“It’s okay,” Siler said soothingly. “We’re in control of the situation.”
“Malcolm, he just saved your life.”
“After almost killing us? I think, at any rate.” Siler and Jeff helped Buchanan up. He looked around. “Damn it. We got hit with electric current, didn’t we?”
“Yeah.”
“How’s Butler?”
“As to that . . . Russell, how long can you keep him in suspended animation and what’s your range?”
“I can keep him like that as long as I’m conscious, but my range isn’t far.”
“Call Dulce, we need a crash team here that can deal with John’s situation. Not sure that’s Tito.”
“It’s not,” Tim said. “But I have that team standing by, too, and I’ve described the situation. When do you want them?”
“Russell, any issues with us using a gate of our own?”
“No. I’m the only one who can prevent it. And I won’t,” he added quickly.
“Smart man. Tim, right about now would be peachy, then.”
A floater gate appeared and a set of Dazzlers with a gurney exited. There was just enough room for them in this area, but only just. Christopher and Jeff each took hold of one of Kozlow’s arms.
The gurney had a metal pod-coffin-type thing on it, one with the top half of the lid made of glass, so you could see the head and torso of whoever was inside. It was blinking in various places on the inside as well. Hadn’t seen something like this before, but assumed it had been created for Butler and probably our other in-control android, Mrs. Maurer’s son, Cameron.
“We need to get him into the containment pod,” the Head Dazzler said to Reader. Who looked at Kozlow.
“I can concentrate better when two big guys aren’t trying to rip my arms off.”
My music changed to Billy Joel’s “A Matter of Trust.” “Let him go,” I said. Jeff and Christopher both shot me suspicious and worried looks, but they did let go.
Kozlow stepped forward. “Thanks.” His brow furrowed and Butler lifted up slowly. The Dazzler opened the pod’s lid. It totally made the swooshing sound I was expecting, too.
Kozlow lowered Butler into the pod. “Take him out now or wait?” he asked the Head Dazzler.
“Wait, if you can.”
“Not sure if the pod will block me, but I’ll do my best.”
She closed the lid. Could tell that the suspended animation thing was still going on. The Dazzlers hit some sleek buttons on the outer part of the pod. “Now, please,” the Head Dazzler said.
Kozlow nodded and the suspended animation went away. Held my breath as the lights inside the pod started blinking at a furious rate.
“If he dies . . .” Jeff growled.
“I know, I know,” Kozlow said. “I die. Got it. Look I’m still concentrating, okay?”
“On what?” Reader asked him.
“On helping.”
Could tell that most of the guys wanted to make a sarcastic remark of some kind, but Kozlow was ignoring them, and I could tell he was focused. Finally, the lights stopped flashing frantically and started going on and off in unison, and at a much slower rate. They seemed timed like breaths, lighting up when breathing in, fading out when exhaling.
The Dazzlers all relaxed. “Thank you,” the Head Dazzler said to Kozlow. “He needed the extra boost.”
“Will John be okay?” I asked.
She nodded. “We have to get him home and rebooted. But he should be himself soon.”
“If any of his circuits,” pointed to Kozlow, “will be useful, he’ll gladly donate them.”
This earned me a dirty look from Kozlow, chuckles from the four human guys, and blank looks from the A-Cs. “Ah, thank you,” the Head Dazzler said, sounding confused. “We’ll let you know.”
“Check these two,” Jeff indicated Buchanan and Jeremy, “before you go. Electric shock.”
“Christopher, too. He was not only electric shocked but soaking in water for far too long.”
The Dazzlers checked them all over, including using an OVS, which, under the circumstances, was wise. Once all three guys were given a reasonably clean bill of health, and they sprayed something on Christopher’s feet and lower legs to presumably get him de-pruned, the Dazzlers took their android patient back through the floater gate, which then shimmered out of view.
My music changed to “Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots of Money)” by the Pet Shop Boys, proving that Algar and I were on the same wavelength.
“Well, that was fun, and I’m hella relieved that John’s going to be okay. Speaking of which . . . Russell, I have a question for you, keeping in mind that all that’s gone on with John, Malcolm, and Jeremy just now merely means I don’t kill you ugly and leave you for the maintenance crew to clean up.”
“Okay.”
“What do you think you can give me that would make me not want to kill you at all?”
“Huh?”
“Okay, it’s more of a riddle. What would you think I’d want?”
Saw what I hoped was the light dawn for Kozlow. “What will you give me if I tell you? Going back to the supermax under the Pentagon isn’t going to make me want to give you anything.”
“It would mean you’re still alive.”
“It would mean they give me back to Israel, because with what I assume you want, I won’t have any value left. They’ll get what they can out of me about G-Company, and then I’ll be tossed back to Mossad to be their new chew toy. If that’s what you’re offering, I’ll choose you shooting me in the head right now.”
“Oh my God,” Christopher muttered, “this guy speaks Kitty.”
“He might, he might indeed. Tell you what, Russell. You give me what you think I want to know, and if it’s what I do want, then I’ll tell you what’s behind Door Number Three. Could be an all expenses paid trip to a luxury prison, or it could be death. Time to play Let’s Make a Deal.”
CHAPTER 82
EVERYONE WAS QUIET. Kozlow took a deep breath. “You want to know where Cliff is and what he’s planning to do.”
“I do, I do indeed. I want more than that, though. I want to know all of his hideouts, where he’s got his doomsday stuff ready to go off if he doesn’t check in or whatever, how many G-Company troops he’s controlling, and if he has any other close lackeys beyond the three I can think of, which are Casey Jones, LaRue or whatever that clone is calling herself, and Leventhal Reid.” Managed not to shudder when I mentioned Reid’s name, but it took effort.
“He has Darryl and Nigel, too.”
Coughed. “Um, how to put this? Not anymore.”
Kozlow’s eyes widened. “You guys killed them?”
Stepped closer to him. “No, Russell. I killed them. And all of Darryl’s clones, too. Just like I killed Nerida. Just like I’m going to kill Casey, LaRue, Reid, and Cliff, not necessarily in that order. Like I’ll kill you, if you don’t manage to secure the best prize I’m offering.”
“What is the best prize?” he asked quietly.
“You get to spend quality time with your mother.”