"Easy, boy."
"Azel. I gave up on you ... What happened to you?"
"We got trouble, brother. You want to take this kid? Before I collapse?"
Torgo looked at the boy like he was a poisonous snake.
"Easy now. He's the one you wanted bel-Shaduk to grab so bad. Ended up hecouldn't, so I finished the job for him."
The eunuch took the boy almost tenderly, looked at Azel suspiciously. "Whycouldn't Ishabal bring him in? How come you even know anything about it?"
"He didn't bring the brat in because he's too dead to walk. Come on. I'll tellyou about it while I'm getting myself patched up."
Torgo took the child to the cage first.
Azel told the thing exactly as it had happened, from his sighting of Torgo tothe moment Bel-Shaduk fled Char Street with the boy. Invention came into playonly when he described how Ishabal had been cornered and killed by hispursuers.
He did wish he had been able to finish those two. It wasn't likely Torgo wouldrun into them, and it probably wouldn't matter if that part did get unraveled, but any loose end was an artistic flaw.
On the other hand, he was a practical man. He could not take risk just to makesure loose ends got snipped.
"What about the boy you were supposed to deliver to the Living? Something badhappened with him, Azel. She was hurt. I had to hit her ... She could be daysrecovering."
Azel frowned. What now? "Tell me. Everything."
Torgo showed his teeth, ready to balk. Then he gave in, obviously at a lossand desperate for direction. He described events minutely.
Azel had watched some of Nakar's sorcery in the old days. He did not know, buthe suspected what had happened. She had encountered a strong soul and had notbeen prepared. Perhaps even Ala-eh-din Beyh himself.
The eunuch stared at the new brat. The one, if the woman was right. Azel wasgrim now, thinking how diminished he would be when this one was opened. Timeto start wooing Torgo, lest he come up with a crazy idea of his own. "Two daysand today turns into yesterday again, eh? That don't excite me the way it usedto, Torgo. The other brat can wait. The Living can make do without. I wouldn'tgo back out there now if I could."
Best to make a thing of his injuries. Never hurt to have them underestimateyou. "Too many people out there looking for me now. Hell. If the Living can'tcontrol their traitor for two days they don't deserve to share the fruits ofvictory. Do they?"
Torgo grunted. Azel was sure he was thinking about what he would lose in a fewdays.
Good. Perfect. Feed his obsession. But don't underestimate him. They'd robbedhim of his balls, not his brain.
"I need a big favor, Torgo."
The eunuch gave him a suspicious look.
"There's this guy who's been helping us since the beginning. He don't know what he's been doing, of course. But he's played square all the way. Hedeserves a break. And he does know a lot somebody would find interesting ifthey grabbed him and made him talk. I need you to take him a warning from methat it's time to disappear."
Torgo frowned. "Why?"
"Crap, man! Because I owe him and I can't go out there. In another hour Iain't going to be able to walk. You understand a debt of honor? Hell. I don'tknow. Look. You and me, we never got along good. We don't like each other. Wenever took no trouble to hide that. But we been working together. Getting thejob done. We got the same friends and the same enemies. Despite we don't likeeach other we done each other straight. So if it was you out there that neededwarning I'd see you got it. If only because I don't never want nobody else towring your fat ugly neck before I get my shot."
The eunuch was not convinced. "Where?"
"Place called Muma's. Just off the hilltop. Wouldn't take you twenty minutes."
Torgo grunted, asked, "Why should I do anything for you?"
"What do you want most in the world, man? Never mind. I think I know already.
And I think I know how you could get it. Without no complications. I think Imight even tell you about it sometime was you to do me this favor."
Torgo studied him for half a minute. "All right. What's the message?"
"I got to write it. He don't see it in my hand he ain't going to believe it."
Muma could not read but Torgo did not need to know that. The message would befor his benefit. He'd snoop, sure. The symbol on the outside would be warningenough for Muma.
"I'll get things to write with." Torgo slouched out, still suspicious.
This was not going to be an easy seduction.
Aaron recognized the man in the doorway because a few years ago he had come tothe shipyard regularly, to interview workers, either hunting for a spy ortrying to recruit one. Colonel Bruda, General Cado's chief spy and bully.
His heart went cold.
Bruda looked around at injured family and injured Dartars. He did not seemupset, only mildly perplexed. A harmless little man, going bald. Nogah rosefrom his brother Yoseh's side and went to face him. They exchanged words Aarondid not catch.
Mish moved over beside Yoseh, said something softly. Aaron wondered if thekick in the face had impaired his hearing. Stafa came and clung to his leg. Hewas confused and scared still. Aaron scooped him up and settled him on his hip. He patted the boy's back gently. Stafa held on like he was afraid he was going to drown.
Bruda came to Aaron. "This is your home? Your family?" "Yes sir." His voice quavered.
Bruda took hold of his chin, made him turn his face right and left. "You look like hell but you're not too badly hurt, are you?" "No sir." "Anyone badly hurt? They try to do anything besides take your son?" "The old woman. My mother-in-law. They kicked her in the stomach. Something's wrong inside. My wife thinks she's dying."
"I see." Bruda moved to Raheb, glancing at Mish and Yoseh. "You're lucky these Dartars were around. You resisted. They might have killed you for that." He squatted opposite Laella, looked at the old woman for a moment, met Laella's eye. "No improvement?"
Laella shook her head.
Bruda rose and strode to the door, barked something in rapid Herodian. Aaron recognized only the words for "sergeant" and "two men." He looked at Nogah. Nogah shrugged helplessly.
Bruda spoke to his sergeant a moment, then came back to Aaron. "Did they try to take the younger boy, too, or just the one?" "Just Arif." Aaron began to shake. "Try to hang on and bear with us. What's your name?" "Aaron. Aaron Habid." "Aramite? That sounds Aramite." "Yes." "Not to worry, Aaron. I don't care about your religion. I've seen you before, haven't I? Where would that have been?"
"The shipyard. A few years ago."
"Of course. Master carpenter. Right?"
"Yes sir."
"What did you do during the war, Aaron? Engineers?"
"Yes sir. The Seven Towers."
A flicker of something stirred behind Bruda's eyes.
The sergeant and two soldiers came inside with a stretcher rigged from two spears and several cloaks. Bruda indicated Raheb, spoke in rapid Herodian, then told Aaron, "We're all going up to Government House where we can giveeveryone proper medical attention and maybe put our heads together to unravelthis."
Aaron's fear betrayed itself.
Bruda smiled. "No, you don't have to worry about the rack and thumbscrews. Ithink you'll help me because I'm going to help you. If I can. Is there aneighbor you can have watch your place while you're gone? Or shall I leave acouple of soldiers?"
Aaron had become flustered. He could think of no one to ask to watch his home.
But he did not want Herodians hanging around attracting attention, either.
Bruda read him. "I'll have them stay inside."
The soldiers had Raheb on their stretcher and were awaiting orders. Brudaspoke to his sergeant. The man ordered two more soldiers inside. The place hadbecome painfully crowded. The stretcher bearers worked toward the doorway.
Laella took Stafa from Aaron before she followed. He was grateful. The boy hadbecome a load.
Mish followed her sister, not trying to hide her fright. Aaron followed her.
The Dartars came after him. Aaron noted that Bruda had only a few, thebrothers and two more. The rest must have scurried back into Tosh Alley.