Spy High (41 page)

“What’s wrong?” Skidmark asked.

“I broke both phones when I fell off
the roof. I must have landed on them.” I probed gingerly, wincing.
“That explains the massive bruise on my butt.”

I dragged myself to my feet, my insides
wobbling with the fear of what might have happened. “I’ll go to the
bridge-”

“Negative,” Skidmark interrupted. “I’m
giving the signal to Aurora and Zen to bring the members back from
the field now. They’ll come via the south where there are no
bodies. Lucky everybody goes straight back to bed or to the kitchen
after a night Calling, so that’ll give Kane and Helmand time to
pick up the rest of the bodies. We need to spread a cover story
about the broken window and blood in the kitchen, and then we need
to debrief right away. We’ll only have a short time before Kane and
Helmand get the bodies delivered and come back, and then you’ll
need to debrief with them.”

“But I’ll just check on them…” I
began.

“Negative!” His voice softened. “Look,
I know you’re worried but our timing is down to the wire here. I
need you to talk to any members you encounter and I’ll do the same
on my way over. The story is that a buck and doe spooked out of the
woods because of the fireworks and jumped through the kitchen
window. Moonbeam cut her arm trying to head them back out the door.
If anybody sees blood in the forest, it’s because the deer got cut
on the glass and ran. Clear?”

My mind went back to the innocent
solemnity of the children’s faces.

I drew a deep breath and locked my fear
away. I couldn’t change what might have happened by the bridge
tonight. And both Kane and Hellhound would want to protect the
children at any cost.

“Okay. Meet you at Moonbeam and Karma’s
tent then,” I agreed.

Turning a slow circle in Nichele’s
tent, I surveyed it for anything that might give away the night’s
events. Her bloodstained clothes went into a bundle with Moonbeam’s
gory blanket. I blotted her hair one more time before bundling up
the tea towel as well, hoping her hair would be dry enough to pass
inspection by the time she woke up.

Leaden fatigue gripped me, and I forced
myself to double-check. Then triple-check. At last, hoping I hadn’t
missed anything, I stuffed my night-vision headset into my pocket
and the blanket-bundle under my arm and went out.

I had gotten as far as the main path
when I spotted the first of the flashlights bobbing toward the
encampment. I drew a long breath and marshalled my acting
skills.

Aurora’s penetrating voice carried
clearly on the damp air and my heart sank. Damn. I’d been hoping to
meet a member I didn’t know so I could just drop the information
and retreat.

No such luck.

“Storm!” Aurora’s flashlight inspected
me from head to toe. “What happened? Is that
blood
on your
jacket?”

Goddammit, I knew I’d been forgetting
something. My jacket looked as though I’d been working in a
slaughterhouse.

I suppressed a shudder at the truth of
that and plucked at the darkening stains, trying for a rueful
smile. “Yeah, but don’t worry, it’s not as bad as it looks. A
couple of deer got spooked by the fireworks and jumped through the
kitchen window. This is partly their blood and partly Moonbeam’s.
She cut her arm on the broken glass when she was trying to get them
out again.”

“Oh, dear, I hope she’s not hurt too
badly…” Aurora trailed off and her smooth brow furrowed. “What were
you doing in the kitchen? Why didn’t you come to the Calling? And
where’s Nichele?”

“Uh…”

My fatigue-dulled mind ground into
motion. If you can’t come up with a decent lie, tell the truth. Or
part of it…

“Nichele’s in bed. I tried to wake her
up for the Calling but she sleeps like a log. I got her halfway out
of bed but she just kept falling back to sleep.”

“Oh…” Aurora dropped her gaze, and I
could see the colour rising in her cheeks even in the reflected
glow of the flashlight. “Oh, dear. That might be my fault.”

“Huh?” Too exhausted to take advantage
of this stroke of luck, I stood dumbly waiting for an
explanation.

“We had a little celebration. After her
presentation went so well tonight.” Aurora gave me a shy glance as
though expecting a reproof. “We… well,
I
sneaked some of
Skidmark’s pot and we smoked a joint together. I didn’t think it
would hit her so hard.”

“Oh.” I did my best to suppress a
smile. “Well, that explains it, then. Anyway, don’t worry about the
blood and broken glass in the kitchen. It’s nothing serious.”

“Thank you, Storm. And I’m sorry you
missed the Calling.” She flung her arms around me. “The blessings
of the Earth Spirit are upon you.”

Her clear eyes and bright smile brought
a lump to my throat. This was what we were protecting. For this,
the nightmares would be worthwhile.

“And upon you, too,” I said, and gave
her an extra squeeze. “Goodnight, Aurora.”

“Goodnight, Storm. I’ll go and clean up
the kitchen now so nobody gets worried.”

I drew a breath of relief as she
hurried away, apparently forgetting that I hadn’t explained what
I’d been doing in the kitchen in the first place.

Mission accomplished.

I limped toward Moonbeam and Karma’s
tent, stumbling painfully over roots in the path. After
spotlighting me on the roof like a second-rate karaoke singer, the
fucking moon had completely hidden its face now that I could have
used its light.

I could barely make out the pale ribbon
of gravel on the path. My waist pouch and backpack with their
respective flashlights were still in the control room where I’d
forgotten them in my dash to rescue Nichele, and I didn’t dare use
my night vision with the commune members still moving around.

Right on cue, a drizzle began to dampen
my hands and face.

Fine. Just fucking fine.

I plodded on.

At the tent, I scratched lightly and
called, “It’s Storm.”

Karma’s warm bass bid me to come in,
and I ducked in through the flap, drawing an involuntary breath of
relief at the welcoming glow of their fat candles.

“Oh, good, more blankets,” he said.

“You probably don’t want to use these,”
I warned. “They’re full of blood.”

“They’ll be fine for this. We’ll wash
them in the morning.” Karma relieved me of my load and busied
himself tucking the bundle behind Moonbeam to prop her comfortably
in their bed.

“Merciful Spirit, Karma Wolf Song, stop
fussing,” she protested. “I’ve been hurt much more seriously than
this.”

“Yes, and I want to make sure this
doesn’t become more serious,” Karma replied.

“Shouldn’t she go to the hospital?” I
asked. “I’m no doctor but I’m pretty sure a cut that size should be
stitched.”

“And it will be,” Moonbeam agreed.
“Karma Wolf Song has a great deal of experience at suturing. He
handles all but the most serious medical events here at the
commune. Skidmark is bringing the medkit from the control room.”
She frowned at me. “You poor child, please sit. You shouldn’t be
putting weight on that ankle and you look utterly exhausted.”

“Sit on the table,” Karma said. “I’ll
have a look at your ankle right now.”

Too tired to argue, I hauled myself
atop the table and sat with my legs dangling while he carefully
removed my boot and examined my ankle. After a few moments of
wincing on my part, he had just finished declaring it a strain when
a scratch at the tent flap announced Skidmark’s arrival.

When he came inside, the stench of pot
smoke nearly strangled me.

“Jesus,” I choked. “Do you
have
to smoke that shit? It’s fucking disgusting.”

He grinned and tucked the extinguished
butt into his pocket. “Yeah, actually I do have to. I met some of
the members on my way over. It’s part of my cover.”

“But
now?
” I protested.
“Seriously, you were giving us tactical directions while you were
stoned out of your mind?”

The three hippies exchanged a
conspiratorial look before they burst out laughing.

I stared at them for a moment, then
sighed and gave in. “Okay, what’s the joke?”

Skidmark tapped the pocket that
contained the half-smoked joint. “This is extra-special shit. I’ve
been developing this variety ever since I got here.”

“Well, it sure smells like
extra-special shit,” I agreed sourly.

Skidmark withdrew the roach and held it
up as though exhibiting a precious artifact. “It’s not the smell.
It’s the THC content. The psychoactive part. This is damn near my
life’s work.”

“Oh, great,” I growled. “I can’t tell
you how pleased I am to know you were extra-high while you were
guiding us between bullets.”

“Not extra-high.” He smirked.
“Extra-sober. I’ve bred the THC right out of this shit. You’d get a
better high smoking a chunk of rope.” He bestowed a kiss on the
joint and tucked it back in his pocket.

While I was staring at him
open-mouthed, Moonbeam added, “Skidmark works very hard to
determine everyone’s hot buttons and secret prejudices by making
inflammatory remarks and antagonizing people whenever possible.
That helps us determine whether we’re dealing with simple
narrow-minded prejudice or borderline psychosis. The stoned-hippy
image helps mitigate their reactions; though it’s not always
successful.”

“Almost always,” Skidmark objected.

“Except for those times when you get
beaten within an inch of your life and spend a week in the
hospital,” Moonbeam countered disapprovingly.

Skidmark waved an airy hand. “Only
because I let ‘em. And that only happened once. Or twice.” He
narrowed his eyes at me. “That’s how I pegged you for law
enforcement. If two guys are getting ready to fight, most women
won’t go near ‘em unless they’re in love with one of ‘em. When
Ratboy came at me, you jumped toward us instead of backing away.
You were gonna break up the fight.”

He winked and buffed his fingernails
against his chest. “’Course I figured it was just because you were
in love with me.”

“Uh-huh,” I agreed, deadpan. “It was
all I could not to jump you on the spot.”

“You could do worse, dear,” Moonbeam
assured me with a fond look at Skidmark. “He’s an expert lover. And
his testicles are definitely larger than lima beans.”

“Too much information!” I threw my arms
around my aching head in a desperate attempt to ward off the mental
image of a naked Skidmark. “Too much! Too much!”

Skidmark leered cheerfully at Moonbeam.
“Kids. They always think they invented sex.”

Karma eyed them both, smiling. “All
right, you two. Time to get serious. We don’t have much time.
Skidmark, pass me the medkit.”

Skidmark handed over the
plastic-wrapped bundle he’d carried in, and Karma opened it to
spread a sterile pad under Moonbeam’s arm. A syringe and suturing
materials were laid out next, and I transferred my gaze to the
ceiling of the tent.

“I think I managed to keep your cover
intact,” I said. “Will you do the same for mine?”

“Of course,” Karma said immediately,
and the others echoed his assent.

“What about Orion… Rand?” I asked. “Can
we trust him?”

“Yes, we think so, dear… ouch!”
Moonbeam protested.

I didn’t look to see what Karma was
doing to her arm. I’d seen more than enough already.

“We checked him out pretty thoroughly
before we revealed ourselves,” Skidmark agreed. “He’s got an
exemplary record and high security clearances. Bit of a pretty-boy
ego, but it doesn’t seem to keep him from getting the job done.” He
wheezed laughter. “That reminds me, I have to go visit him in the
hospital. He owes me another fifty bucks. He bet me he’d have you
in his bed by now.”

“Mm. A little overconfident,” I
murmured, opting not to reveal how close it had been. “Ask him not
to mention me to Five Eyes.”

“He won’t,” Skidmark assured me.

“Tell us about our granddaughter,”
Moonbeam burst out.

I sank my head into my hands. “You
can’t mention her. Ever. To anyone. Not even to Stemp… um, Cosmic
River Stone. I shouldn’t have said anything at all, and if
something happens to her because of this I’ll never forgive
myself.”

“But… why?” Moonbeam sounded
bereft.

“I can’t even tell you that. The less
you know, the better.”

“Please. Tell us something. Anything.”
Her desperate entreaty wrung my heart. “Anna,” she begged. “You
said her name was Anna…”

“It was. It’s not now.”

Karma spoke up. “So her name was
changed. Is she in a witness protection program?”

I dragged my head out of my hands to
meet their eyes squarely. “Do you honestly want me to jeopardize
your granddaughter’s life just to satisfy your curiosity?”

They blanched, their hands finding each
other to clasp tightly.

“No,” Moonbeam whispered. “But… just
one question… I have to know. Is she your daughter?”

“No.”

She studied me, eyes unfocused in her
aura-reading expression. Then her shoulders slumped.

“I see truth in your aura,” she
murmured. “I had so hoped…” She drew a deep breath. “Do you think
we’ll ever meet her?”

“I think if it’s humanly possible, your
son will find a way to make that happen.”

She let out her breath, some of the
sadness easing from her face. “Thank you. You may consider this
conversation forgotten. So you and Cosmic River Stone are not-”

“No,” I said. “Absolutely not. Never
have; never will.”

“But you respect him. And he obviously
has high regard for you…” Moonbeam frowned. “So how do you know
what Cosmic River Stone has in his bedroom?”

“Dearest.” Karma laid a hand on her
shoulder. “Perhaps it’s best to leave well enough alone.”

I shifted uncomfortably. They were
getting too close to the truth. I wasn’t sure what the
repercussions might be, but if Stemp had concealed his true career
from his parents, I was pretty sure he wouldn’t thank me for giving
them enough clues to figure it out.