Equinox (31 page)

She kept moving, running across to the shadow of the storage dome. The three bodies had been left on the ground but it seemed like everyone else had moved to the main habs. She could still hear gunfire but it was distant. Had the Yalgu Warriors won? She crept around to the back side of the storage dome, keeping low and in its shadow. Beyond it, lighting illuminated the five enormous habitat domes. They were arranged in a triangular shape, with one at the front and four flanking it behind at an angle, and were joined by short pyloflex tunnels. Three men and one woman guarded the front. Rosie was so scared she felt numbed by it.

Were these regular Helios operatives or had Sulawayo got here and taken over already?

She pulled the com from her pocket and wriggled it down the inside of her boot, took a long deep breath, and walked slowly out into the light with her hands held high above her head.

Rosie had gone maybe three steps when they saw her. “Halt!” The woman advanced, aiming her gun. She was well over two metres and was wearing a vest that could project a personal shield. Rosie swallowed and stood very still.

“I’m unarmed,” she said.

The woman stopped a few metres away, her huge plasma weapon pointed at Rosie’s head. “Baker, search her.”

The soldier behind her swung his weapon over his shoulder and strode towards Rosie. He was young, barely more than twenty, tow-headed, with a beaky nose. He patted her down roughly, but it was clear he hadn’t done it that many times before, and he stayed well clear of her breasts. She flinched as his hand pressed her wound.

“You’re a bit young for a Yalgu, aren’t you?” The woman’s eyes were suspicious.

“I want to see the boss,” Rosie said.

A hard little smile twitched the soldier woman’s mouth. “Do you now? How do I know you’re not a decoy?”

“Come on, Suma. She’s just a kid,” Baker said.

“Shut up,” Suma snapped without looking at him.

“My name is Rosie Black.” Rosie could barely keep her voice level and her mouth had dried right out. “Sulawayo knows me.” She was praying this woman was on Sulawayo’s side.

Suma considered her a moment, then said, “Baker, call it in.”

Baker seemed to be relieved. He whipped a com from his belt. “Team One, this is Baker. We have a kid out here, Rosie Black, says she knows Sulawayo. Instructions?”

After a torturous five seconds, a reply came. “Bring her in.”

Suma smirked and shouldered her weapon. “Well, Rosie Black, come on then.”

Rosie lowered her aching arms.

The habitats were like those built for Mars. Airlock entries, light-green walls and that antiseptic lemon scent she’d come to associate with Helios. It was cool inside and, as Suma led her along the wide main corridor, Rosie saw evidence of a recent firefight. Holes were blasted in walls, rooms on either side were pockmarked with bullet and pulse blasts, and the floor was littered with random unidentifiable objects that might have been equipment. Dull distant explosions shuddered the ground. They passed through living areas and a hallway of bedrooms, going out of the first dome and into another that would have been the eatery. Here tables were overturned and broken, pushed back against the walls. The servery was a mess of shattered crockery and automeal machines blasted black by plasma shots.

Sulawayo was talking to a male soldier. She saw them come in and gestured them over. The soldier took off, running towards the gunfire. She eyed Rosie calmly.

“You can go, Suma,” she said. “Take Baker and check the area. She’s not here alone.”

Suma left and Sulawayo smiled coolly at Rosie. “I see you ignored my advice and came to the base.”

“Did you really think we wouldn’t?”

“I would have been disappointed if you hadn’t. I don’t trust people who always do as they’re told.”

“I don’t trust you at all.” Rosie looked around at the debris. “So have you taken over here?”

“I am in the process of taking what I need.”

“And you’ve got some of the Yalgu Warriors helping you?” Rosie said with disbelief.

“In a manner of speaking. I faked a message from their council and told a select few of them to make an advance attack against the base. They have been very helpful with assisting in taking out most of the other Helios guards. But my people will have both sides neutralised soon. A potent knockout gas. I don’t know why it’s not used more often.”

Rosie was shocked by how casually she talked about using the warriors. “And what about the rest of Nation? If Helios think the Yalgu drove them out, they’ll come back in full force.”

“No they won’t. I will convince them it isn’t worth their while. And I can be very convincing.” The way she said it, and the look in her eye, made Rosie’s skin prickle. Sulawayo was so cool about it, so calm. What was she getting herself into making a bargain with this woman? She took a steadying breath. “How?”

Sulawayo shrugged one shoulder. “You don’t need the details, but Helios will think that their plans for the gate have been lost and they will start working on them again from scratch. The people of Nation will be safe; you have my word.”

As much as that was worth. “I hope that’s true.” She tried to sound confident. “Where’s Pip? I’ve come to get him.”

Sulawayo regarded her with dark, measuring eyes. “I told you before, Rosie, it’s time he made use of his gift. He can’t keep running. I think he’s best where he is.”

“You also told me you wanted to change things, that you don’t agree with how Helios operate. Kidnapping him is exactly how they operate.”

“We won’t force him to do anything,” Sulawayo said. “You will convince him.”

Rosie felt they were talking in circles again. “I already told you I won’t. Why would I change my mind?”

“Because it’s the right thing to do. And that’s who you are. You can see the bigger picture, the lives that can be saved.”

It was like talking to a brick wall. Rosie shook her head. “So what’s your plan? You take control of the Equinox Gate, take Pip and figure I’m just going to fall in line?”

“You’ve run out of choices, Rosie,” Sulawayo said. “That vision of you using his blood to cure your father is out there. Helios knows you are the key to getting Pip back and I can guarantee they’re not just going to follow you around any more. They will take you in – that’s if the Senate doesn’t lock you up first. Agent Whitely isn’t one to give up and Riley’s not around to help. You’re only solution is to trust me. Join with me and I can make all that go away. I can convince Helios that I’ve turned you to their side and I can protect Pip, hide him from them.” Sulawayo’s eyes glittered with confidence. “They won’t look for him if they think he’s dead.”

Rosie’s heart lurched, her insides turning to ice at the thought. “No,” she said, but her voice came out croaky. She cleared her throat and tried again. “No, that’s not how it’s going to go.”

“It’s not?” Sulawayo raised an eyebrow and Rosie licked her lips. Time to see if her plan would work.

“So the gate plans – the only copies are in the hangar, aren’t they? And that’s the only prototype?” she said.

Sulawayo frowned and her gaze filled with suspicion. “What are you up to?”

“I have a proposal for you.” Rosie’s heart was pounding as she said, “I have a lot of information in my head on the implant. All of Riley’s work. All Helios stuff. That could be useful to you, couldn’t it?”

“Are you proposing giving me access to all that?” Sulawayo spoke slowly.

“Yes, and I will join you like you said, but only if you let Pip go.”

Sulawayo was silent for a moment. Then she said, “I’m not sure your involvement is worth that. A cure for the MalX is invaluable, and it’s not going to happen without Helios tech. If I let him go, how are you going to protect him from the main faction of Helios?”

“You’ll still shield him from Helios,” Rosie said. “You won’t tell them where he is. And you’re wrong about the cure. He’s going to be able to make it because you’re going to give him the tech to do it.”

“I am?”

“Yes. Because I know who the Pantheon are,” Rosie said. “I’ve seen the list. And if you want to bring down the powers that really rule Helios, that’s what you need. Without it you’re just spitting in the wind, and you know it.”

Sulawayo was watching her closely. “How do I know you’re telling the truth?”

“You don’t. By the way, I also have all the plans for the Equinox Gate.” She tapped her head.

“I have the gate already.”

“You sure about that?”

“What exactly does that mean?”

Rosie took in a breath. “I’m not saying anything more until Pip’s here.” She was playing a desperate and dangerous game, but she couldn’t let Sulawayo know how badly she needed her to accept her ultimatum.

She didn’t really want to join their faction of Helios, could hardly believe that she was offering to, but she couldn’t leave Pip here, and Riley was gone. Plus Helios tech was her only chance of getting the implant out. Maybe by joining she could play both sides. She could help drive Helios to do some good, and if Sulawayo came good with Helios tech, Pip would have a way to make a real cure for the MalX, and she might not die. She watched Sulawayo, trying not to show anything on her face.

Sulawayo pulled a com from her pocket. “Bring the boy to me,” she said. She looked at Rosie. “Happy?”

“When Pip walks out of here, I will be,” she said.

They waited in tense silence for Pip to arrive.

“You know what this means, don’t you?” Sulawayo said. “To join me you will become part of Helios. We are fighting this battle from within.”

“I know,” Rosie said.

“And whatever you do, you can’t go back on this decision. If you think you can doublecross me, you will be sorry. As will everyone you care about.”

“I know,” Rosie repeated.

A door opened behind Sulawayo’s back and Pip was pushed out by a soldier.

“Rosie?” His eyes were wide with disbelief. Her heart felt like it might explode from her chest and she had to stop herself from running to him. He was across the room in two strides. “Jesus, I thought–” He wrapped his arms tightly around her, lifting her off her feet.

“Are you okay?” She hugged him back hard.

“I am now.”

For a moment she felt his heart beating just as frantically as hers, but then he set her down and looked at Sulawayo. “What’s going on?”

“Perhaps you should ask Rosie.” Sulawayo said.

“What?” Realisation dawned in Pip’s eyes. “Rosie, what did you promise?”

“The Pantheon list in exchange for you,” Sulawayo said. “Among other things. She’s going to join me just as I said she would.”

The colour faded from his face and his arm dropped slowly from her shoulders. “Rosie?” He was looking at her like he was begging her to deny it. She swallowed.

“It’s not quite how it sounds. I’ve seen the names of the Pantheon, Pip.”

But his lips thinned and he turned back to Sulawayo. “No,” he said. “I won’t let her. Take me back.”

“Pip, don’t!” Rosie reached for his hand, but he pulled away.

“You shouldn’t have come.” His expression was desperate, tormented and her heart wrenched.

“It doesn’t matter,” Sulawayo said. “I’ve already decided to accept most of her bargain.”

“She doesn’t know what she’s promising,” Pip said.

“I think she does. Not all things are how you remember them, Pip.”

“I doubt that.” His lip curled in contempt. “I think you’ve just shown pretty clearly that no apple falls far from the Helios tree.”

“I wouldn’t be so ungrateful,” Sulawayo said. “She put a nice caveat in there for you. I’ll be handing over some high-grade tech to your friends here in Nation. Looks like a MalX cure is in your future.”

Pip stared at Rosie like she’d betrayed him. “I had to,” she said, her throat tight.

“It’s all right,” said Sulawayo. “I’m sure I can help you distribute the cure. Sorry,” she said as Rosie turned to her. “I’m not going to leave that world-saving coup to him. The tech comes with a condition of my own. My people run it.”

“I knew you’d do that,” Rosie said. “But what’s worth more to you: the cure, or creating the thing that will allow you to control access to everything beyond our planet?”

She frowned. “What are you saying?”

“If the prototype is gone and I’m the only one with the plans for the gate, will you give up the cure then?”

Not waiting for an answer, Rosie crouched and yanked the com from her boot.

“What are you doing?” Sulawayo launched at her, but Pip was faster, blocking her way as Rosie clicked the call button three times.

“What have you done?” Sulawayo shouted at her over Pip’s shoulder as he held her back. For about ten seconds, nothing happened.

Then a massive explosion shook the ground and a blast wave shot through the room.

Rosie was thrown off her feet and landed amongst the tables. Her hip smacked hard against a broken top, pain shooting up her side. Table legs jabbed her arms and back. Part of the ceiling smashed to the floor and the air was filled with the crash of things breaking and people screaming. Rosie rolled over in a daze, ears ringing. That wasn’t supposed to happen. She was shocked to see Cassie running towards her through a swirl of debris.