Deadly Games

Metya sniffed. “I’m sure we can makeimprovements.”

Litya gave her sister a slit-eyed glare andshuffled a blank page to the top of her clipboard. She held it outto Basilard. “Can you write? I can read Turgonian, Kendorian,Kyattese, and Nurian.”

Which of those was her native tongue? He tookthe implements and wrote, I know him. What’s in it for me if Ican extract the information?

When he handed Litya the notepad, the othersister came over as well. Not a foot from Basilard, they bent theirheads together to read his message.

If he could grab one, spin her about, and useher as a shield against the guards’ firearms, maybe he could barterfor his freedom.

Before the thought had finished, a coolpistol muzzle pressed against the back of his neck. He sighed. Hewould have to find a better moment, one when the guards were lessattentive.

“Help us,” Litya said, “and we’ll let youwalk out of here when we’re done collecting specimens.”

Purpose of specimens?

“Nothing you’d understand,” Metya said.

“Stay focused,” Litya said. “Are you willingto cooperate for your life, or not?”

All these other people will die?

Metya shrugged.

“Not by our hands,” Litya said, “but ourcolleagues have more invasive experiments. Some of them preferfresh cadavers. However, you were something of a bonus. We’dalready collected our handful of chosen men and women.” She laid ahand on Sicarius’s bare leg and smiled.

Basilard shifted, uncomfortable with theentire situation and not certain how to read her. He had never hadmuch of a knack for perceiving when women were telling the truth,but going along would prolong his stay amongst the upright andun-drugged.

What about him? Basilard nodded toSicarius, then wrote, Will you let him go as well?

He wasn’t sure why he asked it. If Sicariusmet his death here, at the hands of these scientists, that would bea way to see the Mangdorian royal family avenged. It seemedcowardly to shy away from doing it himself, but if God had otherplans, why should Basilard interrupt?

“Well…” Litya started.

“No,” Metya said, throwing her sister a sharplook. “Why do you think we were trying to get him to show up at thestadium where we could snatch him? This is a long-term project, andthe bounty on his head will fund the latter half of our work. It’sfar more than we’re getting from our clients.”

“I wanted him for research,” Lityamuttered.

The speculative gaze she cast Sicarius madeBasilard wonder if this one had more than science in mind.

He wrote, Research for what?

“The main goal of our research is to-”

“Litya,” a male voice said from the corridor.Footsteps thudded, and Taloncrest appeared at the head of theaisle. “I know you’re a newcomer to our land, but here in Turgoniawe don’t explain ourselves to our captives.”

The guards shuffled aside to let Taloncrestthrough, and Basilard took note of the pistols no longer pointeddirectly at him. Unfortunately, people fenced him in on eitherside, so his odds of getting by were poor. Besides, where would hego? He had yet to glimpse a door to an upper deck on this ship oreven a porthole so he could see what lay outside. Footsteps soundedas other people walked in and out of the laboratory, and hesuspected there were far more people on board than he had seen.

“We’re not interested in adopting Turgoniantactics,” Metya said. “Your people aren’t known for theirnegotiating skills or anything else that doesn’t involvebloodshed.”

Taloncrest leaned against one of the tanks,apparently intending to watch. Though he carried no weapons beyonda utility knife at his belt, he towered over the women. Sensingthey would be less forthcoming with Taloncrest there, Basilardpointed at Sicarius and indicated he was ready to start.

Can you lessen his stupor? He doesn’trecognize me. I won’t be able to get answers from him.

“I wouldn’t,” Taloncrest said, the first torespond to Basilard’s scribbles. “You girls aren’t from the empire,so you may not be that familiar with his reputation, but he’sdangerous. That you got him at all was…”

“Impressive?” Litya suggested.

“Lucky,” Taloncrest said.

Metya snorted. “We are highly trainedpractitioners. Setting a trap for a mundane warrior is easier thana first-year telekinesis test.”

“Turgonian men are horrible at acknowledgingthat women can be skilled,” Litya said, sharing a look with hersister. “One wonders why the intelligent women living here don’tleave.”

“Perhaps,” Taloncrest said, “you’d have themgo to the Kyatt Islands where they’d be kicked out if theirresearch methodologies did not fit in with the humanitarian valuesof your Polytechnic?”

“We’ll handle this,” Litya said. “Go back toyour research on your side of the lab, the lab that our goldfunded and that we are graciously letting you work in.”

Taloncrest stepped past Basilard to thrust afinger at the woman’s nose. “Don’t order me around. Youpresume-”

Metya closed her eyes briefly, then flickedher own finger. Taloncrest lurched to the side, his head crackingagainst the back of the machine he’d been leaning against. In theprocess, he bumped against Basilard.

Basilard feigned a stumble and used themovement to palm Taloncrest’s knife. The ex-officer glared at thewomen and did not seem to notice. He clenched his fists and stoodto his full height. The veins in his neck strained beneath theskin.

The twins smiled sweetly.

Basilard watched, hoping the confrontationwould elevate into a worthy distraction for an escape, butTaloncrest took a deep breath and stalked back the way he hadcome.

“Tie him up next to the assassin,” Metyasaid. “They can chat from adjoining beds.”

Basilard wriggled his fingers to remind themhe needed his hands free for talking, but Metya had already turnedaway. She stroked the globe controlling the liquid oozing intoSicarius’s veins.

The guards pushed Basilard past her. Heresisted the impulse to make their work difficult. If he cooperatedmeekly, they might be less prepared when he did strike. He kept hishand down, the knife pressed against the inside of his arm. It wasnot a small blade, and it would take luck to keep the guards fromnoticing it while they tied him. Should he strike before then? No,he would probably need Sicarius’s help to escape, and Sicariuswould need to be alert for that.

The guards pushed him back against the tablewhile it was still vertical. Its cold metallic surface pressedagainst his bare flesh. One guard bent to strap his ankles andthighs to the table. Basilard inched the knife around his side.

He wondered if he was being a fool forwaiting and letting them secure his legs. He glanced at the othertable. Metya was still fiddling with the globe, and Sicarius’s eyesremained vacant.

Basilard slipped the blade behind his buttand pressed his cheeks into the cold metal. A heartbeat later, oneof the guards grabbed both of his wrists, yanking them beforehim.

“Leave them free for now.” Litya held out herclipboard.

Basilard hesitated. Would it be a mistake toreveal that Sicarius could understand his signs? At the moment,they did not realize Basilard and Sicarius worked together. Thewriting would be slow, though, and the women would be able to readeverything he shared.

He pointed at Sicarius, touched his owntemple, and signed, He understands, figuring the women wouldget the gist.

Litya’s eyes narrowed. “The assassin knowsyour sign language? Why?”

Basilard accepted the clipboard and wrote,He’s traveled to my country. To slay people.

“I see.” Litya took the clipboard away andflipped it back to her papers. “Give him a few moments, and