Landfall (The Reach, Book 2) (27 page)

“That’s part of the next stage,” Emil explained.  “We have a cruiser captain off-world who is willing to take us to Enceladus.  More than willing, in fact.  The habitat on Enceladus is filled with an aging population.  They’re in need of young, fit citizens to bring balance to their society.  There’s room for hundreds, if not thousands.  It’s all been arranged.”

Knile smirked.  “It sounds too good to be true.”

“A lot of work has gone into this operation, Knile, and there is still much to be done.  But we are getting close to making it happen.  The planets are about to align, so to speak.”  Emil spread his hands.  “So.  Your answer?”

Knile pursed his lips.  “Can we have a minute to talk about this?”

“Of course.  I shou
ld point out that this is a one-
time offer.  After today, there will be no further invitations.  You’re free to walk out that door, but once you do there’s no turning back.”

Knile nodded, then linked an arm around Talia’s and Roman’s shoulders and led them away from Emil.  Iris watched them from the doorway for a moment, then turned her back on them to afford them a moment of privacy.

“So, what do you think?” Knile whispered.

“Like you said, it almost seems too good to be true,” Talia said.  “But it sounds legit to me.  I think it’s worth seeing what they have to offer.  If we don’t like it we can always leave.”

“If he lets us,” Knile said.

“If he was going to take us by force he would have done that by now,” Roman said.  “He’s got us within reach right here in the workshop.”

“I guess so,” Knile said.  “And everything he’s said so far makes sense, even though we have no proof that it’s true.”

Roman stepped back.  “Let me try one more thing,” he said.  He walked back toward Emil.  “Say, do you have a guy called Mattus working for you?”

Emil seemed mildly surprised.  “Yes, as a matter of fact we do.  How do you know that?”

“I used to work with him back in Grove.”

Emil smiled.  “Small world.”

“Is there any chance I can talk to him?” Roman said.

Emil shrugged.  “I don’t see why not.  He’s here in the complex with us right now.”  He lifted a holophone to his ear and spoke into it.  “Yes, everything’s fine.  I wonder if you can send Mattus out here?  Yes.  Good.”  He turned back to Roman.  “Your friend is on his way.”

They stood as an awkward silence descended upon them.  Emil seemed to have finished his spiel and now had nothing more to say.  Knile was still weighing things up, trying to find a reason not to buy into Skybreach, but he couldn’t think of one.  If everything checked out with Roman’s friend Mattus, he could not see why they shouldn’t put their trust in Emil and his people.

Moments later,
a secret panel opened in the back wall of the workshop and a young man stepped out.  He seemed confused at first, but then his eyes fell upon Roman and his face lit up.

“Roamer!” he said, delighted.  He walked forward and gave the boy a hearty embrace.  “What are you doing here?”

“Hey, Mattus.  My friend Knile got the call-up to join Skybreach.”

“That’s cool.”  Mattus pointed at Knile.  “This guy?”

Knile gave him a nod.  “Yeah.  This guy.”

“What’s your skillset?” Mattus said enthusiastically.

“Jack of all trades.”

Mattus seemed unfamiliar with the phrase, glancing around uncertainly, then shrugged.

“So are you coming along for the ride?” he said to Roman.

“I don’t know yet.  What’s it like here?”

Mattus smiled.  “It’s very cool, man.  I get to work on the things I love, and play a small part in changing the world at the same time.  What’s not to like?”

Knile stepped closer to Mattus and lowered his voice.  “Are they really going to do it?  Overthrow the Consortium?”

“We have what it takes,” Mattus said.  “No doubt about it.  Emil has been getting together some hackers and a fair amount of muscle as well.  It can be done.”

“And you’re treated fairly?” Knile said.

“Well, this isn’t Lux, if that’s what you mean,” Mattus said.  “But it’s safe and we don’t go hungry.  That’s enough for me.”

Roman gripped Knile by the arm.  “I say we do it.”

Mattus turned to Emil.  “Mr. Baranek, are you allowing Roman to join as well?”

Emil shrugged.  “I don’t see why not.  However, there is one condition.”

“What’s that?” Knile said warily.

“You’ll each need to undergo a brief health check before we let you in,” Emil said.  “We can’t take anyone who is old or sick.  I know that sounds callous, but we just don’t have the room for anyone who isn’t able-bodied.  It’s our policy.”

“Sounds fine to me,” Knile said.

“Then please step through,” Emil said with a smile, and he moved to the wall and opened the secret panel that led further inside the complex.

Knile hesitated for a moment longer and then started forward, the others close on his heels.

26

“What’s with the tagline?” Knile said curiously as Emil led them down into the bowels of the building.

“What do you mean?” Emil said.

“The kid who tagged me said ‘it’s the only way out’.  It’s very mysterious and all, but what’s it supposed to mean?”

Emil smiled over his shoulder.  The gesture pulled at the ruined skin around his mouth and distorted his face even further.

“It’s a bit melodramatic, isn’t it?  It’s a phrase I often throw at the team, just a reminder about what we’re doing here.  But it’s true, isn’t it?  For those who live outside of Lux, Skybreach really is the only chance they have of leaving Earth.”

“I guess, although you haven’t proven it yet.”

“The moment is almost upon us.  It won’t be long now.”

“So what’s your plan?”

“That will be revealed in time, Knile.  There’s a lot of complexities involved, as I’m sure someone like yourself would understand.  I hope that once you see what I have planned you’ll be able to offer your insights into traversing the Reach.”

Knile nodded.  “I’ll do what I can.”

Underneath the workshop, the Skybreach complex opened out into a network of concrete passageways, like a bunker of sorts.  People were streaming about with tablets and clipboards, intent on their work, barely noticing the newcomers in their midst.  Knile passed by a series of rooms set behind large perspex panels, each seemingly with its own purpose.  There was a surveillance room lined with terminals, each of them like small monochromatic windows into various parts of Link and the Reach.  Another room was filled with plants, another still with maps and diagrams over which several people were hunched.  Up ahead
, two muscular men and a woman stood in the hallway holding an animated discussion.

“How many people do you have, Emil?” Knile said.

“Close to fifty.  It’s been a slow grind bringing them all together.  It’s not an easy process, finding the best people and convincing them to join.  Some decline, of course, which is also disheartening.  Imagine investing months in a target, pulling all the strings to reel them in, and then have them walk away at the end of it.”

“Sounds like every woman I’ve ever been interested in,” Knile said drily.

As they neared those gathered in the corridor, one of the muscular men turned to obser
ve them.  He was
smartly dressed in a satin vest and
wore a gold chain around his neck.  He widened his stance and looked at each of the newcomers in turn without emotion.

Talia gasped and reached out for Knile, grasping his arm.

“Wait!  Stop,” she said.  She was staring at the man in the vest.

“What’s the matter, Talia?” Knile said.

“This guy’s a thug.  I know him.  What’s he doing here?”

Emil arched an eyebrow, and the man in the vest smiled to himself.

“Silvestri?” Emil said.  “Well, he may be a little rough around the edges, but he also happens to be a master military strategist.  His experience is extensive.  What rank did you achieve again, Silvestri?”

Silvestri gave them a wolfish grin, his gold tooth shining.

“I made it all the way to Dishonourably Discharged,” he said, then laughed.

“This guy is part of Skybreach?” Talia said, disbelieving.  “A couple of days ago he was bargaining with me for his services in a tavern.”

“This is not a prison, Talia,” Emil said.  “People who work here are free to come and go as they like.  I prefer it if they limit
their extra-curricular activities, but for someone like Silvestri, the lure is often too great.”

Silvestri was still grinning.  “What can I say?  I’m always looking for opportunities for new investments.”

“Except you cut me loose and left me to fend for myself,” Talia said, disgusted.

“What’s the story with this guy?” Knile said.

Talia glared at Silvestri.  “I was referred to
Mr. Silvestri
by an old fence of mine, said he might be able to provide protection.  I was hoping he would give me an escort over to the Reach.”

“As I told you, Ms. Anders,” Silvestri said magnanimously, “I didn’t see that as a wise choice for me.  You will remember I also told you my time was limited.  I have a lot to do here at Skybreach.”

“So why didn’t you just bring me here while you had the chance?” she said.

Silvestri shrugged.  “I don’t do the recruiting here.”  He lifted a finger toward Emil.  “He does.  As it turns out, I didn’t even know you were on his list until you just walked in here.”

“She’s not on my list,” Emil said.  “I’m recruiting Knile, and she happens to be one of his companions.”

Silvestri spread his hands.  “So it all worked out for the best in the end.”

“Yeah, no thanks to you,” Talia said.

“My letting you go was nothing personal, Ms. Anders,” Silvestri said.  “Like I said, I’m a businessman.”  He lifted the silver coin in his hand.  “I invest in the best business opportunities that happen to present themselves, and this one…”  He glanced around the bunker.  “Well, Skybreach is the best opportunity I’ve seen in a long time.”  He inclined his head.  “Welcome aboard.”

Talia hoisted her middle finger at him in response.  “Screw you.”

Silvestri ignored the insult as he seemed to consider something else.

“What happened to your pursuers?  Capper and his men.”

“They’re still out there, I guess.”

“Did you shake them?”

Talia shrugged.  “I think so.  Again, n
o thanks to you.”

Silvestri smiled patiently and glanced at Emil, then turned back to his conversation.  Satisfied that the exchange was over, Emil began to walk again.  Knile glanced back to see Roman and Mattus lagging behind, deep in conversation.

“Roman,” Knile called.  “Come on, keep up.  I don’t want to lose you in here.”

The two of them jogged forward, and Emil moved forward and clasped Mattus on the shoulder.

“Mattus, it’s time for you to get back to work,” he said.

“Hey, the two of us were thinking that we’d make a good team over in horticulture,” Mattus said excitedly.  “With al
l the work Roamer’s done over in Grove–”

“I’ll allocate tasks later,” Emil said patiently.  “Right now, you need to go.”

Mattus nodded obediently.  “Okay.  I’ll see you around,” he said to Roman, who nodded in return.

“For the rest of you,” Emil said, “follow me and we’ll conduct those physical examinations.  It won’t take long.”

They accompanied Emil down the corridor to a room with speckled vinyl floors that was lit by bright white fluoros.  Benches were st
acked with hand wipes, swabs,
syringes and boxes of rubber gloves.  In one corner, an examination table sat waiting, draped in a clean white sheet.  In the other corner, a technician in a white coat was fiddling with a machine, the nature of which Knile did not know.

“This way,” Emil said, nodding to Talia and gesturing to the table.  “You first.”

Talia glanced at Knile, who smiled reassuringly.

“It’s okay,” Knile said.  “We’ll wait here.”

She went and propped herself up on the table while Emil gathered a basket containing syringes and swabs.

“I’ll do the exams myself, if you don’t mind,” Emil said.  He smiled distantly.  “I w
as a doctor, once, in some long-
forgotten life.  I promise I won’t break anything.”

Knile pointed to the basket.  “You’re going to jab us?”

Emil plucked one of the syringes out
of the basket.  “These are old-fashioned, but they’re all we have right now.  We need a blood sample.  We don’t know what sort of toxins are floating around in your bloodstreams.  If the levels are too high, you could be facing liver or kidney failure in the near future.  That’s something Skybreach needs to know.”

“So you can get rid of us?” Knile said sourly.

“So we can treat it,” Emil said, unflappable.