Lachlan sits up a little, wincing.‘How do you know?’
‘We kept three alive.’
‘Any of ‘em still breathing?’
‘One.’
‘Take me there.’
?
Carrigan helps him down to the holding room in the sub-levels.
A bare bulb, concrete walls, nothing more.It’s far from ideal for their purposes.Lachlan would upgrade it if he could, knows all the tricks to get the maximum from a “holding room”, but Penhalyx consistently blocks even the mildest requests for upgrades for this level.
Inside the empty room, the man Carrigan has kept alive is worn to the bone, doesn’t have long left, but Lachlan doesn’t need long.
In English, he asks, ‘What’s your name?’
‘Gregory,’ the man answers, voice thin and reedy.
‘Tell me your objective, Gregory.’
To her credit, Carrigan has already broken him down.The man doesn’t even hesitate.There isn’t much point when you don’t have hands anymore.
‘Extract the children.’
‘Why?’
‘Not my place to ask.’
‘What was the margin of error?’
‘None.The children could not be harmed.’
‘So it was a kidnap?’
‘Extraction.’
‘What’s the difference?’
Gregory holds his gaze.‘Is your place to question orders?’
‘No.’
‘We were told to extract all children.The boy was high priority.’
‘Lazorevy.’
‘Yes.’
‘So, kidnap and ransom?That’s what this was?’
‘I do not answer to the protectors of theUpyri.I told you all I know.You will give me quick death now.’
Lachlan nods briskly.Carrigan’s gun has a fitted suppressor.
Between the eyes, one and done.
