AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"Not hardly," Duvalier said, closing the door and shooting the lock.
"Tanny Bright?" Valentine said, after sweeping the balcony and the hall with hard ears. It was early morning, still; all he heard were RC's footfalls.
"I told him my real name is Ronny McDonalds, which he thought was even funnier. You missed my second number. Was she worth it?"
"I didn't know you could sing."
"Since this shit started I've sung in three different clubs. I'll let you in on a trade secret: The less she wears, the worse her voice can be. You look a bit green this morning."
Valentine poured himself more water, and offered his fellow Cat a glass, but she shook her head. "The 'hero's brandy' wasn't agreeing with me. I didn't even try to keep it down. My stomach generally knows best. Are we going to talk about anything important?"
She lowered her voice until it made no more noise than the breeze through the shutters. "God yes. I'm still active, under Mantilla. Are you in his contact group too?"
"I understand you're active under Hamm." He used sign language for this, the motions coming slowly thanks to brain-fog.
She switched over to hands as well. "Don't go there, Valentine. I thought you wanted to talk shop."
"You're right. Sorry, whatever you're doing is for the Cause. No, I'm not active. I was delayed getting back from Texas. I didn't return until just before Christmas. It's been nothing but disaster ever since."
Her hands again: "I just found out about you being here when I hit town. Southern Command got the report you sent with Finner. The overrun was already in full swing when I came up from New Orleans. I got the women and kids from your crew out. It's a story I don't have time for. They're safe down at Steiner Station."
"Steiner? Hal Steiner? Lots of rice paddies and a little fortified town?"
"That's the last place I was before this assignment. Steiner's place ... it's grown. He's trying to feed and hide thousands of refugees in those swamps, plus a chunk of what's left of Southern Command. Got it all phonied up to took like a little Kurian Province. It won't last forever."
"I know," Valentine audibilized this time, though he kept his voice down. "I've got the newest battalion in Hamm's division."
Her hands fluttered like fighting birds; she'd always been better than he at signing. "You say it like it's your fault. It's not. Being mistress to not one, but two, count 'em, two generals and an oily restaurateur wasn't in my plans when I got tasked with infiltration. Mantilla's one of us, too. Not a Cat, but he reports directly to the Lifeweavers. I haven't had the chance to tell him about you."
"You said you have orders from Southern Command?" he signed.
"From the Lifeweavers. They're in hiding, naturally. No sign of Ryu, but your old man Amu's been passing stuff back and forth to me through some Wolves and Mantilla."
"Anything for me?"
She rested her hands for a moment. "Yes, I've got orders. They want you to raise a ruckus behind the lines once the offensive gets under way. Theirs or ours, whichever comes first. Cut the north-south line through Little Rock so they can't shift their forces south quickly. Tie down as many of them as you can for as long as you can."
"If they can hold out a few more months, it'll be a different story. Consul Solon's about to send more of his army back to where they borrowed it. Texas, mostly."
"I've thought they seemed in a big hurry. This is just a guess, but I think something's in the works, Val. Southern Command's going to strike back somewhere unexpected, at least I hope so. If you can gum things up here-"
"I'll see what I can do. What's my line of retreat? Back west to the Ouachitas?"
"I've got nothing for you about that. They said just cause as much trouble as you can, for as long as you can."
With no orders where and when to run? Sorry, Valentine, right place, right time. You're a pawn in a good spot to tie down the King and Queen until they maneuver to take you.
"Who's my superior?" Valentine asked.
"I've no idea. I don't think Southern Command knows much more than that you're in here with some men. They're leaving it up to you."
"Well, there's more. I brought back something, something that kills Reapers. I put that in the report that went out with Finner."
"If you've got something that kills Reapers, start using it. Mantilla might be able to get some to the rest of Southern Command."
"It's just wood. It's some kind of catalyst, acts on the thickening agent in their blood. They seize up and die."
Duvalier pursed her lips in thought. "Wood isn't much help against artillery and armored cars. Speaking of Reapers, that's the second thing I've got to tell you. They arrested a captain on Hamm's staff. I've been stealing papers and I planted some on him to string this out a little more. I think Hamm's getting set to get rid of me. He used to bring his briefcase and what have you when we were together. No more. Kur knows there's a spy in his division. He's taking precautions."
