Andrew looked daggers at his side. "Then we'll make it work!"

The door to the tactical center slid up into the ceiling. Andrew snapped his head around and instantly recognized the slender outline of TerraDyne's chairman. "This is a closed meeting, Anderson. No civilians."

Anderson said nothing as he stepped into the room and allowed the door to close behind him. He flipped a plasticized identification card onto the display. It bore a picture of his face, a retinal pattern, and the Counter Intelligence Division legend across the top. The name on it, however, read "Richard Dorvalle."

Dorvalle looked at Porter and Craon. "You are dismissed. I was never here."

The two of them looked at Redburn. Andrew opened his mouth to protest, but the anger and defiance that had been driving him evaporated. Wearily, he nodded assent. As they dutifully passed out the door, Redburn fixed the spook with a piercing glance. "So what's really going on here?"

Dorvalle kept his angular face emotionless. "That is not really important, Captain Redburn. What is important is that I have had a communication from the Prince, who asks me to pass on his congratulations to you."

Redburn leaned heavily forward on the tactical display. The computer updated the configuration, setting the Leopardand Overlordyet further from Bethel. "And what did I do to please him? I was unaware that having a traitor disable your 'Mech is regularly rewarded with a medal or thanks."

Dorvalle's face hardened. "Come off it, Redburn. Self-pity does not become you. You impressed the Prince by actually splitting your command and heading off after the Leopard.Your main body tied up the Fourth Tau Ceti Rangers and bagged a couple of heavy 'Mechs. Your people nailed two Ravens—which we're sending back to the NAIS for study, by the way—and a Vindicator.You also identified the pilot of the Centurionyou faced."

Andrew shook his head. "What is it with you spies? You're trying to console me by pointing out a silver lining on a very dark cloud. Didn't you miss something? They got into the lab and got back out. As far as security is concerned, that lab is a hemophiliac that just tangled with a chotodarl"

Dorvalle actually allowed himself a smile, albeit a small and controlled one. "That, Captain, is the reason the Prince is most pleased, and the reason you will not pursue the Leopard."

Everything suddenly landed on Andrew like a ton of bricks. He stepped backward to the wall, then slumped down at the base of it. "It was all a set-up? I let a Vindicatorput a Jennerpilot in the hospital with a broken arm and leg, and left two Valkyriesheld together with baling wire and spit for a set-up? Why the hell didn't you just give the information away, or let me know so I could have held my people back?"

The spy shook his head slowly. "If we didn't put up the appearance of a fight, Liao would never believe the information he got is valuable. This isn't a game, but there are times when we have to trick the other side into doing what we want them to do. It worked with Operation Ambush, and it worked here. It could have cost lives—thank God it didn't—but the payoff could end the war early and save countless lives."

Andrew sighed heavily. "Good. I'm glad. I'm glad the final laugh is on Justin Xiang, and that the Prince has avenged himself upon Justin." Andrew ground his palms against his eyes. Next time, it'll be my turn. And then, Justin, the last laugh will be mine. May it ring in your ears as you die.

13

Lyons

Isle of Skye, Lyran Commonwealth

15 May 3029

Clovis Holstein hugged the little girl to his chest and rocked her gently as the explosion's thunderous tremors faded. Brushing the dust from her hair, he forced a soft levity into his voice. "Gotta get this dirt out of your hair, Sarah, else you'll be looking like your grandma." He felt the child stiffen when he mentioned her grandmother, so he hugged her tighter. "Hush now, Sarah. No tears."

Through the shelter's dust-laden air, in the dim light of a single bulb, Clovis studied the dirty, tired faces of thirty children. If just one starts crying, they'll all fall apart.He glanced over at the older children and gave them a reassuring smile. If they'd not held up as well as they have, Karla and I would have fallen apart. Two days. How much longer will the Combine keep that company blasting our township to rubble?

Clovis let Sarah slide from his lap and gently laid the four-year-old-child down next to her eight-year-old-brother. "Rex, take care of your sister." As the tow-headed boy nodded bravely, Clovis stood and dusted himself off. He picked his way across the shelter's floor, carefully avoiding children trying to sleep, and caught Karla Bremen's attention.

With a smile on her pretty face, she gave no sign of the concern and worry that had plagued her since she and Clovis had led her schoolchildren down into the bomb shelter. Clovis brushed his long black locks back away from his face as she crossed toward him, then stopped. Preening yourself again, Clovis? You idiot! Your desire to impress her is what got you into this position!

Because New Freedom was small, all the students had worked in a single classroom set up in what the Kell Hounds had previously used as a mission briefing room. When elements of the Third Dieron Regulars hit the town, Clovis had been teaching the class about computers. He and Karla immediately guided the children to safety in the shelters below the 'Mech hangar. The arrival of the Combine troops had transformed the beginning of Clovis's dreams into an ongoing nightmare.

Karla, slender and two heads taller than Clovis, squatted down to speak with him. Despite the dirt on her cheeks, nose, and forehead, Clovis thought her most beautiful. Looking around to make sure none of the children were watching them too closely, Karla let her smile evaporate. "Clovis, I'm worried. I thought you said they'd be gone by now."

Clovis swallowed hard. He rested his stubby-fingered hands on her shoulders, brushing her medium-length brown hair back from her once-white blouse. "What I said before makes no difference. We have enough food down here for a month or more." Clovis faltered. This shelter was meant to house fifty adults. We can survive here for a long time.

Karla nodded. "I know. It's just the pressure and all the unanswered questions the children ask. They all want to know if their parents are alive. What can I tell them?"

Clovis could not meet her blue-eyed gaze. "Lie to them. Tell them everyone is fine and hiding in other shelters like this. For now, it will calm them enough to sleep." Clovis shrugged. "The truth will still hurt later, but truth isn't what they need right now."

Clovis reached out to cup Karla's chin in his right hand and tilt her head up. "Listen. You're going to have to hold them together." He glanced upward. "I've got to go see what's happening."

Karla shook her head incredulously. "You can't abandon me here."

Clovis turned away and buckled on a gunbelt with a Smith and Webley Foxfire in the holster. Most warriors referred to the weapon sarcastically as the "purse pistol," because it seemed too small and delicate to be deadly. Clovis drew the pistol, which fit his small hand perfectly, and charged it with a snap. He slid it back into the holster with a fluid motion that only came with long hours of practice.