Shades of Gray (88 page)

“Take him,” said Kusac, reaching out to pull Carrie close to his side. She was shivering convulsively now that the danger was over, a mixture of being chilled because she was wearing only a swimsuit and the reaction to her ordeal.

“You’re hurt,” he said with concern, looking from her face to the cut on her thigh where a trickle of blood had coursed down her leg.

“It’s not serious,” she said, “but I’m cold. I’d like to get out of here into the sun.”

“Thank you, Chayak,” Kusac said. “I never even suspected your presence.”

“Neither did I,” said Kaid, shaking his head. “And I should have.”

“I did have the damper and chameleon suit,” said Chayak, moving past them to take charge of his prisoner. “It was essential you not know I was here.”

“Shall we pick up the fragments of the gun?” asked J’korrash.

“Just check there’s nothing large enough to be dangerous,” said Chayak.

“Who was your handler?” asked Kusac, following him out. “Tirak or Annuur?”

“Captain Tirak. As far as I know, Annuur was unaware of me,” he replied, taking the prisoner from J’korrash.

“You can ride back with us,” said Kaid. “We’ve a flitter waiting by the river.”

“So Raiban had nothing to do with it at all,” said Carrie, trying to stop her teeth from chattering as they began to walk down the hillside.

“Apparently not,” said Kusac, stopping to undo his belt and take off his sleeveless jacket to throw around her shoulders. “That should help you warm up,” he said.

She pulled it close around her and smiled her thanks.

“Why would General Raiban have anything to do with the assassins?” asked Chayak.

“Old history. Forget I mentioned it,” muttered Carrie. “The cubs? Are they safe?”

“They’re back at the Palace,” said Kusac. “We sent them back with Tanjo before we came after you.”

“Are the attacks really over now, Chayak?” she asked tiredly.

“Yes, Liegena, they’re over now. While I’ve been working undercover, all the Sholans in this system and the Ch’almuthian one have been double-checked. There’s no one here who shouldn’t be.”

“Thank goodness for that.”

“Let’s get back to the Palace,” said Kusac. “I want to call Shola and have a word with Lijou myself.”

“Who better to protect you than one of your own?” asked Lijou. “Remember, you owe your allegiance as a Clan to me. I have the right to assign missions to your people. Besides,” he added, his tone and face softening a little, “I did clear it with your Regent at the estate. We have the last assassin now, thankfully, and you are all safe. And I have my evidence against the Chemerian Ambassador.”

Kusac grunted noncommittally but they both knew he was satisfied with the answer. “Is my father in the Palace?” he asked.

“He is, but he’s in an Alliance Council meeting right now. I would be there myself if you hadn’t caught me just before I was due to leave my office here.”

“Please pass on my best to him, and tell him I’ll be calling him at home soon,” he said.

“I’ll do that, and now I really have to go, Kusac. You look well, by the way. I had heard of your injuries. It seems you’ve recovered well from them.”

“We’re all well. A lot that’s strange has happened here, Lijou. When I get home, I’ll have to tell you about it.”

Lijou looked curiously at him. “Maybe a report would be in order?”

Kusac grinned. “You know me and reports. I’ll try.”

“Stay safe,” said Lijou, reaching out to cut their connection.

KUSAC’S eyes opened scant seconds before ZSADHI’S alarm went off. Almost without thinking, he shook Carrie, and they were both up and diving into their clothes before they were properly awake.

Ch’almuth?
asked Carrie, still struggling into her one-piece flight suit.

Yes. Make sure the others are roused while I see to Shaidan,
he sent, pausing only long enough to grab his weapons before leaving the bedroom at a full run.
Bring our packs, please. I’ll meet you in the nursery.

Collapsing back on the bed, she pulled on her boots while sending out a roll call to the telepaths on their team. All answered and received her terse command.

Report to the shuttle bay in the main garage for immediate evac to the
Couana
. This is not a drill.

That done, she grabbed her own weapons and their backpacks—lying ready for several days now—and left.

Prepping the
Couana
now we are, Carrie,
sent Toueesut.

He sounded far too alert to her mind as she glanced at her wrist comm and saw it was still an hour short of first hour, and the sky was only just beginning to lighten.

MUTAC being loaded, and our chef is cooking breakfast for us all for when we take off as I speak,
he added.

As she ran along the corridor to the nursery, she saw Rezac and Kaid heading the same way to say good-bye to their cubs.

Kusac was crouched down in the corridor outside the nursery, holding their son as tightly as the cub was holding him. “We’ll be back, I promise,” he was saying. “You know we have to go and rescue Zhalmo.”

“I know, Pappa,” he said, obviously fighting back tears. “Zhalmo’s a friend, and friends are special too.”

“We’ll stay in touch. I’ll try to send to you every few nights.”

Shaidan’s head bobbed in agreement as Carrie went over to them.

“We’ll be back before you know it,” she said gently, stroking his hair. “Aunty Kitra and Uncle Dzaka will look after you for us. You like them.”

Shaidan pulled away from Kusac to envelope her in a huge hug. “Yes, Mamma. Please take care, and hurry back!”

“We will, I promise!” she said, kissing his cheek.

We have to go
, sent Kaid, coming out or the nursery, Rezac behind him.

Good-bye, kitling, we love you!
sent Kusac as they both gave him a last, crushing hug.

 

The small fleet of shuttles was still landing in the bays adjacent to the
Couana
as theirs set down.

Kusac leaped out, Carrie, Kaid, T’Chebbi, Rezac, Jo, and Jurrel behind him as he headed over to the Touiban ship to monitor their team as they boarded.

“Check that the MUTAC is well secured,” he ordered Banner and Jurrel then turned to Kaid. “Have the canisters of that anesthetic been delivered yet?”

Kaid’s eyes took on a distant look before he replied. “Toueesut says they were loaded up last night.”

Nodding, Kusac headed up the
Couana’s
ramp only to stop halfway. “Carrie,” he began.

She reached out to touch his cheek. “I’m your Second, aren’t I? I’ll take our stuff up to the cabin and get J’korrash to see to our Fire Team’s ammo and weapons while I make sure our supplies are all in order.”

He handed her his pack. “Thank you,” he said, turning to watch her as she disappeared into the brightly lit interior of the ship.

Kaid exchanged a nod with him as he walked past.

“This mission will be nothing like the one you were on in your far past,” Kaid reassured Rezac.

“It has its similarities,” Rezac said, flashing a smile at his son. “At least this time I can fight without puking my guts up!”

“And we’re properly trained,” added Jo.

“There is that,” Rezac agreed.

“Huh,” T’Chebbi snorted, flicking one of her braids out of the way as they piled onto the elevator up to the cabins. “That makes a huge difference, you’ll see.”

The upper-level cabins had been drastically altered to fit in all of the twenty assorted Sholans, Primes, and Ch’almuthians. Only the double occupancy rooms for the three main team leaders remained unaltered, as they needed access to the private computing terminals.

Carrie opened the door to their cabin with mixed feelings as the others headed off at right angles past the mess room to their quarters. This room was full of their past, and not all of it had been pleasant. They’d discussed whether or not to ask for another cabin but had decided to face down the ghosts of the past.

Here it was that Kusac had tried to commit suicide on that ill-fated return trip after the Jalna mission. She put their packs on the bed and sat down, reaching with her mind to feel if there was any echo of that time.

Don’t,
sent Kusac.
Let the past lie, Carrie. It was a dark time for me, and I bitterly regret what I did then and the suffering I caused you all. I love life too much now to ever go there again.

I hear you,
she replied, taking a deep breath and getting up to wait by the door for the rest of their team to arrive.
You’re right. Let’s live for today, not the past.

 

Kusac, wearing a headset now, was waiting for a report from Jurrel on the spare power cells in the MUTAC as well as making sure it was properly stowed. No one wanted that coming loose in midflight.

All their people had boarded, and the cargo hold and the forward lab were a hive of activity as, their personal kit stowed, they checked through the assigned supply packs they’d carry on their drop to the mountains after the rescue mission. The Fire Team Seconds were busy in the makeshift armory in the lab, checking the weapons that would presently be issued to them.

He was also deep in conversation with Toueesut and Captain Shaayiyisis, one of their two resident Sumaan crew. He stopped in midsentence, replying to Jurrel’s report as he watched King Zsurtul, followed by a thunderous-looking Kezule, heading directly for them. He noticed the young King was wearing military fatigues and groaned aloud.

“Captain—Kusac—I am coming with you,” said Zsurtul, advancing up the ramp. “Nothing you can say will make me change my mind. General Kezule has already tried.”

With an effort of will, Kusac refrained from looking at Kezule. “Is this wise, Majesty? What if ...”

“Life is full of what-ifs,” the youth said. “I would never forgive myself if I didn’t come. I want Zhalmo to see me as soon as she’s rescued, to know that my feelings for her haven’t changed.”

“That might not be wise, King Zsurtul,” he said. “She’ll take some time to get used to being free again. It took me a long time to recover. She might not want you to see her in that state.”

“I told him that,” hissed Kezule. “Think of her, not yourself!”

“On the other hand,” said Kaid, coming down the ramp to join them, “the one thing that really helped me was knowing that those I cared about were there from the get-go. Their presence alone helped heal my mind and spirit.”

As Kezule gave a loud hiss of anger, Zsurtul turned to him with a wide smile. “Thank you! You understand exactly why I need to be with you.”

Thanks a lot,
Kusac sent to Kaid, who smiled benignly.

“It isn’t safe, Majesty,” said Kusac.

“If it’s safe enough for them, then how is it not safe enough for me?” Zsurtul countered.