Sam looked out the window of the helicopter, not really seeing the fences and buildings that surrounded him. Ghost’s departure signal had come almost half an hour ago. By now he would have led his tribesmen in through the perimeter of the United Oil dockyard. Sam had been surprised at how many volunteered after Ghost told them he would do it alone. But it hadn’t been too many for Enterich to supply with arms. Sam didn’t know how he would have stopped any of the warriors from accompanying Ghost, but he’d have tried if armor and weapons hadn’t been available. Even well-equipped, the risks were great.
Things were still quiet, which he assumed to mean that all was well. A lot more bodies were going in than when he and Ghost had made their run into the facility, but this crowd was not going to try to get inside any buildings. They should be safe enough. With Dodger running cover on the arcology part of the operation, they were relying on a decker that Enterich supplied to override the perimeter alarms. She must have been good enough; the compound where the copter sat was close enough that Sam would have heard any gunfire or alarms. The only thing left to do was wait for the signal that Sally and Jaq had succeeded in lifting Hutten from the arcology. And worry.
It wasn’t the best plan, but he had been heartened when Ghost’s lieutenant and four buddies had decided to do the snatch. Sam was relieved that Sally would have some backup other than Jaq’s mercs. Jason’s crew wouldn’t have been Sam’s choice, but Sam wasn’t choosing. Any bodies were better than trusting totally to the good will of Lofwyr’s agent.
For the fourth time in the last half hour, he checked the case on the seat next to him to see that its circuits were in working order. Dodger was to tight-beamcast a trideo record of their snatch for Sam to display when he confronted the Dragon. It would be his proof that Hutten was hidden safely away, a lever for dealing with Haesslich. Everyone was sure Haesslich would be willing to negotiate to get his precious doppelganger back safely, but no one believed the Dragon would accept Sam’s terms. Sam wasn’t so sure himself, but he saw no other course. He must try to resolve this in a way that would leave his conscience clear. If Haesslich wouldn’t listen, then there was always Ghost’s way.
The unit beeped and the telltale indicated that it had received Dodger’s coded signal. That was it. The snatch had been made. Sam secured the receiver as soon as the transmission was complete.
“Indramin,” he said aloud, knowing that the rigger was listening. The rigger wasn’t aboard, because Sam didn’t want anyone else to share the risk of facing the Dragon. Indramin would be flying the helicopter by remote rig. “Time to go.”
The craft’s engines coughed to life and the rotors began to whirl up to speed. With a surge, the ship left the ground and Sam was on his way to confront Haesslich.
The tail Hart had put on Crenshaw had led her to Greerson, who was surprisingly easy to convince that she, too, was working with Crenshaw. The Dwarf, in turn, led her to Verner’s rendezvous point, where they’d watched as Verner split his teams into two groups. From the talk overheard via Greerson’s long-range pickup, she knew that one of the teams was headed for the arcology to snatch Hutten. The fools would walk straight into Crenshaw’s trap, but maybe they’d save Hart the headache of taking out the Crenshaw bitch.
She was glad she’d decided to pass on trying to invade the arcology. The chances of success seemed far too low. The chances for a Matrix penetration weren’t much better. But if Jenny couldn’t slip into the arcology’s Matrix and get a copy of the AI data from the doppelganger, Haesslich’s plan would come to naught. After tonight’s raid, the Hutten thing would be locked up tight, assuming it survived. Then Haesslich would get nothing. She didn’t like to think how the worm would take that disappointment.
Hart had been intrigued when Verner split off from Ghost Maker and his crew. Sensing that Verner was running a complicated plan, she argued Greerson out of smoking Verner as soon as he was alone. The Dwarf agreed to wait till they could find out what he was up to, confident he could take Verner whenever he wanted. Following Verner, they had spent almost an hour watching him sit in the darkened helicopter. When the sound of the craft’s engine drifted on the breeze Hart was confused. No one had come to join Verner and now he was leaving. Whatever his plan, it must now be in motion. Without air transportation, she and the Dwarf wouldn’t be able to follow him. Soil they were going to deal with him, it had to be right now. Hart wondered if she would ever know what he was up to.
“He’s airborne,” Greerson said, shoving the binocular goggles up onto his forehead.
Hart stared into the night, searching for the source of the rotor’s sound. She finally caught the moving shadow that was the copter. It was running without lights, moving in their general direction.
“You know, Elf lady, I thought for a while there you had something. Drek, you might still, but even your long legs can’t pace a helo. Old A.C. is gonna have a metacow when neither you or Verner shows up for her party, but at least I’ll get the bounty on his head.” Greerson stripped off the goggles and shook out his hair, then reached for the missile launcher he had prepared as soon as they had taken station. Hart forestalled the move with a touch on the Dwarfs arm.
“We’ve been on his tail longer. Squatter’s rights.”
“Whatever,” the Dwarf shrugged. Long as the suitboy don’t see daylight, I get paid.”
Hart activated her transceiver. “Tessien. He’s in a dark helo moving south along the waterfront toward us. He’s all yours.”
The flight was short, barely a hedge hop, but that suited Sam fine. Less time to get cold feet, The copter swept in low over the United Oil perimeter fence and settled down softly in an open space near the wharf. There were no challenges, no alarms, no gunfire. Enterich’s informants must have been right about Haesslich accepting delivery privately, It did fit the pattern of the Dragon wanting as few witnesses as possible. Even a circumstantial connection had been enough for him to order the murder of Hanae and Sam.
As soon as the craft’s rotors slowed, Sam slipped into his long coat, hefted the case over one shoulder, and climbed out. Walking clear of the copter, he set his burden down and gazed around him. The area seemed deserted. Haesslich, in either Human or Dragon form, was nowhere in sight.
He waited. Behind him, the blades of the helicopter stopped turning, but the distant sound of a jet far overhead made him look up. Moving against the stars was a dark shape heading in from the Sound. As it drew nearer, he made out along, sinuous body slung between a pair of large wings and knew it for a dracoform.
It was just offshore when Sam realized this could not be Haesslich. It was no Western Dragon, but a feathered serpent. A taloned hind limb unfolded down from its tucked position as the serpent swept toward him.