My hands trembled, icy with nerves and blood-tinged water.
When Skidmark’s voice sounded in my ear, I twitched so violently I nearly knocked over the bucket.
“Karma’s just walking up to the west door,” he informed me. He hesitated, and I thought I heard a smile in his voice. “So, a granddaughter? How old?”
“You can’t know about her,” I growled. “Nobody can. It could cost her life.”
His voice went as cold and flat as Hellhound’s had been. “Who wants to kill her? Tell me.”
A shiver trickled down my spine. Emphysema or not, I wouldn’t bet against Skidmark if it came to a fight for his granddaughter’s life.
“Later,” I promised as I dragged myself to my feet. “When I can talk to all of you together.” I grabbed the bucket and pitched the bloodied water out the broken window just as Karma strode in and crouched beside Nichele.
“Lucky she’s small,” he grumbled. “I’m getting too old for this.” He hoisted her into his arms without visible effort and stood. “Cover us.”
I nodded and drew my Glock, my heart rate accelerating at the thought of leaving the bulletproof concrete.
Karma was already striding out into the main hall. I hurried after him, scurrying ahead to open the door for him only to wonder if I should go through first just in case.
I compromised by bumbling out beside him and nearly tripping us both.
Outside, the moon was obscured by gathering cloud. A chilly breeze cut through my damp jacket. Shivering, I limped beside Karma trying to look in all directions at once.
“Wait,” I whispered.
He halted and I switched to thermal-only, scanning while I turned a full circle. I drew a breath of relief when no heat signatures appeared and switched back to night vision.
“That’s not regular night-vision is it?” he inquired with interest.
I wasn’t sure if it was classified technology or not so I muttered, “Mm,” and started walking again.
“So Moonbeam was right; you do have a very high security clearance,” Karma said. “You have some fascinating toys.”
“Yeah. Sorry I can’t share.”
“So am I, believe me.”
We walked on for a minute or two before I stopped for another scan. Karma let out a breath and lowered Nichele to the ground.
Crouching beside her, he massaged his shoulders and muttered, “I really am getting too old for this.”
“What, for sneaking around in the woods killing armed men with your bare hands half the night and then toting unconscious women around for the rest of it?” I inquired lightly. “Yeah, you’re such a feeble old man.”
His chuckle turned into a long exhalation as he reached for Nichele again. This time his straightening didn’t look quite so effortless.
“Let me help,” I offered. “I can take her feet…”
“No; one of us has to cover.” He hefted Nichele higher in his arms with a grunt. “Unless you can carry her by yourself. With a bad ankle.”
I sighed. “Sorry. No.”
By the time we reached Nichele’s tent, sweat was pouring down his face and his panting was audible several paces away. He dropped to his knees beside her cot and lowered her into it, then braced both hands on the edge of the bed with his head hanging, the muscles of his shoulders trembling with overuse.
“Sit for a minute,” I urged. “I’ll get you a drink of water.”
“No.” He inhaled as though gathering himself for the effort, then rose slowly to his feet. “I have to get back to Moonbeam. Stay here and protect Nichele until Skidmark sounds the all-clear. Then meet us in our tent.”
I reached for his hand and squeezed it. “Thank you.”
Karma smiled his usual smile, but his eyes were weary. “You’re welcome; and thank you for giving Moonbeam a reason to fight another day. She pretends hard, but…” He sighed, the wrinkles on his face deepening. “None of us are young anymore.”
I grimaced sympathy, and he ducked out the tent flap.
My ears straining for any movement outside, I rooted through Nichele’s giant suitcase and found her silk pyjamas. As I wrestled her inert body into them, I discovered exactly how many of my muscles were protesting the night’s activities. Groaning quietly, I stretched and massaged my neck and shoulders before returning to my task.
At last I had her tucked in, her precious shoes under the cot. I was straightening clutching my aching back when a fusillade of shots froze me in place.
Chapter 38
My knees collapsed and I sat on the floor of Nichele’s tent with a thump that jarred every sore muscle I owned. Holding my breath, I waited for more shots.
I was sure that had been a three-shot burst from an assault rifle. Maybe some pistol shots. From the other side of the commune, in the direction of the bridge.
Oh God, oh God…
Sparkling blackness at the edges of my vision convinced me to suck in a breath and drop my head between my knees until the light-headedness passed.
Straining outward with every psychic feeler I could imagine, I tried to sense Kane and Hellhound. Surely I’d feel it if one of them was hurt.
Surely I’d know if one of them was d…
Don’t go there.
My hand hovered over my pocket.
Should I phone?
What if I phoned at exactly the wrong moment, distracting them in a life-or-death situation?
Which one was I willing to risk?
Paralyzed, I did nothing.
One of them would phone.
The gunman couldn’t have gotten them both.
He couldn’t have…
“Last hostile down.” Skidmark’s voice sounded in my ear like angel trumpets.
“Are John and Arnie okay?” I demanded.
“Unclear. Kane probably is. Rand’s too out of it to report. I’m guessing Kane found him under the bridge and took his earpiece. Kane reported in but I couldn’t respond to him without blowing my cover. He said the last guy was down, but that was all he said before he realized he wasn’t getting a response.”
“I’ll call him.” I fumbled a phone out of my pocket and pressed the button, but the screen was dark and dead behind its cracked face. “Shit, I fell on that one…” I dug out the second. “Shit!”
“What’s wrong?” Skidmark asked.
“I broke both phones when I fell off the roof. I must have landed on them.” I probed gingerly, wincing. “That explains the massive bruise on my butt.”
I dragged myself to my feet, my insides wobbling with the fear of what might have happened. “I’ll go to the bridge-”
“Negative,” Skidmark interrupted. “I’m giving the signal to Aurora and Zen to bring the members back from the field now. They’ll come via the south where there are no bodies. Lucky everybody goes straight back to bed or to the kitchen after a night Calling, so that’ll give Kane and Helmand time to pick up the rest of the bodies. We need to spread a cover story about the broken window and blood in the kitchen, and then we need to debrief right away. We’ll only have a short time before Kane and Helmand get the bodies delivered and come back, and then you’ll need to debrief with them.”
“But I’ll just check on them…” I began.
“Negative!” His voice softened. “Look, I know you’re worried but our timing is down to the wire here. I need you to talk to any members you encounter and I’ll do the same on my way over. The story is that a buck and doe spooked out of the woods because of the fireworks and jumped through the kitchen window. Moonbeam cut her arm trying to head them back out the door. If anybody sees blood in the forest, it’s because the deer got cut on the glass and ran. Clear?”
My mind went back to the innocent solemnity of the children’s faces.
I drew a deep breath and locked my fear away. I couldn’t change what might have happened by the bridge tonight. And both Kane and Hellhound would want to protect the children at any cost.
“Okay. Meet you at Moonbeam and Karma’s
tent then,” I agreed.
Turning a slow circle in Nichele’s tent, I surveyed it for anything that might give away the night’s events. Her bloodstained clothes went into a bundle with Moonbeam’s gory blanket. I blotted her hair one more time before bundling up the tea towel as well, hoping her hair would be dry enough to pass inspection by the time she woke up.
Leaden fatigue gripped me, and I forced myself to double-check. Then triple-check. At last, hoping I hadn’t missed anything, I stuffed my night-vision headset into my pocket and the blanket-bundle under my arm and went out.
I had gotten as far as the main path when I spotted the first of the flashlights bobbing toward the encampment. I drew a long breath and marshalled my acting skills.
Aurora’s penetrating voice carried clearly on the damp air and my heart sank. Damn. I’d been hoping to meet a member I didn’t know so I could just drop the information and retreat.
No such luck.
“Storm!” Aurora’s flashlight inspected me from head to toe. “What happened? Is that blood on your jacket?”
Goddammit, I knew I’d been forgetting something. My jacket looked as though I’d been working in a slaughterhouse.
I suppressed a shudder at the truth of that and plucked at the darkening stains, trying for a rueful smile. “Yeah, but don’t worry, it’s not as bad as it looks. A couple of deer got spooked by the fireworks and jumped through the kitchen window. This is partly their blood and partly Moonbeam’s. She cut her arm on the broken glass when she was trying to get them out again.”
“Oh, dear, I hope she’s not hurt too badly…” Aurora trailed off and her smooth brow furrowed. “What were you doing in the kitchen? Why didn’t you come to the Calling? And where’s Nichele?”
“Uh…”
My fatigue-dulled mind ground into motion. If you can’t come up with a decent lie, tell the truth. Or part of it…
“Nichele’s in bed. I tried to wake her up for the Calling but she sleeps like a log. I got her halfway out of bed but she just kept falling back to sleep.”
“Oh…” Aurora dropped her gaze, and I could see the colour rising in her cheeks even in the reflected glow of the flashlight. “Oh, dear. That might be my fault.”
“Huh?” Too exhausted to take advantage of this stroke of luck, I stood dumbly waiting for an explanation.
“We had a little celebration. After her presentation went so well tonight.” Aurora gave me a shy glance as though expecting a reproof. “We… well, I sneaked some of Skidmark’s pot and we smoked a joint together. I didn’t think it would hit her so hard.”
“Oh.” I did my best to suppress a smile. “Well, that explains it, then. Anyway, don’t worry about the blood and broken glass in the kitchen. It’s nothing serious.”
“Thank you, Storm. And I’m sorry you missed the Calling.” She flung her arms around me. “The blessings of the Earth Spirit are upon you.”
Her clear eyes and bright smile brought a lump to my throat. This was what we were protecting. For this, the nightmares would be worthwhile.
“And upon you, too,” I said, and gave her an extra squeeze. “Goodnight, Aurora.”
“Goodnight, Storm. I’ll go and clean up the kitchen now so nobody gets worried.”
I drew a breath of relief as she hurried away, apparently forgetting that I hadn’t explained what I’d been doing in the kitchen in the first place.
Mission accomplished.
I limped toward Moonbeam and Karma’s tent, stumbling painfully over roots in the path. After spotlighting me on the roof like a second-rate karaoke singer, the fucking moon had completely hidden its face now that I could have used its light.
I could barely make out the pale ribbon of gravel on the path. My waist pouch and backpack with their respective flashlights were still in the control room where I’d forgotten them in my dash to rescue Nichele, and I didn’t dare use my night vision with the commune members still moving around.
Right on cue, a drizzle began to dampen my hands and face.
Fine. Just fucking fine.
I plodded on.
At the tent, I scratched lightly and called, “It’s Storm.”
Karma’s warm bass bid me to come in, and I ducked in through the flap, drawing an involuntary breath of relief at the welcoming glow of their fat candles.
“Oh, good, more blankets,” he said.
“You probably don’t want to use these,” I warned. “They’re full of blood.”
“They’ll be fine for this. We’ll wash them in the morning.” Karma relieved me of my load and busied himself tucking the bundle behind Moonbeam to prop her comfortably in their bed.
“Merciful Spirit, Karma Wolf Song, stop fussing,” she protested. “I’ve been hurt much more seriously than this.”
“Yes, and I want to make sure this doesn’t become more serious,” Karma replied.
“Shouldn’t she go to the hospital?” I asked. “I’m no doctor but I’m pretty sure a cut that size should be stitched.”
“And it will be,” Moonbeam agreed. “Karma Wolf Song has a great deal of experience at suturing. He handles all but the most serious medical events here at the commune. Skidmark is bringing the medkit from the control room.” She frowned at me. “You poor child, please sit. You shouldn’t be putting weight on that ankle and you look utterly exhausted.”
“Sit on the table,” Karma said. “I’ll have a look at your ankle right now.”
Too tired to argue, I hauled myself atop the table and sat with my legs dangling while he carefully removed my boot and examined my ankle. After a few moments of wincing on my part, he had just finished declaring it a strain when a scratch at the tent flap announced Skidmark’s arrival.
When he came inside, the stench of pot smoke nearly strangled me.
“Jesus,” I choked. “Do you have to smoke that shit? It’s fucking disgusting.”
He grinned and tucked the extinguished butt into his pocket. “Yeah, actually I do have to. I met some of the members on my way over. It’s part of my cover.”
“But now?” I protested. “Seriously, you were giving us tactical directions while you were stoned out of your mind?”
The three hippies exchanged a conspiratorial look before they burst out laughing.
I stared at them for a moment, then sighed and gave in. “Okay, what’s the joke?”
Skidmark tapped the pocket that contained the half-smoked joint. “This is extra-special shit. I’ve been developing this variety ever since I got here.”
“Well, it sure smells like extra-special shit,” I agreed sourly.
Skidmark withdrew the roach and held it up as though exhibiting a precious artifact. “It’s not the smell. It’s the THC content. The psychoactive part. This is damn near my life’s work.”
“Oh, great,” I growled. “I can’t tell you how pleased I am to know you were extra-high while you were guiding us between bullets.”
“Not extra-high.” He smirked. “Extra-sober. I’ve bred the THC right out of this shit. You’d get a better high smoking a chunk of rope.” He bestowed a kiss on the joint and tucked it back in his pocket.
While I was staring at him open-mouthed, Moonbeam added, “Skidmark works very hard to determine everyone’s hot buttons and secret prejudices by making inflammatory remarks and antagonizing people whenever possible. That helps us determine whether we’re dealing with simple narrow-minded prejudice or borderline psychosis. The stoned-hippy image helps mitigate their reactions; though it’s not always successful.”
“Almost always,” Skidmark objected.
“Except for those times when you get beaten within an inch of your life and spend a week in the hospital,” Moonbeam countered disapprovingly.
Skidmark waved an airy hand. “Only because I let ‘em. And that only happened once. Or twice.” He narrowed his eyes at me. “That’s how I pegged you for law enforcement. If two guys are getting ready to fight, most women won’t go near ‘em unless they’re in love with one of ‘em.
When Ratboy came at me, you jumped toward us instead of backing away. You were gonna break up the fight.”
He winked and buffed his fingernails against his chest. “’Course I figured it was just because you were in love with me.”
“Uh-huh,” I agreed, deadpan. “It was all I could not to jump you on the spot.”
“You could do worse, dear,” Moonbeam assured me with a fond look at Skidmark. “He’s an expert lover. And his testicles are definitely larger than lima beans.”
“Too much information!” I threw my arms around my aching head in a desperate attempt to ward off the mental image of a naked Skidmark. “Too much! Too much!”
Skidmark leered cheerfully at Moonbeam. “Kids. They always think they invented sex.”
Karma eyed them both, smiling. “All right, you two. Time to get serious. We don’t have much time. Skidmark, pass me the medkit.”
Skidmark handed over the plastic-wrapped bundle he’d carried in, and Karma opened it to spread a sterile pad under Moonbeam’s arm. A syringe and suturing materials were laid out next, and I transferred my gaze to the ceiling of the tent.
“I think I managed to keep your cover intact,” I said. “Will you do the same for mine?”
“Of course,” Karma said immediately, and the others echoed his assent.
“What about Orion… Rand?” I asked. “Can we trust him?”
“Yes, we think so, dear… ouch!” Moonbeam protested.
I didn’t look to see what Karma was doing to her arm. I’d seen more than enough already.
“We checked him out pretty thoroughly before we revealed ourselves,” Skidmark agreed. “He’s got an exemplary record and high security clearances. Bit of a pretty-boy ego, but it doesn’t seem to keep him from getting the job done.” He wheezed laughter. “That reminds me, I have to go visit him in the hospital. He owes me another fifty bucks. He bet me he’d have you in his bed by now.”
“Mm. A little overconfident,” I murmured, opting not to reveal how close it had been. “Ask him not to mention me to Five Eyes.”
“He won’t,” Skidmark assured me.
Spy High Page 31
