Breakeven

by Michelle Diener

  Her movement as she straightened had them turning back, and she saw the surprise on their faces as they took in her stance, and the laz she had pointed at them. She couldn't help but smile.

  “Nice to see you, Sebastian.”

  He sent her a look that she couldn't decipher.

  “It's just a robbery, from what I can gather, and not a very good one, at that. If they were professionals, they'd have had at least one person watching the door. Gert here let them know I had ports that they could liberate.”

  “Is that so?” Sebastian flicked his gaze to Gert. “So this doesn't have anything to do with your friend Frino?”

  Gert went still. “What about Frino?”

  Sebastian angled slightly toward the door as it opened, but it was Karr who stumbled in, mouth agape.

  She gave him a cool look, but he was more interested in the men in front of her.

  Sebastian seemed to give him a signal, because he closed his mouth with a snap and took up position by the door. He was injured, though, Dee could see it in the way he moved.

  His eyes looked like they weren't working properly, so she guessed concussion.

  Still, pale faced and slightly swaying, he barred the way out.

  “You ready to go?” Sebastian asked.

  “Oh, yes.” She bent to the side, grabbed up her bag, which she saw one of the men eye wistfully, and she walked to the far end of the counter, out of reach of anyone who might decide to lunge at her, and dropped down to the floor.

  Fluffy stuck her head out, but Dee hoped no one noticed her as she slung the straps over her shoulder.

  She kept close to the wall as she walked to the door, and Karr opened it up for her.

  Sebastian walked slowly backward, his laz lazily moving from side to side.

  “Sebastian . . . I'm sorry.” Gert lifted his hands in distress. “I thought she really was Cores at first.”

  Sebastian had reached the door, and he took over from Karr, holding it open as he stood in the doorway. “I'm sorry, too. Don't come near her again.”

  He stepped back, letting the door swing shut.

  The night was still warm, the air was heavy with the scent of the forest and seemed almost silky against her skin.

  “You all right?” Sebastian was watching her with hooded eyes.

  She nodded.

  “Then let's disappear.”

  Chapter 18

  They weren't followed.

  Sebastian kept careful watch behind them as Karr stumbled ahead, leading them to a ramshackle building at the edge of Dar Raca, built no more than an arm-width from the smooth, white wall.

  There was no way he was taking the risk of going through the gate to the informal settlements outside the city. Fortunately, there was another way out.

  Karr and then Dee stepped through the slightly crooked doors into the lobby, and somewhere above them a child began to cry.

  Dee glanced up the stairs and then to the closed doors of the lift. In all the time Sebastian had been coming here, he'd never seen them open.

  The child's crying stopped abruptly, and Dee turned to look at him, eyes full of questions.

  “This way.” He opened a door beside the lift, and the cool, musty smell of underground wafted up the stairwell. “We can use the old drainage tunnels to get out of town.”

  Dee stepped through without hesitation and disappeared into the dark.

  Sebastian followed with Karr, keeping an eye on him as he struggled not to stumble.

  “He needs a med tech.”

  Dee was standing at the bottom, waiting. The only light was what filtered down from beneath the door above them, making it almost impossible to see anything, but he guessed she could hear Karr's shuffles and groans.

  “He'll get help.” They had a med tech at resistance headquarters, but Sasha hardly ever had all the supplies and equipment she needed. They would have to make do.

  Dee stepped up beside Karr and got her shoulder beneath his. Sebastian was struck at how naturally she did it. She'd been cool and calm in Sootko's, too, even though until he'd arrived she'd been completely outnumbered.

  The way she'd jumped up onto the counter the moment she'd had the chance had been smooth and professional.

  She was a professional.

  And she was watching him while she supported Karr's weight, waiting for him to explain how they would be getting out of the dark, dank basement.

  He slid the false wall aside, and a stream of cool, moist air flooded the room. He stepped through into the old drainage tunnel and helped Dee get Karr through the rough doorway before he closed it behind them.

  “What happened back at the Tree?” Dee shifted her bag as they started walking, supporting Karr's weight as he stumbled through the shallow water on the tunnel floor.

  Sebastian heard Fluffy chirp. He'd almost forgotten about the talu, but the reminder focused his mind. She was too dangerous to forget about.

  “Karr was trying to question an informant who'd told him about the Caruso forming an alliance with the Cores before we left to kidnap Rina Fattal. He agreed to leave the Tree with us and talk, but instead, he hit Karr on the back of the head and disappeared.”

  “What does that mean?” In the almost pitch darkness, her voice bounced softly around him.

  “It means we have people keeping secrets. If Frino knew about the Caruso, and he's a resistance informant, why didn't I know about it?”

  “Why didn't Karr tell you?” She didn't take an accusatory tone, but he could sense her distrust of his friend.

  Karr made a weak sound at her words. “Can still hear,” he mumbled. “Didn't believe Frino, that's why.” His words slurred toward the end.

  She made a sound of disgust.

  Sebastian said nothing but he agreed with her. Karr's judgment was now in question. When he recovered, Sebastian would have to have a hard talk with him about what else Karr hadn't believed.

  Dee shifted, trying to get a better hold on Karr, and her arm pressed against his on Karr's back. He could smell the sweet perfume of her, even over the cold stone smell of the tunnel.

  Everything in him went tight. He cleared his throat.

  “What happened at Peyt's? Did you manage to get in touch with Garmen?”

  “I got hold of one of my colleagues. Finkle says a Bodivas ship will be here by tomorrow. I'll have to get in touch when they arrive, give them a location to fetch me.”

  It was good that she had a way off planet.

  He was glad about that.

  “Did your colleague say what the Bodivas are planning to do?” If Bodivas had not even had ships in the area already, and were only sending one now, it seemed they'd washed their hands of Lassa.

  Bodivas hadn't done anything to help when the Cores started taking back every business on the planet and beggaring their own people. And the Verdant String Coalition planet had to know about it. There was no way there weren't Bodivas spies here.

  He didn't understand how they could be blind to the danger of the Caruso setting up a base so close to their own planet. Even if they didn't care about the gen-pop of Lassa, surely it was in their own interests to keep the Caruso's influence at bay?

  “No. But if they do what the Arkhoran have done on Garmen, they'll be taking control of Lassa.”

  “The Arkhorans acted because the Caruso attacked, though. And it sounds as if your boss was already in talks with them. They knew how serious things were ahead of time.”

  She lifted the shoulder not under Karr's armpit. “The Bodivas must know things are likely to get just as serious here. Especially after what the Caruso tried in Garmen.”

  “According to the terms of the non-interference agreement, I don't think they can do more than hover off-planet, unless the Caruso actually attack.”

  “Which is why the Caruso are keeping a low profile.” Dee trailed off, and then suddenly tapped his shoulder in a quick, hard warning.

  He realized Fluffy was growling, a low, quiet sound that was only just
audible.

  They stopped, and even Karr was silent as he strained to see ahead in the dark.

  “Taken a wrong turn?” The voice that called out from the pitch black up ahead was strong and female.

  Sebastian relaxed. “Seems not.”

  “Sebastian?” A light snapped on, and a figure strode forward, a metal pole just visible in the glow.

  “Hello, Mona.” He squinted a bit as she reached them and then she lifted the light up above her head so that it illuminated everyone.

  She had her hair braided back in intricate patterns and she visibly startled at the sight of Dee. He saw the moment she realized Karr was injured.

  “We need to get him to Sasha,” Sebastian told her.

  She spent one more beat looking at them in shock and surprise, and then gave a sharp nod and turned on her heel. “I'll go ahead, get a stretcher ready.”

  She disappeared into the darkness, taking the light with her.

  After so long in the dark, it was a relief.

  “Resistance sentry?” Dee asked.

  “Yes. We've taken over all the passageways and hiding places. Even the ones that used to be for the smugglers and criminals.”

  “They fight you for control?” she asked, and he could hear genuine curiosity in her tone.

  “A few did.” He didn't elaborate, but even though he didn't regret the hard line they'd taken with the oppos and criminals who'd tried to stand in their way, he didn't revel in it, either.

  “That was our job . . . my job . . . in Tether Town.” She spoke quietly, as if making a confession.

  “You weren't in the resistance, though?” He frowned.

  “No. Leo tried to join up with them. It didn't work out, we later discovered that was because the resistance leader was a traitor in the Cores pay. So we went our own way for a long time, cleaning up the streets, dispensing justice, until Leo's . . .” She tailed off, as if struggling to come up with a word. “. . . Leo's partner, Sofie, connected us to the resistance again.”

  “Leo is involved with her, romantically?” Sebastian tried to keep his interest from showing.

  “Oh, yes.”

  He could hear the smile in her voice.

  “Leo is completely gone over her. It was alarming to watch at first, when we didn't know if we could trust her, but now that we do, it's more funny. And sweet.”

  He cleared his throat, but before he could respond, he heard the sound of water splashing up ahead, and then two men loomed out of the dark, carrying a stretcher between them.

  Karr was almost completely unconscious, barely able to keep his feet under him, and he heard Dee groan in relief as they stepped in to take him.

  “Sebastian.” Millo, one of the stretcher bearers nodded to him. “Welcome back.”

  Sebastian nodded, but he stood with Dee as she massaged her shoulder, taking a moment to catch her breath as they jogged away with Karr.

  “You should have told me you needed to rest.” There was more light here, they were close to where the tunnel opened into the rough enclosure they'd built around it to disguise their comings and goings, and he guessed someone had set up a light to make the rest of the journey easier.

  He could just make her out in the light that danced on the thin layer of water at their feet, and reflected upward.

  Dee flashed him a tired smile. “I would have said if I couldn't go on.” She arched her back, groaning, and then reached out and patted his shoulder. “I don't know about you, but I'm ready for this day to end.”

  He was on board with that.

  Chapter 19

  Lassian Resistance didn't know what to do with her.

  Dee tried to keep her sense of humor, but the last two days had come with very little sleep and a lot of unpleasantness. She was losing her tolerance.

  “Just a place to sleep. That's all I ask.” She was talking to Mona, who was sizing her up with eyes fringed with lashes so thick, Dee couldn't work out if they were natural or not.

  “Sebastian's hut?” Mona's tone was difficult to analyze.

  “If it has a spare bed in it that's free, that sounds good.”

  Mona sucked in a breath. “Come on then.”

  Dee followed her, trying to work out the layout around her in the darkness.

  There were trees looming all around, and the ground they were walking on was a thick carpet of old leaves that was slightly slippery underfoot.

  Huts and shacks were on either side of the path, using the tree trunks as part of their structures. Most of them were quiet, but there were a few with lights shining under the doors, or from badly fitted window screens.

  Some of them were up on stilts, sitting higher off the ground, amongst the thick branches of the trees.

  She stumbled, and forced her eyes back onto the path. Mona had a light, but she wasn't walking slowly, and Dee realized she'd fallen behind.

  Fluffy chirped, and Dee widened the neck of her bag so the talu could scramble out and up her arm, to hide under her hair.

  “What's that?” Mona stopped and turned back, eyes narrowed.

  Dee shrugged. She didn't have the energy to explain Fluffy right now, and Mona clearly couldn't see the talu.

  “Well,” she gestured to a small square shack that seemed to have been built against the trunk of a tall tree. “This is Sebastian's place.” Mona stood to one side, and Dee pushed on the door and stepped into a stark space that looked as though no one lived in it.

  Mona leaned against the doorframe. “There's a couch that should be big enough for you.” Her expression softened a little. “Thank you for helping Karr.”

  Then she was gone, the door closing behind her.

  Dee stared at it for a moment, then shuffled toward the couch. She sat down, undid her laces and pushed off her boots, and then lifted Fluffy off her shoulder and set her down on the arm of the couch. “Don't bite anyone, okay?” Her words came out slurred, and she gave up, laying down her head and lifting her feet.

  She was done.

  She woke up feeling hot.

  That's because someone had put a blanket over her, Dee realized. And slid a pillow under her head.

  It sent a cold chill through her.

  She should have woken up for something like that.

  She had always been a light sleeper. Her sleeping through someone coming in, let alone rearranging her while she slept, made her stomach cramp.

  She moved her head, and a light weight landed on her chest.

  “What were you doing?” she asked Fluffy. “Watching me from the back of the couch so you could pounce the moment I opened my eyes?”

  Fluffy chirped back, and Dee struggled up on her elbows, trying to gauge the time.

  Light streamed in, green and dim, from a long, narrow window behind her. She picked Fluffy up and threw off the blanket, got her first good look at her surroundings.

  Sebastian's jacket hung on a hook behind the front door, and she guessed it was him who'd tried to make her more comfortable in the night. A door stood ajar to her right, and she caught a glimpse of a basic bathroom.

  Yay.

  After she and Fluffy had both washed up, she in the shower, and Fluffy in the sink, in water that was cold, but clear and refreshing, she stepped out to find Sebastian awake and staring down into a cup of jah.

  The counter he was leaning on separated the kitchen from the rest of the room, and behind him, she noticed a sink and a cooker, with the window set above them.

  He looked up as she emerged. “I'm sorry you had cold water. I can heat it, but it takes an hour at least to pump the water through the pipes at the top of the tree, and this early in the morning, it would only be lukewarm, at best.” His voice was rough, and he looked exhausted.

  She shook her head. “I don't mind it cold. I'm from Garmen, remember? Cold and wet is what we know.”

  He stared at her, letting the moment stretch out just a little too long, and then turned away, pulling out a second cup and setting it under his jah machine.

&n
bsp; It was the only new item in the house, she realized. The man had his priorities straight.

  He handed her the cup, and she took a deep gulp of the hot liquid. Her eyes watered a bit at the burn in her throat as she swallowed, but she didn't care.

  “What time did you come in?” she asked when she could finally speak.

  He cleared his throat. “An hour after you.” His gaze moved to the blanket. “You should have taken the bed.”

  She grinned at him. “My guess is I'm a better fit for the couch than you are. And I honestly was too tired to care where I laid my head.”

  “I noticed.” He took a sip of jah himself, and at last she saw a little spark in his eyes as his lips twitched.

  She lifted her shoulders. “It's been a wild, wild time. Better than being shot dead by the Caruso on the Felicitos Deck, but still, I needed to recharge.”

  Her response had the opposite effect than she intended. The spark in his eyes died. “I'm sorry about that. About everything.” He set his cup down, and then glanced across as Fluffy scrabbled up the side of the counter. “We should have taken you back.”

  “I thought so at the time.” She leaned against the counter with her hip. “But my guess is the Caruso were watching the ship, and I don't think they'd have let you turn around anyway.”

  He conceded that with a nod.

  “I play high stakes games all the time,” she told him. “I go up against the Cores every day. Your Cores may have a slightly different flavor, but I'm not exactly out of my depth.”

  “I'd be dead without you, so I can't disagree.” He gripped the edge of the counter with both hands.

  He looked like a man with a huge weight on his shoulders. He wore a short sleeved shirt, and she could see the corded muscles in his arms flex as he bent his head.

  “You didn't have a good meeting last night?” she asked softly.

  He laughed on an exhale and shook his head, and she moved around the counter, past him, and set her empty cup in the sink.