“I sense alarm,” Drone 21 said. “Do not be afraid. I have seen you in the thoughts of others and know you to be a good people. Can you confirm that Agent 3982’s algorithm has expired?”
The hairs on the back of Mike’s neck stood. He couldn’t believe the tech he was seeing and its claims of knowing them. Part of him wanted to run, but the strong curious streak that ran deep inside him made him stay. “Do you mean Augustus?”
“I believe he used that name,” Drone 21 said. The image flickered and a line of digital interference partially obscured the face. “Please confirm his status.”
Maria stuttered. Mike glanced across, held out his palm to stop her talking, and quickly shook his head.
“Why should we tell you?” Mai asked. “He’s your agent and tried to kill us all.”
Mike had no idea what they were dealing with yet, although the prism had come from around Augustus’ neck.
“I am not your enemy,” Drone 21 said. “I am here to offer you an exchange. I can only do that once I’m aware of the full facts.”
“Exchange of what exactly?” Mike said. “You’ll forgive us for being slightly confused?”
The face vanished. An image of Denver and Layla, dressed in armored suits amongst alien foliage, flashed around the edge of the cone. The image moved, showing a two-second clip of them retreating. Both Mike and Mai took a sharp intake of breath.
“They’re alive!” Maria said.
The image cut away and the face appeared again. “Your friends on Tredeya for information. Now please confirm my question. You have little time to decide.”
“You know their location?” Mai said and gripped Mike’s arm tighter. He winced as pain shot through his injured elbow. “Charlie, Denver and Layla are alive and you can bring them back?”
“We will have access to Earth soon. This is the final time I will ask you. Provide a status update.”
“He’s dead,” Mike blurted and took a couple of seconds to compose himself. He folded his shaking left hand under his sling. “Augustus died during the attack on Unity. I’ve seen his body. What information do you want in return?”
“Thank you. Agent 3982 will be erased from memory. Our proposition is for you to provide full access to your information systems. Your three friends are still alive and we have acquired the specifications to create a transportation method.”
Mai edged closer to his side and gripped the arm of his faded lime green sweater. “We don’t have anything to hide. Who are you?”
“Your question is not relevant to the current negotiation. We calculate the exchange is possible if you engage immediately. Beyond that, the prediction is less certain.”
“You can have what you want,” Mike said. The only information systems left were cobbled-together croatoan ones. After electricity failed nearly three decades ago, all known human systems were down and rotting away. The picture of Denver and Layla, coupled with the tech he faced, told him he had nothing to lose and a lot to gain. “Tell me what I need to do?”
“Stay exactly where you are,” Drone 21 said. “Make sure any equipment and documents Hagellan left remain untouched. We will coordinate the rest when we arrive.”
“If you’re not croatoan, how do we know you won’t invade us?” Mai said.
“We have no desire to destroy your world and only seek information.”
“What kind of information?” Mike said.
“That is an unanswerable question. Do we have an agreement?”
“At least tell us who you are?” Maria said.
“We are the scion. By accepting the offer, you will become our agents.”
“You’ve got yourself a deal,” Mike said. He only usually took risks with his inventions and had no idea who he was dealing with, but any chance to get his friends back home was worth a shot. “When can we expect to hear—”
The cone and beam of light vanished, leaving the small black prism on the table. Mike reached forward and prodded it with his finger. “Unbelievable.”
“What does being an agent mean?” Maria asked.
Mai grabbed Mike’s hand and peered into his eyes. “What have we just done?”
“Exactly what Charlie would’ve in our shoes. We’ve taken a gamble to save our friends.”
Chapter 35
DENVER DUCKED from the blast of Vingo’s rifle.
The alien shot the electronic lock mechanism on the inside of the sewer’s blast door. The shell exploded the device and parts ricocheted in Denver’s direction, flying over his head.
“You crazy bastard,” Denver said, gripping his rifle tighter and considering shooting that little shit right there and then. Vingo wore a smirk on his face, or at least that’s what Denver thought it was. Who knew what an alien species regarded as politicians were actually thinking behind their mask.
“Croatoans won’t have enough firepower to get through the blast doors now,” Vingo said. “Not with the scion patrolling outside. We’re free to head to the vault.”
“How do we even know this leads to the vault?” Layla said.
Denver and Charlie switched on their external lights and looked down the black tunnel. The smooth walls betrayed no threat. It looked like any other sewer that one might find on Earth. A five-inch-deep mulch of watery shit sloshed over their feet. Overhead, great ventilation fans spun slowly, extracting what Denver assumed would be harmful pockets of gas.
“It’s up to you to trust me,” Vingo said.
“Aren’t you getting braver now?” Charlie added.
“What else do you want me to say? I’m not going to beg you to follow me. If you wish to stay behind and suffocate, I won’t shed a tear for you. My mission is almost impossible anyway. With your help, you can probably help me claw back a few percentage points, but nothing that guarantees success. I don’t see why I have to keep justifying my actions to you. I’m offering you a chance off this rock. You can keep questioning me and using up your air, or you can follow me and help yourselves.”
Vingo didn’t even look at them as he sloshed forward into the tunnels.
Denver stayed his dad’s arm. “Not yet,” Denver said.
Vingo made what he thought was a chuckling sound. It was all Denver could do not to follow his dad’s cue and shoot the little bastard in the back. Denver didn’t like the change in his demeanor one bit. But still, there was no option left but to follow. At least the treacherous swine was in front of them.
They slogged through a few kilometers of shit without incident, despite the dark ripples that followed them. At one point Denver caught sight of an eel-like creature swimming through the sludge by his side. Dark red eyes reflected back at him in the gloom. It opened its slit mouth to display a row of tiny, but sharp-looking, teeth.
“What the hell are these things?” Layla asked, kicking out at one as it wrapped itself around her left ankle and tried to snap its small jaws through the metal of her suit without much luck. It didn’t even have the strength to scratch the surface.
“Unwanted pets,” Vingo said.
“Why the hell would anyone want that thing as a pet?” Charlie asked, remaining close to Vingo, who was setting an increasingly faster pace.
“There was a phase a few years ago when they were popular as combat pets. Our young would grow and train them for tournaments, but that soon died out and they were disposed of into the sewers. They have proved to be highly adaptable… and they provide a useful job, breaking down the solids they consume.
“I think I might be sick,” Layla said.
“Try to conserve your air if you are,” Vingo said. There was an edge now to his voice that Denver really didn’t care for. He had become sly, brave. The weak act and promise of cooperation seemed to have disappeared.