Dark Deeds (Class 5 Series Book 2)

by Michelle Diener

  “What?” Rose asked, then her eyes widened. “You!”

  “As it happens, I've got a magic bracelet on that deflects any shots taken at me. I won't show it to you right now because if they do have lens feed in here, they may try to take it. I used to have a handy weapon called a crowd-pleaser, but the Tecran took that away. But if Sazo has a tracker he can give me, and maybe one of those small lenses, I'll go down to Larga Ways and let them drag me to wherever they're holding Hal.”

  “You want company?” Rose asked, then winced, as if Sazo were shouting in her ear.

  Fee shook her head. “I don't want to endanger you, and besides, I bet they don't know you're here. Let's keep it that way.”

  “So they grab you and then we can send the troops after you.” Rose gripped her forearm. “Are you sure about this? I know we can withstand a kill shot with a shockgun, but it is no fun.”

  “A kill shot.” Fee realized she was all but baring her teeth. “So that bastard did try to kill me.”

  “You've already experienced it, huh?” Rose gave a sympathetic grimace. “I've been shot to kill twice now.”

  “I've been shot twice, but the first time it was on stun. The second was kill, I'm pretty sure. But that's a moot point now.”

  “The magic bracelet?” Rose asked. “Okay. It sounds as if you'd be okay for a bit, so we could get people to wherever they've taken you. And you'll just have to hope your captain is there, too.”

  “It's better than the chance he's got right now,” Fee told her. “You're going to have to convince Chel to actually go in and save me. Because I don't think he'd be that sad if I didn't make it.”

  “He should listen to Dav. And if not, Sazo can be pretty persuasive.” Rose grinned, and Fee guessed Sazo had said something in agreement in her earpiece.

  “Will Captain Jallan get into trouble for this?”

  Rose shook her head. “Not if Sazo whisks you away and I tell him when it's already a done deal.”

  “That won't get you in trouble?” Fee asked.

  “I would do the same in your shoes.” Rose's face was Boudicca fierce. “And as a minority of two, we Earthlings have to stick together.”

  40

  It took Sazo less than ten minutes to get her from the Illium to the Larga Ways dock reserved for the Illium's runners.

  “I told Rose to wait until you're through the security check to let them know what you're doing, so Chel can't stop you,” Sazo said.

  “Thanks. And thanks for the other goodies, too.” She had a small lens and microphone worked into the collar of her shirt, with the earpiece for Sazo or anyone from the Illium to speak to her in her other ear, a tracker stuck to her scalp at her nape, just within her hair, and an illegal light-gun like the one Hal had gotten so excited about tucked into a neat, custom-made strap just above her left wrist, under the long sleeve of her top.

  “Rose has one, but Admiral Hoke knows about it, so I managed to procure another, just in case the time comes when Hoke asks her to hand it over.”

  “Point and shoot?”

  Sazo had told her that Rose found she needed to look away or close her eyes when she used it. Humans had trouble with the light, even if it was pointed away from them.

  Apparently, she wouldn't need to see to aim. Anyone in front of her would be writhing around in pain, but they'd all eventually recover.

  She pulled on the jacket Sazo had found for her. It would do her no good if the Tecran's spies couldn't find her because of her camouflage.

  The runner bumped to a stop.

  “You'll keep trying with Eazi?” She glanced at the handheld which she'd left on the console. She couldn't risk taking it with her. She'd taken off the crystal, too, and Sazo had stored it away in a tiny drawer on the console.

  It felt as if she was saying some kind of goodbye, but that was silly. She still had her earpiece. She could still talk to him.

  “I'll keep trying.”

  She appreciated that he didn't sound despondent.

  “To show his cooperation, the station chief's sharing all lens feed with the Illium, so I've got full access. I've found someone with green robes. Is this the person you saw?” Sazo flashed the main street of Larga Ways up on a screen and Fee leaned forward to take a good look.

  “That's him. Do you know where he's from?”

  “His features and build mark him as coming from Vutro, which is in Garmman territory. They're a bit like the Balcoans; they aren't a voting part of the Garmman block, but they're a protectorate within Garmman airspace. I'll guide you in his direction as soon as you're through the security gate.”

  She walked out, thinking how different her second visit was.

  When she'd been with the UC official the first time, supposedly on her way to a meeting, she'd hoped she could explore, thought she was safe.

  This time, she was deliberately putting herself in harm's way.

  She nodded to the two guards standing on either side of the docking gate, but Sazo had obviously provided all the right clearances, because they let her continue through without hesitation.

  Even so, she only relaxed when she was able to mingle with a group of people heading down the street.

  “You're going the right way,” Sazo told her. “The Vutrovian is hovering near the center of the way station.”

  She gnawed at her lip, wondering why Green Robes was wandering around. Did it mean he'd already dealt with Hal?

  The thought made her physically sick.

  “Fiona, there is someone coming up behind you.” Sazo's voice was urgent in her ear, but too late.

  Hands gripped her upper arms, and jerked her into the dark recess between two buildings.

  “What do you think you're doing? Do you think we don't have enough going on without having to deal with you?”

  Fee turned her head, looked into Rial's enraged face.

  Okay. No more Ms. Nice Guy. She'd been kicked out, anyway.

  “What do you think the people who have Hal want even more than answers from him?” She kept her voice cool and dismissive.

  He started to shake her, stopped and his eyes went wide as he realized what she meant. “Unless you have backup, you'll be throwing yourself away for nothing.”

  “I think Commander Chel probably just learned I'm here a minute ago, maybe less. But even if they'd already taken me, I have a tracker and a lens on me.” She pulled away from him.

  “Where did you get them. I know Chel wouldn't give——” He came up short.

  “Wouldn't give me the time of day? I'm very aware of that.” She gave a cold smile. “As it happens, I do have some friends, and they are well equipped. And outrank Commander Chel.”

  She let him work it out, and then he glanced upward, and she realized Sazo's Class 5 was visibly hovering over the dome of the way station.

  “But why are you doing this?” Rial looked back at her, baffled.

  “You didn't think Captain Vakeri's . . . interest in me was one-sided, did you?” Fee had managed to get some space between them, but he still held her arms and she shrugged off his hands. “I'm loyal to those I care about. And right now, that list is pretty short. Hal put his life on the line more than once for me, I am happy to do the same. Now,” she straightened her jacket, “please stay back and out of sight, or everything I've set in place will be for nothing.”

  She gave him one last, narrow-eyed look, and he raised his hands, palms out, in surrender, let her slip back into the river of pedestrians.

  “Nice smack-down,” Sazo said, and it was enough to put a smile on her face.

  * * *

  Green Robes was hanging around to stay up-to-date with what was happening, Fee decided.

  He wasn't watching any place or person in particular, just wandering around listening to people talking about the Class 5 overhead, the gossip about Hal's kidnapping and the murder of the Fasbe's crew, not to mention the massive explosion the day before.

  If they had had an inside source, the station chief had obviou
sly found it, or shut things down so tight, the traitor was too afraid of being caught to risk making contact.

  Fee walked past him, eyes ahead, and then breathed in deeply as she smelled the amazing aroma of open fire cooking she'd smelled last time she was on Larga Ways. Hal had said they could go hunt for it together.

  She blinked back tears. Well, she'd found it, and she could bring him here when he was safe. Show him.

  Sazo had given her some money, loaded into a chip on the sleeve of her jacket, and she decided sitting outside at one of the two tiny tables in front of the restaurant would be as good a way to let Green Robes see her as any other.

  She sat, and almost immediately, a tall, thin woman with dark skin came out to her.

  “I'd like whatever I can smell cooking, please.” She spoke in Grihan, and the woman smiled, bowed and went back inside without a word.

  She returned less than five minute later, with a tray almost the same size as the table. It contained thin strips of seared meat, what looked like circles of golden flat bread, and something green, leafy and crisp on the side. A long, narrow flute of a cup, filled with a greenish liquid, nestled between the bowls of food.

  “Thank you.” Fee took a piece of bread, spooned on meat and salad, folded it over, and then looked up to see the waitress was watching her from the door, with what seemed like approval on her face.

  She bit in, and let the first delicious thing she'd had to eat since she was taken sit on her tongue. She savored every bite, working through the food with an appetite she hadn't had in months.

  When she was done, she sipped cautiously at the drink, and found it tart and refreshing.

  “Any sign of Green Robes?” Fee murmured to Sazo.

  “He saw you. Watched you for a bit. He's hanging back, out of sight, at the moment.”

  “Good.” She lifted her head, smiled at the waitress, and tapped the sleeve of her jacket to the tray, which was flashing the amount owed, to settled her bill.

  She stood. The meal had been comforting, not only because she'd actually enjoyed it, but because it reminded her of home.

  But one quick glimpse of green robes twisted her stomach. She forced herself to take things slowly as she walked back the way she'd come.

  She stopped at a particularly beautiful wall mosaic, and then saw it was a story of a sort, the scenes running down the length of the narrow alley. A few people were using the street, but it was far less busy than the road behind her.

  She let herself follow it, looking at each scene. She would have to come back, though. She saw the jewel-like colors, the way the tiny stones they'd used accented the building and built a beautiful picture at the same time, but could not take it in.

  “He's following you. Commander Chel and Tean Lee have people in place.” Sazo's voice was calm, just what she needed to hear.

  She kept her pace steady.

  The afternoon sun reached in and illuminated the top of the wall, so the intricate silver and gold circular designs worked into the mosaic shone bright, and offset the deep tones of the blues, reds and greens.

  Any moment now, surely. Any moment . . .

  For the second time that day, hands grabbed her, and she felt the dig of shockgun in her side.

  That would be an interesting ricochet, if he pulled the trigger.

  The thought steadied her.

  “This is set to kill. So you will come with me.” Green Robes hissed in her ear.

  She had done it.

  And the moment she thought that, the angry bee hum of a shockgun shot registered, and the Vutrovian who was holding her went down.

  She stumbled back from him, unsure whether he'd pulled the trigger or not.

  “What happened?” Sazo's voice snapped her back.

  “I don't know.”

  Green Robes was moving, struggling to sit up, so he'd only been stunned, and Fee was left not knowing what to do. He'd expect her to run, but she actually wanted to stay caught.

  The hum of another shot sounded, and she saw the faintest flash of blue as it was repelled, but it was as good an excuse as any. She pretended to go down.

  “Someone is shooting at us. Is it someone from the way station?” She used English and kept her voice to a faint whisper.

  “Not the way station, not the Illium's crew. Not sure who else could be in the mix.”

  That was the good thing about Sazo. He sounded interested and engaged, rather than panicked. But then, it wasn't him being shot at. Still, his calm helped her find her own.

  “I'll try to scan the——”

  The sound in her ear went dead. She tapped it, but there was nothing, and then someone was running at her, grabbing the back of her jacket and hauling her away.

  She'd been dragged a good four meters before Green Robes managed to clamber to his feet.

  She was trying to see who had grabbed her, and she caught a glimpse of the rage on the Vutrovian's face.

  “She is mine,” he screamed in Garmman, and started to run after them.

  Would the Illium's crew step in now, or would they wait to see where this was going?

  The man dragging her lifted her up in an amazing display of strength, although she could hear the effort it cost him as he strained to fling her over his shoulder.

  He was at least head and shoulders taller than Hal or any of the Grih, and stockier, too. He was wearing a thin jacket and pants that had been dark blue when he'd descended on her, but now turned liquid silver in front of her eyes.

  He leaned against a wall, draping something over her and she wondered why he thought she would stay quiet as Green Robes ran past, until she remembered he though he'd hit her with a stun from his shockgun.

  She had to decide. Did she want to see where this was going?

  If Green Robes had Hal, she was missing her chance. But what if she was wrong?

  As soon as Green Robes turned the corner, the man ran lightly down some stairs to the basement entrance of the building they were standing against, and the door slid open as he approached.

  He threw her onto a couch and she played limp and unconscious. She sensed him hover over her for a moment, and then he ran out the room again.

  She heard the door, felt the air stir, and then listened to his feet run back up the stairs.

  He was going to follow Green Robes, she guessed.

  “Sazo?” Nothing. She stood up, moved quickly around the single room, which had a tiny lounge, a kitchen tucked in a corner, a bed at the back and a bathroom partition off to the side. No sign of Hal, which meant her gamble had not paid off.

  There was a crackle in her ear, and her hopes rose that Sazo was back until she realized it was on the righthand side.

  “Eazi?”

  She walked to the door, but it didn't open for her. She pulled out her encryptor, touched it to the panel and the door slid open.

  Her very own Open Sesame. So worth the concussion.

  She slid it back in her bra and ran up the steps, looked carefully left and right and then ran back the way she'd come.

  Maybe the Illium's team would still be in place, and able to let her know what the heck was going on.

  Her ear crackled again.

  “Eazi? Is that you?” She remembered she was wearing a jacket over her camouflage, and vacillated over whether to take it off or not as she came to the end of the tiny street.

  She crouched down, looked around the corner.

  The hum of a shockgun sounded near her ear.

  “That Vanad thinks he can follow me?” Green Robes said, voice soft. “I am not so stupid. And it seems you recovered from the shockgun hit faster than he thought.”

  He was positively gleeful.

  She slumped against the wall and let him haul her to her feet.

  “You are coming with me.”

  It looked like she had a second chance at finding Hal.

  41

  Hal knew his usefulness was coming to an end.

  He'd only lasted so long, he knew, because the sm
all group of spies had lost their inside help.

  Either Tean Lee had found the leak or had made it impossible for the spy inside his office to pass information along.

  The Vutrovian was running blind, and he was too nervous to send any of his team out without more information.

  Hal had strung them along as far as he could. Telling them just enough to think him more useful alive than dead.

  The togrut they'd given him for the first round of questioning had flattened him. They either hadn't had any more to give him, or were too scared it would kill him, so they'd had to take his whispered information on the likely reaction to his disappearance by the Illium and way station security on trust.

  Sazo's arrival had helped, as well.

  They hadn't expected it. Had at first thought it was Eazi, and needed him to explain what the explosion had been the day before.

  When he'd told them this was another Class 5 altogether, one under Battle Center control, he'd found out the Tecran had not shared that information with their spies.

  They'd scoffed at him when he'd said that the Grih had two Class 5s, and the Vutrovian had hit him for it, but he had shaken them to the core.

  They'd thought they were on the winning side. And with five Class 5s on the Tecran side, why wouldn't they?

  To now face the knowledge that the Tecran had destroyed one and lost two to the other side . . . Hal wondered how much longer the Balcoan on the Vutrovian's team was going to stay.

  The way he was fidgeting, Hal guessed not long.

  He was lying down on the comfortable bed in the small apartment above the Vutrovian's fabric store and the Balcoan was guarding him. He kept looking over at Hal with quick, nervous glances.

  Hal wished he was pretending to be weaker than he really was, but the aftereffects of the togrut had him shaking and sweating, unsure if his legs would even hold him up. It was becoming harder to talk, and he was getting worse.