THE FALL OF ROSENROT STATION

558

Even

Even. Even Tennec.

He opened his eyes slowly and peered up at the synthetic. She was shaking him by the shoulder. Dim light filtered into the room from the hallway filtering through her hair and casting her face in shadow but he could see the set of her eyebrows.

Is something wrong.

She paused. You need to see this. She said.

Have you been working. He asked.

I waited. She replied. Until you were asleep. I had this feeling about something and I was right.

He pushed himself up onto his elbows and clambered to his feet. He moved off the blanket which was laid out across the carpet and then picked up his clothing and dressed quickly. When he looked up Sarah had gone back out to her machine. He picked up his carbine where it was leaned against the wall and then went out. She was at the assembly standing off to the side of a screen, taken from from terminal, which was sat on the bench beside the assembly and was connected to it by two thick bundles of wires.

Data of various kinds ran down the screen in green and black file trees.

It is decrypted.

She nodded. I cracked it some twenty minutes ago.

He scanned the screen for a few minutes. I would ask you to recheck this but I know you already have.

Its impossible.

No Even said. It makes sense. He picked up the keyboard and started navigating through the files.

What are you thinking.

We knew Nico was an agent. But this. This is explosive if true.

You think it is. That he was CHICOM.

He nodded. Or at least he worked for them.

Why.

Even frowned. Money. Maybe ideological reasons.

No I meant why were the CHICOM interested in us.

Apparently the same things I came for. Based on what data their agents collected.

Is it of any value.

Right now. He stopped abruptly and seized one particular file and opened it. Yes. It is invaluable. There was a device Nico was assembling.

He showed me it once. She gestured over to where their bags were piled beside the door. It is in his bag.

Even nodded. Good. We can use it. He reached over and squeezed her shoulder. You did good. He said.

She reached up and found his hand and held it. Now what.

We leave. Even said. He was peering at the screen again at something that had caught his eye. He opened a file tree and followed it down to certain file containing location data. At first glance the data seemed wrong. It contained coordinates that was not used. Not on the station. Then his eyes widened.

Do we go get the girl now.

He did not reply but continued reading down the screen.

Sarah squeezed his hand and he glanced over at her.

The VIP girl. She said. I assume we go collect her now.

He shook his head. We are leaving.

What do you mean.

We are leaving. The station. I just found out where Achan Rothschild is.

I think we should go after her. She turned and moved between him and the screen so he was made to look down into her eyes. She is just a child. She added.