"So we just walk into this other trap instead?"
"If it is, in fact, a trap," Draycos said. "Taneem, where are you right now?"
"In one of the ducts near Neverlin's office," Taneem said. "Not close enough for him to hear us."
"How much of the conversation did you hear where Alison revealed her true identity?"
"All of it, I think," Taneem said. "They didn't believe her at first, but she had something hidden in her sleeve that proved it."
"I'm sure she did," Draycos said. "Question: did she ever mention you?"
There was a short pause. "No, she didn't," Taneem said. "She said her father wanted you alive so they could learn the secret of how you can go onto people's skin."
"But she never mentioned you?" Draycos persisted.
"No, not that I heard."
"So what does that prove?" Langston asked, frowning.
"It proves she's still playing games," Jack told him, some of the weight lifting off his lungs. "And not just with us."
"What do you mean?" Taneem asked. "Is she not General Davi's daughter, then?"
"I don't know who she is," Jack said. "Not that I ever did, come to think of it. But if she'd really betrayed us, she should have betrayed you, too."
"She did tell Neverlin you'd been a useful ally while your goals weren't bumping heads," Taneem said. "Maybe they still aren't."
"Maybe," Jack said. "Draycos?"
"I'm willing to trust her a while longer," Draycos said.
"That's good enough for me," Jack said. It was almost the truth, too. "Meanwhile, Taneem, you stay hidden. Listen in as much as you can, but stay hidden."
"What about my six-hour limit?" Taneem asked. "Over half of that has already passed."
And Alison was probably going to be cooped up with Neverlin and Frost for the rest of it, Jack suspected. "That's okay—you and Draycos can take turns on me," he said. "Just track us down after they lock us up."
"All right," Taneem said. "Be careful. I hope you're right about Alison."
"We will, and we hope so, too," Jack said. "We'll talk to you later."
The transmission clicked off. "That assumes they'll put you some place where she can get to you," Langston warned.
"And that we're not under constant surveillance," Jack said grimly. "I know. But I don't know what else to do."
"Maybe I can find an excuse to go aboard later," Langston suggested. "Do you still have that spare comm clip I lent Draycos?"
"Right here," Jack said, digging it out of his pocket and handing it to the other. "It's still set on our frequency."
"Good," Langston said, slipping it into his own pocket. "If I can get back in time, I'll give her a call and arrange a rendezvous."
"But don't take any unnecessary risks," Draycos warned. "At the moment we want you alive and with as much freedom of movement as possible."
"He's right," Jack seconded. "Don't worry about Taneem. Between Alison and me, we should be able to cover her."
"Okay," Langston said. "You two watch yourselves. Whatever Neverlin's got up his sleeve, I'm guessing you're not going to like it."
CHAPTER 23
Another cluster of guns was waiting when Jack and Langston emerged from the patrol ship into the Advocatus Diaboli. This time, though, the guns were being held by humans instead of Brummgas.
"Hello, Jack," Frost greeted him gravely. He was, Jack noted, standing between and slightly behind two of the other Malison Ring mercenaries. Apparently, he didn't trust Draycos quite enough to be at the front of the line. "You've been a busy boy."
Jack shrugged. "Idle hands are the devil's workshop, Uncle Virgil always said."
"And he would know," Frost said. "Where is your elusive uncle, by the way?"
For a moment Jack was tempted to tell him the truth. Frost's reaction to the news that the man he'd been chasing for the past six months had in fact died nearly a year and a half ago might be amusing.
But it was never a good idea to give away information for free. "I'm sure he's out there somewhere," Jack said instead. "Lurking, you know. Uncle Virgil's very good at lurking."
"Apparently so," Frost said. "Fine. Turn around and get back into the patrol ship. You too, Langston."
"First let me see Alison," Jack said. "I want to see that she's all right."
"She's fine," Frost said. "She's waiting for us at the troop carrier."
Jack frowned. "The troop carrier?"
"Your new temporary home." Frost waved Jack back toward the patrol ship. "If you please?"
Draycos?
Do as he says, Draycos said. But there was a dark grimness to his tone.
A grimness Jack himself was also feeling. Because if he and Alison were both aboard the carrier—and if they both stayed aboard the carrier—Taneem was going to be in serious trouble.
"Unless you'd rather go out right now in a blaze of glory," Frost suggested as Jack hesitated.
Jack grimaced. "Sorry," he said, backing toward the hatchway. "Got caught up in the scenery."
A few minutes later, Jack, Langston, Frost, and half a dozen of the mercenaries were again moving through space, this time making for the troop carrier. "You're probably wondering what happened to it," Frost commented as they approached the flashing lights of a docking station.
"A little," Jack said, gazing out at the ship's crushed side. Up close, it didn't look as bad as it had earlier on the KK-29's display. "Someone run a red light?"
"In a manner of speaking," Frost said. "There's a vac suit in the rack behind you. Put it on, and rig it for long term."
Jack glanced back at the rack. "No thanks," he said. "I'm fine."
"Put it on or die right here."
Jack shivered. Frost hadn't even raised his voice, but there was something in his tone that told him the man wasn't in the mood for flippant remarks.
Silently, Jack got up and put on the suit. Rigging for long term meant hooking up the food and bathroom facilities, which he did. "Now what?" he asked, leaving the helmet attached to his belt.
There was a gentle bump as Langston docked them with the carrier. "We go inside," Frost said, standing up. "Follow me. Langston, you stay here."
The airlock was larger than those Jack was familiar with. Probably designed to handle a dozen vac-suited soldiers at a time, he decided. Frost led them through the lock, out another door into a supply and maintenance room, then through a heavily armored door into a long, high-ceilinged chamber.
Midway along the chamber's long inner bulkhead, leading farther into the ship, was another airlock-style door. Nearby was an equipment cart containing a selection of tools, including a small welding torch. Across from the airlock, on the hull side of the chamber, there was a long hatchway that was nearly as large as the room itself. "What's this, a docking bay?" Jack asked.
"Yes, for one of the two scout ships," Frost confirmed. "They're usually not well armored, so they're kept inside where the carrier's main hull can protect them. Bucket on, then over against the wall by the tool cart."
I think I'm going to hate this, Jack warned Draycos as he slipped his helmet over his head and snugged it into place.
Which part?
The tool cart part, Jack told him. I take it you hadn't noticed the welding gear.
Draycos flicked his tail against Jack's leg. No, I hadn't, he said. You're right. I think we may soon both hate this.