Dark Star (5 page)

Later, well after dark, he sought out Budjardin standing guard outside Pont’s villa. He’d already left a note for Cassie. She’d be pissed, but with the failure of the last vaccine testing he had no choice. Besides, it gave him an excuse for his other priority.

Budjardin nodded at him as he approached. A short tilt of the head. “You looking for Inja?”

“Yeah. He be here soon?”

The warrior glanced up at the cloud dark night sky. “’Bout ten minutes, I reckon. I called him soon as I saw you cure that fella. Figured on your course.”

They waited together in silence and soon a shuffle of fallen leaves signalled Inja’s arrival. He came out of the darkness like he was part of it.

“Another trip then?” Inja said. He was shorter than Budjardin, shorter than Pip, but stocky. His dark curls were pulled back by a sliver of copper wire and a tattoo marked his neck down one side. He carried a pack over one shoulder and Pip glimpsed the butt of a pulse pistol under his storm coat.

“Gun’s for you, if you want it,” Inja said as he handed Pip a coat.

“Might do. The bikes ready?”

“Parked out back.” Inja pointed with his chin behind him. “Got a jumper ready to get to the border, fit the bikes as well.”

Pip slipped on the coat as the warriors said something to each other in their language. Then they were off, Pip following Inja into the dark. This wasn’t the first time the Yalgu Warrior had agreed to go with him. For reasons of their own the Yalgu had taken to him, a handy fact Pip didn’t question, but one for which he was grateful. The protection of a Yalgu was a valuable thing considering who were hunting him, and it had paid him back many times already on the two previous trips he’d made. Without Inja he probably wouldn’t be as free as he was. And with his help, with any luck, they should be in Newperth this time tomorrow.

The slow beep of the medibot tracking her vital signs irritated Rosie’s throbbing head, but she kept feigning sleep and listened to the doctor moving around the room. She’d been too distracted by pain to observe properly where in the Enclave the medibay was, but she thought they’d taken her in through the cafeteria and through a door that led to a complex of rooms. She was guessing she might be in the operatives’ wing.

Rosie squinted through her lashes at her surroundings. She was on a bed set back against a wall, one in a line of four, the others all empty. A doctor was working on something at a bench across the room. On either side of him was all manner of equipment: medibots, surgical robots, trolleys stacked with a variety of tech and, in the centre of the room, several medical machines were suspended from the ceiling. Rosie couldn’t discern their use. The back wall on her right was entirely taken up by an enormous holo screen with a podium of a bio integrator nearby. It was a lot like the machine Cassie had used on her in Gondwana Nation to access her implant. Only this machine was larger and clearly more advanced. It had a flat bed under it, like an operating table, and the suspended orb that hung over the bed glowed a pale blue. Swirls of lights glinted inside it. Could that be what she needed for the implant?

The medibot beside her increased its beeping rhythm at her reaction and the doctor came over to her.

“Waking up, are we?” He was young with a regulation super short Helios haircut and a pudgy face that gave him a soft babyish appearance. Rosie grimaced with pain. Her entire body ached from the pulse, but at least this time it wasn’t burning so much. The last time she’d been shot, it had been by a Helios grunt and he must have used a higher stetting – or Hanto was a cleaner shot.

The doctor checked the medibot. “Quite a hit you took, wasn’t it?” He smiled without warmth.

Rosie pretended to say something.

“What?” He frowned. “I can’t understand you.”

She beckoned him closer. With a subtle scowl, he leaned over, so his ear was near her mouth.

“Please … do you think …” Rosie coughed, her voice hoarse and very quiet, prolonging the moment. “Can I have some …” She coughed again and carefully felt his coat pocket with the tips of her fingers. The telltale shape of his stylus was there.

“Speak up,” he said irritably. “What do you want?”

Rosie grabbed his coat lapel, pulling herself closer, taking advantage of his sudden flinch to slip her hand into his pocket and take his stylus. “Hungry,” she said. “Can I have some food?”

He pulled back, wrenching her hand away. “No, it’s against regulations.”

“Please.” She looked as pathetic as possible, which irritated him more.

“If you’re asking for food, you must be well enough to go back to your room.” He stepped around the bed checking the medibot again before unhooking it. “Your vitals are stable.” He glanced at her with distaste. “There’s no room for weakness, if you want to be an operative, zero. I’ll call someone to escort you.” He went back to his desk and activated the com.

While his back was turned, Rosie pushed the stylus up under her shirt and into her bra, wincing at the dull pain in her shoulder as she moved.

It wasn’t an operative who came to fetch her though. The doors opened and Alpha came in, his tread practically silent.

The doctor almost knocked a heap of equipment off his desk as he shot to his feet. “Sir, I was just–”

“Leave us,” Alpha said, without looking at him. “And tell the operative you’ve sent for to give me a minute.”

“Sir.” The doctor rushed from the room, giving the Enclave leader a wide berth.

Alpha waited until the door slid shut, then, hands in the trouser pockets of his impeccably cut suit, he regarded Rosie with a calmness that unnerved her. It was the first time she’d seen him since the cell, and his presence was frightening. He had regular features, the square jaw of a handsome man, but the predatory look behind his eyes made him hard, more killer than seducer. “And how are you, Miss Black? Alive I see.”

Rosie’s mouth had dried so much, she didn’t attempt to reply.

“An odd thing, your shield malfunctioning like that,” he continued. “Lucky for you, Hanto is cautious in his shooting. This could have ended very differently. Naturally, I came down here as soon as I heard. I care a great deal about those in my Enclave.”

“I’m sure.” Rosie found her voice and pushed herself upright, feeling far too vulnerable lying on her back.

He frowned in mock concern, putting out a hand. “No, don’t get up. I’m sure you are still in some pain.”

“I’m all right.”

“Yes, well, the medical team here is very good.” He walked a few slow steps around the room, his gaze touching lightly on the equipment. Rosie watched him, her heart rising into her throat, aware of the stolen stylus against her skin. “So, how are you settling in with the other zeroes?” He ran a finger over one of the machines. “Been making friends?”

“I didn’t think that was the point,” Rosie said.

“No, it’s not. The point is for you to stop pretending you came here because you suddenly believe in Helios and its goals. The point is for you to stop lying.”

“I never–”

“Stop. Do not speak.” He held up one finger and Rosie became still.

“Better.” He dropped his hand. “Now, I was disappointed by our earlier sessions on your arrival – the failure of the manacle to unlock that little device in your head. So I have been observing you this past week and your progression has been less than stellar. Now this …” His expression was disapproving.

“This was an accident,” Rosie said.

“Or a calculated way of removing yourself from further training.”

“I can still train.”

“Really?” He strolled around the machine towards her. “So you have not injured yourself to provide an opportunity to sneak around the Enclave in an attempt to hold fast to Riley Shore’s ideals of bringing Helios to its knees?”

“No.” Rosie’s insides dropped. She had to go on the offensive. “Why would I do that? I came because Riley’s gone, because I couldn’t see another way to change things. I told you when you put that manacle on me, didn’t I? I hate the way the world is, all the people dying of hunger and no water, the MalX, but no one can seem to fix it. Everything keeps getting mucked up. The UEC can’t even get a wormhole gate to the outer planets going and they sure can’t cure the MalX.”

“Not without our good friend Pip,” Alpha said, his dark eyes glittering.

Rosie’s breath was short. “No, not without him.”

“And is he the real reason you came here, Miss Black?”

She set her jaw. “I was promised if I came in, if I cooperated, that he would be safe, from the Senate, from Helios.”

“Only if you bring him to us. And you haven’t done that yet.”

And I have no intention of ever doing that, Rosie thought, not for you and not for Sulawayo. But he couldn’t know that. “I said I would make sure he helped with the MalX cure, not that you could have him here.”

“But what if that’s the same thing?”

“Then I guess we both lose. I’ve already given up enough. My freedom for one, my family. And Riley and his group are broken, we’re all scattered. What are you going to give up?”

Alpha stared at her for a long moment. “Sometimes, I almost believe you have the makings of an operative, Miss Black. You’re afraid of me, and yet, you challenge me. Perhaps we have a future.” He leaned closer. “Let me into that device in your head. I know Shore must have put a great deal of information on that.”

Rosie had to force herself not to flinch. “You’ve already discovered that it’s useless – too degenerated to get anything off it. I can’t access it.”

“So you say.” He tilted his head, his gaze leaving hers as if he heard something. He straightened. “We can continue this later.”

The doors opened and Sulawayo came in. She paused mid stride, her dark, fine features registered surprise. “Alpha?”

“Operative.” He turned to her. “Perfect timing. Escort Miss Black to her room, will you? Then come to my office.”

Sulawayo said, “I would but I’m afraid I have a transport waiting to take me back to Newperth and the Senate. I’ve been away more than long enough already, sir. I can’t jeopardise my position as agent there, surely?”

“Unfortunate, but no, I suppose you are right. You’re position there is too valuable, considering. I will meet with you at another time.” He nodded at her and left, the doors sliding shut behind him.

It was the first time Rosie had seen Sulawayo since she’d been released from the solitary cells a week ago, but Sulawayo gave no sign of being in the mood to tell her anything. Not that it would be smart with the surveillance listening to every word.

“Come on then.” She took Rosie’s arm. “Can you walk?”

“I’m fine.” Rosie slid off the bed, but as she did Sulawayo gripped her hand and, with a warning glance, pressed something small into her palm, closing her hand around it.

“Lean on me if you need to,” she said.

“I can walk.” Rosie pulled away from her.

“Fine.” Sulawayo led her at pace from the medibay, and Rosie had trouble keeping up with the woman’s long-legged stride. They went down a wide corridor, passing several closed doors which Rosie thought might be offices, but could just as well be training rooms. She saw other halls opening off it on either side. One of them must lead to a back door, but she really had no idea where she was until they made a sharp right and came to a metal iris. It spiralled open to reveal a short corridor, at the end of which, she could see the vestibule area between the cafeteria and the entrance to the operatives’ wing and the door leading to the courtyard. So the medibay
was
in a complex of rooms behind the operatives’ wing. At least she knew where it was now.

“Hurry up,” Sulawayo said as she noticed Rosie lagging behind.

They entered the vestibule and went through into the cafeteria and Rosie was surprised to see it was night. The caf was empty, except for a pair of operatives lingering over some drinks. The huge windows were dark, showing only wavering reflections of the two of them as she trailed Sulawayo to the opposite hallway and iris.

“You’ve missed dinner,” Sulawayo said briskly as she waited for the iris to open. “If you’re hungry–”

“I’m not.” The thought of eating made Rosie feel ill.

“Fine.” Sulawayo’s expression was unreadable. “Do you need to use the bathroom before lights out?”

Rosie hesitated for a moment, then realised that whatever Sulawayo had given her must need less surveillance for her to see it. “Uh, yes.”

“Good.” Sulawayo led her to the short corridor and stopped outside the door. “I will wait.”

Suppressing a weary sigh, Rosie went in and locked herself in a toilet, then opened her palm.

Sulawayo had given her a thin earpiece, curved like a tiny bean and the palest pink. Apprehensive, she placed it in her ear.

Immediately, Sulawayo’s cool quiet voice began speaking.

Meet me at the ruins. Midnight Friday
. Then she began to give her instructions on how she could get out of her room and the Enclave and how to circumvent the surveillance. The message finished and Rosie flushed the earpiece, making sure it dissolved. Friday was two days away. Two days to see what else she could find. “All right?” Sulawayo said when she re-emerged. “I will check on you when I return. Make more of an effort to fit in here and you will be rewarded, Miss Black.”

“If you say so.”

Sulawayo’s expression soured, but she said nothing else, leaving Rosie at the door to her room.

Gillian was lying on her bed reading from a digi book. She sat up as Rosie came in, eyes wide with concern. “You okay? I couldn’t believe it when they told us your belt had failed.”

“I’ll live.” Rosie sat on her bed. “Just a bad shield, I guess.”

“Yeah, well, lucky it was Hanto playing the hunter. Pria always shoots for the gut. You would have been well toasted.” Gillian reached for a hair band and tied her hair up. “They cancelled the rest of the game afterwards.”

“I heard,” Rosie said, but Gillian was grinning.

“Hey, you got us some free time, no complaining here. Was that Sulawayo who brought you back?”

“Yeah.” Rosie’s head was aching and her shoulder still felt hot and sore from the pulse. Every movement seemed to identify a new pain somewhere in her body. It worried her. It might be more than the pulse causing it. She pushed her pillow up against the wall and leaned back, closing her eyes. Gillian though, seemed in the mood to talk.