“Why would you think that’s what I’m going to do?”
Siler sighed. “You aren’t mad at anyone—that was just an act so you could get out of the room. But right before that, we’d been discussing how we’ve lost the coordinates and all of a sudden, and instead of trying to work through where we might be heading, you want to be alone. My conclusion is that you just had the idea to ask the DJ what’s going on and see if he can help us, and you naturally don’t want to and can’t do that with the others around.”
“If that were true, and I’m in no way saying that it is, then wouldn’t you being around mean I couldn’t talk to him?”
“Maybe. Maybe he’d like to meet me.”
“The person he can’t actually control? The one person in, as far as I can tell, the galaxy? Um, no. I’m betting that you’re the last person he wants to meet.” As Algar, at any rate. He’d met Siler as the Ard Ri, after all. And Siler hadn’t picked up that the Ard Ri was the DJ. Meaning that Algar’s powers weren’t shorted out fully with Siler, just somewhat.
“I can wait,” Siler said, as he leaned against a wall and crossed his arms over his chest.
“Why does this matter to you?”
“I’m curious.”
“Bull pookey. You’re an assassin and you can go invisible. I’m somewhat surprised you didn’t just blend and follow me.”
“I don’t want to do that. This isn’t something that I want to discover by . . . skulking.”
“Why not? And, again, why do you care? Why does this matter to you? It’s not curiosity, so don’t try that one again.”
He tried for the stare down. Geez, it was like a party game on this trip. But, as per usual, since he wasn’t Mom or Chuckie, he didn’t win. He was a very worthy opponent, though.
Siler heaved a sigh. “I want answers from a source I can trust.”
Considered this. “Oh. Trevor the Tinkerer did pique your interest. There’s a lot about you that no one understands, particularly you yourself. But here’s the thing—the DJ really likes to play fussy little word games. I mean, don’t get me wrong—I like him, frankly, a lot, but he’s kind of a jerk. He never comes out and says ‘do this’ or ‘don’t do that’ or anything of the kind. I get song clues, vague innuendo, and weird forms of encouragement, and that’s about it. I have no idea if he talks to the two others who know in the same way, or at all, really. But if you’re looking for straight answers, Trevor’s far more likely to give them to you.”
“He won’t. And I can’t trust anything he tells me anyway. And I know you know that. Besides, we need to keep him on the hook, thinking that the only reason I don’t make him dead is that you won’t let me—so far—and that I might want the information he claims to possess. Actually wanting the information means we lose. So, no, I don’t want it, not from him.”
“Maybe I should give you the Wolverine moniker and I take Nightcrawler.”
He laughed. “No. I’m good with the nicknames as they are. But I’ve been thinking about who the others could be, the ones who know the DJ, in my off time. I think I’ve figured it out.”
“Yeah?”
He nodded. “Richard White and Paul Gower.”
Hoped I was keeping the shocked look off of my face. “Um, why would you think it’s them?”
He laughed. “Because they’re the former and current heads of the A-C’s religion. And if I was a godlike being, I’d want to deal with the people most likely willing to believe in my existence.”
“It’s a good theory.” Per what he’d told me, that was basically the reason Algar had told them.
But, way back when, others had known who he was, too. The leader of the A-Cs, normally their king, had been in on it. Though, in reality, not for several generations. While Algar was all for supporting Alfred to the point that he’d exiled himself to Earth right along with him—because Alfred had been the rightful heir and that meant so were those in his bloodline—he hadn’t shared his existence with Jeff’s father.
He still hadn’t with Jeff, either, and Jeff was now the official King Regent, too. At least, as far as I knew. But he’d continued to share with the Head of Security all the way along, because Algar was part of what made things secure. Once our A-Cs had come to Earth, those in the know had just been the Former and Current Pontifexes and Gladys Gower. Until she died. While on a mission with me.
Tried to shove back the sorrow thinking about losing Gladys always gave me. I’d worked one mission with her and watched her sacrifice herself to keep her people safe. I would have really liked to have gotten to do more with her. Then again, I’d wanted to have more time with Michael Gower, and Naomi Gower-Reynolds, too. Operation Infiltration had really been a hard one to take, especially for the Gower family and those of us who loved them.
Siler cocked his head. “The other people who knew, they’re dead now. And you knew them.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Your expression. You’re missing someone and the memory is painful. Who?”
“It happened before you joined us.”
“But not before I knew about you.” He looked thoughtful. “I got the full rundown of events from Buchanan. At least from as long as you’ve all been in D.C. The worst losses you took were when Dulce got infiltrated . . .” He jerked. “Ah. That would make sense. I wonder if that knowledge has passed on to her successor.”
“No idea.” I truly had no idea if William Ward knew about Algar or not. Because it was hard enough to talk about Algar with the couple of people who I knew were aware of his existence as it was. Never saw a reason to force a migraine on myself.
Though, as I thought about it, talking about Algar with Siler wasn’t nearly as hard as it was when I was talking about him with Gower or White.
Would have tried denying things again but the door opened. And Algar came inside.
CHAPTER 46
“OH, EXCUSE ME, LASSIE, LADDIE,” Algar said politely. “One of the weasels got out again and I thought maybe it had run here.”
“Haven’t seen it,” Siler said. “Sorry. If we spot it we’ll bring it to you.”
Realized he was trying to get Algar out of the room so we could continue our conversation. Literally had no idea of what I should be doing right now, though the Inner Hyena was threatening to erupt.
Algar snapped his fingers and time stopped. “I think you should relax, lassie. You need some downtime before the next activities.”
Looked at Siler. He seemed frozen. “Um, can he hear us?”
“He cannot, actually.”
“Great. I’d take you up on that whole resting idea, only I’m experienced enough to know that I’m not going to get any real rest until we’ve saved the cosmos or whatever. So, why are you here? To help me not give you away to Siler or to let him meet you officially?”
Algar shook his head. “He’s not ready to meet me.”
Snorted. “Right. The dude has figured out that you’re out there. To me, that indicates a total readiness to meet the King of the Elves in person.”