“Davis wanted me to look like everyone else when he thought an attack was coming.”
“And it didn’t?”
“Well—”
“Don’t worry about it. I just wonder why you smell like a gunnery range. Need to know is the rule, and my job is to fly Sparrow, so don’t tell me anything.”
Dillon had coffee. Eric was ravenous and had a chopped steak topped with two eggs. For a few minutes they ate silently while Eric leafed through the notebook.
“Looks like we’ll be robots again,” said Dillon. “The whole flight is programmed once we reach space. All you do is throw a switch or two.”
“What’s N-space?” asked Eric.
“Never heard of it until now.”
“Says here our turnaround is N-space/Ariel sector 3.”
Dillon just shrugged his shoulders. “Like they told us last time, I guess. Just sit there and enjoy the ride.”
Maybe Alan can give me a clue, thought Eric. After the meal, Dillon went back to watch over the transfer of Sparrow. Eric got his kit, took a shower, and changed back into civvies. He asked for directions, and took an elevator up three levels to where he’d been told sickbay was located. He asked the corporal at the reception desk if he might be able to see Sergeant Alan Nutt, a patient there.
The corporal checked a card tacked up at a corner of the desk. “Sergeant Nutt is in room twelve, sir, but if you’re Doctor Price you’re supposed to go to room five first. Can I see some I.D.?”
Eric showed it to him. The corporal came around the desk and led him down the hall to room five. “In here, sir.”
The room was dark. There were two beds, and one was empty. A man lay in the other bed, back turned to Eric.
“Excuse me? I’m Eric Price. I was told to come to this room. There might be a mistake.”
The man rolled over. “No mistake, dear. You’re invited.”
Eric’s heart thumped hard twice at the sound of the man’s voice.
“Leon?”
“Back again. Don’t turn on the light. Something in my meds is making me sensitive to it. Get over here. I heard what happened. Let’s see if you still have all your parts.”
Eric grabbed a chair, pulled it to the bed and sat down. Leon stuck out a hand and grinned at him. Eric grasped the hand softly in his, and held on. “They wouldn’t tell me anything. I really thought you were dead.”
“Nearly was, I guess. They had to pump me full of blood, and the surgeons did the rest. I’m amazing.”
“I didn’t realize they had that kind of capability here.”
“They don’t. I just got here. Weird trip, I was all doped up. One second I’m looking up at bright lights in a hospital and the next second it’s dim lights from the ceiling of a rock cavern. I’m in the base, right?”
“Yes.”
“I wasn’t treated here. It was a huge hospital, everything in soft green, and the most gorgeous nurses I’ve ever seen. Not all of them women, by the way. Brought out the naughty in me once I was feeling better. I know I was shot several times, but they had me walking by the third day. They say I won’t even have scars.”
“Medicine has come a long ways,” said Eric.
“In a hurry. Say, a sergeant Nutt is being treated here, and told me about your little firefight. You okay?”
“Not a scratch. They tried to destroy the base with a nuclear weapon, but we were ready for them. There were no survivors on their side.”
“Yikes. That’s not good for intel.”
“We know who was behind it, Leon. It was John Coulter. I shot him twice, and he was spitting blood when we blew him up.”
“Good riddance. So now it’s over?”
“All over. The final flight test is in two days, and then you and I can go home.”
Let’s keep the money Coulter gave us, and celebrate.”
“We’ll have to ask the bosses about that, Leon.”
“You’re just being difficult again.” Leon smiled, then, “How’s Nataly?”
“We had a fight. She was a plant for the guys who gave us Sparrow. She fed the information to me that I thought came from dreams. The rest was a sham.”
“I don’t believe it. Did she admit to that?”
“No. She insists she loves me, but it’s only part of the lie.”
“Oh how I wish I had your psychic and mind reading abilities,” said Leon. “You’ve never lied to anyone, of course. It’s good to see you alive, Eric, but I still think you can be such a prick.”
Eric laughed. “I love you too, Leon.”
Leon put a hand to his chest. “Oh, I believe my heart just fluttered. Do yourself a favor. Make up with Nataly and marry her. The clandestine world of government secrets will be safer without you.”
“Maybe,” said Eric, and stood up. “I want to see Sergeant Nutt before I get out of here. I’ll come back again to irritate you.”
“I’m out of here in three days,” said Leon, and squeezed Eric’s hand. “Give Nataly a kiss for me.”
Leon frowned at him when Eric smiled in silence.
Alan Nutt’s room was a few doors down the hall, and Eric knocked on the doorjamb before entering. Alan was propped up on two pillows, writing something on his clipboard. His left arm was held rigidly against his body in a sling.
“Hi Sarge, or should I just call you ‘sir’?” Eric walked to the bed, and shook Alan’s good hand.
Alan smiled. “Alan will do. Did you go to room five?”
“Yep. Good news. I assume your people took care of him.”
“My people?”
“You, Brown, the people who gave us Sparrow. I’ve seen a lot of weird things today, Alan. I shot a guy who looked more reptile than human. One of your marines even called him a snake. I saw men appear and disappear. I went through what I thought was a tunnel entrance, and in a blink I was in a building somewhere. I watched you command a military unit which I’m willing to bet money isn’t one of ours, and then Davis tells me you’re one of Brown’s people. How am I doing so far, Alan?”
“Pretty good. I really was a Sergeant once, though we don’t call it that.”
“Who’s we, Alan? I don’t think you guys are from anywhere around here, and by that I mean anywhere on this planet.”
“Took you long enough to figure that out.”
“I’ve had my suspicions for more than a while”
“Actually, what you say isn’t quite accurate. We’ve been around here a long time, and off-and-on for a very long time. Sorry to disappoint you, but we’re not little green men with big eyes. Or was that little gray men?”
“I think it was gray. The mythology also includes shadow people and reptilians, and then there are the beautiful ones with long earlobes. Is that you guys?”
Alan grinned, and pulled at an earlobe. “Don’t think so, Eric.” He chuckled and closed his eyes. “God, this is the most wonderful dope they gave me. I feel like I’m floating. I should be screaming at you about today. The entire skirmish was to protect Sparrow and the test flight crew, and there you were, inserting yourself into the middle of a firefight. Brave, but stupid. Oh yeah, thanks for the help in returning the bomb to its rightful owner. I’ll never forget the expression on Watt’s face the second before you shot him.”
“Who?”
“Dario Watt. Our president’s right hand at one time.”
“I knew him as John Coulter. He was—”
“I’ve heard the whole story. Don’t bother. Hey, I really want to sleep, now. You have the big flight coming up, and Brown will answer all your questions when it’s over. You’ll have a new perspective by then.”
“How’s that?”
Alan was drifting off. He pointed at the ceiling and wiggled a finger. “You’ll see how really big—it is—out there.”