‘This is sergeant Leona,’ I tell them. ‘She’s aux until we find someone better.’
When Leona scowls, Shil shoots her a sympathetic glance, and I have one less problem on my hands.
‘Guess that makes you senior sergeant.’
Neen finds his grin.
‘Shil, you’re the new corporal.’
My old one died, twice . . . It’s a messy story.
Rachel has removed the suppressor from her rifle, now she’s breaking the barrel from the stock. She slides the barrel into a long pocket in her jacket and slings the stock under one arm.
The Aux are booted, suited and wearing helmets.
But I’ve still got two problems.
‘Where’s Anton?’
Neen looks at Shil, who glances at the dirt. Rachel decides to check her stock hangs correctly. And Ajac simply looks worried I might ask him. Only Iona’s dumb enough to speak. ‘He had things to do,’ she says. ‘Said he’d catch us later.’
‘Did he say how he’d find us?’
Must hear something in my voice. Because her smile fades when she realizes the others are carefully not looking at her. ‘No, sir,’ she says. ‘Sorry, sir. Not that I heard . . .’
‘And where’s Emil?’
Otherwise known as Emil Bonafont de Max Bonafont, Death’s Head captain and a traitor whose life we saved on Hekati. Although spared may be a better way of putting it. He was our newest recruit. Newer even than Iona and Ajac.
‘Missing, sir.’
‘Neen,’ I say. ‘Care to explain?’
‘My fault, sir. Should have been paying better attention.’
He means Emil slipped into the crowd. The Ninth Death’s Head, Emil’s regiment, will be heroes now. Supporters of a glorious revolution that has finally arrived. Instead of the traitors they were yesterday.
If I were Emil I might do the same. But I’m not and he must know I’ll kill him if we meet again.
We’re outside the hotel now. The street is crowded, but less than it was. The air is hot and stinks of blood and shit and river. A faint wash of sunlight outlines the roofline behind us. As we look, a street light comes on, and a murmur breaks like a wave over the crowd as more and more lights come on around us.
‘Not good,’ Leona mutters.
I can work that out for myself. You don’t withdraw troops or bring power back to a city until you’re certain you have it locked down. My helmet’s earpiece starts crackling as the semi AI built into its neck pad returns to life and begins scanning the emergency frequencies.
Although it doesn’t matter which one it scans.
They all say the same. An important announcement will be made shortly. From the way my team have their heads tipped to one side, their helmets are picking up the same promise.
‘You’re fucking dead.’
That gets their attention.
‘All of you,’ I say. ‘A sniper could have shot the lot.’
Neen wants to tell me it’s not true. Politely, obviously. But he knows it is and surprises me by apologizing. It’s been a long night for everyone, we’re not through this yet, and from the armbands they wear it’s obvious they did their share of killing on the way down.
In our ears a voice is telling us that a new dawn has broken for the peoples of the so-called Octovian Empire. No longer will we be oppressed by evil members of the high clans and their leeches among the merchants. Prince Sebastian Thomassi promises this in person.
‘Prince,’ Leona says, sounding outraged.
The others look at her.
No longer will we be denied our potential. Uplifted technology will be made available to Farlight, and to all the other worlds newly freed from the evil grip of OctoV, self-styled emperor and stealer of hope. Those who wish to become Uplifted will be granted that priceless opportunity.
‘Uplifted,’ Neen says.
Prince Sebastian Thomassi promises this in person too.
I bet he does. There are no prizes for guessing where the furies came from and who financed this revolution. Our newest recruit looks stunned, all the colour draining from her face as she stumbles, then rocks backwards and forwards.
Shil shoots me a glare when I wrap my arm round Leona. And an even filthier one when our new sergeant throws her arms round my neck and buries her face in my chest. ‘Wasn’t supposed to be like this,’ Leona sobs.
‘Wasn’t it?’
Shaking her head, she whispers, ‘This isn’t what I agreed at all.’