Niebecker was speechless.
“…So, Mr. Niebecker, do you have any more questions?” Director Carter asked some half an hour of intense back-and-forth after meeting the defecting consul in a virtual room.
“No, I think you have answered my questions very well,” Niebecker decided. “I thank you for that; you were never required to do so.”
“Well, after what Nick told me about your situation, I thought it might help.”
“It has. I am now quite convinced this is the right thing to do.”
“Is there anything you would like to tell us?”
“I don’t know that there is much I can tell that I haven’t already told Nick, or that he has not already gathered on his own,” Niebecker said, “but I am willing to try. Only I ask that you would not use my knowledge against Annalia as a whole, but only in defense of your own nation.”
“I think I can promise we’ll do our best, sir,” Carter said. “Of course, a lot of it depends upon what your leaders do, but unless they do something completely outrageous, I believe it’s a safe bet. I understand your concern, though. But yes, I think you’re right; I don’t expect anything to wind up quite the way it was before, if war does get declared.”
Niebecker sighed.
“Then yes, I will cooperate to the best of my ability. Did Nick provide the list of Annalian agents I had sent to Sintar?”
“He did. He also said you had no compunctions about doing so, as the lot of them were, in his words, ‘rat-bastard psychopaths.’”
“HA! That is a good description, yes,” Niebecker agreed with a wry, barking laugh. “And that is why I selected them; I thought, if anyone could take them down, it would be the Emperor’s own defensive organizations.”
“We’ll do that, all right,” Carter agreed, not quite wolfish in demeanor, “just as soon as we get you and Nick out of there.”
“What about his – well, they are not actually lovers – what about Rikky?”
“Rick has volunteered to stay a while longer and see what he can see.”
“I would be concerned, except he has largely stayed in the background for most of this, so he is not really known to anyone except me,” Niebecker mused. “Yes, that may well be a good plan. For certainly the Autarch will do two things, as soon as he hears of my defection…”
“Put a warrant on your head, and send someone to replace you,” Carter finished for him.
“Yes. To both.”
“Don’t worry for your skin; I intend to have it look like that other consul’s henchmen reached you and took you out. You’ll disappear as you and reappear as someone else. If the Autarch puts a warrant on someone’s head, it’s likely to be Baron Beaudelaire, by the time I’m through. And we’ll see what we can do about the rest.”
“Done. And… thank you.”
“You’re very welcome, Your Excellency.”
“Mr. Niebecker will do, sir. Effective immediately, I’m no longer the consul, and damned glad of it.”
Moments later, there was a soft knock at the door of the apartment. Honda had already been informed to expect it, so he opened the door to admit no less than six undercover IPD officers. Having tagged up in VR with several of the local IPD during his time on Carolina, mostly while Ashton was at the consulate, he recognized all of them.
“We’re here to get your friends to safety,” squad lead Julia Ing told Honda. “Director Carter has sent specific instructions on exactly how he wants them ‘disappeared,’ and we’ll get them out of sight and into a safehouse until it’s time to get them off Carolina.” She turned to the former consul. “Is this acceptable, sir?”
“Yes. This sounds good,” Niebecker said. He turned to Honda. “Thank you, my friend, for your help and assistance. I can see you are going places in your profession. Be safe.”
“Thank you, Abe,” Honda said with a smile. They grabbed hands, shook, and held on for a few extra seconds, before Niebecker turned to Ashton.
“You have been a friend and a staunch ally, Nick,” he murmured. “I hope I am wrong, but I have a sneaking suspicion you have seen the last of me, and I of you.”
“Maybe not,” Ashton said, taking the proffered hand and squeezing it tightly. “I’ve got some connections. We may, or we may not. I don’t know what Lee has in mind for you. But you stay safe, okay?”
“And you, my friend, and you,” Niebecker said, fervent. Then he suddenly pulled Ashton into a male embrace for several seconds, before releasing him. “Goodbye, my friend Nick.”
“Bye, Abe.”
And he was gone, accompanied by two of the IPD officers.
The other four turned to Ashton and Honda. “Gather your things, and be ready to go in ten minutes,” Ing said. “Honda, we’re getting you to a new location. Ashton, we’re sending you back to Sintar.”
“Hallelujah,” Ashton said. “Rick, pal, you stay safe, too.”
“No shit,” Honda agreed. They hugged, then headed for their bedrooms.
Nine and a half minutes later, Ashton left, escorted by two officers, followed by Honda with the last two.
“Honda, we’re taking you to a new apartment with a new identity,” one of the guards, Jerry Holliday by name, said, “but first we’re going to take you to a safehouse so you can create a new disguise.”
“Right,” Honda agreed. “Sounds good. I’m kind of hoping that if I can time things right, I can get into the consulate before they bring yet another consul in.”
“Oh, I’d hold off on that for a little bit,” Holliday said. “As soon as we have Ashton and Niebecker offworld, the word is,
