“Copy, Ben, we’re on it.” A pause. “And Ben, they found Aisling.”
“Be there in a second.” I ran until I found the crowd. There was a large room under the floor. It wasn’t a terrible place, it looked like where they kept people who were hiding from the authorities. It was clean and there were beds and a shower. Aisling lay on a cot, one eye swollen shut, her face bruised purple and red. Blood had dried and her hair stuck to her face. I knelt beside her. She had one eye open and her lips were trembling. She sobbed and reached for me, putting her arms around my neck. I kissed her forehead and told her it would be alright, that she was safe.
“Let’s get out of here,” I told everyone there. “Anyone with nothing to do, load anything of value into the Claymore. Imelda has to wrap up her dinners, then load them up too. I have one more person to interrogate and then we are outta here.”
Those who had climbed down into the room climbed back out first. I kept Harry behind with me, since you can’t beat having a giant friend with four arms. He took Aisling from me and I climbed out with him right behind me. I took her from him and walked back towards Imelda. She hadn’t moved yet, and tough guy looked rough. He was wild-eyed and had bitten his tongue half way off. Blood and spit were all over him.
“This is one of the men who did this to you?” I asked Aisling, more for her than me, since I was killing him regardless. She nodded once and nestled her face into my neck. “He is about to die, so if you don’t want to watch or hear it, I’ll take you to the ship. Do you want to stay?” I felt her head move slightly forward, touching me, then lying back against my shoulder.
“Eat him slowly, Imelda,” I said, and watched as her head moved down his leg. It was a little anticlimactic when he had a heart attack and died when she got to his knee. I carried Aisling over to look at the one on the floor.
“Is this the one who carried out the beating?” I asked, and she nodded again. “He is next, dear.” I felt her move her head from side to side this time.
“You don’t want me to kill him?” I asked.
“He is simple-minded, Benjamin,” she said. “I don’t think he wanted to do it, really, but that man has conditioned him over the years. He thought I was pretty and asked why he had to hit me. They told him I was a bad person and that it had to be done.”
“Aisling, I need information and he might have it,” I said softly. She had a big heart, asking me not to kill him after what he had done to her.
“I think I know who you’re looking for, and everything is not what it seems,” she said, her voice just a whisper. She seemed like she was fading.
“Ronnie,” I said over the com, “bring your bag. I need your help.”
“We need to get her on the ship, Benjamin,” came the answer. “You standing around holding her isn’t going to help her one bit.”
“It’s not for her, Ron, but you’re right. I’ll be taking her to the ship in a few minutes.”
“Copy, I’ll be there in a minute.”
Aisling began whispering in my ear. I had to lean back against the wall. After a minute my legs were weak, but it wasn’t from holding her — it was from the shock of what she told me.
Ronnie showed up and went to work on the big guy.
“Wake him up, I have questions for him. We may need to drug him to get him to answer,” I said. I leaned my head back and Aisling continued. She sobbed occasionally as she whispered. I knew the pain of what she had learned hurt more than the beating.
“He told you all of this?” I asked Aisling.
“Some, and some I overheard when they thought I was out.”
There were tears in my eyes now. They were tears of anger and hurt, the kind that comes from being lied to by the ones you love and respect.
“Benjamin,” Ronnie called over, “I’m afraid that unless I inherit magical powers of necromancy I’m not going to wake this guy up. His neck is broken and he’s been dead about twenty minutes. You did a number on his head. Even if I was able to wake him, it’s probably like scrambled eggs in there.”
“Okay, come here,” I ordered. Ronnie walked over and stood about three feet away from me.
“Closer, I need to tell you something so no one will overhear.”
“What? I don’t want to be wife number three or four!” she said, grinning.
“That’s not what I’m asking, this time.” I smiled back at her, and she obliged. I gave her the short version of Aisling’s story and told her what I wanted her to do.
Imelda had finished T-Rex. Maybe the poor simple-minded brute gave him the nickname, I thought.
Go bundle up the others so they don’t get freezer burn, I told her. I don’t know about you, but I hate freezer burn. I’ll have them loaded up for you after that. We are all going to 6912, but we won’t all be leaving. We have traitors in our midst, and what better place to sort it out than where it all started for me?
Imelda moved away, easily stepping over and on crates and boxes. I began walking towards the loading bay door and the Claymore. I was going to get Aisling situated, and Ronnie was going to work on her and get her some fluids.
Right now I had to be clear-headed and strong. I knew now that there were so much more than just my parents tangled up in this. It involved people I held dear, people I had thought were my friends. I needed to sit down with Taz, Nedra and Harry, then Ronnie, Snake and Genius. These were the people I still felt one hundred percent solid about.
My thoughts were interrupted as my daughter fell in beside me.
“Dad, I’m going to stay with Aisling,” Natalia said, “She was there for me when you brought me on board the Warhammer, so I think I owe her.”
“Sure, sweetie, you do that. And Natalia — look at me,” I said. Her head tilted and she stared at my face, hearing the seriousness in my voice. “Keep your weapon on you and ready until I tell you otherwise,” I told her. “If I tell you that there will be only a few people allowed to see Aisling, you do not make any exceptions, do you hear me? Keep her door locked.”
“What’s going on?” she asked.
“I’ll tell you soon. And I mean it, I don’t care what you think. If I haven’t given them clearance to see Aisling, they don’t get in the room, and you shoot whoever tries to break that without hesitation.”
“I think I understand,” Natalia said.
“No, you don’t, but if you do as I tell you it doesn’t matter. If you can’t shoot, then sound an alarm. We are going to sort this out, then find us a nice place somewhere far, far away where we can set up shop.”
“You know you’ll be deep into some kind of trouble before you know it, no matter where we are,” she told me.
“Will not!” I protested.
“Will too.”
“You both are like two peas in a pod,” Aisling said. A little strength had returned to her voice. She stretched out on the bed while I took warm water and a cloth and wiped her face, gently removing the blood and dirt.
The door chimed. “It’s Ronnie,” Natalia said.
“Let her in,” I said.
Ronnie had her med bag and a smile for Aisling. “I’m really disappointed in you, girl, beating on those men with your face like that. Next time use a pry bar or something,” she teased. Aisling grinned, then winced, and Ronnie hurried over with the bag.
“Aisling, where is the Warhammer?” I asked.
“It should be where you last met up with us,” she answered.” I had a number of jobs lined up there. Now that this has happened, though, I can’t really say.”
“How did you get here?” I asked.
“No idea. I was drugged. Every time I woke up I ate, drank a little water, then they drugged me again. It wasn’t on the Warhammer, though, that’s for sure. I didn’t recognize the room. It was Alliance, I think, based off the signage and labels I saw.”
“We had a run-in on Trillond with Captain Mahajan and a spook,” I told her. “The spook didn’t make it, but Captain Mahajan was in Trillond space by invitation so maybe h
e stretched his invite a little far. He would also be able to travel freely to Athena.”
“Maybe E’Aria can find out for us if the Warhammer is still out on the border,” Natalia said.
“Good idea,” I said. “We can send that message once we are off Athena and on our way to 6912.”
“Aren’t they going to come after us once we leave Athena without permission?” Ronnie asked.
“Yes, I’m sure somebody will come after us. Just depends on who is in the know and when we leave. Also, we’ll be heading in the direction of the border so they may not have their heart in the chase. The port authority will send a small vessel that most anyone could outrun, so at least they can say they tried.”
“You have a super high priority diplomat on board,” Aisling said. “If she claims to have been called home immediately for an emergency, they could not stop her from leaving, and for them to interfere would draw the attention of the president. I’m pretty sure they don’t want that either.”
“Sounds like a plan. Let’s see if Taz will do it,” I said, looking at the three women.
“Of course she’ll do it, idiot, if you ask her nicely,” Ronnie teased, poking me with her finger. “You will ask her nicely, right?”
“Of course I will,” I answered, poking back.
Chapter 28
“Taz, I need you to do something for me. I don’t want any lip from you, you understand what I’m saying?” I said as I walked into her quarters.
“What does that mean . . . any lip?” she asked.
“You know, backtalk, ‘I’m the queen,’ mumbo jumbo, high-handed attitude.”
Taz stood with her back to me when I entered. I walked towards her, and when I was two feet away she spun and punched me in the gut. I doubled over and instinctively stepped back a couple of steps. I laughed; I had my armor on and she didn’t flinch.
“You were supposed to ask nicely,” she said.
“How did you know?”
“Because, Benjamin, your friends are becoming my friends, and Ronnie called ahead to tell me.”
“Damn. I can’t trust anyone,” I said. “So will you do it?”
“When you ask nicely I will,” she answered.
I sprang forward and grabbed her, giving her a quick kiss. “Oh my Queen,” I said in my best Old English, “wilt thouest tellest yon biggest fattest falsehood for thouest humblest o servant?” I laughed at my own wittiness, but it was lost on her.
“You are just not right, my love,” she said, “but I think it is what makes you yourself. I don’t think I could say no to you after that strange but somehow charming way of asking.”
“Good,” I said. “Now, I gotta run, I have a building to burn down. Out of curiosity, do you have any nanites you can give to Aisling to speed up her healing?”
“Go,” she said, smiling. “I will help your friend.”
“Thanks,” I said, “Take a weapon and stay, would you?”
“Of course.”
I left her room and ran through the ship to the hold. It was pretty full — of what, I didn’t know — but if Genius had it loaded it was worth something. Imelda was already on board and ready. Shawna and Genius had kept things separated and organized while Buddy, Grubb and Adam continued bringing items aboard.
“Genius,” I asked, “did you see anything I can use as an accelerant? I’m going to burn it down.”
“Actually, I did, boss,” he answered. “Gimme a minute and I’ll help you.”
“We’re turning into quite the little band of thieves and mercenaries, boss,” Shawna said.
“Unless there are some ice machines, they don’t need any of it where they’re at, Shawna,” I said. “We have to survive, and our late departed friend is making a donation to the cause. Just so you understand, in the future we aren’t going to get rich, and we’ll be lucky to just be comfortable. Some of the jobs will be government work and will pay well, and others might be just to help people who can’t help themselves. Like Harry’s people — nine-foot-tall and strong as an ox, peaceful and happy being carted off by slavers, lasers against clubs, you get me. Those don’t usually pay in credits, but there are other rewards. Your stomach maybe empty but your heart will be full. And if there are spoils of war which we need, then we will take them to help defer expenses. Like Little Man T, you can’t take it with you when you go.”
“It’s all a little gray, isn’t it?” she said.
“Yeah, a little,” I answered. “I’ve been doing it for a little while now. You try to kill me and fail, then what’s yours is mine by default
. Seems fair to me, so I’m gonna go with it.”
“I’m going to head for the bridge. I’m working the run to 6912,” she said.
“Sounds good,” I answered. “It’s time to go, I’ll see you later. Let me go check on Genius.”
I noticed some of my former team had taken to calling me “boss.” I guessed that was fine. It was true, after all — Lorelei was captain, Binda first officer. Most were older than me, and I wasn’t really a Mr. Jamison kind of guy. I guess I can get used to boss.
“Ben,” Genius called out on the com, “I have a number of charges and explosives set. There were some drums of petroleum and alcohol-based liquids that make for a really nice fire. Not surprising they had it all on hand.”
“Copy, Genius, I’ll be there in a minute Let me check with the bridge.” I kept walking towards his location. “Lorelei, we are ready to light this place up, are you ready to go?”
“We are,” came the reply. “I was just doing a quick walk-through. We’ve got one shuttle, ownership in dispute, one giant spider, and a hold full of stolen goods.”
“Brings out the pirate in you, doesn’t it, Captain?” I joked. “Did you do a head count? Just curious, I don’t want to leave anyone behind.”
“Yes, the gang’s all here.”
“Good. That’s very, very good,” I said. “Genius, set the charge for three minutes. I don’t want to take any chances.” I walked up on him as he was entering numbers on a small keyboard.
“All set, boss. Let’s get out of here,” he said.
We ran. I stopped to hit the button shutting the door and took off again. “Lorelei, I’m on the ramp. Let’s go!” I shouted. The Claymore took a few seconds getting off the ground and began easing away. The ship in motion and the ramp down automatically kicked the force field in.
I saw the cloud of smoke and faintly heard the explosion. Grandfather had been worried something might happen, and it had, but not to me. He was old school; no, he was from a different school. They worked subtly from the shadows, had plans within plans, and had given a pass to someone who should have been put away, just so they could use them again. I liked my way better; this way, I knew there would be no next time.
“Hey, can you shut the damn ramp back there now? You can’t see anything from this distance,” Lorelei said, jolting me back to reality. I slapped the button and walked away, thinking about the unpleasantness to come. It was a lot to process, and I didn’t think they knew I was aware. Only three of us were in the know at the moment, and a couple of others, Natalia and Taz, were probably suspicious of the orders I had given them.
I stopped for a shower, and, as I have so many other times, I walked into it with my armor on. I let the water run over it and rinse away whatever was on it. In this case, it was just blood and took only minutes to rinse. I stripped down and showered, then hung the armor outside to dry.
How could she have fooled me so easily? This question went through my head. Would it compound the hurt if I kept looking for answers? Should this be one of those times where I just leave well enough alone? In the coming confrontation, I knew I might not need to worry about finding answers, since they would probably be given whether I wanted to hear them or not. I knew the type — I know something you don’t know, and I’m going to rub your nose in it while I tell you.
We all had pasts, and I didn’t think they had to define who we were if we really wanted to
change. Some things in my life had recently made more sense, and other things were still a mystery. Colonel Thomas was a coward — that was a truth. Setting me up for a fall that barely stuck still didn’t make sense. Getting off with no jail time and only a dishonorable proved it was pretty thin. He was an idiot, though, so maybe what he had done was just for his own ego, and one thing had nothing to do with the other.
The water felt good. I leaned forward, both palms against the wall, feet spread, lost in thought and letting the water run over me. I heard the footsteps of someone approaching, then they stopped. Whoever it was stood in the doorway looking at me.
“Aisling is asking for you,” Ronnie said.
“Tell her I’ll be there in just a few minutes. Has she said anything else I should know?” I asked.
“No, but she is feeling slightly better. Those nanites the queen gave her work fast. She said they are not the same as what you and her have scurrying around inside you, though. These are temporary and will die after a few days.”
I rinsed the soap out of my hair and shook my head, flinging water everywhere.
“Hey, stop that!”
“It’s just a little water, quit complaining.”
“Well, every time you get me wet you never do anything about it,” she answered.
“Oh hell, not you too,” I said and threw a towel at her.
“Nah,” she laughed, “I can control myself around you. I’ve had years of seeing you naked in the shower and vice versa, but this would be one of only a handful of times it was just me and you, not ready to pass out from the exhaustion of an op. I remember being up to our asses in blood and mud most of the time, such that our showers, when we finally got one, were almost spiritual. You would stand just like you are now, trying to wash all the shit away even after you were clean.”
“We never really do come clean, do we?”
Ronnie took a towel off the pile and walked up to me. I looked down at her. “Turn around,” she said. I did, and she began drying my back. I had wrapped a towel around my waist.
The Chronicles of Benjamin Jamison: No More Lies (Book 3) Page 22
