“What if it doesn’t?” Truelove asked.
“That’s why we work as a team. So we can lean on each other.”
“I wasn’t a lot of help back there, in the sewers.”
“Are you kidding me? If you hadn’t held that blob in place, I would never have had the chance to get Downer what she needed to finish it off. We did it together, Simon. It wouldn’t have worked without all of us.”
“It wasn’t enough to stop her…” He trailed off, but Britton knew what Truelove was picturing. Downer on the ground, her lower body twisted and bloody.
“That’s combat, Simon,” Britton said. “It’s messy and dangerous, even when things go off perfectly. It’s the business we’re in. Downer is alive because of you. Remember that.”
Truelove looked silently back at him, eyes grateful.
“I’m going to shower and get changed,” Britton said. “I’ll meet you at the OC, then we can grab chow?”
Truelove nodded. “I’m gonna stop by the cash first. That fight gave me a splitting headache. Lemme see if I can get a couple of aspirin first.”
Britton accompanied him, hoping to see Therese or Marty. They approached the hospital just as the flaps whipped open, a squad of MPs rushing through in helmets and body armor, carbines slung across their backs.
Struggling in their arms, hands zip-cuffed behind him, was a Goblin contractor. The squad dragged him away from the cash, long feet trailing in the mud.
Britton looked to Truelove, who shrugged. He turned to one of the orderlies, who was retrieving the tent flap from where it had snagged on one of the support poles. “What the heck was that?”
The orderly shrugged. “Entertech Goblin contractor. They busted him stealing from the cash.”
“What’ll they do to him?” Britton asked.
“Fire him, I guess,” the orderly replied. “He stole some kind of experimental medication from the Special Projects tent. You know Goblins. They’re hooked on sugar, caffeine pills, any kind of stimulant. It was only a matter of time.”
Britton’s stomach lurched. He turned to Truelove. The Necromancer had turned pale.
“They’re firing him,” he said. “Oscar, they’ll kick him out of the FOB.”
“So?” Britton asked.
“So,” Truelove answered, “he’s a collaborator. This base is surrounded by hostile tribes. He’ll be dead before he makes it twenty feet.”
Britton rushed through the flaps. He fumbled through the receiving area, pushing past several nurses who yelled at him, making his way to the urinalysis section. Marty was nowhere to be seen, but one of the Goblin orderlies recognized him and sat him on a folding chair while he disappeared. He returned a moment later with Marty in tow.
Britton gripped his elbow urgently. “I need to talk to you.”
Marty nodded and pulled Britton through the back of the tent and out into a muddy, but private section.
“Okay,” Marty said, his eyes huge with concern. “No anger. Okay.”
“It’s not okay,” Britton whispered fiercely. “That Goblin, you sent him? For the worm?”
Marty smiled.
“Thank you, Marty, but…”
“Thank you,” Marty interrupted. “I thank you. You help me first.”
“Marty, they got him. They caught him.”
Marty nodded. “Okay. He mine Logauk.”
Britton looked at him, uncomprehending. Marty tapped his eyelids, then put his hand behind his neck. “My Logauk. He mine…” He paused, searching for the word. “…my contractor?”
“He works for you?” Britton remembered the respect Marty commanded among the Goblin orderlies in the cash, how he had threatened the Physiomancer with a work stoppage.
“But they caught him! They fired him! Truelove says he’ll be killed!”
Marty shrugged. “Sorrahhad fight. No like Mattab On Sorrah. We help.”
“These Sorrahhad will kill him?”
Marty nodded. “Maybe he get home. Long walk.”
“Marty, thank you for trying to help me. But I didn’t want anyone to die. For me, it’s a big deal when someone dies…even when that person works for you. Even when it’s your…Logauk.”
Marty’s forehead wrinkled. “No understand.”
“Just promise me. Promise me that you won’t do anything else that risks getting someone fired. I can’t…I can’t have that.” He thought of the cop in Shelburne. He thought of his father.
“Forget the whole worm thing. I don’t care about it anymore. God! I was such an idiot. I should have said something before you sent him to…we’ve got to help your Logauk…do you know any…”
“Spending quality time with your boyfriend?” Britton jumped as Fitzy’s voice sounded from behind him.
“Got a little banged up in the training with Rictus, sir,” Britton said. “Ma…this contractor has a knack for helping me out after I’ve taken a drubbing. I use him following most of our MAC sessions. I’ve come to rely on him.”
“Come off it, Keystone,” Fitzy said. “I know this little piece of Goblin filth drinks with you in the OC every night. Do you think I’m stupid? I’ve allowed it thus far because I thought it might be good for you to learn a bit about the indig here, but I’m putting the hammer down now. No more fraternization. You know it’s not allowed, and I’m done looking the other way. I catch this pointy-eared little terrorist in the OC, and I’m gonna have all your asses for breakfast. That clear?”
Britton boiled, leaning hard on the Dampener to keep his surging emotions in line. He pushed past Fitzy, heading for the exit. Maybe there was still time to help the Goblin.
“Don’t even think about trying to help that little thief either,” Fitzy called to his back. “He’s been fired and turned loose. That’s all, no punishment. Even someone as softhearted as you should be pleased with that.”
“He’ll die out there, and you know it,” Britton said.
“Maybe he should have thought of that before he decided to get high off our supply,” Fitzy said, crossing his brawny arms. “Anyway, it doesn’t matter. He’s a quarter mile outside the wire by now. There’s no way you could find him if you tried. Let it go, Keystone. You told me that you’d made your peace with us, that you’re a company man now. I believe you. Tonight, you’re going to put your money where your mouth is.”
CHAPTER XXV: RAID
— Captain “Ridgebreaker” (call sign), Alleged mission prebrief
“Burning Man Incident,” Black Rock Desert, Nevada
At 0200, Britton opened his hooch door to see an electric cart idling, with Downer behind the wheel.
“Ready?” the girl asked him.
Britton nodded, rubbing sleep from his eyes. “What are you doing here?”
“Been working with Fitzy all morning. He said I could take liberty for the rest of the day if I came and got you. Apparently he’s got a recon gig for you,” she said.
He looked up at the sky, lit by the weirdly large moon and spray of stars. “You call this morning?”
Downer ignored him.
“You wanna drive?” She gestured to the cart and shrugged when Britton shook his head. “Good, I like driving.” She arched an eyebrow at him. “I am, after all, old enough.”
