“They’ll have an excellent chance using the SEAL,” the Minister said.
“Once we have the canisters, we can commence work on the projectiles.
Our foes will be putty in our hands.”
“It’s too bad you have to go to so much trouble,” Loretta remarked.
“Too bad you can’t just take the SEAL and be done with it.”
“True,” the Minister agreed. “But we can’t risk losing the SEAL before our scientists have unraveled its secrets. Captain Wargo didn’t detect any evidence of any such device, but he couldn’t be sure. And all Blade would have to do is press a secret button while climbing from the SEAL, and it might explode if we tampered with it.”
“So all that stuff you told Blade was to throw him off the track?” Loretta said.
“Of course.”
Loretta kissed the Minister on his right cheek. “I get all tingly when I think of how lucky I am to be your consort.”
“Tingly? Really?” The Minister glanced at Arthur. “Tell Wargo I will join him in two hours instead of one.”
“As you command.”
Chapter Ten
Two more days had elapsed.
Two whole days! It was the morning of the third day!
And she hadn’t done a damn thing!
Lieutenant Farrow was up early. She’d spent another sleepless night, tossing and turning on her cot in B Block. She rose before dawn, dressed in her uniform, and slipped from the building unnoticed. Listless, haunted by her dereliction of duty, she strolled to the north and eventually reached the inner moat. Standing on the bank, she idly watched the water flowing past and contemplated her fate. In all her years as a professional soldier, she’d never exhibited any degree of indecision. She’d always performed her duty as required.
Until now.
Starlings were chattering in a nearby pine tree.
Farrow gazed up at the northern rampart and spotted one of the Warriors on guard duty. It wasn’t Yama; he was still sleeping in B Block.
After a moment she recognized the figure—the lean physique, brown shirt, buckskin pants, and broadsword dangling from his hip—as that of Spartacus, the head of Gamma Triad.
Spartacus, his right hand resting on the hilt of his sword, saw her and waved.
Farrow returned the gesture. Why? she wondered. Why did these people have to be so friendly? Her job would have been much easier if they hadn’t welcomed her with open arms. She suspected Plato and the one called Rikki were leery of her, but the rest of the Family treated her as one of their own.
The dummies!
Didn’t they know it wasn’t smart to trust strangers? To trust anyone, for that matter.
Farrow sighed and sat down on the bank. She thought of the moonlit stroll she’d taken with Yama the night before, and smiled. His affection for her was becoming more obvious every day. He’d escorted her to an open-air concert between the Blocks, an evening of musical entertainment presented by six Family members with outstanding talent. The Family owned eighteen instruments in all, from drums to a miniature grand piano, and they took great pains to maintain the instruments. The Family’s best Musicians were an accomplished lot, and the six had played a diverse selection of masterful compositions, their own compositions.
Seated under the twinkling stars, with Yama by her side, she had been in seventh heaven.
Despite her apprehensions, Yama hadn’t pried into her unstable emotional state. He seemed to be waiting for her to make the first move, to tell him what was bothering her.
And she wanted to do it.
More than anything.
But each time she opened her mouth to reveal her part in the plot against the Family, she balked, concerned she would infuriate him and kill their budding romance.
The sky was much brighter, the sun beginning to clear the eastern horizon as the world awoke to a new day.
Farrow stood and hurried toward B Block. She’d finally made up her mind. She was going to ask Yama to join her for breakfast, then spill the beans. Tell him everything. And hang the consequences! She couldn’t take another night of stifling anxiety.
The Family was coming to life. Over a dozen members were clustered near B Block, some exercising, some praying, others conversing.
Farrow hurried toward B Block, afraid she would chicken out before she found Yama. Not this time! she told herself. This time she would see it through.
A flash of dark blue to her right caught her attention.
Yama was 40 yards from B Block, talking to a young woman.
Farrow stopped, frowning.
Who the hell was she?
The woman was a brunette, petite, wearing green pants and a yellow blouse. She was laughing, her right hand resting on Yama’s left forearm.
What were they talking about?
Farrow slowly advanced toward them. Yama had his back to her, and the brunette was concentrating on the Warrior, so neither would detect her approach if she was careful.
She had to know what they were talking about.
Farrow sidled to within 15 feet of the duo, staying to the rear of Yama, using his huge body to shield her from the brunette’s line of vision.
“—delighted,” Yama was saying.
The brunette squealed and clapped her hands together. “You will?
Honest?”
“I said I would,” Yama stated.
The brunette giggled and flung her arms around the Warrior’s neck. “I can never thank you enough!”
Yama’s reply was too low for Farrow to overhear.
The brunette giggled some more. “You’ve made me so happy!”
“I’d do anything for you. You know that,” Yama said.
The brunette’s expression became markedly serious. “You’re my favorite. You always have been.”
“I’ll bet you say that to all the men,” Yama commented.
“You know I don’t,” the brunette responded playfully. “The others can’t hold a candle to you.”
“You may change your mind when you mature,” Yama said.
“Mature?” The brunette scowled in feigned annoyance. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve matured quite nicely, thank you.”
“You have filled out,” Yama admitted.
Farrow edged a little closer. Her mind was in a daze.
What was this? Was the little bitch making time with Yama? Did Yama have another girlfriend, one he’d neglected to mention? Was he playing the field? Was that it?
“I’ve always loved you,” the brunette said sincerely.
“And I’ve always loved you,” Yama told her.
Farrow felt a lump forming in her throat as the brunette stretched on her toes and planted a kiss on Yama’s lips. Her mouth dropped open in shock as her darkest forebodings flooded her mind.
That had to be it!
Yama had another woman!
Farrow started to back away before she was discovered.
Yama kissed the brunette on the forehead.
He loved her! He’d always loved her! The words seemed to reverberate in Farrow’s brain. There was a sharp ache in her chest. She whirled and ran to the north, toward the moat. What else could it be? They must be lovers! Yama had been leading her on!
Farrow reached a solitary maple tree and leaned on the rough trunk for support, feeling dizzy. How could she have been so gullible? She’d fallen for the oldest ruse in the book! Yama was just like every other man! They all were after one thing, and they’d get it any way they could.
By hook or by crook.
She started forward, then hesitated. What if she were wrong? There might be a perfectly innocent explanation. She twisted, glancing over her left shoulder.
Yama and the brunette were hugging.
No!
No! No! No!
Farrow stumbled toward the moat, racked by despair. How could she give him the benefit of the doubt? What more proof did she need? She’d been played for a sucker. A dupe. A patsy. For all his idealistic talk, Yama wasn’t any better than a typical Technic.