Темное, кривое зеркало. Том 3 : След на песке

checking what would have been taken.

The G'Kar Files. Project Bermuda Triangle. It was the only thing of any interest stored there.

But very few people knew about that file, very few….

Unless this came from IPX themselves, but why…. or who…. or….

She realised just how quickly her thoughts had been running and she breathed out slowly, finally bringing herself to look at the one thing she did not want to look at.

For all that she wished to believe otherwise, there was no escaping it. A single glance showed her that Dan was dead. The shot had hit him point blank in the chest. There were traces of blood, but the wound had been cauterised almost instantly. He was dead.

Catherine swayed backwards and fell on to her chair…. where he had been sitting mere moments before. Her mind was reeling, but she forced herself to think.

Could this have been directed at him? He had a fair few enemies, that was certain. Maybe it was something he had been working on, something he had unwittingly stumbled upon without knowing it. Maybe….

Maybe she wouldn't have to hide somewhere else.

She wasn't crying, she couldn't. She…. she didn't know.

The G'Kar Files. It must have been.

Run. That was the only option. If this was connected to IPX then it was too big just for her. She needed help…. from somewhere. Had this been to find out what she knew? Then why the strange meeting earlier?

Stop thinking. She grabbed as much stuff as she could and fled. Time for thinking — and mourning — later. She needed help, and she knew where to find it.

* * *

Will you come to find me?

He looked around, puzzled. Everything was darkness. There was nothing to be seen or heard or felt.

Only her voice.

Will you come to find me?

He knew instantly whose voice it was.

Find me….

Will you follow me through darkness, through fire, past death and despair?

Find me…. please.

He picked a direction and began to walk. He did not know why he chose this direction rather than any other, but it seemed fitting.

Light engulfed him. A brilliant, dazzling light. He raised his hands. The light was hurting him.

There she was, chained as if set out for a sacrifice.

'I am lost in darkness!' she cried. 'Find me. I am here for you.'

And then they were…. around him. They were not in the light — they were the light. They spoke to him, and their words chilled him.

Follow us into darkness, into fire, past death and despair.

The darkness or the light. Choose.

'I…. I'm afraid of the darkness.'

Then do what must be done.

He knew what to do. There was a dagger in his hand. Perhaps it had always been there. He stepped forward and looked into her eyes.

'I am lost in darkness for you,' she whispered, staring at him. There was no fear, no accusation, only…. acceptance in her eyes. 'I came here for you. There was no other way.'

'I am afraid of the darkness,' he repeated.

'No,' she said softly. 'I am afraid of the light.'

Follow us.

He raised his hand. There was a trace of pity in Delenn's emerald eyes as Sheridan drove the dagger into her, killing her with one stroke.

Chapter 2

'Tell me, Miss Hampton, what is the current situation on the Sakai problem?' 'Everything is proceeding as you planned, sir. Her partner was killed, and Sakai escaped. We have her under surveillance, and she is currently heading for Dome Three.'

'Hmm…. is there any likely indication of why she is going there?'

'Little accurate information. Records do show that Miss Sakai has several friends and associates there. One in particular has some influence and a little power. A Miss Julie Musante. A former member of the Ministry for the Interior and currently a private lawyer specialising in interstellar commercial law….'

'Yes, yes, Miss Hampton. Thank you for your information. Maintain surveillance on Miss Sakai and inform our agents in Dome Three. Also…. establish a base of operations somewhere near Miss Musante's residence.'

'Yes, sir.'

The conversation ended and the man sat back, stretching out in his chair, the one item of luxury in an otherwise spartan office. 'You see, Mr. Zento. Everything is going according to plan.'

'I still don't see the point of this, sir,' replied a man many would identify as being one of the richest and most influential in what remained of the Earth Alliance. 'Surely we could have managed this with much less effort….'

'Oh, if it was just our own concerns involved, then yes, of course we could. But…. we are working on orders from a different source here, Mr. Zento, and they, for whatever reason, want Miss Sakai put through the proverbial wringer. We can only assume that their reasons are important and do as we are told. Everyone, Mr. Zento, answers to somebody, and I am no exception. Do you understand?'

'Of course I do, sir.'

'Good. I am glad this is going so well thus far. I had anticipated it being much harder. Oh well, sometimes the Gods smile on us. If not on others…. Wouldn't you agree?'

'I'm an atheist, sir.'

'Ah, that is a pity. One should always have something to believe in, Mr. Zento. Something to pray to, something to curse….'

'If you say so, sir.'

'Ah.' He fell silent. 'Ah,' he repeated, more sadly than before.

Both of them resumed their waiting.

* * *

'This is a beautiful place.'

Delenn looked at her companion thoughtfully. For all that Valen — or Jeffrey Sinclair — represented, she was still unsure of his status and her relationship with him. There was so much about him she simply could not understand, and was not sure she wanted to understand. He was a legend and a hero and…. now…. he was what?

'How so?' she asked softly.

It had been a long day, but with as much work done as she could reasonably cope with she had gone for a walk, feeling the light and the darkness of her new home. He had come across to her and joined her. No word had been spoken and none had been offered…. until now.

'There is hope here. A hope for the future. Something I have seen so rarely…. except in the last days of the war, and then only briefly.'

'But…. after the war, surely? There was hope then? A time for rebuilding and healing….'

'A time of hardship and betrayal. The war lasted so long, too many just did not know what peace was meant to be. The clans warred among each other for years afterwards. It took decades for the Grey Council to be accepted and even longer for a true balance of power to be struck. And then there was Marrain…. No, the war might have