Page 310 of Eight of Swords, Part Two

‘He just… said.’ Holtz swallows. ‘He said he was going, and I was gonna help him. He said if anyone asked, I should say, Eyes on Cascade, Kestrel. Eight bells. So I did. And I helped him with the car because he said I should, and he asked if I could stop it from being traced, and I could, so I did.’

‘He must have given you something.’

‘If he did, I don’t remember it.’

‘Come on, man. What you did would be a death sentence from Penhalyx if he knew. You snuck Julian out alone.’

‘You do it all the time.’

‘Not… not like that. I’m gonna cover for you, but try and think.’

‘I just felt like I couldn’t control myself at all. Like I was watching myself and seeing it happen, but not making any of the choices, y’know? Sorry, man. I know this sounds crazy.’

‘It’s all right. Get some rest.’

Lachlan talks to Danya and Blaire in the kitchen later that night under Zaitsev’s wraparound. Lachlan eats soup while Blaire pushes her theory that Priscilla had access to Helixx’s early military prototypes.

‘Combat compliance agents,’ she explains. ‘Designed to suppress fear, hesitation and resistance in frontline soldiers. It’s rumoured, of course, but I’ve heard that early trials left subjects highly suggestible, prone to fixation and unable to recall their actions afterwards.’

‘His tox screen was clean.’

‘A clean standard tox screen means very little. An experimental compound could metabolise rapidly or leave markers no one thought to test for.’

Danya remains unconvinced. ‘And Charlie Foxtrot stumbled across this experimental compound, knew what it was and how to use it, did he?’

‘The simplest explanation is most often the correct one.’

‘In this place, rarely,’ he snorts.

Lachlan shrugs. ‘At least Blaire has a theory.’

‘I have theory,’ Danya argues, arms crossed. ‘I just need to be sure.’

‘When Julian is better, we can ask him,’ Blaire says. ‘In the meantime, there is a significant amount to be getting on with.’

Lachlan agrees. The work never ends here.

✴

It’s January sixth when Jules comes to Lachlan.

Lachlan’s going hard in the training room when he sees him in the wall mirror, watching.

Lachlan finishes the combination, breathless and wet with sweat. The only time he feels level lately is when he’s sparring with Danya or working out. Danya’s on shift right now, so it’s the latter.

He goes to grab his towel and wipe his face.

‘Are you planning on acknowledging me?’

‘I stopped, didn’t I?’

Lachlan looks at him properly after draining half his water bottle and setting down his towel. Jules has lost weight, just enough for Lachlan to notice it in his face. His skin is pale, and he’s got that notebook in his hand.

‘How’s the cold?’

‘Are you really going to speak to me like this?’

‘You should probably be in bed,’ Lachlan says.