Aramis sat a little straighter and said, “Personally, I’m ready now. I’ll accept your assessment on whether you think I’m ready. But I feel prepared. If need be, I’d be okay swapping out with one of Cady’s people for a few days.”
Alex grinned. “I’d considered that, too. Well, then, Shaman?”
Shaman said, “I’ll want to keep checking him, but he seems sound on the whole. Endurance could be an issue, and that limp might slow him slightly, and, of course, we have had actual engagements.”
“So yes or no?”
“Yes. With the proviso I may need to pull him back if he shows signs of fatigue or injury.”
“Of course,” Aramis said. “But yes, I’m ready and eager to serve.”
“Jason?”
Jason extended a hand to Aramis and said, “Glad to have you back.”
Aramis smiled, so Alex did.
“Good, then let’s clear stuff up for Captain Das and get back to it.”
When they got back to their quarters, Elke was waiting, standing.
“Aramis, welcome back, my friend,” she said with a grin and a brief hug, standing a foot away. For her, that was close.
Alex caught her eye and said, “You look alert, what’s going on?”
“Our principal has friends.”
That was interesting. “What is special about these specific friends?”
“She talks to them. A lot. Too much, in my opinion.”
“Movements and meetings?”
“Yes.”
“So, we should suspect this is a potential leak.”
Jason said, “It breaks down into analyzing which information goes to whom, and cross-referencing to any incidents. Then to attempting to divert schedules further than we do to hinder attacks.”
Alex said, “Sure, but since we suspect elements in the military, local forces, local groups and BuState are toxic, who do we tell? I trust Das, but he has to forward intel to people we don’t trust.”
“Well, what do you have exactly, Elke?”
Elke took out her secure phone and played a recording.
Highland’s voice said, “… Yes, Wally, I’ll be speaking at the Mayor’s Forum, then trying to catch lunch with Mr. Huble. If you want to catch up here, fifteen hundred should be good. I’ll tell them to admit you.”
“Wally?”
Elke said, “Walton Blanding, former state senator for Maryland, North America, then lobbyist for Breeze Power, then advisor to the current SecGen’s Energy Minister.”
“What’s his connection to Highland?”
“He was state senator when she was on the Governor’s Council on Trade.”
Aramis said, “So this guy’s from the windfarm lobby, and she’s an orbital power proponent?”
Alex said, “Okay, Mr. Blanding just earned an investigation. I’ll also caution Highland about releasing information like that. I’m sure she’ll take it in the spirit in which it’s intended.”
Jason said, “In the meantime, just in case, I’ll plan to vary our routes more. That means not using the military assets we tried so hard to get.”
Bart said, “We will still use them, but only as decoys. A task they are well-suited for.”
Alex nodded, “We can improve safety en route any number of ways, but we’ll be fixed in place at the events.”
Jason said, “Also, just because, or even if, rather, he turns out to be the leak, doesn’t mean he’s a conspirator. He may be a patsy talking to someone else, or they may have him bugged.”
“Yes, but he’s certainly a likely source.”
“She’ll never believe you.”
“Of course not, but I’m required to try.”
“There’s more,” Jason said.
“Yes?”
“I’ve done some research.”
“Oh?”
“Yes. More that their rep didn’t offer, though he might not have had a reference, given what you asked of him, or he may not have thought it relevant.”
“Tell me.”
“She has two vocal opposition groups, and they do have records of violence, but most of it is petty and direct, not sophisticated and indirect. About ten years back, Power to the People tried to plant a bomb and got caught. You know them-exploit every resource and damn the environment. Then, Friends of the Environment has managed to hack her personal files twice.”
Alex said, “Amateurs then. Professional intel gathering isn’t that direct. And obviously we’re being observed, given what’s occurred.”
“Yes. Aramis and Elke were softer targets than the whole team. Also, it may have been intended as much as a psychological attack on us as an intel effort.”
He nodded. “Yes, if they can sow fear, they can exploit it.”
“We know what they can do. I really wish the hostiles had survived.”
“I know, Jason. But I don’t trust nonlethal force, they did present first, there wasn’t much time, and realistically, neither MilBu nor BuState was going to let us even question them. They’d have a moral win since they’d be jailed at best, walk most likely.”
“Yes, we sent a message and counted score. I support you completely. I’m just idly looking for better outcomes for next time.”
“You expect a next time?”
“Don’t you?”
“I definitely do.”
“Okay, we need to know who they have here, and try to follow assets, though we’re not placed for that. Do we risk asking Das?”
“I can take over the intel we have and ask.”
“Do it. We don’t need to keep it close.”
Jason said, “Just so we’re clear, we’re concerned about protecting her for the duration of the contract, not proactively being belligerents against anyone.”
“Right. If they bag her the day after we’re gone, that’s BuState’s problem. If we can scare them off meantime, that’s fine. Better, in fact, since any actual shootings will be used to build her up and attack us. If the word leaks we know who it is, the job gets done easier.”
“I see two problems,” Elke said.
“Yes?”
“First, we must be very sure we leak the right name, or we risk making things worse.”
“Yes. Second?”
“ ‘Easier’ means I don’t get to blow anyone into goo.” She frowned slightly.
“It’s a sacrifice you may have to make.”
“You are aware of my standard protest on this matter.”
“I am. Noted.”
He wasn’t sure if she actually liked killing people, or just liked explosions. She didn’t seem to have any qualms about either. She did limit collateral damage, though. Usually.
She added, “While it would be good to know who is behind each MO, all we really need to know is what the MOs are. We defend against those. We are only six, and not investigators.”
“Correct, but as we’ve found out previously, it’s useful to know who the threats are. Mr. Prescot was the only principal the company has lost, and we lost four friends with him.”
Aramis said, “So, much as I hate to know, what is the agenda for tomorrow?”
Alex figured that related to his captivity. He really didn’t want more info than he critically needed. That was
