Tessa was bound the same way while still sprawled on the ground. Only a few minutes later she was able to shake herself fully awake, and I finally felt like I could breathe again.
Captain Nicola introduced himself and had two of his men pull her to her feet. The flares had all died out by now, but we were still illuminated by the much lesser glow of several electric lanterns of the type Baga had used.
Once Tessa was standing the captain studied her for several seconds. “You really are something,” he said in admiration. “But let’s finish this bloody hike already, yeah?”
“You’ll have to carry us,” she practically hissed in reply. “Why go with you willingly? We know we’re slated for the morgue once Michelle is done with us.”
“Where did you get that idea?” said Nicola.
“You won’t admit it?”
“It isn’t true,” he insisted.
He was obviously lying. I only wish Nari and the colonel had been lying when they had insisted we wouldn’t be watched. I had been happy at the time that we’d be left alone. Another instance of be careful what you wish for biting me in the ass.
“Can I have a word with you?” I said to the captain. “Alone.”
Nick Nicola considered my request. “Why not?” he said with a shrug, ordering his men to back away far enough to be out of the range of a quiet voice. “Okay,” he added when his subordinates had finished repositioning, “you have my attention. What is it?”
“Look around you, Captain,” I said softly. “Your men are all unconscious, but also still alive. Killing them would have been much easier for us, and much less risky. But we spared them, even knowing they weren’t willing to spare us.
“So I’m asking you to do the right thing. For us—and for yourself. We have access to enormous wealth. Whatever Michelle is paying you to kill us, we’ll pay you ten times as much not to. You and everyone involved.”
He didn’t respond in any way, giving me no hint as to whether he was receptive to my offer.
“Your employer doesn’t have to know,” I continued quickly. “Just fake our deaths. Shoot in our direction and we’ll fall down dead. You collect from her, and then from us.”
I shook my head. “And don’t tell me this will ruin your mercenary reputation. With the money I’m offering, you can retire on your own island.”
Nicola looked at me and a flicker of a smile came over his face. I couldn’t decide if he was intrigued or just amused.
“You make an interesting argument, mate,” he said finally. “I’ll noodle it over while you’re communing with our holographic boss.”
“You do that,” I said. “Just remember that we spared your men, and can make all of you very, very rich.”
I thought about adding that Tessa and I could be critical to the future of humanity and twenty-two other intelligent races in the Milky Way galaxy, but decided against it. I mean, as reasonable as that sounded, there was a tiny chance he wouldn’t believe it, and we’d lose whatever credibility we had.
Our fortunes had taken a sharp turn for the worse yet again, but Tessa and I made a hell of a team. Maybe even more formidable than Tessa alone, although that was debatable.
And maybe it was just my imagination, but my thoughts did seem to be coming faster and with greater clarity than normal, as if my mental systems had been flushed of all grime and then lubed, leaving neuronal impulses to race through a sparklingly clean mind unimpeded.
I could only hope that I really was turning into the best version of myself mentally, and this wasn’t just my imagination. Because if we wanted to have any chance of surviving the next few hours, Tessa and I would both need to be at our best—and then some.
26
The trailer, fifty-three feet in length, was open when we arrived, with a steel ramp already extended. The semi was parked on a large gravel abutment off the main road in such a way that it was surrounded by woods on three sides. We were marched up the ramp into the bowels of the well-lighted compartment, which appeared to be completely empty, save for a three-foot section parallel to one long wall that was partitioned off across its entire length. Although it was hidden, I had no doubt this housed quantum communication and holographic technology.
We were soon hogtied to chairs against one wall so thoroughly that no level of enhanced reflexes or strength could possibly help us. While this was taking place, several mercs were readying the vehicle for travel, retracting the ramp back into its storage compartment and closing the back doors.
Not leaving anything to chance, Captain Nicola and his three comrades joined us inside the trailer compartment, standing guard near the back of the truck, automatic pistols drawn.
The semi moved onto the road and then slowly picked up speed, not waiting for the scores of mercs we had incapacitated to return to consciousness. Given the ruckus we had caused, our captors had decided that leaving the area immediately was more important than additional soldiers, and they had made the right call. We were bound and guarded so thoroughly that escape was impossible—even for us.
Given we were now on the move, our chances of rescue were lower than ever. I felt as if our lives came down to my attempt to bribe the captain. He was our only hope. I had to figure out a way to continue to make our case, to make our importance and wealth clear to him while he was in hearing range, playing to him while pretending to play to the alien.
We had been bound for almost a full minute before our holographic host flashed into existence, appearing to be seated in a chair about five feet across from us inside our rectangular cave. Her appearance was as nondescript as it got, as if some computer had taken the images of every woman on Earth, of every possible ethnicity, and put them in a blender, coming up with an improbable mixture of them all. She was average in height and weight, and wore black slacks and a tan blouse, a combination that was the essence of not standing out.
“Jason Ramsey and Tessa Barrett,” she began. “I go by the name of Michelle Kite. I’m so sorry for all the trouble, but I really do need to talk to you.”