“Enough chatter,” she added. “Moving out.”
At Einar’s insistence, she climbed on the pallet. Her extra weight didn’t slow the thing, which hovered so that Jael and the big man moved it along as they walked. She felt conspicuous up top, but so close to the Queensland border, such showmanship should be safe. When they turned a final corner before the checkpoint, she was perched atop their looted gear like a pirate queen. Recognizing her obligation, she lifted her arm in triumph, propped a booted foot on an ammo case, and let out a triumphant howl.
Dred recognized the men on duty. All four of them responded with victory cries of their own. They shifted the barricades, so the pallet could slide by, then replaced them, taking up fierce and ready postures behind the raid caravan. She’d prefer to hop down now, but it would be better for morale if she returned in theatrical fashion.
Mary, I’ve been listening to Tam too much.
By the time they reached the hall, their procession swelled to a huge mob, chanting, “Dread Queen! Dread Queen! Long may she reign!”
It was absurd, but she gave them the spirit to fight. But Dred wished it wasn’t necessary and that it didn’t require so much bullshit. She wasn’t a dread anything, just a tired woman with a twisted and peculiar ability, who had let it drive her mad.
They cheered her for a full five minutes before Tam opened a path through the mob. “I was getting worried,” he said in low tones. “Things got interesting while you were gone as well. I’ll fill you in shortly. And I have some inquiries . . .”
She could answer his questions later. For now, he had to address the men. Tam intoned, “Let us congratulate our queen for the biggest raid in Queensland history.”
War whoops erupted all over the hall, incoherent shouts of domination and glory. Tam motioned them to silence. “I’ll be overseeing the allotment of gear. If you see something on the pallet that you know how to utilize, see me at once. Here, we believe in using everyone’s talents. You all play a vital role in the territory.” He paused, scanned the crowd, then added, “But if I see you take anything without permission, the queen’s judgment will be swift and merciless. Let Lecass’s recent punishment serve as a reminder to us all.”
There was trouble with Lecass? Damn.
Nonetheless, Dred took the cue, as intended. She gazed coldly over the crowd, then nodded. Somehow, she managed to leap down from the pallet one last time, graceful and sure, when her muscles were stiff and sore. But everything in here was a game. With no future and no freedom, it was masques and feints, an endless game of Charm where everyone was a low card to be sacrificed on a whim.
Men surrounded Tam, all talking at once. They had ideas on how the new gear could be implemented, things to build, traps to lay, pieces to repair other things, and parts for the Kitchen-mate. Wills was muttering to himself, playing the madman again, now that there were witnesses. But she’d bet he would shortly find a way to recharge the laser’s power source and the R-17.
Crazy like a fox, you are, Wills.
“Jael,” she said softly, “I’ll see you privately in my quarters. Now.”
20
Secrets and Lies
It took Tam nearly an hour to finish the work assignments. A haul like this one was unprecedented, so it was no wonder the men were eager. He sighed, but before he could decide what his next most pressing task might be, Martine approached him. She was a lean, dangerous woman with brown skin gone sallow from lack of sunshine, and her eyes reflected a ferocity that was unusual, even for Perdition.
“Yes?” he prompted, seeing her hesitation.
“Could I talk to you?”
“You already are.”
Her dark eyes flashed, and Tam suppressed a smile. “In private, ass**le.”
“Certainly. My quarters are in use at the moment, but we can walk toward the hydroponics garden. Will that do?”
“Yeah.”
He led the way, holding his peace until they were far enough from the hall that he judged there shouldn’t be anyone in earshot. “What’s this about?”
“I’ve heard some troubling rumors,” Martine said. “Mostly from Lecass’s people.”
“I’m sure he’s planning something.” Tam expected there to be fallout from the flogging. It only remained to be seen how Lecass would handle his humiliation. So this wasn’t precisely news, but then, he suspected it wasn’t the whole reason Martine had sought this interlude, either.
“But that’s not all,” she went on.
The woman dug into her pocket and produced a scrap of cloth. It was dingy and ragged, of no moment—or so he thought, until she handed it to him. Someone had scrawled a message: You lost your man. Want revenge? Come to the meeting. 2300. Corridor D.
Tension rose, stiffening his shoulders, but Tam tried not to reveal it in his posture. “You think Lecass sent this?”
If so, then the man was more cunning than he’d expected.
Martine shrugged. “Dunno. Don’t care. I just thought Dred’s people should know. There’s blood in the water, and the monsters are circling.”
From Dred’s perspective, this was the worst possible time to face internal strife. With Priest and the Great Bear gearing up for a full-scale war, they couldn’t afford to lose a single warm body to Lecass’s pride. If the Queenslanders lost, Dred would end up raped to death and probably skullfucked for good measure while her men, himself included, would wind up murdered or enslaved. And that didn’t even factor Silence into the equation.
Tam had to shut this rebellion down before it gathered momentum. He set a hand gently on Martine’s shoulder. “Thanks. I’ll remember your loyalty.”
“See that you do,” she muttered.
He let her return to the hall, counting to five hundred before he followed. For a few seconds, he stood in the shadows, watching the men, as if he could tell by looking who might join Lecass’s rabble. But they were all acting like they normally did: gaming, drinking, scuffling. A few were arm wrestling, while others pierced things and created body art. There wasn’t a lot to do in Perdition when you weren’t on patrol, which was another reason the men had been so glad to get parts and supplies. Even repair work seemed better than another day of nothing.
Quietly, Tam joined Cook at the table where he was taking a break from his endless stirring. The man raised both brows in question. Tam didn’t waste time; he whispered what he’d heard from Martine, then asked, “Do you know anything?”