by C. G. Hatton
Pen’s building was opposite. If he kept to the edges, he’d have to negotiate the tables and chairs set out in front of restaurants but heading straight through the market was not on. There were too many people in there that knew him. He thought of the look on Tavner’s face at Polly’s place and shivered. He felt that sinking feeling weigh down his stomach and forced himself to move, taking the edge route, muttering apologies to the people he bumped into and using the backs of chairs to lean on as he passed.
His vision was narrowed to a dark tunnel straight ahead. He got half way and slunk back into an alleyway between buildings, trying to focus on what he thought was Pen’s place. It would just take a minute to catch his breath. Pen’s place was warmth and safety. And that thought was the only thing stopping him from falling in a heap.
The scent of spices and burning oils mingled in the warm evening air that drifted in with the chatter of voices bartering.
He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. And the cold steel that was the unmistakable barrel of a weapon touched the back of his neck.
Chapter 18
“Men scurry like ants across the face of their planets,” the Man said and flicked at a dust mote on the desk.
NG didn’t follow the line of reasoning of that random statement so he sat quietly, waiting for the next question.
“The bounty?” the Man said eventually.
“We found out about that at around the same time we realised Hil had gone to Aston,” NG said. “Word of it went round far quicker than anyone here had anticipated. I didn’t appreciate how much we missed Badger. And as much as Sean O’Brien was sending word back on anything she was hearing, and the extraction teams were reporting in any rumours they encountered, we were all jostling on a back footing, trying to catch up and not really understanding why we weren’t at the forefront any more.”
And while no one had so much as a lead on LC, bounty hunters had closed in on Hil.
The Man looked up. “Did you consider how close we were to losing him?”
“Hilyer has proved he can look after himself before.”
“Not with a price on his head.”
No, he thought, and it still irked that someone had contempt enough to cross the guild in that way.
“Out loud, NG,” the Man chided in response to his thoughts and nudged the goblet across the desk again. “The games we play with these pieces we move around our board are complex and it should not be unexpected to us that they may bite back every once in a while.”
•
He froze.
“Losing your touch, Hil?”
It took a second to place that voice and in that brief time, it felt like he was balanced on the edge of a dark abyss. He teetered then his memory sparked and Hil relaxed at the sound of a voice that was exactly where it should be. He turned and the guy that was standing there smiled and pulled him back into the shadows.
“Hil. Man, you look like shit,” the guy muttered. “Come on inside. Pen’s been expecting you.”
It was hard not to grin like an idiot at seeing Yani. The gun disappeared and Yani pulled a silver hip flask out of his pocket, thrusting it into Hil’s hand and steering him with a firm hand against his back out into the market.
Alcohol probably wasn’t a good idea but what the hell. The liquid burned his throat but it felt good. It felt very good.
He couldn’t recall how but they reached Pen’s door without incident. Yani disabled alarms and security by remote as they walked in, all the systems clicking back on as they passed.
Pen was waiting and waved a welcome towards his den, a low lit comfort pad of sofas and armchairs. Candles flickered around the edges of the den. High and low tech mixing in the absurd contradiction that was Aston.
Pen grabbed Hil in a bear hug as he walked in. Pen was a big man, the complete opposite of Mendhel, but the dark eyes were identical, and it was hard not to lose it completely.
Hil pulled away before the lump in his throat could bring tears to his eyes. “Pen,” he said and faltered, not knowing how to say it.
Pen shook his head and said, “We know, Hil, we know and we have people on it.” He steered Hil towards the den where three more of his men were standing. It was warm and in a strange way Hil felt the most safe he’d been since the crash. Pen controlled Aston’s underworld and he inspired a fierce loyalty in his men. To be welcomed here was an honour that Hil didn’t take lightly, especially in these circumstances.
Yani took up position at the doorway and Pen took two beers out of a noisy fridge unit in the corner and handed one over, saying, “Make yourself at home,” like he always did.
Hil sank down onto a fat chair piled with shabby cushions. He raised the beer bottle in a wave. “Cheers, Pen.”
Pen raised his back, returning the salutation. “Here’s to twenty million and whatever the hell it was that you two maniacs managed to get your hands on.”
Hil should have known word would have got back here. “Twenty six million, last I heard,” he said.
“Ye gods. I always knew you two would hit the big time.” He came and sat down across from Hil, and one of the guys set a tray of nachos and tapas on a low table between them, backing off respectfully.
“Hil, what the hell is it that you’re into here? Do you know what happened on Earth?”
Hil closed his eyes and felt himself begin to sink down into a hazy void.
“Hil?” Pen said again, louder.
It took effort just to form words. “Would you believe me if I said I didn’t know?” he said, hearing the words slur.
“No.”
“We’ve been seriously screwed, Pen. I’m sorry, I don’t know what happened to Mendhel.”
Pen nodded grimly. “I’ve got people working on it but Earth’s difficult for us at the moment. I’ve been told it was a professional hit but the Assassins won’t admit to it so I’m inclined to think ‘professional’ is an overstatement. What does the guild think?”
“The guild won’t tell me anything. Have you heard from LC?”
“No,” Pen said and Hil wasn’t completely sure that was an honest reply but he didn’t care. If LC had been here, Pen would tell him in his own good time.
Pen leaned forward suddenly. “Shit, Hil, what the hell has happened to you?”
Hil blinked, having trouble focusing on anything. “I banged my head,” he said, tiredness creeping deeper into his voice. “And there’s a couple of other things.”
“What?”
Hil reached out his left wrist, fist clenched, band facing up. The numbers were still higher than he was happy with and the guild antidote was taking its time.
“Shit, you don’t do things by halves. Okay, I know someone who can help with that. What else?”
Hil reached into his coat and pulled out the pistol. He went to place it on the table and misjudged the weight of it and the distance. It clattered with a noise that made him wince.
“Holy crap, Hilyer.” Pen leaned across and grabbed it. “This isn’t your usual style.” He peered at the weapon and hefted it from hand to hand.
“I need to know where it’s from,” Hil said. “And I need something smaller. It’s too big.”
Pen shook his head. “I’ve never seen anything like it. Where did you get it?”
Hil shrugged and downed the rest of his beer. He put the empty bottle on the table and grabbed a handful of tortilla chips, the room beginning to spin as he leaned over.
Pen sat back and held up the intricate weapon. Hil could just about see the light from the power cell winking on the back.
“It’s beautiful,” Pen said, no doubt weighing up its value. “For something so hefty, it’s got an incredible balance.”
It was a pistol, blinking a half charge. Hil didn’t see the attraction. He’d hoped Pen would be able to identify it and give him an idea of where to head next.
Pen must have seen something in the look on his face. “Is this from the bastards that killed Mendhel?” he said. “Dammit
, I knew he shouldn’t have stayed on Earth. I tried to tell him. I tried to persuade him to…”
“No,” Hil interrupted. “No, it wasn’t them.”
“So who was it? And where did you get this?”
Hil rubbed his eyes wearily. He was having trouble focusing. If he could trust anyone, it was Pen. The guy was Mendhel’s brother. He was fairly sure this was the first place LC would have run to.
But it was still hard to say anything.
Pen frowned. “Hil, look, I need to know what you’re into if I’m going to be able to help. I’ve heard there’s a bounty out on the two of you, that you have something that, from what I can tell, half the galaxy is after, but that’s just it – there’s no details. What was it?”
“I really don’t know,” he said. “But someone took Anya to make sure we’d go after it. I don’t have it. I need to find LC.”
“What’s happened to Anya? What do you mean – took?”
Hil described the recording he’d seen, described the people and the base they’d taken him to and the forces that had appeared after them.
“Bloody hell, Hil. Where’s the guild in all this?”
“They don’t know I’m here and I don’t know who I can trust there. Someone’s involved. There’s no way anyone could have even known Mendhel had a daughter unless it came from inside.” He didn’t go so far as mentioning Badger and his warning.
Pen sat back and aimed the pistol towards the door, closing one eye to aim along its length.
“You know, you have other options than the guild,” he said casually.
They’d been down this road before. Pen was not, and never had been, guild. He was one of Mendhel’s closest contacts outside of the guild and being on the Wintran side of the line, was one of the most useful. Pen couldn’t always understand the blind loyalty they all had for the guild and they’d stopped trying a long time ago to explain it.
Hil mumbled, “Don’t go there, Pen.” He wasn’t up for an argument.
“You’ve been with them what, since you were fifteen? And LC since he was thirteen? You’re institutionalised, buddy. Break away, come live in the real world. They’re not doing you any favours.”
“Pen…”
“I know, I know, they look after you. But ask yourself, Hil, is this really how you want looking after? Who’s handling you?”
Hil groaned. “Quinn.” One word answers was about all he was capable of.
Pen snorted and talked through a mouthful of corn chips and tomato salsa. “That’s never going to work. Quinn will never have the patience to put up with you. Man, you should take a look at yourself. The guild has sent out an alert on you both. I’ve never seen anything so extreme. They’re pissing themselves over this. What are they so afraid of? If you want to leave it, leave now and don’t look back. I can sort you out.”
That’s what he needed to hear. The last bit. Leaving the guild wasn’t an option, no matter that someone had sold them out, but he had the mental capacity of a screwdriver at the minute so the debate would have to wait.
“Is it still NG in charge up there?” Pen asked without waiting for an answer. “I’ve got to tell you, Hil, the guild isn’t what it used to be. There are mutterings that private contractors could do what you do at half the price and without the strings. I’ve heard it. I’ve even heard that the Merchants are saying they could set something up that would put your guild out of business. You know, you’d have one helluva career out here in the private sector.”
It was tantamount to treason to even listen to this. Hil shut it out and felt himself drifting again. He closed his eyes.
“Pen, don’t go there. I just want to get my life back,” he said. “I need to find LC. He has whatever it was we took. We screwed up, Pen. Screwed up badly. We split. We didn’t even make a plan to meet up. I took off back to the guild with a phony package just to get them following me so LC could get away. Well, it worked. They followed me, shot me down and did god knows what before the guild got there and got me out.”
Pen was quiet. He knew when to listen.
“Skye was damaged. She’s back at the guild. I’m here with another ship, Genoa, and at least two bounty hunters know I’m here.”
“What was it, Hil? What was the tab?”
“Pen, I said, I really don’t know.”
“Have you got anything? I’m good, Hil and miracles are my speciality but for god’s sake, give me something to go on.”
Hil pulled the implant out of his pocket and held it out. “This is from a woman who was with the people who killed Mendhel. They’re corporation, I’m sure of it. They have Anya.”
Pen took the implant and wiped it on his trouser leg, shaking his head. He stood up. “I need to get some people in on this.”
“Pen, nobody can know I’m here.”
“Chill out, Hil. You’re here because you trust me. Trust me, trust my people. We’ll look after you even if your precious guild and the whole of the galaxy is after your ass.”
Pen left the room and as much as Hil tried to stay awake, he felt himself slipping, nodding awake with alarm each time his eyes closed. For all he knew, Pen could come marching back in here with a bunch of bounty hunters. Maybe he’d already collected on LC. Pangs of guilt followed that he could even think that about Pen. Then more pangs that he was a sitting duck here. It took some effort to get the pistol off the table but holding it loosely in his lap made him feel better.
Pen came back with a tall thin guy that Hil hadn’t seen before. He tried to stand up but the room went spinning away and he sat back, squinting, trying to focus on the man.
“That’s the pistol,” Pen said to the guy who nodded and reached over to take it from him. Hil offered it up reluctantly, not able to lift the weight of it to any height. The man smiled as he leaned down to take it and Hil waved apologetically, letting his chin sink down onto his hand, elbow resting on his knee.
“It’s a nice piece,’ the guy said, turning it round. “Where did you say it came from?”
Hil didn’t hear Pen’s answer because the room greyed out for a moment. He jerked awake as a hand touched the back of his neck and another hand took up his wrist, feeling for the pulse there. He turned his head slowly to see a woman perched on the arm of his chair.
“Pen, what on earth are you doing?” she was saying, the words soft and accented. “He needs serious medical attention and you’re keeping him here talking about guns.”
She put a cool hand on his forehead and he leaned into it, eyes closing. She was Pen’s favourite medic and he almost grinned, impressed with himself for recognising her. She was from Earth and she’d crossed the line for the big man. Hil didn’t remember her name but he knew she did good work.
“I know, I know,” Pen said. “It’s just a slight electrobe poisoning problem he has, a broken arm and god knows what else he hasn’t mentioned. You can use the pod in the iso-lab, it’s clean.
Hil sat up then, jerking awake and pulling back. “No, wait,” he said. He didn’t need an iso-pod. That would mean being out of action.
“Hil, relax,” Pen said. “You’re too valuable to me for me to let anyone get their hands on you for a measly twenty six million.”
“Hil…?”
The voice was soft and feminine.
“Skye?” he muttered, feeling pain-free and comfortable. Soft, clean sheets and pillows that weren’t guild so maybe he was at a Wellbeing somewhere. He couldn’t remember booking in.
He almost yelled as tape was ripped off his hand and a cold sharp jab hit his elbow. This was eerily familiar.
A soft hand touched his cheek gently. “Hil, we need to go.”
He opened his eyes to a dark room, the face leaning over him lit only by the faint light from the iso-pod. It took a moment to place her as Pen’s medic from Earth and he had a pang of displaced confusion before he remembered making the decision to run to Pen.
“Where am I?” he said. “Where’s Pen?”
She put a finger again
st his lips. “We’re still at the town house. Pen’s busy.”
She helped him sit up and handed him a bundle of clothing and gear. “Get dressed and be quiet. Keep the patch on for now. And hurry. We don’t have much time.”
He instinctively reached up with his left hand to feel a bandage on his neck. His right wrist, he realised, was encased in a clear lightweight cast and felt numb. He could see and the pounding in his head had abated to a dull throb.
“How long have I been here?” he whispered.
“Not long enough but it will have to do. Get dressed,” she said and turned abruptly, leaving him alone to find his bearings.
His clothes and coat had been cleaned, two knives and a small handgun added to his gear. The two vials he’d taken from Genoa were missing but everything else was there. He dressed and placed everything back in their usual pockets and hiding places, feeling twitchy about the abrupt awakening and wanting to get to Pen to find out what was happening. He saw with relief that the band on his wrist was dormant. He took a deep breath just to test it and sucked in cool, clean air that freely and easily filled his lungs and sent him slightly light-headed again.
He stood and stretched, feeling his muscles protest with a stiffness he wasn’t used to. The woman reappeared at the door and beckoned to him.
“We’re going out the back way,” she said quietly. “Stay with me. I shouldn’t be moving you but it’s not safe to stay here any longer.”
“What’s going on?” Hil whispered to her back as he followed her through the house. It was dark, no lights, all of Pen’s work stations off and strangely inert without power.
He caught hold of her arm and pulled her back. “Tell me what’s going on,” he said too harshly, but rattled again. He wasn’t about to walk blindly into a trap. Pen liked this woman but Hil didn’t know her well enough to shake off a growing sense of unease and distrust. Pen’s stuff was never powered down.