It was painfully obvious to Dechan what was happening. The colonel's headset was spouting a report from one of the spotter posts they had set up on all the probable routes to the suburbs. The assassins were on their way.

The colonel's reaction must have meant something to the Elemental leader as well. He started calling orders to his Point.

"This is going wrong," Dechan told his driver. "Take the van in."

"I don't have orders," the kid objected. "We're supposed to wait for Colonel Carmody's signal."

Dechan slapped him on the shoulder. "Take the van in!"

The picture wobbled as the hovervan's engine gobbled power to spin the fans faster. The truck blasted from the alley where it was hidden and headed for the compound.

Carmody saw it coming and shouted. "Launcher on the gate!"

As the missile team jumped out of the lead transport, the Point commander reacted. He chopped Carmody in the throat and raced for cover, but he wasn't fast enough. The rocket roared past him, impacting slightly off-center on the iron gates. Fire flared over the gate, and the Elemental was flung away like a doll.

One valve was blown clear and the other hung drunkenly as the van barreled toward the gate. The Elementals had opened fire on the Home Guardsmen, who were returning fire erratically. Dechan caught a glimpse of Carmody sprawled awkwardly as the hovervan bucked over the debris and slammed into the hanging gate. Iron rang and the truck's fender crumpled, but the driver fought the slewing van and kept it on course through the gateway.

The hovervan roared up the drive, leaving behind the firing at the gate. With the house set so far back from the street, soldiers on foot would take some time to reach it. The van flashed across the parklike grounds in seconds. The van slowed as it climbed the slight hill, and the driver dropped the speed further as they took the last turn. The move was deliberate; a fast-moving vehicle would likely be taken as a hostile. The fans were muted to a purr by the time he spun the vehicle to a broadside parking position on the green in front of the mansion.

Wolf was waiting on the porch. Behind him, Joshua stood in the open doorway, a laser pistol cradled in both hands. The boy was probably more of a threat to himself than to an intruder. His mother obviously agreed; she appeared and appropriated the weapon. She joined Wolf as the hovervan settled, its fans idling.

Dechan was almost amused to see that Wolf seemed surprised to see him step down from the van.

"Is this a rescue or an assault, Dechan?" he asked.

"Both," Dechan answered perversely. "But I'm with the parties of the first part."

"And who's the other side?"

"I think you know better than me."

Satisfied that there was no immediate danger, the rest of the family boiled out onto the porch to surround the little group. Dechan ignored their questions and spoke to Wolf.

"There's a plot against your life scheduled to be executed tonight."

Wolf looked at the graying sky. "There's not much night left."

"Exactly."

"There's no need for killing," Katherine said. "Don't we have enough dead? We could just leave."

"We could," Marisha said. "But Jaime can't."

"Why not?" Katherine asked.

"Because, whether he wants to be involved or not, he's too good a rallying point for those who oppose him." Marisha's expression was grim. "No one will rally around a dead man."

Katherine looked appalled. "You're talking about murder!"

Dechan snorted. "I don't think they see it that way. This is probably just a necessary precaution in the battle for supremacy in the Dragoons. Is it murder when you have one of your Trials? What about it, Wolf? If you'd fought for yourself in that challenge, Elson would have killed you then. Now, then. What's the difference?"

"There's enough of a difference that it will cause him problems," Wolf said.

"Only if he isn't the one to tell the story," Marisha said.

"There's truth in that," Wolf agreed with a sigh. "Maybe it's not too late to try and fix things."

A sharp series of explosions sounded from the gate, followed by increased weapons fire. "It won't be your choice if you stay here much longer."

Wolf nodded. "Get everyone in the van. We'll go out the back way. Riverview Parkway will put us on the expressway to the port."

There wasn't a lot of talking as the family boarded the hovervan. A loud explosion made Katherine jump and she nearly fell from the tail, but Rachel grabbed her arm and steadied her. Dechan sealed the doors and moved around to the front. The driver didn't let him get seated before he gunned the fans. The van howled away from the mansion, Wolf giving directions from the cargo compartment through the open panel.

The ride to the spaceport was tense, but they encountered no roadblocks, no ambushes. Men wearing Home Guard uniforms were manning the approaches to the spaceport. They waved the van through. Hamilton Atwyl and Brian Cameron were standing at the foot of the passenger ramp when they pulled up.

"I'm glad to see you, Colonel," Atwyl said as Wolf climbed out the back of the truck. "We were worried when we heard that Colonel Carmody was down."

Wolf's eyes flashed. "Another score to settle."

Cameron helped the women out of the van while Wolf talked to Atwyl. There was no luggage for the waiting crewmembers to carry. They scurried up the ramp ahead of the family. Cameron had a last word with Atwyl, before the aerospace colonel took off across the field in his hoverjeep. The great DropShip began to hiss and clang as the crew prepared for launch. A crewmember fretted, waiting for Wolf to board.

The Colonel held out his hand to Dechan. "Thank you."

Ignoring the offered hand, Dechan said, "I don't want your thanks."

"Well, you've got them anyway. I appreciate what you've done."

Dechan was distinctly uncomfortable. He couldn't look Wolf in the face. Staring off across the field, he asked, "Where will you go?"

"To the other side of the mountain."

"Why not just leave? Go to Davion?"

"Running away won't solve anything."

No, it wouldn't. "He'll come after you."

"He's welcome to try." Wolf smiled in the way Dechan remembered from years ago. It made him feel sorry for whoever got in Wolf's way. "Come with us. We'll need good MechWarriors."

"I won't leave Jenette."

Cameron called out from the top of the ramp. "Colonel, gate reports firing."

Wolf frowned. "There's no time to get her, Dechan. We can send a message for her to join us."

"And if they intercept it? No thanks, Colonel. I'll look after her myself."

"I wouldn't leave Marisha, either. Good luck, Dechan."

Turning his back on the Colonel, Dechan hopped aboard the van and ordered the anxious driver to pull out. Dust kicked out as the fans whirred to full speed, pelting Wolf as he ran up the ramp. Dechan didn't look back. The driver took the van around the bulk of the DropShip and away from the firefight at the main gate. They headed for a storage shed where technician uniforms and passes waited for them. While they changed, the Chieftainlifted for orbit.

39

When Colonel Atwyl woke me and ordered me to the spaceport without explanation, I was more annoyed then worried. Sudden assembly orders weren't standard in a safe zone, except during training. I had been dreaming about my sibko and, I suppose, I half-thought I was still in training. It wasn't until I reached the port and saw the frantic activity that I realized something serious was happening. Colonel Atwyl's briefing told me just how serious it was.