Of course, that misconception would only fool anyone if the site included nonwalkers who'd been pressed into digging duty. If the entire site was nothing but a single Modhran mind segment, the sound of extra footsteps in the camp would damn us instantly as intruders.
But we passed the outer lines of tents and equipment without incident. Directly ahead, nestled into the middle of the encampment as I'd predicted, were a pair of large tents that were obviously more than simple residences.
We were still fifty meters away when I heard a sharp intake of air from behind me. 'Oh, no,' Stafford murmured.
I turned sharply, opening my mouth to remind him to keep quiet.
The warning wasn't necessary. It was also too late. Standing at the doorways of each of the tents we'd already passed were three or four beings in rough work clothing, all of them standing stiff and silent.
The Modhri had us.
TWENTY-FIVE :
I stopped, the other three following suit. 'Good morning, Modhri,' I called cheerfully. 'You're an early riser.'
For a moment nothing happened. Then, in typically perfect unison, the walkers in front of the tents started toward us. As they did so, more began to file out of the tents behind them.
It was like a reunion of first-class Quadrail passengers, except in grubbier clothing. Virtually every species in the Twelve Empires was represented, from Bellidos and Juriani to Pirks and Shorshians. The largest percentage were Nemuti, hardly surprising given we were in their territory. I didn't spot any Humans in the crowd, but decided not to feel insulted by our lack of inclusion.
'So you didn't take that torchyacht to Laarmiten after all.'
I turned around again. Now that the trap was sprung, the sleeping tents on the far side of the camp were also disgorging their complement of walkers. Striding toward me at their head was a familiar figure: Gargantua. 'You didn't stay on your torchliner, either,' I reminded him. 'I think that makes us even.'
He continued on toward me in silence. So did the rest of the crowd. I could hear Penny's rapid, frightened breathing behind me, as well as some tense and venomous-sounding French mutterings from Stafford. Bayta, in contrast, was as watchfully silent as the walkers.
The crowd formed themselves into a ring about ten meters away from us. Gargantua continued into the circle, stopping a few steps in front of me. The light was now strong enough for me to see his expression, which to my mild surprise looked more bemused than angry. 'You're a remarkable being, Frank Compton,' he said at last. 'You're like no opponent I've ever faced.'
'That's only because you usually absorb your enemies before they're really up to speed as to who and what they're up against,' I said. 'If you gave us a level playing field, I think you'd find a lot of us able to give you a good run for your money.'
He hissed. 'Enough of a reason in itself for me not to provide such a level field. Tell me, what did you hope to accomplish here?'
'Oh, come now,' I chided. 'I can put two and two together as well as the next man.' I raised my eyebrows. 'Or should I say, I can put three and three together?'
Up until that point I hadn't been a hundred percent sure that the Chahwyn's guess about the Nemuti sculptures had been correct. But the subtle darkening of Gargantua's expression more than filled in the uncertainty. The sculptures were indeed the Shonkla-raa weapons the Chahwyn had described.
'As I said,' Gargantua murmured. 'A remarkable being. Where is the fifth member of your group?'
I looked around as if I hadn't realized until then that Morse was missing. 'Huh,' I said, turning back to Gargantua. 'He was just here a minute ago. Must have lost him somewhere along the way. Don't worry—I'm sure you'll find him again soon enough.'
'You think to prepare an ambush against me?' Gargantua demanded.
'You can pass on the games,' Stafford put in. 'We know he's one of you.'
A hint of a frown crossed Gargantua's face. 'An interesting thought,' he said. 'I must consider adding him to my Eyes when the rest of you have been dealt with.'
'What do you mean, dealt with?' Penny asked tightly.
'The Human Compton has left me very few options,' Gargantua said. 'You cannot simply be added to my Eyes—you would hardly be unaware of my presence within your bodies. Nor can you be allowed to leave here untouched.'
'Which I gather leaves just one option,' I said. 'You propose to turn us into your Arms.' I pointed at Gargantua. 'Like that one.'
Gargantua nodded. 'You are correct.'
'What's he talking about?' Penny breathed. She was standing very close behind me now, close enough for me to hear her teeth chattering with fright.
'He's talking about a permanent takeover of your body,' I told her, looking casually around the silent circle around us. There were probably two hundred walkers present. 'Like he has with the rest of these fine citizens.'
'Hardly,' the Modhri said. 'Most here are Eyes, not Arms. And I intend for them to remain so.'
'That'll be a good trick,' Stafford muttered.
'Not at all,' the Modhri assured him. 'Fortunately, your appearance is at an hour when they will be able to surmise afterward that they were still asleep.'
'Interesting how important self-deception is when you're part of the Modhri's army,' I said. 'So how many Arms do you have here?'
'Why do you ask?' the Modhri countered.
'Simple curiosity,' I said. 'Part of what makes us Humans the remarkable beings that we are.'
'I have twelve Arms present,' Gargantua said, eyeing me closely.
'Which ones?'
Gargantua smiled faintly. 'Begin trouble, and you will find out.'
'Did Rafael Kunstler create trouble?' I asked. 'Is that why you beat him to death?'
'He promised to bring the Lynx,' the Modhri said, his voice darkening with the memory. 'But when I queried him aboard the Quadrail he admitted that he had lied, that he had come to Bellis hoping instead to buy it from me.'
'And if you weren't willing to sell, he was hoping to blackmail you into it?' I suggested. 'After all, you
'He did make some such threats,' the Modhri said. 'I wasn't concerned.'
'Certainly not with all those armed soldiers between him and the transfer station,' I said as that part finally clicked. 'I presume that was why you had them there, anyway. You figured Kunstler would arrive with a full security team of his own and wanted to be ready for any surprises.'
'I thought he might choose to secure the Lynx in a Quadrail lockbox instead of carrying it aboard with him.' Gargantua smiled thinly. 'An idea you yourself later took advantage of. If he had done so, I wouldn't have been able to obtain it until he arrived at the transfer station, where his presumed guards would have access to their own weapons. I thought it prudent to be prepared with a superior show of force.'
'You still shouldn't have killed him.'
Gargantua's eyes flicked pointedly across me and the others. 'In retrospect, I agree,' he said. 'But the error will be fixed soon enough.'
'Not necessarily,' I said. The Modhri had implied earlier that Morse wasn't one of his walkers. It might be interesting to see just how far he was willing to go with that game. 'There's still Mr. Morse to consider.'
