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.
The fog had climbed the hill. It was as thick as ever Aaron had seen it.
Drizzle fell through it. The air was cold for the time of year. He could notstop shaking.
He glanced back at his home, wondered if he would see it again. He movedcloser to Laella.
General Cado was waiting when Colonel Bruda brought in his catch. FiveDartars. A Qushmarrahan family. One prisoner. Two of his own men the Dartarshad mistaken for kidnappers. And a lot of bodies. "Is this the lot?" "Not allthe Dartars. I have their leader, though." "Good. Release those soldiers sothey can get to their ship." Cado had his own guards on hand.
"I left two guarding the house. They'll need to be relieved." "We'll take careof it. I've sent for Fa'tad, Sullo and his witch, and Colonel bel-Abek. Anyoneelse you need?"
"A physician. And Rose. Rose was watching the child-stealing gang. They splitup when they set out to do tonight's job. My men followed members of the gangwhen they lost Rose, figuring they would find him again. They walked into theaction and got mistaken for gang members. Luckily only one got killed."
Cado scanned the disparate collection of corpses and frightened people, summoned an aide, rattled orders, then returned to Colonel Bruda. "Have youlearned anything useful?"
"My man Taglio has command of both the Qushmarrahan and Dartar dialects. Fromwhat he saw and heard the family thinks the Living did the kidnapping. TheDartars think we did."
"Us? Why?"
Bruda shrugged. They aren't talking."
Cado looked at the cluster of Dartars, all young and tattered, all scared anddefiant. "You feel it, too, Bruda? That there's something very dark slitheringaround just out of sight?"
"Assuming Rose told the truth, I have to keep wondering who killed Generalbel-Karba. Somebody that daring has to be somebody convinced he can handle anyreprisals. Anyone that strong, belonging neither to them nor to us, is someonewe have to worry about. We have troubles enough without adding anothercomplication."
Cado's staff physician came in and went to the injured woman without having tobe told.
"Did you send men to look for bel-Karba's body?"
"Yes. We should hear from them in the morning."
"What about the child? His parents look ordinary. Anything unusual about him?"
"No. I talked to the father extensively. He didn't want to speak up becausehe's afraid of the Living, but he did let slip a few things. He was in thesame unit as Colonel bel-Abek during the war."
"Significant connection?"
"I don't think so. I get the impression he has no use for bel-Abek. Theconnection between them is their wives. They've been friends since childhood.
I can't see any reason why anyone would want to twist the arms of eitherparent of tonight's victim. He's a carpenter. Her relatives are all sistersmarried to nobodies. And that old woman who's trying to die from a kick in thestomach."