Jericho Falling

by Jaleta Clegg

  That hurt. I scooted away from him and stared out through the darkened windows.

  "And we're all being touchy because of the stress," he added. "You look good blond."

  I didn't respond. It was quiet in the car as it rolled through the streets of the main port city. Cars and flitters and people hurried everywhere.

  "How much of Lowell's money do you think we can spend before he gets to the hotel?" Beryn asked. "Room service? How about the most expensive items off the menu?"

  "I doubt he'll notice."

  "There's the hotel." He pointed at a soaring stack of various shaped white and glass cubes that seemed to defy gravity. "Time to put on your happy face."

  "It's Mart," I said, finally identifying the source of my grouchiness. "Sorry, Beryn. It isn't your fault. The farther away I get, the more I need to go back."

  He understood, even though I was sure he wouldn't. "Lowell told me a bit about the bonding. That's got to be a pain."

  "You don't know the half of it."

  "I'm sure I don't. And I'm glad I don't." The car slid to a stop in front of the impossible building. "Are you ready, Mrs. Pinwhittle?"

  "Lowell chose Pinwhittle?"

  "I knew that would get a smile out of you. No, he didn't. Your papers say you're Millicent Degas. And I'm supposed to be Henri Degas." He reached across the car and opened the door. "Here on the trip of a lifetime for our honeymoon. Feel free to gawk."

  I slid out and let him climb out behind me. Polite people in red uniforms lifted our luggage free of the car. Beryn took my arm and escorted me into the lobby. I didn't have to pretend to gawk. It was incredible. Waterfalls and plants and flowers and light played an intricate dance through a space that shouldn't have been able to exist in real life.

  The desk was not a desk, it was a holographic projection of light dancing in waves. A woman in a black version of the red uniforms welcomed us and informed us our room was ready. Another woman in red waited patiently. Beryn slid his arm around me, playing his part. I pushed blond hair out of my face and giggled, playing mine.

  Our room was only a third of the way up, a cube that hung out the side. Two of the walls were window, floor to ceiling. I had a sweeping view of the city, away from the spaceport. The buildings were all odd angles and strange architecture with trees interspersed in carefully random patches.

  The woman in red showed us how to use the room's computer controls for entertainment, room service, and just about everything else. And then she left. My smile faded as the door slid shut. It was fake anyway.

  I stood at the window, knowing no one could see in. No hotel would allow the privacy of its patrons to be compromised in such a way. The Patrol probably had special equipment that could see through the glass, but I doubted anyone else did.

  Beryn dialed room service. "Beryngian shrimp in demois sauce," he said, mangling the pronunciation. "Never heard of it. You want some?"

  "I'm not hungry." I wasn't. The longer I stayed away from Mart the more uneasy I got. I hated the feeling, hated being tied to him this way. And I hated knowing it was permanent.

  The food came, a door sliding silently open and a soft chime sounding through the room. Beryn shifted it to the table and started sampling. He didn't like the shrimp. I paced restlessly between the windows. I could feel Mart getting closer.

  A knock on the door startled me. "Not Mart," I said to Beryn.

  "Are we not home? Or just otherwise occupied?" He leered. And then grinned. I couldn't help grinning back.

  The knock came again. "Mr. Degas?" A female voice that sounded vaguely familiar. "Front desk. You requested assistance."

  Beryn held up one of Lowell's tiny stunners. I held out my hand and he tossed it to me. I moved to a position where I wouldn't be seen but I could see who it was.

  "Answer it," I mouthed to Beryn.

  He undid half of his shirt and mussed his hair before opening it.

  A stocky brunette in a red uniform stepped into the room. "You can put it down, Dace," she said as she slid the door closed. "I don't believe I've met you, though." She cocked her head at Beryn. "I'm Paltronis. Lowell asked me to meet you here."

  Chapter 26

  Paltronis radiated menace. She was a weapon. Unarmed, she could take on just about anyone. I lowered the stunner. I was glad Paltronis was on our side, even if she hated me. She would be competent and professional. She would do whatever Lowell told her to do. She was loyal to him and no one else.

  "The clothes you ordered," she said as she draped an armful over a plush chair.

  I unzipped a bag and took a peek. Caterer's outfits, black and white, very subdued.

  "I don't like this," Paltronis said. She walked around the room, waving a tiny device at just about everything. "At least the room isn't bugged."

  "What don't you like?" Beryn asked.

  "Who are you and why are you here?"

  "Beryn Norris, and I'm here because Lady Rina would haunt me forever if I weren't." That was a nice explanation that meant absolutely nothing to Paltronis. "And because Caid respects Dace and he sent me to help her out of a jam."

  "Lowell likes him," I put in. It was about the only argument Paltronis was going to accept.

  "I still don't like working with amateurs." Paltronis glanced at me, her steely eyes hard and uncompromising. "You can hold your own, I know that. I can trust you in a fight. But what about him?" She jerked a thumb at Beryn.

  "I trust him," I said, "more than I trust Lowell."

  "That's what I wanted to hear. I still don't like this." She sighed and flopped into a chair. "Lowell shouldn't be running. They're rounding up all his people. They think I'm here on leave, permanent terminal leave." She laughed, a short bark of sound. "The Patrol doesn't want me anymore, Lowell ruined me."

  "What is the deal, Paltronis?" I asked.

  "Evidence came to light two months ago that made them suspect Lowell of plotting against the Emperor. They think he has his own agenda. I could have told them that part was true, but he isn't working against the Empire. He's the only one who knows how all of the separate events connect. He knows the big picture in a way the Emperor never will."

  "And we're here to steal the real evidence," I said.

  "Correct," Paltronis said with a tight smile. "Why was Lowell insisting that you were the one to break in?"

  "Because she knows how," Beryn said.

  He opened Lowell's bag and started unpacking. I was amazed at the amount of contraband hidden inside. Paltronis watched the pile grow without comment. She didn't look surprised at any of it, except my lockpicks. Beryn tossed them to me.

  "Where am I supposed to hide these?" I said. I still felt almost naked in the dress, but I didn't have anything else to change into. There was a knock at the door and I tucked them hurriedly into the front of the dress.

  The old woman apparition Lowell had been before tottered into the room when Paltronis opened the door. Mart wore the uniform from the ship. Lowell clung to his arm, wobbling and making old woman noises. Paltronis shut the door.

  "It didn't work before, Lowell," I said.

  "Only because you know me too well," he answered in his normal voice. It was funny, coming through the filmy veils from a figure that I would have sworn was a dumpy old woman. I shoved blond hair away from my face.

  "You're having a visit from your dear old aunt," Lowell said as he pulled the veil off.

  "On our honeymoon?" Beryn asked.

  "A very pushy, very rich old woman who made your trip possible," Lowell answered. He started peeling off the dress. I hoped he had something on underneath. "They were skeptical at the front desk. Until I pointed out I'd gotten you a suite so I could visit in comfort." He had his tunic and leggings rolled up and tucked out of sight under the dress. "I see you ordered lunch already." Lowell sat at the table and helped himself.

  Paltronis moved close to Lowell and talked quietly. It sounded like an update on his situation. Beryn straddled a chair and picked at the food, listening. It bother
ed Paltronis, but since Lowell didn't mind, she ignored Beryn and kept talking.

  Mart hadn't said a word, but I felt the uneasiness slide away now that he was near again. He crossed the room to me, walking soundlessly on the thick carpet. I might have found him attractive, I might have even been able to grow to love him through our bond, if it had happened a different way, in a different life. He didn't say anything, he didn't have to. He felt the same way I did. Or maybe our feelings were mixing again, to the point where there wasn't a boundary between us. He didn't touch me, he didn't have to. Just standing near me, looking out the window, was enough.

  "We ought to rest," Lowell said. "It's going to be a long night. I want you at your sharpest, Dace. You have to fly us out of here when we get what we came for."

  "Did you bring any of my clothes with you?" I asked as I slipped the blond wig off. My head felt bare without the cloud of hair.

  "I like the ones you're wearing," Lowell said, his face perfectly innocent.

  "You're impossible," I said, throwing the wig at him. I went into one of the two bedrooms and shut the door.

  The bed was big and soft and I was tired. I blanked out the windows, plunging the room into shadow and slept in the green dress.

  Someone shook me awake. My eyes snapped open. It was Paltronis. Her eyes looked bruised and hurt.

  "I should hate you, Dace," she whispered.

  "Why?" I blinked stupidly.

  "Tayvis deserves someone better than you." She stepped away from me. "Lowell says you've got half an hour." She threw a bundle on the bed and stalked out of the room.

  I shifted and realized I wasn't alone. Mart was on the other side of the bed, close but carefully not touching me. His eyes were closed. He was asleep, but lightly. I slipped out of the bed, my green dress wrinkled around me. Paltronis thought I was sneaking around on Tayvis. She was in love with him herself, she had admitted as much to me before. But Tayvis had never noticed her. She knew how he felt about me. She was also very protective of him. She hated me because she thought I was going to break his heart. She was right about the last, but not the rest, never the rest. If I could remove the part of me that was bonded to Mart, I would have, even if it left me crippled. I doubted Paltronis would ever accept that.

  I took the bundle and went to the bathroom and pretended I enjoyed the luxury of a real bath. It was a tremendous waste of water, one I rarely indulged in. It wasn't any fun. Too many things were bothering me. Paltronis only added more misery.

  The catering outfit fit perfectly. I expected it from Lowell. He'd pulled me out of madness and helped me become whole again. And now he was destroying my sanity again, inch by inch. He hadn't had much choice, either. He'd tried to keep me free of this situation, except for fetching his package. I wasn't sure what I felt about Lowell, except that I trusted him beyond all reason.

  Mart stirred when I came back into the bedroom. He sat up, studying me. "You're upset."

  "You aren't the only one with ghosts in your past, Mart."

  "I don't know if it's my nightmares or yours."

  "We don't have long to get ready," I said, dodging the conversation I guessed was coming.

  "Why does Paltronis hate you? I can pick up her emotions and yours. She's angry and hurt and you're guilty. Why?" He asked it simply, a child's question.

  "Because she fell in love with someone years ago and he never noticed her." I sat on the edge of the bed. "He fell in love with me instead. She threatened to kill me if I ever hurt him, if I broke his heart."

  Mart was silent. I knew he was thinking about the bond between us and what that meant. "Do you love him?"

  "Yes." I didn't want to hurt Mart, but I didn't know how I could avoid it.

  "I'm sorry," he said, his hand resting briefly on my shoulder. He got out of the bed and shut the bathroom door behind himself, giving me as much privacy as he could. He was still there, in my heart, his emotions and mine tangling together.

  "So am I," I whispered to myself.

  We left the hotel by simply taking the employee elevator and walking out the back door into the service lot. We were dressed enough like the invisible people who kept the place clean and cooked the food that no one gave us a second glance. Paltronis had a van waiting for us. She and Beryn sat up front, Beryn driving. Lowell, Mart, and I got into the back and sat on the floor. The back was full of surveillance equipment leaving no room for seats.

  I was quiet, Mart's guilt and my own kept me that way. I was bonded to him, it was done, there was nothing I could do about it. But how was I going to explain to Tayvis? What could I possibly say that he could understand? I didn't want to see the hurt in his eyes when I finally saw him again.

  I pulled out my lockpick, twirling the sonic probe between my fingers, checking it was charged. I stuck it back in my boot.

  We pulled over and Paltronis got out. She was going to collect our gear and meet us back at the port. She had a different ship ready for us. It was time to ditch the courier.

  The van lurched into motion again. We traveled through the city in silence. Beryn pulled the van to a stop. He talked with someone outside. The van crawled to a parking space. He stopped it and shut off the engine.

  "We're here," he said, leaning into the back. "They wanted to know why we were so late. I told them we were called in late because one of the other caterers ran out of appetizers." Beryn was enjoying himself. "There's only a few people around. We're by the kitchen. The main party is out front in the garden."

  "Then that's your cue," Lowell said to me and Mart. "Give us five minutes to get the grid down."

  We got out of the van and headed for the kitchen. Servers dressed the same way we were bustled in and out with trays of food and dirty dishes. Mart picked up an empty tray, I grabbed a rag. We headed into the halls and started collecting dirty dishes that had been set down wherever there was a flat surface. Guests wandered everywhere through the halls, finding spots in any room that wasn't locked. We worked our way silently down the hallway towards the back part of the mansion where the office was.

  The crowds thinned. I looked at Mart, an unspoken question. He nodded. I picked up a last dirty glass and put it on his tray. We were only a few steps from the office. Mart stayed in the hallway, pretending to pick up dishes while I picked the lock on the door. It was simple, we were inside in a matter of moments. Mart eased the door closed.

  I was across the room, pulling aside a throw rug and inserting the probe in the lock within seconds. My hands shook. I sweated. I expected the door to burst open any second. I fumbled the second frequency. I yanked the probe out before the lock buzzed. I closed my eyes and took three slow breaths. I felt Mart's anxiety feeding my own. He realized it at the same time I did. Together we breathed in harmony. My hands steadied.

  I had the lock open quickly. The safe underneath the floor held a stack of files and a dozen data cubes. The data cubes went down the front of my shirt, tucked in my underwear where the slight bulge wouldn't be noticed. There were too many files to smuggle out. I spread them on the floor in the dim light slipping through one window. I found three labeled Babylon. I tucked them into my waistband, under my shirt.

  I set the rest back in the safe. I recoded the lock before I shut it. If nothing else, it would delay them trying to open it again. I doubted any reputable locksmith would admit to being able to pick a Smetherly. And the not so reputable ones would charge a lot of money to do it.

  The other safe was child's play. I had it open in seconds. It held nothing but racks of data cubes. The labels on them were cryptic, strings of numbers and letters that made no sense to me. I shuffled them aside as fast as I could. Time was running short. Mart hovered behind me, silently urging me to move faster. I found a jackpot at the very back, five more data cubes labeled Lowell. I picked them up just as the door opened behind us. My heart jumped into my throat, pounding so hard I shook. I wheeled around, passing the cubes to Mart behind my back. My other hand eased the tiny stunner out of my pocket. I held it co
ncealed at my side.

  I couldn't see who was in the door, the light was behind him. He reached to the side and flicked a light on. My heart stopped. I could barely breathe. It was Tayvis. He stared at me, shock and disbelief on his face.

  "Dace?" He took a step into the room allowing the door to shut behind him. The shock and disbelief were rapidly changing to something less readable.

  "Hello, Tayvis," I said, my voice shaky.

  I wanted to run across the room to him. I wanted to feel his arms around me. I wanted him to hold me and make everything better. His silver uniform stopped me. He wasn't here by invitation, he was working.

  "Dace, tell me I'm not seeing you rifle that safe," he said, almost pleading.

  "You missed it." I tried to pretend everything was fine when it was so wrong.

  "You're working for Lowell." Flat, a statement he wanted me to deny.

  I didn't say anything. There was nothing I could say that wouldn't make things worse.

  "He's gone rogue, Dace. He's insane, out of control. They want to help him. Tell me where he is."

  "Don't tell me you believe that, Tayvis."

  He shook his head. "Let me help him."

  It couldn't be true. There were too many pieces to the puzzle, too much that made sense. It couldn't be just one man's delusion, even if that man was Lowell.

  "Don't make me do this, Dace. Tell me where he is and I'll let you go. I'll pretend I never saw you in here."

  "And you'll do what, Tayvis? Arrest him? Shoot him? The stakes are too high."

  "You're protecting Lowell? I never thought I'd see that day."

  "You're working security at a party? I never thought I'd see you stoop so low." I used Mart's emotions to keep my own under control. Every moment I watched Tayvis was like a knife twisting in my gut. I wanted him to say he loved me, I wanted to tell him I loved him. Lowell stood between us like a ghostly presence so tangible I wanted to shoot him.

  Tayvis' jaw bunched. My comment had hit home. "I've been ordered to hunt him down, and everyone he is working with. He's dangerous to himself and everyone around him. Don't make me choose between you and my duty."