
Amaranthe know where we are? Sicariusasked.
Not when I saw her last, Basilardsaid, but perhaps by now. It’d be best to assume we must escapeon our own.
A few heartbeats passed without a word or asign from Sicarius. He seemed to be considering Basilard. His darkeyes appeared black in this lighting, and Basilard felt them boringinto his soul. Was he suspicious of something? Did he thinkBasilard had cut a deal with the women that would leave himstranded?
Yes, was all Sicarius signed.
You know how many guards watch thisroom? Basilard rushed to sign, wanting Sicarius’s mind onescape, not anything else.
“Yes,” Sicarius said and signed, Fourguards…split twelve-hour shifts. These soldiers worked forHollowcrest…now rogues. “A cook who used to give me balmsafter childhood punishments told me my father was an army officerand my mother a university professor.” Sicarius’s brow crinkled, asif he was surprising himself with how much he was revealing, and heglanced at the glowing orb controlling his drug dosages. Manypractitioners here…only sisters and one male…transportsurface.
Basilard signed, If we can capture one,perhaps we can force the other to-
“So,” Litya said, “you don’t know yourparents’ names?”
“No,” Sicarius said.
“But they could still be alive?”
He hesitated, and Basilard wondered if he hadever considered the possibility. Any child without parents wouldspeculate about that, wouldn’t he? Maybe he didn’t care about suchthings. Most of the time, he did not seem human.
“I was told not, but I suppose it’spossible,” Sicarius said.
“Hm.” Litya stopped at his side and laid ahand on the hard ridges of muscle armoring his abdomen. “I’ve notseen you in action, but based on your reputation and what I seehere…” Her hand roamed, and Basilard looked away. “I’d definitelybe interested in researching your heritage further,” she said. “Wehave extensive resources and could help you if you were sointerested.”
Sicarius said nothing.
“Your Commander of the Armies Hollowcrestdisappeared last winter, did he not?” Litya asked. “He’s rumored tobe dead, but there’s speculation that this may be untrue since thecurrent emperor has not appointed a successor to what must be avital position for you militant Turgonians.”
She tilted her head, watching Sicarius.Basilard wondered if she found his unreadability as frustrating asmost. She showed no sign of it. Too busy being intrigued by him, hesupposed.
“If it’s possible the man is still alive andincognito,” Litya went on, “I’d be curious to speak with him,perhaps compare notes….”
“He’s dead,” Sicarius said.
“You’re certain?”
“I killed him.”
“Ah.”
“It’s possible he left notes,” Sicarius said,surprising Basilard. Sicarius never volunteered anything,especially not to people on the other side. He must be angling forsomething.
“Oh?” Litya asked. “And you’d know where theywere?”
“In his hidden office in the ImperialBarracks.”
“I suppose you know where this office is andcould retrieve such notes if properly motivated?”
“Even if I said yes, you would be foolish tobelieve I could be trusted to do so for you,” Sicarius said.
Basilard frowned at Sicarius, wondering athis tactics. He ought to either stay silent-which suited his normalproclivities-or play along and try to get the woman to let himgo.
“Thank you for the warning,” Litya said.
“You let him off that table, and he’ll killyou,” came Taloncrest’s voice over the sucking and clanking ofequipment. “He’s killed people for daring to do a lot less thancapture him. Also, Hollowcrest hated the mental sciences, so you’dfind little that interests you in his notes. Anything he did was ofnatural means.”
“Much can be done with nature,” Litya said,though more to herself than in response to Taloncrest.
“Hollowcrest used to keep notes on mytraining,” Sicarius said. “He researched widely before I was bornand applied techniques from many cultures, current and past.” Hetilted his head slightly. “If you intend to turn your fetuses intowarriors, blood will only get you so far.”
So, Sicarius had reached the same assumptionabout what these people were doing down here. Litya did not correcthis assumption.
“Indeed,” she said.
“Litya,” Taloncrest said, “I told you yourfunds and assistance would win you my long-term advice ontraining.”
“You’re a doctor, not a legendary assassin,”she said.
“I am-I was-an officer in the Turgonian Army.I’ve been training to fight since before he was born.”
Litya snorted. “Perhaps I should let him goand you two could spar for dominance.”
Yes, that would be good. Maybe they would bekind enough to release Basilard as well.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Taloncrest said.
“You are right,” Litya told Sicarius. “Itwould be foolish of me to release you. Unless there is a price atwhich your assistance-and your word that you will offer itfaithfully-can be purchased.”
Sicarius neither offered his usual blunt “no”nor proposed a deal. He ought to promise the woman to help if shewould simply unlock him first….
Instead he remained silent.Almost…thoughtful. What could this woman have that he might want?But then, what did Amaranthe have that Sicarius wanted?Basilard reluctantly admitted that he knew the man very little,despite the six months they had worked together. If it was onlysome whim that kept him with the group, might not another comealong that interested him more?
“There is a price,” Litya guessed fromSicarius’s silence.
Sicarius’s expression never changed, but hiseyes shifted to focus on one of the tanks.
What? Did he want a child? One born in somecrazy scientist’s laboratory? If so, why? Though Sicariushad the personality of a particularly bland, pointy stick, itseemed he could find a woman to bear a child for him if he wishedit. Though maybe he did not want some random woman’s blood for achild. Not if he could get some specially selected female“ specimen” to help breed a babe who could be his equal-or perhapsmore-one day. Basilard grimaced at the idea of Sicarius as afather, training some child with the same heartless techniques thathad been employed on him.