Leo's attention was suddenly wholly on her. “Your father?” There was something strange about his sudden focus, his utter shock. It was almost as if he were horrified.
She tried to shrug it off. “Rach and I were neglected children, but we were allowed to hang around him, playing when we were younger, helping the construction crews when we were older. And yes, the resistance knows about most of these passages. They built them for my father in secret, hid them from the Cores. My father was able to run around and spy on the Cores, and the resistance got the same benefit, along with the ability to melt away if there was any trouble.”
Leo was silent for a long time. “I wish I'd known who you were sooner.”
She shrugged again. This was a secret she had kept for a long time. Only old, close friends like Zyr knew the truth.
When it was obvious she wasn't going to respond, he cleared his throat. “What about Veld? If he was a mole, surely the Cores know about these tunnels.”
She nodded. “The revelation that Veld was a Cores spy gave me a few sleepless nights, but even Veld didn't know about them all. No one does. Not even me.” She leaned back against the wall. “No one group could build the whole of Felicitos. People came and went, died in Tether Town or on the site, secrets were lost. Only my father would have known it all, and he died seven years ago.”
“And the passages don't connect to each other?”
She smiled at his perception. “Some do. I think they all do, but only my father knew how. The passages the resistance uses on the Lower Reaches are connected, so are the passages in the Upper Reaches, but there's no link between the two.” She shrugged. “Or, no link anyone knows about.”
“If the resistance had access to these tunnels, they should have toppled the Cores by now.” She could see he was thinking if he'd known about them, he would have.
She nodded. “We trusted Veld, but he was just stringing us along. My guess is he didn't tell the Cores about the secret passageways. Not if he had some way of profiting from it by keeping it to himself.”
Leo gave a slow nod. “That, I'd buy.” He reached out a hand, ran a finger down her cheek. “And how did you know about this one? You a regular up here on the Under Deck?”
She lifted her own hand, caught his fingers in a gentle grip. “That's my father's office you were in. I recognized it when I regained consciousness. But even if I hadn't, my father covered Felicitos in clues. If you know how to read them, there's almost nowhere you can't go.”
“Regained consciousness? How did they get you?” His hold on her tightened.
“Laz.” She shrugged. “Someone in the resistance sold me out. I was supposed to meet up with Zyr, but that message would have been passed on to him through an elaborate system. Anyone along the way could be the traitor. They changed the message, probably, and let the Cores know where I'd be.”
“Whoever it was told them we were involved?”
She nodded. “Tapper and Flunky didn't mention the hoverway or The High Flyer to me, so I don't think they recognized me from that, or even knew about it. They only found me useful because whoever gave them the tip told them you would come for me.”
“They were right.” He bent his head and she felt his lips against the skin of her neck. She shivered.
“Why?” She didn't understand. “What plan could you have come up with to get us out?”
“I didn't have one.” He brushed his lips just under her ear. “I didn't dare wait. I believed they'd kill you.”
She tightened her hold around his waist, then leaned back so she could look him in the eye. “You could have been killed. It's you they really want.”
He shrugged. “What we need to work out is what this means for you. Are you safe in Felicitos and Tether Town now?”
She shook her head. “They won't admit they lost me to their boss, so the Cores execs will think I'm dead. The only worry I'd have is coming in Felicitos's front door. If those two see me, they'll grab me for sure.”
Leo turned his head, looked out into the empty room through the one-way window. “If they follow the plan they worked out, they're going to say I never came up at all, so I'm safe.” His gaze met hers. “You need to stay with me from now on, Sofie.”
She raised her eyebrows. “What happened to keeping your distance.” She clenched her fists in his shirt under his jacket. “Not that that's working out so well for you right now.”
“It was never what I wanted. It was what I thought you needed to be safe.”
“They'll be watching you and your house. If they think we really are involved, they'll try take me again.”
“We'll be clever about it. Sneak you in.”
She hesitated, then gave a nod, and felt him relax a bit against her, when she hadn't realized he'd tensed up.
“I can use the secret tunnels to get in and out of Felicitos, as well. Just to be sure no one spots me.”
“I agree, although you won't have to worry about those two in particular.”
She frowned up at him in surprise.
“I know who they are. I can find out where they live,” he said simply. “Now, let's get out of here.”
Sofie led the way.
Leo kept hold of her hand, still a little dizzy at the reality that she was safe. And even more off balance at the news that she was Fadal's daughter.
It was something he pushed away for the moment. Something he didn't want to deal with right now.
Finkle was most likely handing in his resignation at the office. Either that, or waiting to launch an offensive on the Cores.
He fiddled with the tiny comm set pinned to his jacket and tapped it once. “No need for a rescue party, Finkle. We're both safe.”
Sofie turned to look at him in surprise, then grinned when she realized he was talking into his lapel.
Unfortunately, in order to pass a Cores scan, the comm set had to be switched off, and needed a tap to reactivate. Something he couldn't do with both hands in restraints. The receiver was hidden behind his ear, and he heard Finkle take a deep breath.
“That's good, sir.” It was said through clenched teeth.
“Sofie rescued me. Again.” His swollen lip twisted into a lopsided grin. It was a bone of contention between Finkle and himself. Finkle wanted to mistrust her, but couldn't counter the fact that she'd already rescued him twice.
Now it was three times.
“Where are you?” Finkle chose to ignore what he'd said.
“Still on the Under Deck. We're looking for a way down, but we're not in any danger of being caught.”
“That sounds like something very difficult to pull off.” Skepticism dripped from Finkle's words.
“Not if you're with Ronald Fadal's daughter,” Leo told him, and Finkle's silence was thoughtful.
“I didn't know that about her.”
“Neither did I. Sofie is just full of surprises.”
Finkle gave a grunt that could have been amusement. “We'll see you later then. Let me know if you do actually need rescuing.”
“You'll be the first,” Leo told him, and cut off the transmission.
“Poor Fink. He just doesn't know what to make of me.” Sofie had laughter in her voice.
“I don't, either.” Leo squeezed her hand lightly. “But unlike Finkle, I like it.”
Chapter 17
Sofie couldn't find a lift behind the one Leo had come up in. For some reason, her father hadn't modeled this floor on the layout of the ones he'd had built on the Upper and Lower Reaches.
She followed the passage around, Leo's hand in hers, and he slowed in surprise when they walked past the floor to ceiling one-way view into the big conference room she'd seen earlier.
It was still empty.
“I'd give a lot to be standing here during a full Five Cores meeting,” Leo murmured. “You're sure your father didn't tell anyone about this? I almost can't believe he went to this effort and then took the secret to his grave.”
Sofie thought back to the bitter, sick man
her father had been at the end. “He didn't trust anyone. He wanted to control everything, and when he realized that wasn't possible, he turned inward.”
And if the secrets on this floor had been his special project, maybe this was where all his money had gone. Could he have paid for this himself, built it himself in the long nights he'd stayed away from home?
She had to admit it was possible.
“Do you think he did make a kill switch?” Leo asked.
She lifted her shoulders. “He loved this building. It was the pinnacle of his career. I just don't think he could have brought himself to harm it in any way.”
She stopped when they came to the stairs going up to the Deck.
“Have you been up there?” Leo's hands moved up to rest on her shoulders.
She shook her head. “I've wanted to, but I've heard what happens if they catch you.” There was an enviro and grav generator up on the Deck. Verdant String tech that cocooned the landing pad from the emptiness of space around it.
Rumor was that if they found you up there without permission, they simply threw you off.
She put her foot on the first step. “My father had permission to be up there until near the end, but this is part of his secret passage system, so presumably we won't be stepping out into general view.”
She looked back at him, to see if he agreed to taking the risk, and he gave a nod.
She started up.
This had been her plan for a long time--more vague while Rach had been alive, but a solid goal for the last year. To get to the Deck. To smuggle herself off Garmen.
To escape.
And now, when she realized she wanted to stay and fight, the opportunity had just been handed to her.
She would laugh, if it wasn't so frustrating.
The stairs spiraled up, rough metal steps that looked like something her father would be able to do himself.
Had probably done himself in those long nights that he hadn't come home.
And then the stairs ended in a gray metal door.
Leo crowded in behind her in the tiny space at the top. “Looks like it needs a code.”
She angled her head to look up at him. “That's not a problem, I know the code. The problem is what's on the other side?”
Something sparked in his eyes, and he leaned forward a little and touched his lips to hers, almost as if he couldn't help himself. “We won't know until you try it.”
She nodded, squared her shoulders, and felt something flutter in her chest as his arms came tight around her waist, as if he were anchoring her in place.
She punched in the code.
The door opened, and she felt Leo tense at the same moment she did.
Someone was walking directly toward them, a man dressed in the black overalls of a Deck worker. He was carrying a long laser lance in his arms, and she realized a moment later, when she saw his focus was on a spot just above their heads, that he couldn't see them.
“One way wall,” she murmured as the man lifted the lance and placed it in a bracket.
Leo dropped his hold and they stepped into the narrow corridor together.
Her father had built it to run the full length of a massive warehouse.
There were pallets and boxes stacked up against it ceiling high in some places. In one area, mechanics were tinkering with the sturdy transport tugs that carried goods to and from the massive container space craft that hovered above the way station, too big to land on the Deck.
It took her a while to see the big ship in one corner of the huge space. It was a matte black, the lines and shape screaming high tech military.
It was only because three of the workers strapped to the outside of the ship were Carusons that it drew her attention at all. She noticed them first, then slowly her eyes adjusted and she realized what looked like a dark mass was in fact a space craft.
She made a sound, and beside her, Leo nodded.
“I see it.”
“What is it?”
Leo hesitated. “It looks like the ship that was involved in the Cepi incident. I saw some visuals of it blowing up the Cepi ruins on the interplanetary comms.”
Sofie touched the one-way wall with her fingertips. “That would make sense if Veld was involved.” She stepped right up to the wall, cupping her hands on either side of her face to see better. “Do you think this is Veld's ship?”
She couldn't believe it.
Veld might be a Cores thug, but surely he didn't have the experience to command a ship that looked like this? But if it was his new assignment, then maybe he was here right now. Maybe he'd step out at any moment.
She realized her heart was pounding at the thought. She wanted him punished, not living it up on some secret warship.
Leo shook his head. “If what I read on the interplanetary comms is right, the ship from Cepi was destroyed a month ago. It was being chased by Parnian Special Forces after three of the ship's crew blew up some buildings in Parn's capital city and kidnapped a Halatian woman. Parn Special Forces didn't destroy it, according to their statement. They think there was a self-destruct explosive onboard.”
“So this is another one?” And could Veld be dead, then? That was something she really wanted to find out.
“There was mention of a second mysterious ship that appeared in Parn's sovereign space after the first one was destroyed. But this isn't necessarily it.”
“Even if it isn't, what's it doing here, sitting openly in a Cores warehouse?”
“I think we can safely say the Cores are in this up to their necks. Especially if Veld and Garde can be traced back to Cepi.” Leo looked over at her. “And nothing in this warehouse is open to view. If it's the one I think it is, it's impossible to gain access to this place unless you have high Cores security clearance. This is as good as hidden away as you can get.”
Sofie watched the stocky Carusons, with the armored-plated segments on their faces and neck, and two other mechanics, stand back as an automaton lifted what looked like a cannon up. When it was in place, they swarmed around it, fixing it to the outside of the ship.
“They're upgrading the ship's weapons.” The worrying trade she'd noticed in her work for the Cores with Caruso clicked into place. That had been payment for this.
The Cores were trading precious ores for expertise and weapons know-how.
“What are they up to?” she whispered. “Are they trying to start a war?”
Leo leaned against the wall, watching with a grim expression as the cannon was attached. “That is a very good question.”
Sofie knew that if the Cores were trying to stir up war, there would be no respite for the people of Garmen. They'd be the ones to really suffer. “The Breakaways don't have enough power to win a fight with anyone. Why would they do something so stupid?”
“I don't think they're planning a frontal attack.” Leo glanced at her. “The Verdant String has been pulling back from trade with the Breakaways for the last year. I'm lucky that the ore I sell is in high demand, but there's been a noticeable drop-off in Verdant String trade ships to Garmen. The prohibition on interplanetary comms and on anyone leaving Garmen has been noted, and that isn't sitting well with VSC rights protection groups. The Verdant String can't justify trade with the Breakaways to their people, so they've made the decision to limit interaction.”
“So the Cores aren't making as much money as they were. How are the sneak attacks on Verdant String targets like Cepi going to change that?”
“My guess is someone has decided a VSC that's dealing with crises will pay less attention to what Garmen is doing.”
“They're killing people and blowing up cities as a distraction?” That shouldn't shock her. It was just what the Cores would do. “So what are they planning to do next?” She looked back at the sleek black ship.
“Nothing good.” Leo leaned back against the wall, eyes closed, and the sight of his battered, bruised face sparked both tenderness and a rage inside her.
He looked like he had the weight o
f Felicitos on his shoulders.
She stepped close to him and took his hand.
He opened his eyes, looked sidelong at her with a quirk of his brow.
“Look at us.” She grinned at him, then let her head drop onto his shoulder. “And here I thought it'd be all fancy dinners and kisses in dark corners of the Lower Reaches with you.”
He didn't laugh as she'd intended him to, so she lifted her head.
He was watching her with steady, serious eyes. “I had even more ambitious ideas.”
A taut, electric silence built between them.
“Let's get you down to your office and a med kit,” she said at last, tugging at his hand. “And then I'll have to find Zyr without going through the usual channels.”
“Not alone.” He was still staring at her, but now he was frowning.
She nodded. “Not alone.”
But first, she'd have to find a way out of here.
It wasn't easy.
She tried to prop Leo up against a wall and walk the whole circumference of the Under Deck while he rested, but he refused.
“There should be more markings on the floor. It's as if he lost interest in doing that up here about halfway through.” She curled a fist in frustration, tapped a wall.
“Or he didn't see a need, because he was the only one he ever intended would use this floor, and he built the exit points himself.” Leo's voice was a deep murmur in her ear. He was keeping distractingly close, but she couldn't find it in her to complain.
His words from earlier came back to her and she forced down a shiver.
“I think you're right. Which means the way down is probably where I thought it should be, only it isn't marked.” They were already more than halfway around the Under Deck, so she kept going.
They had views into a number of offices, some with execs in them, most empty. It was past the end of the day, after all.
“I'm going to spend all day up here tomorrow,” Leo said as they glanced into an office and saw an exec packing up for the day. “We'll learn more in one morning than I've got my hands on in months.”
When she found the way back to the foyer where Leo had come up in the lift, she made for the section of passageway directly behind it, and studied the wall.
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