The Machinery Of Light Part 26

Where are we now?" she asks.

"Heading for the South Pole," says Szilard.

"You don't need to go aboveground to do that."

"Somewhere nearby, then."

"Prime real estate, huh?"

Jharek Szilard laughs. Unexpectedly, he sits down on the floor in front of her, folds his lanky body up in a movement that's almost sinuous. He gazes up at her.

"You're quite a woman," he says.

She looks at him without expression.

"Oh don't worry. My tastes don't run that way. Doesn't mean I can't express admiration for the girl around whom it's all spinning. Especially with all that art art you've adorned yourself with-" you've adorned yourself with-"

"Let's cut the bulls.h.i.t," she says.

"Who said it was bulls.h.i.t?"

"To you I'm just a tool." tool."

"Wrong. That's the mistake that Montrose made."

"Among others," says Haskell.

"And I took advantage of most of them."

"Do you have a back door to me?"

"No."

"Then how did you beat Montrose?"

"Never ask a magician to reveal his secrets."

"Control was your creature, wasn't he?"

"I suppose that's one possibility," says Szilard.

"There are others?"

"Stephanie started something she couldn't finish."

"Me."

"Exactly. She couldn't figure you out."

Haskell makes a face. "I've got the same problem."

"That's the way Sinclair set it up."

"And you really really think you can beat him?" think you can beat him?"

"Do I need to? If he's still alive, the Chinese have him."

"If that's so, that's only because he wants it that way."

"You think he's that that good?" good?"

"I think you need to stop thinking of him as human."

Szilard sighs. "Look, Claire, I get it. Okay? This war is mere veneer on the real war that's raging. And to seriously answer your question: I can't be sure of beating him unless I've got you. Will you help?"

"My answer makes no difference."

"Of course it does."

"You can't afford to let me go-ever. Nor can you afford to venture into my mind without the proper key."

"Let me get back to you on that," says Szilard.

Time to go," says the Operative.

"Just when I was winning," says Linehan.

They troop out of the rec room. They're all dressed as s.p.a.ceCom marines-as is virtually everyone else they pa.s.s in the halls. They start climbing ladders down to the shuttle bays.

"These guys are f.u.c.king with us," says Riley.

"You've said that already," says Linehan.

"Nothing wrong with restating the facts," says Maschler.

The three men are on their own wireless channel, with their own codes-ones that Spencer gave Linehan back in the day. He knows that there's a chance Carson or Lynx might have hacked the line. He wonders if they're using him to keep an eye on the other two. He scarcely cares. He feels that his grip on reality has been getting ever more tenuous these last two days. But that doesn't mean he's not up to playing a role.

"The facts are that neither of you guys is a razor."

"You ain't either," says Maschler.

"Which is why we're getting b.u.t.tf.u.c.ked by two men who are."

"Mechs are worth less and less every day," says Riley.

Linehan snorts. "So why the h.e.l.l did did Montrose detail two mechs to keep an eye on Carson?" Montrose detail two mechs to keep an eye on Carson?"

"What should she have done?"

"Use a f.u.c.king razor!"

"She did," says Maschler.

"The Manilishi was riding shotgun," says Riley.

"That didn't seem to work as well as your boss hoped."

"That's why she's not our boss anymore."

"And Carson is."

"Or Lynx," says Maschler. "No telling who's got the upper hand."

"I'd bet on Carson," says Linehan.

"You do that," says Riley. "We won't get in your way."

"Not when we've seen the man in action," says Maschler. "He was h.e.l.l on b.l.o.o.d.y wheels when that Elevator blew."

"You already told me," says Linehan wearily.

"It bears repeating," says Riley. "He's a f.u.c.king Houdini, and no mistake. We were fresh out of options and he found a way to get us high and dry."

"You think he'll be able to get us off this fleet?" asks Linehan.

Maschler laugh. "Himself "Himself off, sure." off, sure."

"Even when there's literally literally no way to do that?" no way to do that?"

"That's when the man's at his best," says Riley.

That is so so much bulls.h.i.t," says Sarmax. much bulls.h.i.t," says Sarmax.

"I wish it was," says Spencer.

"It's the craziest thing I've ever heard."

"I daresay you'll hear crazier before it's all over."

But while he replies to Sarmax, Spencer's keeping an eye on Jarvin. That's the reaction he's really interested in. He watches that man's face behind that visor, watches him mull over possibilities-watches his lips form the words- "What's your angle on this?" asks Jarvin.

"My angle's getting us off this ship."

"But this-what you're saying-it's insane- insane-"

"Does it hurt that I've gotten ahead of you on these files?"

Jarvin says nothing. Spencer decides that it probably does. He decides to rub it in.

"Take a look at what you're missing," he says, beaming data to Jarvin and Sarmax. Not all of it, of course. Just enough to make the point. He waits-counts to just shy of thirty seconds- "You got this from the files?" files?" says Sarmax. says Sarmax.

"No," says Spencer, "I used the files to get this."

"What kind of yarn are you spinning?"

"The best kind," says Jarvin. "He's right."

"You're convinced?" says Spencer.

"Doesn't mean I have to like it."

The shuttle's been pitching and yawing for some time, as though it's maneuvering through rugged terrain. Not being able to see where it's going makes for a disquieting experience. Haskell's relieved when the craft finally touches down. She feels vibration roll beneath her as whatever platform the shuttle's just landed on starts lowering. Ten seconds later, all motion stops.

Five seconds after that, there's a knock on her door. She doesn't know why they bother, but Szilard seems determined to keep up appearances. So far he's been the only one to show up unannounced. She figures she may as well humor them.

"Come in," she says.

The door opens. The marine who stands there won't meet her eyes.

"We need you to put on a suit, ma'am," he says.

"To go where?"

Hesitation-"The president awaits you."

The auxiliary hangar of the Spartacus Spartacus has several shuttles docked, several bays empty. There are a lot of mechanics and technicians. Lot of soldiers, too. Looks like someone's making last-minute rearrangements of the fleet's garrisons. There are five men in particular who aren't complaining. has several shuttles docked, several bays empty. There are a lot of mechanics and technicians. Lot of soldiers, too. Looks like someone's making last-minute rearrangements of the fleet's garrisons. There are five men in particular who aren't complaining.

"Let's go," says the Operative. He moves toward the shuttle door; the other four follow him. They give their IDs-a commando squad getting rea.s.signed. They get on board. The shuttle pushes back. The hull of the Spartacus Spartacus falls past, giving way to a spectacular view: the L2 fleet stretching away, ships slowly rotating in the sun. The Operative gets on the one-on-one with Linehan. falls past, giving way to a spectacular view: the L2 fleet stretching away, ships slowly rotating in the sun. The Operative gets on the one-on-one with Linehan.

"Was wondering if you had time for a quick chat," he says.

"Why not," replies Linehan.

They maneuver stealthily past more Chinese soldiers. There's still a lot of cleanup going on. Blood's literally getting mopped off the walls. They're well into the rear of the craft now. Spencer's mind billows out around him, gathering the whole ship under its sway. A hatch swings open.

"Let's go," he says.

She's in a suit that contains just the basics, being led along pa.s.sages of a place that could be virtually any lunar base. A few more minutes, and her escorts usher her through into a much larger room-possibly a quarter-kilometer across. It's a dome.

And what it contains used to be a garden.

"Jesus," she says.

It's been burnt all to h.e.l.l. Ash is everywhere. The skeletal remains of what might have been a forest jut here and there. Pieces of the ceiling hang like icicles, casting eerie shadows in the floodlights that have been set up by the marines standing sentry all around. Haskell's escorts lead her through a path in the ash. It seems like maybe it might have been a stream once, but there's no sign of water now. Up another hill of ash, and they reach what's left of a gazebo ...

Jharek Szilard stands within. Haskell's escorts stop just short, motion her forward.

Linehan stares out the window at the flickering lights.