“You’re right, of course,” Fatima said. “They could never subvert everyone without being found out. They simply recruit those they deem pliable. The Truthers are able to continually evade the CSD because they have spies in the CSD.”
Bharat looked into the back of the autotruck again ... specifically, at the small silver box Kinsley had constructed shortly before Fatima stole Senator Tarack’s disc from Jaxon Cole. “Shall we verify our suspicions?”
Fatima cocked an eyebrow at him. “Is it that time?”
“I think,” Bharat said, “that if we intend to extract Jan safely, we need to know exactly what we are dealing with.” He looked at those gathered. “And if elements of Ceto’s government are backing the Truthers despite President Mendoza’s very public claims to the contrary, you will have precisely the leverage you need to get the CSD to stop chasing you forever.”
Fatima’s gaze softened. “Bharat ... there is no going back once we crack this bottle of champagne. You know this.”
“And I know you’ll get my family out.” Bharat held Fatima’s gaze. “I’ve been down here far too long for even Kinsley’s memory scrubbing to hide what I’ve seen from Tarack. We escape Tarack now or never, and if I expect you to risk yourselves for my family, I must be willing to risk myself for yours.”
Fatima thumped his shoulder, then turned to Kinsley. “Well then, Kinsley. Let’s see what our planet’s naughtiest senators are hiding.”
Bharat’s stomach did flips as he considered all that might go wrong. Kinsley hopped into the autotruck and placed one hand on the small silvery box in the back. “Pass me Senator Tarack’s decryption key, Bharat, and I’ll pass it through the wire.”
Bharat couldn’t send the decryption key to Tarack’s drive wirelessly, of course, without allowing the disc to send its signal back out. Fatima had kept the data disc locked in Kinsley’s Faraday box since she’d picked it up from Jaxon Cole, days ago, and Bharat had no illusions its battery was dead. Wired signals were all that entered or left the box now.
Bharat brought up an AR window, eyed the decryption key into it, fixed his eyes on Kinsley, and blinked Send. She blinked as she received the data, then looked down at the box and got to work. Her eyes went distant as she looked beyond, likely waiting for the decryption algorithm to finish.
“Thank you,” Emiko said quietly, from his side.
Bharat nodded. He didn’t trust himself to speak. He couldn’t completely convince himself that he hadn’t just killed his family, but he had to believe Fatima would get them out. He had to believe he’d see them again after this was over, because believing anything else would require him to simply give up.
“Decryption complete,” Kinsley said, and Bharat noted the hint of excitement in her voice. “Give me a moment.”
They all waited impatiently as Kinsley proceeded through a series of hmms, ohs, and ews. Soon enough, she nodded and focused. “Confirmed. Ceto senators are funding the Truthers.”
“Fuck all,” Fatima said. “Who needs the Supremacy to screw us over when we’re doing it ourselves?”
“A small contingent of senators within Ceto’s government is funding them, to be more specific,” Kinsley said, “as well as apparatus in their employ. And it’s not simply killing. Indeed, the killing seems to be a cover for their actual operations. The documents suggest significant spycraft at work, likely aimed at the Supremacy specifically, and Phorcys in general.”
“Who’s behind it?” Emiko asked.
“Senators Lozano, Beil, Yu, Callahan, and Parrish, with the aid of General Melton. And Commander Graham Esparza.”
“Unsurprising,” Fatima said. “He is a truly horrid man.”
“What about Lieutenant Coffman?” Bharat asked. “Is he with these Truthers?”
“His name wasn’t mentioned,” Kinsley said, “but given he works directly for President Mendoza, and Coffman is basically Mendoza’s right hand, and the blackmail material specifically mentioned Mendoza is unaware of the senator cabal, it seems unlikely. You were right, Bharat. This is precisely the leverage that could acquire pardons for everyone.”
“No wonder Tarack asked for twenty million,” Fatima said grimly. “Anyone who acquired this disc could literally blow up the armistice unless they got everything they wanted. Yet if Tarack has information we’re running operations against her people on Phorcys, why hasn’t she blown the whistle?”
“Because we Advanced are not Tarack’s people,” Bharat said, “any more than you are down here. Tarack is a being motivated entirely by greed and self-interest. If she hasn’t revealed this information yet, she’s run the numbers and determined she will make more money from a cold war than a hot one.”
“Remind me to thank her next time I see her,” Emiko said.
“Not if I thank her first,” Fatima added darkly.
“So what now, then?” Emiko continued. “I mean, we may know a way to get the CSD to stop hunting us, now, but that still doesn’t get Jan out of Truther prison.”
“Jan will get himself out,” Fatima said.
Kinsley tilted her head. “You think so?”
“Yes,” Emiko agreed, with a firm nod to Fatima. “And we’ll need to be ready when he does get out, because he’s almost certainly going to fuck up his escape somehow.”
Fatima glanced at those gathered. “So, all of you will set up surveillance, hunker down, and break out the cards until Jan busts out. When he does run screaming out of there, you’ll pick him up and hide him somewhere. Valor’s Squall, perhaps?”
Emiko frowned at her. “You aren’t staying?”
“It’s been too long since I’ve had space under my legs,” Fatima said. “Also, I have a job.”
Bharat blinked at her. “I haven’t delivered Jan yet.”
“That’s not solely your responsibility any longer,” Fatima said, “and now that we’ve decrypted the data disc, your family is in Tarack’s crosshairs. It’s time I kept my end of our bargain.”
Bharat felt a rush of relief, and fear. “We can’t fail.”
“I don’t fail.” Fatima thumped his arm and smiled. “Now, let’s go drown your family on a boat.”
15: Buried
If there was one thing Jan Sabato could do well, it was pass time within the same four walls without going insane. Rafe came and went often, of course — Rafe had the run of the entire base, unlike Jan — but the solitude Jan had thus far enjoyed was wearing thin. He couldn’t escape if they wouldn’t let him out of his cell, and it seemed that, despite Esparza’s gratitude, they were going to keep him in here as long as they liked.
He hadn’t left his cell for two days, had heard nothing from Esparza, and hadn’t dared bother Rafe beyond cursory questions and pleasantries. His time down here in this underground base could last weeks, even months, while the people on the other end of those bugs were listening.
Still, the best tool to quash suspicion was routine. The longer Jan went without saying anything remotely treasonous, the more careless and bored his listeners would grow. If five years in an orbital prison had taught Jan nothing else, they had taught him patience. And how to kill a man with a rubber hose.
Jan was thus mildly surprised when he heard the lock to his door click open in the middle of the afternoon. It was too early for dinner and too early for Rafe to be back from whatever he did all day. Was this to be another interrogation? At this point, Jan would welcome any excuse to get out of this cell.
Or Hanson, the tall brunet nurse.
Who had just entered his room wearing a nervous smile.
Jan broke into his most charming grin. “Mr. Hanson! How wonderful to see you again!”
“You too!” Hanson said, already blushing. “How have you been?”
“Comfortable and safe,” Jan said. “What brings you here?”
Jan caught a glimpse of the frowning, helmeted soldier who staffed his door. That soldier closed and locked the door to the room, leaving Jan inside here with Hanson, alone. Jan wasn’t about to mis
s this opportunity.
“I need to check your vitals,” Hanson said as he walked forward, “and make sure you’ve recovered from those torture nanos. Barbaric devices.” He set his medical bag at Jan’s feet.
“Of course.” Jan immediately stripped off his shirt, baring his sculpted upper body. “I am happy to endure whatever examination you deem necessary, Mr. Hanson.” He casually nudged Hanson’s medical bag closer to his own leg.
Hanson’s eyes widened by a noticeable degree. “Oh?” He swallowed and blinked. “You can call me Peter.” They really were alone in here.
“Peter, then.” Jan cat-stretched, slowly and languidly, as he turned his gaze to the wall. “Please, complete your examination without delay. I don’t want to keep you.”
“Oh no, I have time.” Hanson took a deep breath. “Just relax.” He sat beside Jan, not quite but almost certainly ogling Jan’s impressive physique, and wound a blood pressure wrapper around Jan’s bicep. “You might feel a little squeeze.”
Jan smiled at Hanson as he eased his other arm, the arm Hanson wasn’t currently wrapping, all but silently into position on his hidden side. “That’s not always unpleasant.”
Hanson swallowed, blinked, and looked away, pumping the node vigorously. Hanson’s eyes remained locked on the pressure gauge as Jan’s hand snaked down to the top of the man’s unattended medical bag, teasing open the lip. His fingers slid about inside until he found what he was looking for.
Jan was still easing his prize out of the bag when a knock at the door jerked Hanson’s gaze from his instrument. Jan yanked his prize out of sight and made sure his knee brushed Hanson’s. Hanson’s gaze met his, in shock, and Jan smiled.
Only after a long moment did he remove his knee. Just long enough to secure the thermometer he’d retrieved from Hanson’s bag beneath the bedsheets. He didn’t want Hanson thinking about cataloguing medical equipment at the moment.
“So ... your blood pressure’s fine,” Hanson said. “You’re fine, I mean. No issues.”
Jan gently patted Hanson’s leg. “I know.”
Hanson blushed furiously as he rose, then grabbed his medical bag without glancing down. The door unlocked, and the guard outside shoved it open, stalked inside, and fixed Jan with a hard gaze. Hanson slow-walked to the door.
Come now, Jan urged silently. You can do it.
“Say!” Hanson spun back around and smiled at Jan. “What are you doing for dinner tonight?”
Jan looked around and shrugged. “I’ve been having dinner in this room. It’s not bad.”
“Oh, really?” Hanson frowned. “Doesn’t that get old?”
“It’s orders,” the soldier by the door said more loudly than seemed necessary. “Direct from the Commander.”
Jan got a good look at his captor for the first time — at his gray uniform, his unmarked combat body armor, and his visored riot helmet. Such gear was not unusual or suspicious for a soldier tasked with this sort of duty, and it would also make an almost perfect disguise. Could he be so lucky?
Hanson turned on the soldier and frowned. “Isn’t it a bit harsh to keep him locked up all the time? He’s our guest.”
“Orders,” the guard said again.
“Hmm.” Hanson turned and stared at Jan. “Tell you what. I’ll see what I can do about getting you clearance to stretch your legs a bit, tomorrow afternoon. Going without exercise could complicate your recovery.”
“A short walk,” Jan said, “would be absolutely lovely, Peter.”
“Time to go,” the guard said.
“Of course.” Hanson glanced over his shoulder at Jan as he walked out the door. “Tomorrow, then!”
“Tomorrow,” Jan agreed, with the widest of smiles.
Hanson would almost certainly report if a scalpel went missing while he was treating a prisoner, but there was a good chance he wouldn’t do the same for a thermometer.
Those got left behind all the time.
Tomorrow, of course, Hanson didn’t return. He also didn’t return the day after that, which led Jan to believe his cleverly laid ruse had, in fact, not been clever at all. Or Hanson had reported the thermometer missing, and soldiers were going to come in the night to shoot him in the head.
At last, his door unlocked when it wasn’t supposed to, once again in the middle of the afternoon. Jan rose eagerly before sitting back down. It was not Hanson.
“Hello, Rafe,” Jan said as cheerily as he could manage. “You’re back early.”
“Yeah,” Rafe said as he sat down on the bed. “We’re done.”
“Done?”
“With prepping for this operation.” Rafe collapsed on his bed and closed his eyes. “I’m knackered, mate. Been running a treadmill for the past few days.”
So the operation Esparza had hinted at during their dinner several days ago must finally be underway. That meant Esparza might be leaving his secret underground bunker, which meant the next few days would be their absolute best time to escape. Now, Jan just had to figure out how to get Rafe to come along.
Or did he? Rafe was happy here. He was trusted. Even if Jan vanished, would the Truthers really turn on him?
Of course the Truthers would blame Rafe for Jan’s disappearance. If Jan got away, Esparza would be a fool to assume Rafe hadn’t been involved. By the time Esparza and his interrogators had definitively concluded otherwise, Rafe wouldn’t be in any state to tell them “I told you so.”
As Jan pondered his options, he noticed something else. Rafe had brought his personal datapad into the room, and he was already wheezing like a half-dead bronto. He was sound asleep, and his datapad was right there on the bed.
The chance to get a look at what the Truthers were up to was tantalizing. If Rafe had trusted access, Jan could likely gain all sorts of useful intelligence. Yet there was also the matter of timing, and the ease of access.
Were Jan Sabato keeping himself in prison, this would be the perfect time — after days of isolation and boredom — to test his loyalty. This would be the perfect time to bait a tempting trap.
Jan had no way to know for certain, but he did know he had no reason to rush. So he lay back, closed his eyes, and waited for the trap to spring.
A loud knock announced dinner, startling Rafe awake. Rafe’s flailing knocked his datapad right off the bed, and Jan winced as it clattered against the biocrete. Plastic cracked audibly.
“Shit!” Rafe picked up his datapad and stared in obvious horror. “I was supposed to check this in!”
Jan tilted his head. “Will you get in trouble?”
A slit opened at the bottom of their door, and a single meal tray slid inside. Jan’s meal. Rafe ate in the cafeteria.
“I don’t know, mate.” Rafe fidgeted nervously, glancing at the closed door and back at Jan. “Think they’ve noticed?”
Jan retrieved his tray, settled back on the bed with the tray on his knees, and speared a bite of tasteless meat with his single plastic fork. “They would be remiss if they have not.”
Rafe hopped up and knocked urgently on the door. “I have to turn this in right away. I, uh, I might be a while.”
“Is it that long a walk?”
“Oh, no, the tech pit is just past the gym.” Rafe grimaced and looked ahead. “But I’m gonna get an ass chewing.”
“I’ll be here,” Jan said, smiling.
The locked door opened more quickly than it should have. It was possible the guard who’d delivered Jan’s dinner had heard Rafe’s pounding and turned around, but it was more possible that there had been guards waiting outside this whole time. Esparza wasn’t half so trusting as he pretended to be.
The soldier outside glanced in again as he left, frowning at Jan. He looked disappointed. He was the same soldier who had been with Hanson when Hanson offered to take Jan for a walk.
Jan smiled and waved.
The soldier backed out, closed the door, and locked it. Jan went back to his meal. It took less than an hour for Rafe to return, and Jan looked up when he enter
ed.
“Everything all right?”
“Yeah,” Rafe said, like he still couldn’t believe it. “I was worried, but they said it was no big deal. It happens.”
“I’m certain it does.”
“Also,” Rafe said, grinning, “you’re going to be on your own for the next few days. Be nice to get some alone time, yeah?”
“Oh?” Jan felt an inkling of dread. “Why’s that?”
“Can’t tell ya,” Rafe said, grinning smugly.
You just did, Jan thought, but he only shook his head. “I hope they don’t work you too hard.” So Rafe was going on whatever operation Esparza had planned, off base.
This might work in Jan’s favor. It wasn’t like Esparza could blame Rafe for Jan’s escape if Rafe wasn’t even here when it happened. Risking Rafe’s safety like that was a risk Jan didn’t like to take, but life was risks he didn’t like to take.
And he did need to get out of this cell.
The next afternoon, Jan Sabato finally got his walk.
Peter Hanson arrived in mid-afternoon, just as he’d promised, as did his scowling guard, still in full riot gear. Jan didn’t have to fake his eagerness to get up and stretch his legs. Even on Tantalus, on a spinning ring high above Ceto, all prisoners had been allowed two hours of exercise a day. Yet the Truthers, as he well knew, were assholes.
“I’m sorry it took so long to get this authorized,” Hanson said again, for the fourth time since they’d emerged from Jan’s cell. Rafe had left this morning.
“It’s fine, Peter,” Jan assured him yet again.
“I kept telling Dr. Cardigan that you were going to go crazy locked up in there, but he said we had orders to keep you isolated.” Hanson offered their armored chaperone some significant side-eye. “You’d know all about that, don’t you?”
Jan’s guard just shook his head.
“Anyway, we can’t go topside,” Hanson said, “but we can take you to the gym. I even got clearance for you to use the pool.”
This time, Jan did not have to fake even the smallest amount of surprise. “You have a pool here?”
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