“I’m sorry to see you’re injured,” Salyeva said.
“I’ll be okay.”
Maybe they’d gotten away with it.
The sounds stopped. They would be standing in front of the building.
“Come down to the riverbank,” Salyeva said. “I’ll pick you up there.”
“I’ve a broken leg,” said Alex. “That’s a long walk. Why not pick us up here?”
That was good. Sound reluctant.
Rikki and Alex would be staying well apart from each other so they couldn’t be taken out by a single shot.
I would have liked to remind Alex to stay as close as he could to the trees when he got down to the riverbank. That might give the people down there a chance to bring the Viper down. But I couldn’t talk to him without alerting Salyeva.
“Petra, I was wondering whether we could offer you something to get you on our side?”
“Your cooperation will be sufficient, Alex.”
“I doubt you’re being paid enough for this.”
“You have no idea what I’m being paid.”
“Nevertheless, I think I can offer more.”
“That is good of you, but ask yourself what happens to my career once word gets out that I can’t be trusted.”
“I understand.”
“Good. When this is over, I would be available, should you have need of my services.”
The crutches creaked across a wooden surface. They were on the pier.
“You’ve been quiet, Chase,” said Salyeva.
That was my cue. “I know,” I said. “There isn’t much to say.”
“Chase, do you see the boat?”
I couldn’t see the boat, of course. Couldn’t even see the pier. But I remembered that we’d left two there. “The rowboat?” I said.
“Yes. Chase, please push it into the water, then help Alex get into it.” She chuckled. “Try not to let him fall overboard.”
“I can’t get into a boat,” said Alex. “Come on, Petra, be reasonable.”
“I’m simply being cautious, Alex. I’ll pick you up across the river, where I won’t be quite so exposed.”
“I can’t do it,” Alex said.
“I’m sorry, but you’ll have to, Alex.”
I heard the boat strike the side of the pier as they (presumably) pulled it in. And I added my own contribution. “Be careful, Alex,” I said into the link. “Watch your step.”
Alex grunted. I heard the noises you would expect if someone climbed clumsily into a rowboat. “Okay,” I said. “That’s good.”
“All right, Petra,” Alex growled. “What now?”
“You get in, too, Chase. And put out into the river.”
Oars creaked. Dipped into water. Dipped again.
“You’re doing fine. Keep coming.”
The Viper stopped circling and moved out over the river. We caught glimpses of it now and then through the trees.
“Where are we going, Petra?”
“Just cross to the other side. That’s all I want you to do.”
Just cross to the other side? “Turam,” I said, “we’re at the wrong place.” She wasn’t going to bring them downstream.
Turam pointed at four of his people, and at himself. Follow me. The others were to stay in position.
Then we were running through the woods. Unfortunately, all of them were stronger and quicker than I was. The gravity weighed me down. Soon I was alone.
“Just a little farther,” said Salyeva.
I kept running until I was completely out of breath. I stopped and leaned against a tree, listening to the voices on the link. “That’s good, Alex. Far enough.”
I still couldn’t see them, but there hadn’t been time to get across. They had to be in the middle of the river.
“Now, Alex, I want you to do something for me.”
“What’s that, Petra?”
“Where’s your link?” I took off again, moving as fast as I could.
“On this.” I could see him removing the chain and holding it up for her to see.
“Excellent. Drop it in the water.”
“You can’t mean that.”
“Of course I can. Please do it. But leave it on, transmit mode, so I’ll hear the splash.”
“Petra—”
“Do it.”
I heard the splash.
“Chase, where’s yours?”
My heart stopped. I could see the river through the trees, but I didn’t dare get rid of the link. Couldn’t get rid of the link.
“Good. Throw it in the river.”
I wondered what Rikki had shown her. It didn’t matter.
I was still running, trying to get to the shoreline. Not sure what I was going to do when I got there.
I stopped long enough to say something into it: “It’s all we have, Petra. You can’t expect—”
“That’s interesting, Chase.”
“What is?”
“How you can still talk through it after you’ve thrown it into the water. Even more intriguing, when the woman in the boat is saying nothing. Well. I’m sorry, but I need you to understand I’m serious.”
“Wait,” I said. “I’m coming.”
“Too late, Chase.” The proton gun fired. A loud, crisp crackle.
“You bitch,” I screamed at her.
And at that terrible moment, we caught a break. The Viper was drifting with the boat, facing the boat. Facing away from me. It was just off the water. And the current was bringing the boat around the curve. I could see it. Alex was in the water, clinging to the side of the rowboat. There was no sign of Rikki. I don’t know where Salyeva thought I was, but I don’t think it occurred to her there was anyone behind her.
I had to run out into the water to get a clear shot.
“Now,” she was saying, “we’ll try this exercise again. You have one hour to get the other link for me. Or the consequences for this community will be severe. In one hour, Chase, get into a boat, and come back out here. Do that, and everybody will live.”
I figured I had one shot, after which she’d clear out before I could reload. But it was a good shot. The rear pod was dead in my sights. So I stood knee-deep in the water and pulled the trigger. I moved quickly to pop another round into the chamber, but I saw the Viper dip, drop tail first toward the water, and try to climb. I’d hit the son of a bitch. I fired off several more rounds, and I think I hit the forward pod as well. Couldn’t be sure, because the target was jumping around. But it plowed into the river.
It sank slowly. The hatch never opened, and the lander simply went down, leaving behind swirling water and a rising cloud of steam.
I swam out and barely caught the rowboat as it drifted past. “God, Chase,” Alex said, “I tried to save her.”
I climbed into the boat but wasn’t able to get him in. So I just hung on to him until help arrived.
PART IV Fallout