Michael Williamson - When Diplomacy Fails…

Cady offered, “They might also try for us as a secondary target, getting them closer to her.”

Alex grinned. “That sounds almost vid. Would any of their people trust them?”

“They’d bring in second stringers,” Aramis said. “Other agents borrowed under the exigencies of the situation, from some bureau they don’t like as well.”

Jason remembered something from a year past and said, “Like the Nutrition and Medication people caught in that payoff scandal.”

Alex sounded unimpressed. “That would almost be obvious.”

Aramis shrugged. “Not to the typical vid watcher.”

“Yeah, I think you’re right. But it doesn’t matter who at this point. They’re not our concern, and in that particular case, the bastards have it coming.”

Cady said, “Right. Our concern is keeping us alive, her alive, and disabling their attack. That’s all tied for first. Anything else is second.”

Shaman said, “Assuming we do positively ID the threat, we cannot tell her. Nor discuss it meantime. Between her and her friend, and JessieM, we might as well flash a bulletin to the enemy directly.”

“Concur.”

“So we’re going to string along until almost the last minute, and try to bail before the hit happens, close enough that the attempt is made so we’re provably right.”

Elke said, “What could possibly go wrong?”

Alex said, “She’ll refuse to believe me. I’ll put fifty on it.”

“No bet,” she said, sounding sad.

Alex was quite sure his logical appeals to Highland would be a waste of time, but he was required to make an attempt. He looked at Cady.

“Highland is probably going to resist the idea. I’ll need backup from you later. For now, I need you to let us go.”

Cady said, “It would be better if you didn’t tell me this and just did it. But I understand. I’ll delay my people as long as possible. I’ll prep for interception later. Are we telling Corporate?”

“Eventually, by coded message. The one I sent today just tells them I’m about to go to earth. Meyer trusts me.”

Cady said, “He trusts you, while he swallows handfuls of stress relievers.”

“Yeah, well he has that luxury.”

“I’ll be ready. Good luck, Alex.” She smiled and offered a hand.

“Thanks,” he said, and shook.

Cady turned and left. He waited three minutes, then walked to Highland’s section. Aramis went with him, with a nod.

Leitelt and Branson were on duty, checked his name as a formality, and waved him in. He knew them by sight only. Cady had twenty-eight people now, in three teams.

JessieM received him first.

“Chief Marlow, how are you today?”

“Very good, Jessie, thank you. Is Ms. Highland busy?”

Jessie nodded her head toward the inner office. “She’s conducting a recorded interview. It should be done in a few minutes.”

“I have a security issue to discuss. We can wait.”

“I’ll ping her screen,” Jessie said, and swiped across her own interface.

Two minutes later, Elke, Jason and Shaman came in, looking relaxed and casual in sport shirts for local daywear. It was disarming camouflage for what they were about to do.

JessieM looked at them a bit quizzically, but monitored her screen and after a couple of minutes said, “You can go in now.”

“Thank you.”

He took one deep breath, knocked as a courtesy and pushed the door in.

“Good morning, ma’am. Thank you for seeing me again.”

“What can I do for you, Chief Marlow? I’m afraid I only have about ten minutes before my next call.”

“That’s plenty, ma’am,” he said. He stayed standing as he said, “The first item is that we know why the threats are escalating. They make you popular. The original intents seem to have been to embarrass you out of the race. Then they attempted to make you afraid. Then to make you look incompetent. At each level, though, your visibility and popularity increase. You’re the underdog. So now they’re concertedly trying to kill you.”

“That’s what you’re for, isn’t it?” She looked dismissive and almost gratified.

“It is. That is exactly what we are for. Which is the point of the second item.” He watched. She didn’t notice Aramis sidling back along the wall.

“What’s that?”

“We need to vacate this area now.” His voice was calm, but had that professional urgency to it.

“We seem to be perfectly safe and comfortable here,” she said, holding up her open arms. She seemed reasonable, but he expected that would change as soon as he took the next step.

“We may seem to be, but given the progression of attacks, I must consider more explosives to be a credible and expected threat.”

“Then deal with it. That’s what you’re paid for.”

“Yes, ma’am, we are, and my recommendation is to leave.”

She shook her head and turned to her screens, dismissing him with a flutter of fingers.

He tried again while motioning discreetly for the others. “Ma’am, whoever is trying to assassinate you are professionals.”

“That’s ridiculous, it’s some group of backward peasants.”

“No, they want it to look that way. Right now, we need to move, and we have to accept collateral damage.”

She looked up again. “I can’t have that with my poll numbers! It will end my campaign!”

“Ma’am, either you walk or Aramis stuns and carries you.”

She turned to see Aramis holding the baton centimeters from her.

“This is felony kidnapping!”

“Yes it is. Aramis.”

Aramis zapped her, she twitched, her eyes rolled back and fluttered, and she slumped into his grasp.

“That’s a nice perk,” he said, as he heaved her into a fire carry. Shaman reached over and sedated her. They both looked at JessieM, standing in the doorway, who shrugged.

“I will come along without being stunned,” she said, sounding very nervous and fragile.

Jason said, “Jessie, you’re probably safe if you stay here. You’re not Ms. Highland. On the other hand, they might decide to make you a sacrifice.”

“I’d like to come along,” she said. “I expect it to be scary, but my place is with Ms Highland.” She trembled as she spoke, but her voice was firm.

Alex still didn’t know why anyone was loyal to this bitch, but he respected her for it anyway.

He nodded, then said, “Jason, Elke, get us to the ARPAC. I much prefer any real allies be left alive.”

Jason kicked the door, Elke went through grabbing for something off her harness, and they all followed.

Jason ran as Elke did something. It was loud and pyrotechnic, but probably not actually lethal. He wasn’t sure if she enjoyed the hell out of that or hated it for not being potent enough. Still, they were unmolested to the vehicle. There had been some sentries and personnel around, but whatever Elke did had them all behind cover. He jumped into the driver’s hatch and hesitated.

It was good transport, and obvious transport, and that made him scared.

Elke apparently had read his mind.

“I did a multifrequency burn for detonators or links, no hits. I’m checking latches and seals now. Stand by.”

Oh, good.

“Safe to start,” she said, as Alex said, “We’re in, Elke on ramp, ramp up, roll.” There were thumping noises of gear. A glance back showed rucks and a crate, which probably had the jump harness.

He hit the igniter and nothing happened. That is, nothing bad happened. It fired as it should.

He heard and felt movement, and Elke’s hand thrust something past him.

“They won’t be needing this.” It was small and flat and looked like some kind of wire harness fastener.

“Explosive?”

“No, tracker. When we get a moment, I’ll stick it on some other vehicle.”