The Dark Remains - Mark Anthony [159]
Deirdre shot her a crooked grin. “Being part of a mysterious international organization has to be good for something.”
“Don’t be too thrilled,” Farr said. “These blueprints were made for the previous tenant of the building. Duratek has occupied the premises for over two months. They might have rearranged all the interior walls in the meantime.”
Vani traced a finger over the map. “No, I don’t think so. They have made only a few makeshift alterations to the exterior for security. I do not believe they intend to stay there long. This base was established for a limited purpose, and when that is completed they will abandon it.”
Grace glanced at Vani. What was the purpose of the Duratek base of operations? To open a gateway to Eldh? If so, then why were they holding Beltan?
Maybe he was just a lucky accident, Grace. A bonus prize, something to play with while they figure out they can’t open the gate without Vani’s piece of the artifact.
“All right,” Travis said, holding the silver coffeepot, his eyes squinty and his goatee pulled down in a frown. “Is everyone in this room a caffeine addict?”
He tipped the pot over his cup. Nothing came out, earning him four guilty stares.
Grace unfolded her stiff body from the chair. “I’ll call room service.”
It was something vaguely useful she could do. She doubted she would be much help planning an assault on the secret base of a sinister multinational corporation. Trying to put her friends back together after they failed—that was her job.
She dialed and connected to an earful of tinny music; they had put her on hold. Her thoughts drifted. If the Touch worked here on Earth, maybe she could help after all.…
But it doesn’t, Grace. Not very well, at least. You’re not going to be able to sense where in the complex they’re holding Beltan until you’re a few feet away from him. It’s going to be up to Vani and the Seekers to find him.
And then what? How were they going to get the artifact and the secret of its use from the Scirathi?
You’ve seen her fight, Grace. She does things that don’t seem possible given the laws of physics. Vani said she was fated to bring you and Travis back to Eldh. Maybe fate really does exist.
No. She couldn’t believe that; she was a scientist. There was no such thing as fate; there was no divine providence shaping their lives. If there was a god, then he was a blind idiot.
But there are gods. You’ve seen one born, Grace.
All right. So maybe she would take those old spiritual ideas out of the box she had shoved them into years ago, dust them off, and reexamine them. When she had time.
But it wasn’t just the idea of gods that troubled her. Because if fate existed, then was it fate she had ended up at the Beckett-Strange Home for Children? No, it was better to believe in a random universe, to know that terrible things happened out of stupid luck and not because one somehow deserved them.
Finally a human voice spoke in her ear. She requested the coffee, hung up, and returned to the others, who still pored over the maps.
“Vani,” Farr said, “where in the complex have you noticed the largest concentration of security guards?”
Vani pointed to the topmost drawing. “I believe they are holding him here. But the number of guards is not high. They must be relying on other means to secure the complex.”
“Of course,” Travis said with a bitter laugh. “Their damned technology. That’s what they’re counting on to keep us out. They think they can do anything with their little gadgets.”
Deirdre shot him a grave look. “Be careful what you speak, Travis. Duratek has developed many things even the Seekers are not aware of.”
“But Travis is right on one account,” Farr said. “Duratek is arrogant, they always have been. And whatever their strength, their hubris is a weakness we can exploit to our advantage.”
Grace opened her mouth but was interrupted by a sharp rapping on the door. All of them jumped—except for Vani. Grace let out a tight breath.
“Room service,” she said, moving to the door. “I hope.”
It was the coffee. She shut the door,