Depths of Blue Page 23

  Torrin raised her hand to the side of her head and encountered a tender lump that rose out of her temple. This one did its best to live up to the term “goose egg.” Even the gentlest touch sent more pain lancing through her head. She snatched her fingers away, stood, crossed the room and checked her reflection in the small mirror over the room’s sink. A large purple knot swelled from the side of her forehead.

  “That’s just great. But until the headache is gone, I won’t be meeting with anyone, especially not your precious Central Command.”

  “The general made it clear that he wanted to see you as soon as you were awake.”

  “I’m not entering into negotiations when my head is ready to split open. For all I know, this entire episode has been one long hustle for you people.”

  Smythe smiled faintly. “That’s a little paranoid, don’t you think?”

  “Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean you’re wrong.” Torrin fixed him with a level stare. “You haven’t exactly given me much reason to trust you.”

  “I see your point. I’ll find some painkillers for your head, then we can go to the general.”

  Torrin carefully inclined her head and seated herself on the edge of the bed while the lieutenant called out the door for a nurse. She closed her eyes against the glare of the lights and listened as Smythe carried on a quick, hushed conversation, then closed the door. Torrin cracked open an eye when a few moments later the door was opened by a woman in an unfamiliar uniform.

  “Thank you, nurse,” Smythe said and took the offered pill bottle. The woman curtsied and left with alacrity, tossing a scandalized look back over her shoulder at Torrin. “Here you go.” Smythe handed Torrin a couple of pills. She waited while he poured a cup of water at the sink before handing them to her.

  “So tell me about the stim pills your people take,” she said, before dropping the pills into her mouth and tossing back the water.

  “There isn’t a whole lot to tell,” Smythe said, a little disconcerted by the sudden change of topic. “Many of our soldiers take them while on assignment, especially the ones who venture behind enemy lines. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you how dangerous it can be to sleep while in enemy territory. Most of the men only take them for a few days. When taken for too long there is the danger of side effects. I take it that Sergeant Stowell was taking them while rescuing you from the Orthodoxans.”

  Torrin nodded. “Side effects? Jak mentioned that he’ll probably need to sleep for a few days once he stops taking them.”

  “That’s true, though the need for sleep is only one of the side effects he needs to worry about. Did he take them the whole time he was with you?” At Torrin’s nod, Smythe’s face grew grave. “The stims can have grave consequences in immune system response.” At the puzzled look on Torrin’s face, Smythe explained. “He could become gravely ill. He’ll be susceptible to almost any pathogen. If he ends up sleeping for a number of days, then he most likely won’t be exposed to anything. He should be all right, but he’ll have to be extremely cautious.”

  Torrin fiddled with the collar of her jacket while she digested Smythe’s explanation. She would need to make sure that Jak wasn’t exposed to anything, but how? He could be infuriatingly stubborn.

  “How’s your head?”

  She shook her head experimentally and was relieved to feel almost no pain. Nor could she tell that the medication was dulling her thought processes. “I’m good. Let’s get on with this.”

  “Excellent. The general’s been anxiously awaiting this opportunity.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  Colonel Wolfe sat across from Jak, eyeing her intently. Elbows planted on the table, he watched her over steepled fingers. They were in the inner room of a large office. Papers were strewn about, and a huge monitor dominated most of one wall. The small conference table would have comfortably seated six, though by the chairs in the corners and along the wall, it looked like the room had hosted meetings for as many as eighteen.

  “Torrin Ivanov will not be put to death. The entire trial was put together to prevent Orthodoxan spies from discovering our real intentions.”

  This was the opposite of what Jak had expected to hear, and she released a pent-up sigh of relief. She straightened and did her best to reassume a mantle of indifference, though she suspected it was too late. “That’s good, sir. I didn’t drag her across half of Orthodoxan territory just so you could kill her.”

  Wolfe chuckled. “That’s certainly one way of spinning it.” He watched her knowingly. “You have feelings for the woman, don’t you?”

  “No, sir!” Jak burst out. “I don’t like having my hard work wasted is all.” Her anger at the accusation was transparent, even to her.

  “It’s all right, Stowell. She’s one damn fine-looking woman, but you’re probably barking up the wrong tree.”

  “Sir, the only interest I have in Ivanov is what she can do for the war effort.”

  The colonel looked unconvinced but didn’t push her any further. “Regardless, you will be instrumental to her insertion back into enemy territory.”

  “Sir?”

  “She will need to return to her vessel, which lies deep behind Orthodoxan lines. Of all the men, you are best acquainted with that territory. I want you involved in the planning of the operation to return her to her ship.”

  “Got it, sir.”

  “It’s also of highest importance that no one knows who she is or why she’s around. You and one other will know her true identity. Captain McCullock is the other, by necessity, though for no other reason.”

  “McCullock, sir? He hates me.” Jak didn’t see the wisdom of that choice at all.

  “Yes, he does.” Wolfe furrowed his brow. “What did you do to piss him off, anyway?”

  “Me, sir? Nothing! Wish I knew, but I can’t think of anything.”

  “It doesn’t matter. You might not like him, nor he you, but he’s a good soldier and an excellent intelligence officer. He won’t jeopardize the mission. He’s also the only one of the group who’s been vetted and who we know for sure isn’t an Orthodoxan spy.”

  “You seem awfully worried about spies, sir. Is there something I should know?”

  The colonel ran a hand through his hair. The gesture betrayed weariness and deep concern. “The Orthodoxans have been a little too good at pinpointing their raids recently. They’ve been striking too often where we’re weakest. We’ve also had a number of sniper groups and lone operatives disappear on their side of the lines.”

  “We always have people disappear, sir. It’s part of the job. We all know the risks.”

  “They’re disappearing with alarming frequency. Somebody is feeding the Orthodoxans sensitive information. I’m sure we’ll find the source eventually. For now, we need to get Miss Ivanov off the planet safely before the Orthodoxans figure out what we’re doing.”

  Jak snapped off a sharp nod. She’d had no idea the situation was so dire. They didn’t hear much from other outposts and camps. Each camp was fairly isolated unless it was involved in an operation that required personnel from multiple camps. There had been very few of those lately. It made sense with what Wolfe had told her. There was no point in launching a large operation if the enemy knew it was coming. That would only accomplish getting a lot of their own soldiers killed.

  “You can count on me, sir. I’ll make sure we get her home safely.”

  “Excellent.” Wolfe grinned. “We’re going to let the insertion team know that she’s an assassin whose target is a top Orthodoxan general or maybe their president. We haven’t decided which one yet, but we’ll hash the details out when you start planning. Ostensibly, you’ll be taking her across the border to get her in place to launch the attempt. At that time, you’ll both head for the ship instead.”

  “Sounds good, sir.”

  “Also, no one will know that she’s female. We’ll be disguising her as a man. With her height, it shouldn’t be too difficult. We’ll just need to convince her to shear o
ff that hair and strap down those gorgeous breasts. It’s a shame. She’s quite the looker. If I thought I had a chance, I might see if I could catch her eye.”

  At least she was uniquely qualified to help with that, Jak thought. Wolfe had no idea how apt their decision was; she struggled to keep her surprise off her face. Wolfe continued to wax eloquently on Torrin’s charms in gradually more graphic terms.

  “Is there anything else, sir?” Jak cut Wolfe off when he began a paean to Torrin’s ass. Now that she was paying attention to what he’d been saying, a slow anger grew inside her. Torrin wasn’t some piece of meat to be ogled. She was a beautiful, amazing woman with more fire and spirit than any ten men she knew. Combined.

  “Almost.” Wolfe cut himself off and came back to reality. “We will be televising Torrin’s ‘execution’ in a few days’ time. Don’t fly apart again when you see it. Or at least, try not to be overcome by righteous indignation at us wasting the opportunity you dropped in our laps.” He winked at her.

  Jak smiled ruefully. “Understood, sir. I’ll do my best.”

  Wolfe gestured at her in dismissal. “Off with you then. You have plenty of work to do.”

  Jak stood and saluted, then left the room, her mind spinning with the irony of the situation.

  * * *

  Sweat dripped from Torrin’s brow, and she ran a hand across her forehead to keep it from running into her eyes. She’d been locked in negotiations with General Callahan for an hour already. He seemed so affable, but beneath the genial surface lurked the mind of someone with the business acumen of a corporate raider. She knew she was more than up to negotiating with him, but it hadn’t been easy. Though if he’d expected her to be rattled by the trial and death sentence, he must be disappointed. Her very real anger at the whole charade had lit a fire under her that his charm wasn’t up to quenching.

  They were alone in his office. It wasn’t as large as she’d expected for the supreme commander of the entire Devonite military. It was unlikely that he spent a whole lot of time in there. He must be constantly busy with meetings and other important functions. While nicely appointed, the room was impersonal and held a faint aura of neglect.

  At the start of their negotiations, he’d been sitting in the chair behind his desk, but that hadn’t lasted long. Callahan seemed incapable of staying still, and he paced back and forth behind his desk as he explained to her at length, again, why her price wouldn’t work.

  “This is what it comes down to, General,” Torrin answered calmly. She lounged back in her chair and put her feet up on the corner of his desk. She exuded relaxation but resting her feet on the desk was a calculated insult. “You want what I can provide and I deserve to get paid for the trouble I’ll be going through to get it. This doesn’t even start to cover the trouble I’ve been through to get to you, not to mention the insult of that trial.”

  “You can’t expect us to just give up generations of research into cybernetics, Miss Ivanov.”

  “Why not?” Torrin raised one eyebrow in question. “You know I won’t sell it to the Orthodoxans. I won’t be dealing with them ever again.” She scowled as she felt Hutchinson’s fetid breath along the side of her neck and shook her head to dispel the phantom sensation. “You have no market offworld, and even if you venture back into the galaxy once your dispute with the Orthodoxans has concluded, it will be decades before you’ll have the capabilities to do so. By the time you get offworld, I’m sure you will have surpassed the technology you’re about to give me.”

  Callahan eyed her dubiously, still pacing. His stance was starting to weaken, she could tell. Time to go in for the kill.

  “Look, General. I’m not interested in researching or developing on what you’ll be giving me. I just want to be able to patent and sell what you’ve already developed.” She placed her feet back on the ground and leaned forward, clasping her hands together on the desk. “By the time the Haefonians are ready to reach for the stars again, there will already be a market, and you’ll be primed to bring in top-of-the-line enhancements.”

  The general glanced at the ceiling and then back at her. “You make some valid points, Miss Ivanov, but when it comes to business, I don’t trust you farther than I can throw you.” He moved behind the desk and placed his palms on the surface, leaning toward her. “I want you to sign a noncompete contract against that eventuality. When Haefen joins the intergalactic marketplace again, you turn the cybernetics market over to us.”

  Torrin chuckled. “My dear general, I can do you one better. When you break the surly bonds of your planet, I’ll sign over a controlling interest in the company that I’ll found using this technology. Your government will get a controlling interest. Say, fifty-one percent. I’ll keep forty-nine percent.”

  Callahan shook his head vehemently. “Absolutely not. That’s much too high a division. We won’t go for anything less than an eighty–twenty split.”

  “I’ll be putting in a hell of a lot of work into this. I won’t go for less than forty-five–fifty-five.”

  “Hardly. You’ll be doing work on the backs of generations of Haefonians. How about seventy–thirty?”

  “Tell you what. I’ll agree to sixty–forty, but only if you agree to let my company supply you when you’re ready to develop space travel again.”

  “You’ve got yourself a deal, Miss Ivanov.” The general extended a hand to her. Torrin grasped it, and they shook on the bargain. Callahan jerked open the door and barked to his assistant, “Get Lieutenant Smythe.” He walked back behind the desk and plopped himself into the chair.

  “That was exhausting,” he said and pulled open one of the desk drawers. “You are a formidable opponent.” He produced a glass bottle and two tumblers and splashed a bright blue liquid into each glass. Pushing one over to her, he leaned back in his chair.

  “Aren’t you breaking your own laws by entering into a contract with me?” Torrin asked, picking up the glass. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten that particular charge. Indecency for practicing business without male supervision? What the hell? That was even more insulting than the espionage charge.”

  Callahan lifted his glass to her and took a healthy swig. He grimaced and shook his head as the effects of the alcohol hit. “That’s a good year. And you’re absolutely right. The laws are going to have to change, aren’t they? I think we can manage to introduce legislation that pushes through the legalization of female-owned and -run businesses. While we’re at it, I suppose it might be good to introduce legislation making it legal for women to own property.”

  “You think?” Torrin asked sarcastically before sipping carefully from the glass in her hand. The liquid in the tumbler had quite a kick to it but was smoother than the blue whiskey she’d consumed in Hutchinson’s mansion. It felt like a few years had passed since that time, rather than a little more than one week.

  “This means we really need to crush the Orthodoxans. They won’t like this turn of events at all. It’ll really send them off the deep end.” Callahan guffawed and raised his glass again. “Confusion to the Orthodoxans,” he toasted, still laughing.

  “I can drink to that,” Torrin said, lifting her own glass in his direction and downing another swallow. They were interrupted by a knock at the door. Callahan’s assistant, a young clerk, stuck his head in.

  “Lieutenant Smythe is here as you requested, sir.”

  “Excellent! Send him in.”

  The lieutenant entered the room and took a casual look around the office. Torrin would have wagered her last centi-cred that his quick glance hadn’t missed a thing.

  “Looks like good news, sir,” Smythe said, indicating the mostly empty tumblers.

  “Very good news, Smythe,” Callahan responded expansively. “I need you to write up the terms of our agreement as we lay them out for you. Then Miss Ivanov and I will sign the contracts, and you will act as witness.”

  “Very good sir. Then Miss Ivanov and I can discuss the preparations for her return to her vessel.”

&nb
sp; “That would be great, Lieutenant,” Torrin chimed in. “I’ll do whatever I need to return to my ship.”

  Smythe smiled crookedly. “I hope you still feel that way after the details are explained to you.”

  “Of course I will. I’m up for pretty much anything at this point,” she said. “Why?”

  Smythe smiled enigmatically and set himself up at the table. Torrin and Callahan chatted amiably while the lieutenant replayed a recording of their negotiation and took down the pertinent points, entering them into his tablet. Twenty minutes later, the document was finished and had been perused and agreed upon. Smythe finished their contract and produced a small electronic device which he plugged into the jack in his left palm. Smythe passed Torrin the device. There was an oval indentation in one end.

  “By pressing your thumb into the reader, you’ll be agreeing to the terms of your bargain as negotiated with the general.”

  Torrin pressed her thumb down. She felt a twinge as her thumb was pierced and a small point of blood pooled into the device. The pain wasn’t unexpected. DNA was a common way of signing a legal document. Some places took it in saliva, others in blood. Smythe passed the device over to Callahan, who repeated the procedure. He took the device back, disconnected the cord from his wrist and reconnected it to the tablet.

  Torrin hadn’t forgotten her earlier question. Finally she pushed the tablet to one side and got in his face.

  “What aren’t you telling me, Lieutenant?”

  He looked back at her defensively. “It wasn’t entirely my idea, but it’s been decided that for your safety and ours, it’s best to disguise you as a Devonite soldier.”

  “Oh no,” Torrin said. She knew exactly what he was driving at. “No, no, no! You’re not cutting my hair.” Her hands flew protectively to the sides of her head. There was no way she was about to let these Haefonian assholes butcher her best feature. Short hair made her look looked rawboned and unfinished. She needed something framing her face, softening it.

  “Ma’am, it’s the only way this will work. You have to be absolutely unrecognizable as Torrin Ivanov, the offworld merchant.”