“I’ve found some sticks that aren’t completely drenched.”
He followed her deeper into the plane. It was massive. They took a left fork and followed a hallway for a few minutes to its end, gathering sticks along the way. Just a few weeks ago, they would have chatted and laughed as they worked, but the only sound in the hall now was the slow drip of water. Isis said nothing, and Cameron didn’t try to drag her into a conversation. Her face was pale and solemn, the carefree happiness ripped from her. It made Cameron want to punch someone. Preferably a Selpe.
They set up their sticks in one of the rooms close to the entrance, and Cameron went about starting up a fire. As Everett unpacked their food and blankets, Isis moved toward the door. She met Jason at the doorway between the two rooms. The two of them just stared at each other for a few seconds, Jason’s eyes steadily darkening. Isis blushed and retreated a few steps. Then Jason closed the door behind him and deposited his pack against the wall before joining Cameron at the fire.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
~ Thieves and Assassins ~
526AX August 21, Pegasus
THE NEXT MORNING, a hard shake startled Cameron into consciousness. Jason crouched before him, pressing a finger to his lips. He connected with Cameron’s eyes just long enough to make sure he was awake, then he dashed over to the closed door. Isis stood to one side and he to the other, their ears turned toward the entrance chamber. Everett was packing up their things and putting out the last embers of their fire.
“There are people outside,” he whispered.
Cameron rubbed the sleep from his eyes. “Who?”
“We’re not sure. Someone got caught in one of Jason’s traps. I’m surprised the scream didn’t wake you.”
So was Cameron. He must have been more exhausted than he’d thought.
“Looters,” Jason announced.
“Humans,” added Isis.
“Fools,” Jason said.
Xenen technology was far more advanced than any used by the Selpes and the Avans. There were bands that made it their mission to track it down for sale on the black market. Since most of the abandoned technology lay deep within the Wilderness, the work required a special kind of idiot. Elitions didn’t take kindly to humans crossing their borders. And that went doubly so for looters.
“So what’s the plan?” Cameron asked.
“It is a band of ten men. I set only four traps, more as a warning than as a defense. I will take care of the remainders,” Jason decided.
Isis stepped forward, but he shook his head.
“No, not you.” Jason motioned Everett over, and they both pulled on their packs. “Everett and I can handle them.”
“Jason — ”
“No,” he cut her off. “We both know you’re not a killer. You stay here and protect Cameron.”
Then before she could protest further, he and Everett slipped through the door and shut it behind them. As soon as they were gone, Isis began to pace from one side of the room to the other, a glower on her face. She’d only just completed her first loop when shouts sounded from outside. A few seconds later, Jason and Everett burst through the door.
“Time to go,” Jason told them. “The coast is clear but not for long.”
They jogged out of the plane. Cameron squinted as the blinding glare of the rising sun hit his eyes. The sky was grey and mostly cloudy, but at least it had stopped raining. Jason took the lead, scaling the steep slope in two strides. Cameron tried to imitate him, but his boots sank deep into the mud. He kicked free, but not before Isis and Everett had darted past him. Cameron pushed himself hard, closing in beside Jason.
“What happened?”
“The Crescent Order showed up. They scared off the looters. That gives us a few minutes’ head start until they come after us.”
“How did they find us?” asked Cameron.
Jason’s face hardened. “They have a Prior with them. And a Phantom. And a Prophet.”
“They can track us?”
“They can track us,” he
He followed her deeper into the plane. It was massive. They took a left fork and followed a hallway for a few minutes to its end, gathering sticks along the way. Just a few weeks ago, they would have chatted and laughed as they worked, but the only sound in the hall now was the slow drip of water. Isis said nothing, and Cameron didn’t try to drag her into a conversation. Her face was pale and solemn, the carefree happiness ripped from her. It made Cameron want to punch someone. Preferably a Selpe.
They set up their sticks in one of the rooms close to the entrance, and Cameron went about starting up a fire. As Everett unpacked their food and blankets, Isis moved toward the door. She met Jason at the doorway between the two rooms. The two of them just stared at each other for a few seconds, Jason’s eyes steadily darkening. Isis blushed and retreated a few steps. Then Jason closed the door behind him and deposited his pack against the wall before joining Cameron at the fire.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
~ Thieves and Assassins ~
526AX August 21, Pegasus
THE NEXT MORNING, a hard shake startled Cameron into consciousness. Jason crouched before him, pressing a finger to his lips. He connected with Cameron’s eyes just long enough to make sure he was awake, then he dashed over to the closed door. Isis stood to one side and he to the other, their ears turned toward the entrance chamber. Everett was packing up their things and putting out the last embers of their fire.
“There are people outside,” he whispered.
Cameron rubbed the sleep from his eyes. “Who?”
“We’re not sure. Someone got caught in one of Jason’s traps. I’m surprised the scream didn’t wake you.”
So was Cameron. He must have been more exhausted than he’d thought.
“Looters,” Jason announced.
“Humans,” added Isis.
“Fools,” Jason said.
Xenen technology was far more advanced than any used by the Selpes and the Avans. There were bands that made it their mission to track it down for sale on the black market. Since most of the abandoned technology lay deep within the Wilderness, the work required a special kind of idiot. Elitions didn’t take kindly to humans crossing their borders. And that went doubly so for looters.
“So what’s the plan?” Cameron asked.
“It is a band of ten men. I set only four traps, more as a warning than as a defense. I will take care of the remainders,” Jason decided.
Isis stepped forward, but he shook his head.
“No, not you.” Jason motioned Everett over, and they both pulled on their packs. “Everett and I can handle them.”
“Jason — ”
“No,” he cut her off. “We both know you’re not a killer. You stay here and protect Cameron.”
Then before she could protest further, he and Everett slipped through the door and shut it behind them. As soon as they were gone, Isis began to pace from one side of the room to the other, a glower on her face. She’d only just completed her first loop when shouts sounded from outside. A few seconds later, Jason and Everett burst through the door.
“Time to go,” Jason told them. “The coast is clear but not for long.”
They jogged out of the plane. Cameron squinted as the blinding glare of the rising sun hit his eyes. The sky was grey and mostly cloudy, but at least it had stopped raining. Jason took the lead, scaling the steep slope in two strides. Cameron tried to imitate him, but his boots sank deep into the mud. He kicked free, but not before Isis and Everett had darted past him. Cameron pushed himself hard, closing in beside Jason.
“What happened?”
“The Crescent Order showed up. They scared off the looters. That gives us a few minutes’ head start until they come after us.”
“How did they find us?” asked Cameron.
Jason’s face hardened. “They have a Prior with them. And a Phantom. And a Prophet.”
“They can track us?”
“They can track us,” he
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