Enemy One (Epic Book 5) (28 page)

Belaboring the point would be fruitless. The best thing Scott could do was just go on. “I’d like to see the captives released.”

The keeper narrowed his eyes.

“You asked me what I needed, and what I need is trust, extended from you and given to them. These aren’t convicts; they’re men and women who’ve done nothing wrong. Keeping them in a cage is just going to breed discontent.”

“Their contentment is not my concern.”

At that, Scott raised a finger. “But it’s mine, and I’m the one you’re trying to appease.”

“Not at the risk of my facility.”

Scott leaned forward in an effort to extend understanding. “Look, we need these guys on our side. They may be the only ones on the planet who can vindicate us. We were set up—you know it, I know it. Treat these guys like one of us. There’s no risk in that. As far as they’re concerned, we’re the ones who saved their lives. They’re not about to run back to EDEN when EDEN tried to kill them.”

Lifting his chin slightly, Valentin leaned back on his couch. All the while, his gaze never left Scott.

C’mon, Valentin. See the big picture. Let these people go.

“
Released
and
freed
are two different words, Remington,” said Valentin. “I will release the Falcons survivors. But they will not be free.”

Scott knew exactly what the keeper meant. Valentin had a wall of monitors sitting right across from them. The Falcons would be watched in everything they did. “Trust is a two-way street. I’ll let them know that good behavior isn’t optional.”

“Very well. What else do you need?”

With nothing coming to mind, Scott answered, “That’s it. There’s nothing else.”

Nodding, Valentin said, “I will arrange for Colonel Lilan’s message to be recorded and for him and his operatives to be released and given rooms. Please advise them to behave.”

“Thank you,” Scott said.

“Now, if you please,” Valentin said, rising from his chair. “I must prepare for today.”

Scott had intended to ask Valentin about Marina Antipova, just to learn a little bit more about why the chief’s daughter was there—but this didn’t seem like the right time. With nothing else for Scott to discuss, he too rose from his chair. When he was almost to the door that led to the hall, Scott stopped and looked back. “We’re on the same team, Lukin.”

Far behind him, Valentin turned his head to regard Scott. Eyes emotionless, he simply replied, “I am on no one’s team.”

It was an odd thing for a fulcrum to say, but on a certain level, Scott could relate. For a time, he himself had existed on an island with a population of one. Though Scott didn’t know the reasoning behind Valentin’s statement, he could only imagine that it had something to do with the people in the pictures on Valentin’s wall—the family Valentin had lost, or so he could only assume. Maybe the two men were more alike than Scott thought. Without another word, Scott opened the door and stepped into the hall.

Of everything Scott had heard from Valentin, perhaps the most useful piece of information had been that he’d spoken to Antipov, apparently at some great length. Scott had held back on comming Antipov at the risk of being detected, but maybe their situation warranted taking the chance. Scott needed to know exactly where their situation stood, both at
Northern Forge
and in the world, and Antipov was his best bet to find out. He would also have a chance to check in on Oleg and Svetlana. Perhaps Antipov could even arrange for Scott to talk to her. He needed to hear her voice. He needed confirmation that she was okay. It would put his heart at much-needed ease.

After heading down the elevator, Scott swung by the cafeteria to grab a cup of coffee then head to the hangar. He couldn’t make the call in his quarters, not with Valentin listening. The
Pariah
would have to do. Stepping through the door that led to the hangar, Scott made his way toward the cursed Vulture.

Despite the fact that the hangar doors were closed, there was an unmistakable temperature drop that came with entering the hangar. Prior to this, Scott couldn’t have imagined a more miserable climate than that of Novosibirsk, but Norilsk took frigidness to a whole other level. It was hellishly cold. Crossing his arms to keep warm, Scott actually saw vapors escaping from his mouth as he hobbled across the hangar with his crutches. It was like passing through a chiller.

Though there were Nightman guards in the room, they gave Scott no grief upon seeing him in an all-black uniform. He was just another member of the family. Opening the ship’s rear bay door, Scott stepped inside before raising the ramp again.

The frequency the eidola chief was using, in the only way Scott would understand it, was very, very secure. Antipov had dropped words like
dynamic gateway
and
eight-layer encryption
, none of which Scott knew the first thing about. That kind of techno-babble was best suited for people like Boris who could actually decipher it. All that mattered to Scott was that this was a frequency, or a channel, or a whatever, that he could actually use—even if liberal usage was discouraged.

As soon as the
Pariah
’s ramp was closed and Scott was sealed inside, he clicked on the cabin light and settled down into a chair. Inhaling a breath to take in that familiar rusted-metal smell, Scott ran his hand along one of the interior cabin’s cracked vinyl wall strips. Plopping down in a seat, Scott adjusted his comm for Antipov’s frequency. He pressed in the side button and sent a communication prompt Antipov’s way.

It didn’t take long to get a reply. “Remington,” Antipov said.

“Hey,” Scott said casually. “We’ve got some things to talk about.”

“Yes, we do.”

And away they went.
“I talked to Lukin this morning—he was much more receptive than I thought he’d be. I guess I have you to thank for that.”

“Lukin will give you no trouble. He now understands the severity of the situation. He has also briefed me on
Northern Forge
’s status since your arrival and of the status of your crew.”

Scott took that as the polite way of saying, “Don’t waste my time talking about all that.” Before he said anything himself, Antipov spoke again.

“What is your current plan?”

“Well,” Scott said, “Esther is on her way to talk to our Ithini captive now, to see if we can find out if she knows anything about this conspiracy.”

Sounding dry but pleased, Antipov simply said, “Good.”

Here came the big one. “We’re also working on getting a recorded video message set up with Colonel Lilan.”

“A video message?”

“That’s right. We have him here, he’s willing to do it…if we can just get that message out, something with him stating that they’re alive and that EDEN is behind all of this, we’re thinking that could turn things around.”

Antipov
huh
-ed. “Brazen move.”

Hoping for a little more insight than that, Scott asked, “But do you think it’s a good move?”

“How will you deliver this message without being traced?”

Scott rubbed the back of his neck. “We’re just going to record the message—no other voices, nothing in the background. We aren’t even going to broadcast it from here; we’re just going to record it and send it somewhere else. There shouldn’t be anything tying that video to our location.”

“Good,” said Antipov. “I think that’s a good plan. Let me know how everything goes.”

That was it? Let him know how everything goes? Why did Antipov sound so detached? “Will do. How are things on your end?”

There was a pause. That wasn’t good. “It has been a very busy night.”

It must have been, considering this was morning. “Is there anything going on?”

“Really?”

Yeah—that was a stupid question. “I mean, as it pertains to…us—”

“I need to go, Remington,” said Antipov, virtually cutting him off. “I am balancing many things at the moment. Record the message, then lay low. Things may become very active very soon.”

“Do you know something I don’t?”

Distanced from the comm, Scott could hear Antipov say in Russian, “Idiot, that was our exit. Take the next one.” So they were still driving to Chernobyl. Antipov’s voice addressed Scott once more. “Vector has designated a team with the specific task of hunting you down. This information has not been made public yet—they are keeping it quiet in the hopes of catching you off guard.”

If EDEN was keeping it quiet, how did Antipov know about it? Before Scott could ask, the eidolon went on.

“This poses a grave threat to you. You must be diligent in the event they locate
Northern Forge
. This team is highly dangerous.” Antipov hesitated. “…which brings me to another matter.”

Scott already knew what it was. The shift in Antipov’s tone gave it away. “Your daughter,” Scott said.

Once again, a pause. “So you found her.”

He was tempted to say something smart, as his introduction to Marina hadn’t exactly been friendly. But Scott held his tongue. “If something happens, we’ll take care of her.” This wasn’t the time to play games or leverage. That might have been a play out of General Thoor’s playbook, but it had no place in Scott’s.

“Thank you, Remington,” said Antipov simply.

“So, come on,” Scott said. “Pass some good news to me about the person
I
care about.” He was yet to hear an update on Svetlana. Even if he could send a message to Oleg’s comm on the same frequency he was speaking with Antipov, that would hold him over. He just wanted to hear Svetlana’s voice.

But what he was hearing now was silence.

Furrowing his brow, Scott rose painfully from his seat in the
Pariah
. “Antipov?”

A sigh. That was the eidola chief’s response. Scott’s heart began to race. “Are you sitting down?” Antipov asked him.

“No.” The quiver in Scott’s voice betrayed his panic. “What’s going on? Where is she?”

Another breath was drawn on the other side of the comm before Antipov finally replied. “Remington…there is something you need to know.”

*
      
*
      
*

Ten minutes later

“I vecking knew it!”
Rearing back with his uninjured leg, Scott sent his foot slamming into the night stand of his room.

As the piece of furniture crashed into the wall and broke, David leapt in front of Scott and held out his hands. “Scott, Scott, calm down!”

“I don’t want to be calm!”

Before David could say anything else, the door to their quarters swung open. Becan and Jayden rushed inside, where they stared wide-eyed at Scott, who was having a full-blown meltdown. “We got your message!” Becan said to David. “Wha’ the devil is goin’ on?”

Scott was seething. Through his teeth, he snarled at David. “We should have gone after her. We should have
never
trusted someone else to do the job!”

“Svetlana’s missing,” David said to Becan, standing between Scott and the remaining pieces of furniture. “He just got word from Antipov. Oleg went missing shortly after
Novosibirsk
.”

“Missing?” Becan asked. “Missing as in, dead or captured?”

The elder operative frowned. “Missing as in, nobody knows.” As the two new arrivals stepped inside, Jayden locked the door behind them. Both of their gazes settled on Scott as David continued. “According to Antipov, contact was lost with Oleg before the convoy ever left for Chernobyl. By default, that means contact was lost with Svetlana, too. Antipov’s been trying to locate them with no success.”

“Here I am,” Scott said, “looking after his vecking
daughter
, and Svetlana is nowhere to be found!”

Jayden blinked. “His
what
?”

His frown deepening, David said, “I’ll explain that later, too.”

“Remmy,” Becan said, stepping in front of Scott as he stormed around the room. “Don’t start freakin’ ou’ over this—not yet. For all we know, Oleg could show up today, or tomorrow, or anytime. Sveta’s a smart bird! Even if somethin’ happened to Oleg, yeh know she can take care o’ herself just fine.”

“Antipov doesn’t know where she is,” said Scott, glaring at the Irishman. “Antipov knows
everything
! And he doesn’t know where she is.”

Becan put his hands in the air. “Tha’ doesn’t mean she won’t turn up. She’s
somewhere
, Remmy. She didn’t disappear into outer space.”

“Look,” said David firmly, putting a tactful finger in Scott’s face to hold his attention. “We need you to focus. Okay? You’re the guy who’s gotta hold this thing together.”

Hold it together? Not a chance. Not with Svetlana missing. How could he?

“What we need you to do is find your calm,” David said. “In the midst of this storm, find it. We need it. We’ve got big things going on, bigger than any one person—you know that.” He put his hands on Scott’s shoulders. “We’re all dealing with this stuff in one way or another.”

Scott’s eyes focused on David’s calming green ones. For a moment, his rage settled. The older operative continued.

“Nothing has changed. Nothing about what Antipov said changes anything about what we’ve done or what we’re about to do. The only thing that’s changed is that you happen to know more now than you did twenty minutes ago.” He offered a poor smile. “We’re gonna get Svetlana back. I promise you, one way or another. Believe it.”

He wanted to, desperately.

“We’re all in this together, man,” said Jayden. “We’re gonna help you get through it just like we know you’d help us. And we’re
gonna
get her back, like Dave said.” He looked at the other two men. “Ain’t none of us going to settle for anything less.”

Despite the intense emotions he felt, Scott was calming down. The initial outburst was out of his system. He was angry—furious, but there was no one to blame for it, anyway. This wasn’t Antipov’s fault. He’d just been the messenger. Closing his eyes and rubbing his hands with his face, Scott drew in a deep breath and exhaled.

“Unit meeting, right?” David asked, lowering his head to look at Scott’s eyes when they reopened. “That’s the next thing on the plan. Let’s nail it. One thing after the next—that’s how we’ve gotta be until all this stuff is finished.”