Cobra Gamble (14 page)

"How can this radio have come into your possession?" Omnathi countered. "There are facts here which must be brought into the light."

Daulo raised his head a little higher. "Then assemble your facts. Advisor Omnathi," he said. "I don't fear the truth. Bring your facts into the light, and allow me to face them."

"After
you've set me on my way to Purma," Haafiz said, standing up. "If there's treason here, there's even more reason for me to quickly make my way elsewhere."

"Elsewhere, certainly," Akim said. "But not to Purma. Without knowing what Daulo Sammon may or may not have told the invaders, we cannot risk you traveling to any place we've spoken of during our journey. The invaders may be even now setting a trap for you there."

"Did you mention Windloom in his hearing?" the village leader put in. "If so, you can't stay here, either."

"Agreed," Akim said. "But we shouldn't need to go far. I'm told there's a quarantine cabin half a kilometer into the forest to the west."

"That's correct," the villager said doubtfully. "But it hasn't been used in years. I can't make any promises for its comfort or even its structural soundness."

"Whatever its condition, we'll make it do," Akim assured him. "Can you provide us with two weeks' worth of food and water?"

"Two
weeks?"
Haafiz echoed. "We're speaking of a summary trial, Marid Akim, not something long and involved. I can't be away from Qasama that long."

"This
is
Qasama," the villager said, an edge to his voice.

"I mean the
real
Qasama," Haafiz retorted, not even wasting a glare on the man. "The Qasama the invaders are conquering and destroying. The Qasama that's
worth
conquering and destroying."

"I understand your wish to return to the main theater of war, Your Excellency," Akim said hastily. "But I'm afraid the delay can't be avoided. We need to bring Fadil Sammon here to testify as to his part in this, and even for Djinn a journey to Milika through forested lands will take at least a week in each direction."

"And thus you rob me even of knowledge," Haafiz growled.

Akim frowned. "I don't understand."

"If you send the Djinn to fetch Fadil Sammon, they can't also go to Purma to learn what the invaders are doing," Haafiz reminded him.

"Ah," Akim said, looking sideways at Omnathi. "Yes, I see. But again, I'm afraid it can't be helped. Before we can make any moves against the invaders we need to learn the extent of the Sammon family's actions against us."

Haafiz hissed between his teeth. "Very well. For the moment, we'll go to this quarantine cabin." He leveled a finger at Akim. "But only for the moment.
I
will decide later just how long my exile will last."

"Of course," Akim said.

"And while we await the son's arrival," Haafiz added, turning to Daulo, "you'll begin your examination of the father. The sooner we determine the extent of his treason, the sooner I'll be able to get back to Purma and locate the remaining Shahni."

He waved a hand at the villager. "Go," he ordered. "Prepare our provisions."

A hint of a scowl touched the other's lips. But he merely nodded, made the sign of respect, and left.

* * *

There was an old, overgrown, barely visible path leading away from the clearing around Windloom westward toward the quarantine cabin. It looked way too narrow and plant-choked for the wheelchair, and as the group approached it Daulo found himself wincing at the prospect of trying to drag himself the entire half kilometer on foot.

Fortunately, Akim had already thought it through and come up with a solution. As they reached the path he gave a murmured order, and four of the Djinn took hold of the corners of Daulo's wheelchair, lifting both him and the chair off the ground. With the other two Djinn in the lead, they headed into the forest.

The path was bumpy, with hidden obstacles that threatened to trip up the wheelchair carriers with every step. Daulo was nearly pitched out at least a dozen times along the way, and it was with a sense of relief that he finally spotted the roof of the cabin ahead between the trees.

He'd relaxed too soon. Two steps later, the two Djinn in the lead abruptly turned left, leaving the path and turning southward. Daulo's carriers, and of course Daulo himself, did likewise.

Daulo tensed, a hundred horrible and ominous scenarios flashing through his mind. But whatever was happening, it was quickly clear that he wasn't the only one who hadn't been told of this additional change of plans. "What's this?" Haafiz demanded, stopping in confusion as Akim and Omnathi veered off alongside the Djinn. "Marid Akim? What's going on? Where are you taking us?"

"To the secret haven I told you about back in Sollas," Akim said. "It's a place that was long prepared for just such a situation."

"A place the details of which you were extremely vague about," Haafiz said.

"Be patient, Your Excellency," Akim said. "Your questions will all be answered soon."

They'd been walking for fifteen minutes, and the Djinn carrying Daulo's wheelchair were starting to stagger with their burden, when they reached their destination.

Though for a minute Daulo didn't realize that. The small clearing that had been created by a pair of toppled trees wasn't at all remarkable. It was only as the Djinn set Daulo and his wheelchair down that the ground between the trees magically opened up to reveal the top of a three-meter-diameter shaft leading downward.

"Its designation is Reserve Command Post Sollas Three," Akim said as a pair of young men in gray Djinni combat suits stepped out of the shaft, their hands in laser-firing positions as they eyed the newcomers. "There are thirty such bases scattered around the rural and forested areas of Qasama, designed to serve as regrouping points in case of an overwhelming attack."

"I was never told of these places," Haafiz said, his voice dark with suspicion. "Why were the Shahni not told?"

"As you pointed out earlier, the Shahni have their own emergency gathering places," Akim reminded him. "As we of the military haven't been told where those are, so you of the Shahni haven't been told of these."

"We are the rulers," Haafiz retorted. "We're to know
everything
that happens on our world."

"The high command evidently thought otherwise." Akim gestured to the two Djinn still waiting at the shaft. "Ifrit Narayan? Come near and report."

One of the Djinn lowered his hands, jumped easily over the fallen trees, and strode forward. "We are twenty-eight strong, Marid Akim," he said, making the sign of respect first to Akim and then, almost as an afterthought, to Haafiz. "Two other Ifrits, twenty-five Djinn."

Akim expelled his breath in a huffing sigh. "I'd hoped for more."

"As had we," Narayan conceded heavily. "The invasion has cost many lives."

"Indeed," Akim said. "We can hope that the other posts have had better fortune. Equipment status?"

"Thirteen of us were forced to leave our combat suits behind," Narayan said. "They've been replaced from the stores, with thirty-seven suits remaining." He ran his eyes briefly over the six Djinn in the group. "I'll need to check the available sizes, but I believe we'll be able to refit your escort. As to other equipment, we have full stores."

"Good," Akim said. "Once everyone is below, and Shahni Haafiz and Daulo Sammon are settled, I'll want to meet with you and the other Ifrits. An urgent mission has come up that we need to discuss."

"Yes, Marid." Narayan raised his arm and whistled.

From the woods around them a dozen combat-suited Djinn slipped into view. "Escort Shahni Haafiz and the others below," Narayan ordered. "Daulo Sammon is injured, and will need to be carried in his wheelchair."

Three minutes later, after a slightly nerve-wracking descent down a way-too-steep stairway, they were inside the post.

Daulo had expected to find a place built along the same lines as the Sollas subcity, and he was mostly correct. It was smaller than that vast labyrinth, of course, and cramped to the point of being claustrophobic in places. But it had been constructed of the same steel and concrete, with a similar layout of sleeping, meeting, eating, storage, and medical rooms.

His handlers took him directly to the latter facility, where one of the other Djinni launched into what turned out to be a very thorough examination.

An hour later, as the doctor was finally finishing up his tests, Narayan arrived. "Leave us," he ordered the doctor.

"Yes, Ifrit," the other said. Setting his instruments aside, he slipped past Narayan and disappeared out the door.

For a moment Narayan eyed Daulo in silence. "I understand from Marid Akim," he said at last, "that you may be a traitor."

Daulo sighed, suddenly unbearably tired of this whole thing. "Marid Akim may believe that," he said. "But he's wrong."

"More importantly—and more interestingly—Shahni Haafiz believes it, too," Narayan continued. "Tell me, what have you done to make an enemy of the Shahni?"

"I don't know," Daulo said. "Maybe because I'm a villager, and he doesn't like villagers. Maybe because I helped defend Sollas, and he thinks that somehow makes the city dwellers look bad. Though I can't imagine why he would think that."

"Or maybe because you're a friend and ally of the Cobra warrior Jasmine Moreau and her son Merrick Moreau." Narayan's lip twisted. "Whom Shahni Haafiz tried his best to kill."

Daulo felt his eyes widen. "He
what?
I hadn't heard that."

"We took great pains to keep it quiet," Narayan said grimly. "But it's true. Shahni Haafiz stabbed Merrick Moreau while he was attempting to rescue him and Shahni Melcha from the Palace. Apparently, he believed the Cobras were in collusion with the invaders. He probably still does."

"That's completely untrue," Daulo said firmly.

"I know," Narayan said. "So do all of us who fought alongside them. But Shahni Haafiz has a reputation for stubbornness, as well as a reputation for never admitting an error if he can avoid it. He prefers to cover over his mistakes, either with words or with diversions."

Daulo sighed. And here he was, Daulo Sammon, a living reminder of the service Jin Moreau had done for Qasama. Not just in this war, but also thirty years ago when she and Daulo helped destroy a quieter but no less insidious threat to their world. "He plans to destroy me, doesn't he?" he murmured. "And my son." Tears abruptly blurred his vision. "What's left of my son."

"It does look that way," Narayan admitted. "For whatever it's worth, I think Advisor Omnathi's willing to hold off judgment until all the facts have been assembled and presented. Still, he's only an advisor, not one of the Shahni. His opinions may or may not carry much weight."

"Against Shahni Haafiz," Daulo murmured, "I suspect they won't."

"No," Narayan said. "But whatever the final outcome, it won't happen for a while. The law states that a trial for the charge of treason must be overseen by one of the Shahni. And since Marid Akim believes your son is a vital part of the charges against you, he's insisted that he be brought here before that trial can begin."

"Insanity," Daulo ground out. "A poor, sick, paralyzed man, and he's going to drag him halfway across Qasama? He can't be serious."

, "He's very serious," Narayan said, his voice turning dark. "Eighteen of my Djinn and two of the group Marid Akim brought from Sollas have already set off through the forest toward Milika."

Daulo stared at him. "He sent
twenty
Djinn? How dangerous does he think my son is?"

"I have no idea," Narayan said. "All I know is that he told us he needed as many Djinn as possible for a special mission, then interviewed each of us in private before selecting the twenty." He snorted gently. "Which, considering the questions he was asking, he might as well have done by random calling of names."

"What kind of questions were they?" Daulo asked, intrigued despite his fear and frustration.

"Strange ones," Narayan told him. "More psychological than operational. How we felt about villagers, what we thought of Jasmine and Merrick Moreau and the Cobra Worlds. That sort of thing."

"Finding out which Djinn already share his preconceptions about my guilt."

"Possibly," Narayan conceded. "I myself have no problem with either villagers or the Moreaus, and I was chosen to remain behind." He pursed his lips thoughtfully. "Yet several of those who were sent also fought alongside Merrick Moreau and have the highest respect for him and his mother. One of them, in fact, Domo Paneka, has even suggested that a new Qasaman award of honor be established in their name when the war is over."

"So what qualities
was
Marid Akim looking for?" Daulo asked.

Narayan shook his head. "To be honest, I have no idea."

"No," Daulo murmured. "I just hope..." He trailed off, not wanting to even think the thought, let alone state it.

Narayan picked up on it anyway. "He'll be all right," he assured Daulo. "A man is not condemned without cause and proof. Not even in the midst of a war, not even if the charge is treason, not even if the Shahni who sits in judgment has already made up his mind. My Djinn know that. If it's within their power to bring your son here safely, they will."

And as Daulo looked into Narayan's eyes, he knew the other meant it. "Thank you," he said. "I suppose I can accept that Shahni Haafiz wants to execute me, for whatever real or fancied reason he believes. But I wish he'd do it without disturbing my son."

"The ways of the Shahni are often unclear to ordinary men," Narayan said philosophically. "In the meantime, I have work to do, and you need to rest and heal. I'll send the doctor back in to finish his tests, then have you moved to the recovery room."

"Again, thank you," Daulo said.

"No thanks needed," Narayan said. "It's my honor to assist a friend of Merrick Moreau. And don't give up hope. Events will unfold as they will, in their own way and with their own timing."

His considered. "And never forget that the universe always has a few surprises of its own to deliver. Surprises that are always worth the wait."