“Then your interruption was justified. What can we do?”
“This is classified, not to leave this room. I’ll know if any of you break security.”
“Agreed,” they chorused routinely.
“One of our prisoners, someone whom I believe must have come in on one of Prosperity’s pods, is actually working directly for Zimor. She wants him extracted from the herd without blowing his cover. Then he’s to be sent to the Dessiwan Internment Facility for potentially useful prisoners. I have his rebriefing tapes and documents.”
The interrogator sat down at a desk and began pulling up data on a screen. “We don’t have the detainees geneprinted and tagged yet, but I have the list of names they’ve provided. What name is the spy using?”
“The cover name is Elias Kleef. Something of a high profile name in Imperial circles, I’m told.”
He is Zimor’s! And with that, she knew beyond all doubt that he was a Dreamer, Bonded to her cousin, Zimor’s Dreamspy. There was no other way that Zimor could have known to launch that message capsule days ago. In fact, it must have been sent while he was in Otroub’s pod, expecting rescue from Barkyr...and ignorant of the intended takeover of the planet as well as Kyllikki’s identity. But as soon as Elias knew, Zimor knew. It’s the nature of the Bond.
The implications tumbled over each other in Kyllikki’s mind, but her attention was called back to the pacing commander. “He’s a triple-five operative, uniquely valuable though not irreplaceable, but he works, as I said, directly for Zimor herself. There was no facial view with the data, and no geneprint, no way to pick him out.”
The doctor said, “We found Abtrel by just sending someone in to page her. Why can’t we do that with this Kleef? He wouldn’t have any reason not to answer the page.”
The commander paced. “My orders are to get him out without anyone noticing. Where is he now?”
The man at the desk read from the datascan: “He came in on Prosperity’s Pod Fifteen, and was judged healthy. He should be in Building Five-eighteen-A. I have an idea.”
“Well?” prompted the Master Coordinator.
“Make them answer roll leaving their buildings for the meal, and you and I will be watching Building Five-eighteen-A for Kleef; then in the dining hall, I’ll take Kleef out of the serving line with some medical excuse, and you can have him in space before they finish eating.”
“He’d still be missed,” observed Aarl.
The doctor said, “We’d planned to resort them into different barracks tomorrow, increase stress before questioning, but we could do that tonight after the meal. That way, everyone will have lost track of friends and family, and one missing person won’t be conspicuous.”
They reached swift agreement on the plan, and since they had so little time, the interrogator sent orders for Kyllikki to be taken to a cell, a converted walk-in storage closet with one tiny vent and a camper’s latrine package.
She let herself lose touch with the interrogator. She had to think. But one thing Kyllikki knew now. She had to escape. She had to steal that yacht and escape. She’d need Idom. Somehow the two of them had to capture Elias and get him to the Emperor. Elias was the only proof worth offering of the fact that Zimor was raiding the interdicted Dreamer’s planet, breaking the accord between Teleod and Metaji that had survived more conflicts than she could name.
If the Metaji Empire was really losing the war, this could turn the tide. This could be the weapon the Metaji needed. But only the Emperor could wield it. He’d have to find a way to convince the Eight Families to turn on Zimor. With Elias himself as proof, that wouldn’t be impossible.
But she couldn’t leave Zuchmul behind. She either had to destroy his brain so he’d be permanently dead, or take the stasis case with them.
Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.
Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».
Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.
Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.
