Three Card Monte (The Martian Alliance) (11 page)

“Deal.”

“Great. Then let’s go show everyone that the boogeyman is alive and well and seriously pissed.”

We took the various armaments Longdaddy had provided. We were both weighed down with a lot of firepower—me more than Ciarissa, but then, I could carry a lot in this form. And we were going to need to put on a very effective show for this to work.

The stairs led right to the back hallway behind Monte’s office, just as Longdaddy had said they would. I had to give it to him—he’d really set things up well. I wondered how much Ciarissa had told him about us, and figured a lot. So, Longdaddy and Monte were both counting on us doing exactly what we were about to do.

By now, Bullfrog should have told Roy what was going on, other than about Ciarissa, because I didn’t think he’d made the connection about her relationship with Longdaddy, or if he had, he hadn’t shared it with me. But either way, it was safe to assume the
Stingray
had left Polliworld very officially and that the
Redeemer’s Will
was going to return shortly, guns blazing.

It was dangerous, so dangerous, for me to do this particular shift. But there didn’t seem to be any other way. At least not a way that would leave everyone I cared about safe. Roy had no idea how dangerous a shift this would be for me, either, but I knew he wouldn’t like it, just on general principles. Which was why I’d ensured Ciarissa and I were already too far away to alter the plan before Bullfrog explained what we were doing.

Roy wasn’t really like Roman. Maybe a little like Roman—very male, very captivating, and a great leader. Okay, so Roy was a lot like Roman in those ways. But Roy would never intentionally kill an innocent, no matter what the cause or the cost. And should that happen, he’d never wave it away as the cost of war. Roy understood the cost of war, but he didn’t enjoy spending the money. Roman, on the other hand, felt quite differently.

For Roman, it was his way or the highway to Hell.

Longdaddy’s people were already in place and ready, he’d assured me of that, and I’d watched him send the message, which was why we had to ensure we timed everything right. Longdaddy had also verified there was no life on Orion’s Light. And I’d shared what I’d do to him if I discovered that was a lie. So all was set.

Ciarissa nodded. “
Monte is alone, but all the surveillance is active.”

“Showtime,” I said quietly. In this form, my voice was deep, low, and had a very charismatic quality. I’d ensured I’d shifted everything, including matching Roman’s mind. I was able to do so because I’d known him personally. I’d known him better than anyone, and certainly better than anyone still alive.

Being angry with Ciarissa was helpful because Roman had been a very angry person. His voice hadn’t been the only charismatic thing about him, either. Hopefully I radiated his machismo, because if I didn’t put on a believable show, we were all dead.

But the time for doubts was over. I finalized the shift in my mind.

I looked around, taking in the scene. I wasn’t that old a man, but sometimes my life’s experiences made me feel ancient. My memory liked to disappear occasionally. It was a test—of my faith, my strength, and my conviction. I closed my eyes and centered on the beating of my heart. Ah, yes. I never failed this test. Because my cause was righteous and I could not, would not, be stopped.

Memory flooded back, as it always did. I was Roman the Redeemer, here with one of my loyal adherents to stop anyone from overtaking yet another defenseless world against its will. Orion’s Light would not fall into the hands of Diamante scum. Better they should burn in righteous fire than fall to the most evil and godless of empires.

“Tell our allies to begin.”

Ciarissa nodded. An explosion rumbled; the sound, and the screams, confirmed it was close by. More explosions, more screaming, both within the building and outside. The
Redeemer’s Will
must have made itself known.

We went to the office’s rear door. I contemplated knocking, but that wasn’t a frightening enough entrance. And this fool needed frightening. At the very least. I kicked the door in. The wood splintered in a satisfying manner.

I shoved Ciarissa back and to the side as I jumped out the way. Sure enough, lasers fired at us. I was used to guerilla fighting, however.

I tossed in a gas bomb, courtesy of our local allies. It was non-lethal, which was something of a disappointment. But agreements had been made and compromises were sometimes necessary.

I strode in to see a variety of Underground personnel on the ground and Monte the Leech gaping at me. Due to his nature, he was unaffected by the gas—his kind could simply absorb it through their skin and eject it later as excrement. “You…you’re alive?”

“You won’t be for too long.” I nodded to Ciarissa, and she concentrated. The bodies convulsed then went still. Enforced comas. They’d recover in a few days. If we didn’t blow this den of iniquity sky high first.

“What have
I
done?” Monte asked, looking around wildly.

“Guards are coming, as are both more Underground and Diamante Families enforcers. I have alerted the
Redeemer’s Will.”

“You will not defile Orion’s Light. There is enough sin in this galaxy already.”

“S-Sorry. But, the plans are set. Casino City will be beautiful to behold.”

“Can you see Orion’s Light from here?”

Monte nodded.

“Show me.”

“The
Redeemer’s Will
has created a disturbance, adding to the existing explosions and chaos. There is panic in the streets, which has spilled into the casino. Guards and enforcers are delayed.”

He undulated over to the wall with the drawing of Casino City and pushed a button. The picture slid up, revealing a holoscreen. The rock named Orion’s Light floated in the center. “There it is.”

“Some guards and enforcers have made it through and will be here momentarily.”

I could hear the sounds of destruction coming closer. There were a lot of beings causing quite the ruckus. Good.

I set myself between Ciarissa and the door, guns ready. “You will agree to cease all plans for your defilement of Orion’s Light, or I will remove the temptation for you.”

The first of the Diamante Families personnel breached the doorway. I shot him dead, and the three behind him. “Toss your weapons into the room, or I’ll send you all to the fire!”

Some weapons were tossed in. So was a grenade. I picked it up and tossed it back. Because of my size, everyone always underestimated my speed and agility. To their detriment. The explosion was muffled by the bodies. No loss. No one in this den of iniquity would be worth redeeming, other than by blood and fire.

“If any of you still live, send a message to your employers—I will not allow Orion’s Light to be defiled. I will burn this world if you continue trying to extend your sin to others.”

“A few still live, and they are running away. They know who you are, and their terror of you is much more than their terror of what their own masters will do to them. They will share your message.”

I turned back to the Leech. “You will cease all your plans with Orion’s Light.”

“Hardly. Look, Roman, can I call you Roman? Roman, this is a business deal.”

“Burn your contracts before me.”

“They’re in a safe place, Roman. I can’t access them at this precise time. Especially since I think you blew up my storage area.”

This I knew to be a lie. However, there were other ways. “Then prepare to have those contracts declared null and void.”

“No can do, Roman. They’re ironclad.”

I shrugged and looked at Ciarissa. “Then we go with Plan B.”

“Plan B?” Monte asked nervously. “What’s Plan B?”

Ciarissa was concentrating. I could tell by her expression and the look in her eyes.

“You’ll see.” Ciarissa nodded and closed her eyes. I picked her up in my arms. “I will let you live today, Leech, because there is a chance, however slim, that you may be redeemed. But if you try to claim another planet or moon as you have Orion’s Light, I will return and feed you to the fire.”

“Plan B is you leaving?” Monte asked hopefully.

I nodded toward the holoscreen. “That is Plan B.”

Right on cue, Orion’s Light exploded into a million tiny pieces.

“Guards!” Monte screamed. “Guards!”

“They are dead or gone.” I heard the sound of coordinated marching coming closer. The Diamante Families must have gotten themselves in order. “As are all who oppose their Redeemer.”

I strode from the room. Once out of the Leech’s sight, I ran the way we’d come. We reached the trapdoor and were down it quickly, even with my having to carry Ciarissa. We raced down the stairs, her still in my arms, and then down the dark tunnel.

Lily was waiting for us at the fork. “Come this way.” She turned and ran down the leftmost fork, and we followed.

After a long run we slowed to a walk. “I can stand,” Ciarissa said. I put her down and we continued on after Lily.

About an hour later we reached another set of stairs. Lily stopped. “You need to stay here. The
Redeemer’s Will
has been run off by several Diamante Families cruisers, but it did escape destruction. Wait until dawn, then you can go up. Once there, we will shuttle you to your ship.” She bowed. “Thank you for your help, Roman the Redeemer.” She handed Ciarissa a small bag.

I nodded and she left the way we’d come. Ciarissa and I sat on the steps.

“You should change back,” she said softly.

“To what?”

“To your true self. There will be no shuttle. The
Redeemer’s Will
is long gone.”

“Get out of my head.”

Ciarissa looked worried. She rummaged through the bag and relief washed over her face. She pulled out a small mirror and handed it to me. “Look at this.”

I did. I looked tired. Leading a resistance took a lot out of a man.

“Your name is Danielle Daniels. Your friends call you DeeDee. You were born on Seraphina and carry part of it within your body and soul. You’re part of the crew of a ship known only to said crew as the
Hummingbird
. Your life is your own; your loyalty is to those you love and those you serve.”

As I looked and listened to the words in my head, I remembered that she was right. A part of me didn’t want to, but I shifted back into myself. A redheaded woman in a Polliskin who looked tired—but not as tired as the man—stared back at me.

Ciarissa put her arm around my shoulders. “You’re safe to say it aloud.”

“How did you know it?”

“Roy asked me to memorize it in case you ever…forgot…when he wasn’t nearby.”

Staring at the mirror, I repeated the Mantra of Self, and my mind shifted fully back to what it should be. “It was a short shift. It shouldn’t have been this hard to come back.”

“Ah. How well did you know Roman?”

“Why do you assume I knew him?”

“You couldn’t have imitated him so well if you didn’t know him. And…at least a part of you didn’t want to come back from being him.”