Miles Errant - Lois McMaster Bujold [139]
Miles washed, dressed, ate, made ready: boot knife, scanners, stunners both hip-holstered and concealed, comm links, a wide assortment of tools and toys one might carry through London's shuttleport security checks. It was a far cry from combat gear, alas, though his jacket nearly clanked when he walked. He called the duty officer, made sure a personnel shuttle was fueled, pilot at the ready. He waited without patience.
What was Galen up to? If he wasn't just running—and the fact that the Barrayaran security team had nearly caught up with him suggested he was still hanging around for some reason—why? Mere revenge? Something more arcane? Was Miles's analysis of him too simple, too subtle—what was he missing? What was left in life for the man who had to be right?
His cabin comconsole chimed. Miles sent up a short inarticulate prayer—let it be some break, some chink, some handle—
The comm officer's face appeared. "Sir, I have a call originating from the downside commercial comconsole net. A man who refuses to identify himself says you want to talk to him."
Miles jerked electrically upright. "Trace the call and cut a copy to Captain Thorne in Intelligence. Put it through here."
"Do you want your visual to go out, or just audio?"
"Both."
The comm officer's face faded as another man's appeared, giving an unsettling illusion of transmutation.
"Vorkosigan?" said Galen.
"So?" said Miles.
"I will not repeat myself." Galen spoke low and fast. "I don't give a damn if you're recording or tracing. It's irrelevant. You will meet me in seventy minutes exactly. You will come to the Thames Tidal Barrier, halfway between Towers Six and Seven. You will walk out on the seaward side to the lower lookout. Alone. Then we'll talk. If any condition is not met, we will simply not be there when you arrive. And Ivan Vorpatril will die at 0207."
"You are two. I must be two," Miles began. Ivan?
"Your pretty bodyguard? Very well. Two." The vid blinked blank.
"No—"
Silence.
Miles keyed to Thorne. "Did you get that, Bel?"
"Sure did. Sounded threatening. Who's Ivan?"
"A very important person. Where'd this originate?"
"A tubeway nexus, public comconsole. I have a man on the way who can make it in six minutes. Unfortunately—"
"I know. Six minutes gives a search radius of several million people. I think we'll play it his way. Up to a point. Put a patrol in the air over the Tidal Barrier, file a flight plan for my shuttle downside, have an aircar and Dendarii driver and guard meet it. Tell Bone I want that credit chit now. Tell Quinn to meet me in the shuttle hatch corridor, and bring a couple of med scanners. And stand by. I want to check something."
He took a deep breath, and keyed open the comm link. "Galeni?"
A pause. "Yes?"
"You still confined to quarters?"
"Yes."
"I have an urgent request for information. Where's Ivan, really?"
"As far as I know, he's still at—"
"Check it. Check it fast."
There was a long, long pause, which Miles utilized to recheck his gear, find Lieutenant Bone, and walk to the shuttle hatch corridor. Quinn was waiting, intensely curious.
"What's up now?"
"We have our break. Of sorts. Galen wants a meeting, but—"
"Miles?" Galeni's voice came back at last. It sounded rather strained.
"Yes."
"The private we'd sent to be driver/guard called in about ten minutes ago. He'd spelled Ivan, attending on Milady, while Ivan went to piss. When Ivan didn't come back in twenty minutes, the driver went to look for him. Spent thirty minutes hunting—the Horticulture Hall is huge, and mobbed tonight—before he reported back to us. How did you know?"
"I think I've got hold of the other end. Do you recognize whose style of doing business this is?"
Galeni swore.
"Quite. Look. I don't care how you do it, but I want you to meet me in fifty minutes at the Thames Tidal Barrier, Section Six. Pack at least a stunner, and get away preferably without alerting Destang. We have an appointment with your father and my brother."
"If he has Ivan—"
"He had to bring some card to the table, or he wouldn't