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Duvalier's eyes shifted to her eggs. She added more salt. "He said something about wanting to climb this hill and piss on your body. Accused me of sneaking with you. I think I was going to be arrested. When he went to the CP, I took off; around morning I came up on some pickets along the old interstate north of you. They were talking about how you were still up there. Thought I might as well deliver the message before moving on."
"And check to see if I was still breathing?"
"I brought you along as a Cat. Call it a family interest. Hope the packet helps."
"Your soaking was worthwhile. What's your opinion on Xray-Tango?"
She shrugged. "Typical high-ranking goon. I did hear a rumor from Hamm. The Reapers took his wife away some years back. They thought she was a Cat."
"Remember our Invocation? The blood in our palms?"
Duvalier scrunched up her eyebrows. "Yes. Of course."
"Wonder if that's what passed on our abilities. Something in the bloodstream. Maybe she somehow passed on some abilities to him."
"I don't know Lifeweaver technomagic. Hope it's not something that would show up on some kind of blood test. Might make it easier for them to find us."
"Perish the thought," he said.
She finished her meal and drummed her fingers on the table, so fast each tap combined into a single dull noise. "Sorry I can't be more helpful. Don't try to figure Quislings, especially high-ranking ones. Might as well try to win over a scorpion."
Valentine took his eyes away from her hands. "Feel free to load up with whatever you need. I'd like to ask one more favor of you, though."
"What would that be?"
"The sound of your voice."
* * * *
It felt a little like a producer doing radio theater that night. Valentine, Styachowski, Jimenez and Duvalier were crammed into the little room, each holding a page of notes. Jimenez twiddled the dials.
"We're on TMCC New Columbia band now," Jimenez said.
"Contact GHQ New Columbia, do you read? Over," Jimenez said. There was a pause of just a moment.
"GHQ here, reading five-five," the speaker crackled back.
"I have priority com from Colonel Le Sain on Big Rock Mountain to General Hamm. He requests that the general come to the mike, wishes to discuss terms of surrender, over."
"Nulton, cut the crap," the voice said.
"Check your RDF and signal strength," Jimenez said. "I'm just up the hill from you, over."
Valentine pressed the transmit trigger. "This is Colonel Le Sain, boy. Get the general to the radio rikki-tik, would you? Standing by."
"Ack-acknowledge," the voice responded.
Jimenez cut the static as they waited.
"You really think turning this into a soap opera will work?" Duvalier said.
"Life's been hard on him lately. I want to make it all my fault," Valentine said.
The minutes passed. "This is Stanislaw, GHQ New Columbia, with General Hamm online. Do you read, over?"
"Zippety do-dah," Duvalier said. "He went for it."
"Colonel Le Sain here. Put the general on the phone."
