And later, Sagdet exploded with incredulity. "He said I'd be there tomorrow night?" "He did. And you'd better show. You miscalculated your time and started your break too early. You'd better back off. Let time finish its work."
"Time, huh?"
Ortbal asked several questions. Then, "What did he hit you with, old friend?"
"He told me I had to decide if I was a thief or a soldier."
"And you've made up your mind, haven't you? You still buy this foolishness called the Living. After six years of Herodian occupation you still think that crazy old man can do what armies couldn't."
"That isn't the question, Ortbal. I don't know if he can do it or not.
Probably not. That doesn't matter. He told me to decide if I'm a thief or a soldier. I'm not a thief. I came here because I owe you the debts of friendship. I had to caution you. I've acquitted my obligation." "Probably expected you to run straight here, too. Twisted your tail just so and here you came."
"Maybe."
"So we come to a parting of roads. If I don't show up tomorrow night. Whatwill he do if I don't show?"
"I don't know."
"What can he do?"
"You take that attitude you might find out. He for sure won't sit still."
"So I'd better do some thinking."
"Will you be there?"
"You'll find that out when you walk in the door, Salom." Sagdet smiled. Thatonly made his pudgy face look malicious. Edgit knew he had no intention ofshowing.
Azel paused to lengthen the wick in the little lamp inside the door. A voicecroaked, "I'm in bed."
Azel stepped into the bedroom. The old man looked terrible. He set the lampdown. "You were waiting? You were that confident I would get your messageright away?"
"No. I sleep a lot but I'm a very light sleeper. You woke me when you openedthe door."
Azel felt he had not made enough noise to disturb a mouse. "I'll have tolighten my step."
"I have very good ears. Was that you with the boy in the alley today?"
"It was. It was a close thing."
"The Dartars were so interested Fa'tad himself came out to poke around."
Azel was astonished. "Really?"
"Yes. You be careful. That man has a nose better than my ears. Lay off for awhile. You don't have to round up the whole population overnight."
"Tell it to the Witch. I tried. She's got a thirty-brat backlog and it takesthree days to make sure each one isn't the one she's looking for. But shewon't slow down. She's gotten obsessed with the idea that she's got to get allthe kids rounded up before any of them kick off. Like she's sure that if evenone of them croaks that'll be the one she wants and she'll have to do the whole damned thing over again."
"Behind another five- or six-year wait. I can understand her anxiety. I shareit. I won't live that long and I'd like to see results before I go. But notnegative results, which is what we'll get if Cado or Fa'tad catches on.
Fa'tad's behavior today indicates that caution is necessary. Would it do anygood if I were to admonish her myself?"
"No. Her deal with us is a marriage of convenience. She's only interested ingetting what she wants."
"Any suggestions?"
Azel answered with an uncharacteristic shrug. "I walked out. For the time being. That'll slow her down."
"But she has other help."
"Yeah. Two other guys."
"Are they any good? Who are they?"
"They're good. Not as good as me, but good. One is named Sadat Agmed. He's in it for the money. The other is Ishabal bel-Shaduk."
"Comes of religious stock, no doubt."
"Very. He's the fanatic."
"The other sounds Dartar."
"His father was. He hates them."
"Could you persuade them to lay off for a while, too?"
"I doubt it. I'm not supposed to know who they are."
"I'll think about the problem. Anything else? Anything from Cado's direction?"
"He's expecting a new civil governor any day now."
The General smiled. A rare event. "That would be what? The eighth since the conquest?" "Ninth. They just send people they'd rather not have around but don't dare kill in Herod." "And the Living take the blame." "Or harvest the credit. Was there some reason you sent for me?" "The problem in the Hahr has become critical. As I feared. Quick action now appears to be the only long-term solution."
"Ah?"
"This is a difficult thing."
"Is it? How soon do you need it?"
"Sunset tomorrow at the latest. But the sooner the better."
"That's tight."
"It will become difficult after that time. I thought you were going to scout the terrain should action become necessary."
"I did."
"Can you manage?"
"If I must."
"You must. Will you need help?"
"No."
"Let me know when it's done."
"Right." Azel walked away from the old man. He tapped the lamp wick down andput it back where he had found it. Then he went out into the fog. He did acareful circuit to make sure no watcher had taken station while he was inside.
He believed in being careful.
Bel-Sidek stood staring out at the fog that covered most of Qushmarrah. Hecould not see much. On a night with a moon, that fog would have stretched likea sprawl of silvery carpet from which parts of buildings grew. To his right, on a slightly higher elevation, the blot of the citadel of Nakar theAbomination masked the stars. Funny. Six years and still a black odor leakedout of the place.
The Witch and her crew were still in there, still holding out, untouchablebehind the barrier only Ala-eh-din Beyh had been able to penetrate. How thehell did they survive in there?
One popular theory held that they hadn't. It contended that the Witch and allof Nakar's people had killed themselves after their master's fall.
Bel-Sidek did not believe that, though he had no evidence to the contrary.
From behind him Meryel asked, "Is it the old man?"
Without turning, he replied, "How did you know?"
"You only brood when you're troubled by someone you love. I think you've madeyour peace with yourself about your son and your wife."
Bel-Sidek's son, Hastra, was another of those who had not come home from Dakes- Souetta. As Meryel's husband had not. Hastra, his only child, the star ofhis heart. For years he had brooded the what-ifs. What if there had been noDartar treachery at Dak-es-Souetta? Win or lose, would the poisonous hatredstill blacken his blood? Was he, like so many men he knew, hanging everything on the horns of the Dartar demon, so to evade taking anyresponsibility that was his own? He'd never worked that out, only come torealize that the brooding was as pathetic and pointless as the howling of adog over the still form of a fallen master.
The wife was another story. The wife had nothing to do with win or lose orDartar treachery. The woman, whose very name he strove to drive from his mind, had deserted him almost before his wounds had healed. With the connivance and blessing of her family. Almost unheard-of in Qushmarrah, a dowry abandoned.
But they'd had an eye for the main chance. And who wanted a cripple in the family? Political or physical?
"There's you," bel-Sidek said.
"I never give you cause to brood."
True. Quite true.
The wife had run to one of the new breed of Qushmarrahans, that the Herodianswere making over in their own image. The man had adopted all the approveddress and manners and had taken the conquering god for his own. And he hadprospered, collaborating with the army of occupation. And then he had died ofan inability to breathe, for which bel-Sidek had had no responsibility at all.
He suspected the General had given the order. He had not asked, and neverwould.
"Is it something you want to talk about?"
"I don't think so." Out there, beneath that fog, men were moving. Some werevillains and some were soldiers of the Living. There would be bodies in themorning. And who would know which had been slain by whom? The General, perhaps.
Let Fa'tad play his transparent games and take away the day. The nightbelonged to the old order, and would come out of the shadows someday soon.