On one side of the open space were the doors to the tube that shuttled people up and down the building, and on the other was the open doors to the comms center.
“Are you ready?” he murmured to Vistna and Juy. He glanced behind him.
“What about . . .” Vistna pointed at the Scary Caterpillar.
“The drone is with us,” Hal said.
He saw Juy blink and then give a slow nod. Vistna looked less sure, but he didn’t object.
Hal moved swiftly to the open doors of the comm center.
There were two people inside, both Balcoans. A man was bent over a console, another was standing beside a hover cart with a large box on it.
It was lit up, and the light seemed to pulse.
The man beside the hover cart wasn’t paying any attention to it, he was frowning down at the comms unit in his hand. “Someone is going to come check on Battle Center any time now,” he said, not looking up. “I don’t want to be here when they do.”
“Vira says they’re almost free and clear. Just ten minutes more.” The man hunched over the console looked out of the window. Straight to a perfect view of theIllium.
“Fuck that,” the other man said. “Ten minutes is a lifetime. It’s not just ourselves we have to get out of here, it’s the jammer, too.”
“I’m afraid it’s too late already.” Hal stepped into the room, and Juy and Vistna fanned out behind him.
The man beside the hover cart tried to lunge for the jammer, but Hal shot him before he could do more than turn his body.
The moment he did, the Scary Caterpillar ran in, leapt up onto the hover, its mechanical legs moving as it opened the metal housing of the jammer.
“Mine,” Paxe said in his ear. “This is mine.”
Hal was pretty sure that was true.
The Balcoan at the console had frozen when they stepped in, but Hal could see as soon as he got over his shock, his gaze flickered to the controls in front of him.
“If you move your fingers, I will shoot,” Hal said as he stepped over to stand beside the console.
The man lifted his hands slowly, but suddenly lunged forward. Hal shoved the chair he was in over before he could warn whoever he wanted to warn, and stood over him.
As he lay on his back, legs in the air, Hal crouched beside him, resting his shockgun on his chest.
“Where’s Vira going?”
The man began to shake his head. “I don’t know.”
“It’s all right. I already do.” Eazi said in his ear.
Hal took out restraints, bound the Balcoan hand and foot, and then straightened up. “All right.” He managed to let some of the anger leach away. He tapped his ear. “Are one of you going to get all the comms back up?”
“Of course. And then I’m taking this jammer back to my dock.” Paxe sounded almost amused.
“Who’re you talking to?” Vistna asked.
“Way station security,” Hal said, deciding to keep things vague. “The drone is programmed to deal with it. Let’s go see what’s happening downstairs.”
He could ask the man in restraints how many guards were watching the hostages below, but Hal knew he couldn’t trust anything he said, anyway.
Juy bent beside him and helped him restrain the man he’d shot.
“Didn’t think I’d be seeing this much action when I took my dock leave.” She grinned.
