Allie's War Episodes 1-4(134)

“...In theory, at least,” he muttered.
I frowned, glancing at James, too. “So what are you doing to fight the Rooks? Your people...the badass terrorists?”
Maygar snorted a laugh. “You wouldn’t understand, Bridge.”
“Try me.” When he raised an eyebrow, I said, “Unlike you, I don’t have some macho trip going, Maygar. And it’s not just revenge for me, either, despite what you seem to think. I want them gone. I want a break in the clouds. A real one.”#p#分页标题#e#
He just looked at me, then gave another grunting laugh.
“A break in the clouds...I like that, Bridge.” His face opened a bit more, until his expression turned almost friendly. “If you really want to know, right now, we are trying to crack their hierarchy...the one Vash described to you. We look for ‘the break in the clouds,’ too.” He smiled down at me. “There are rumors that an order exists behind the rotating top tiers. That the succession order is mapped...not random. Do you understand this?”
I shook my head. “No.”
Maygar’s eyes grew sharper when they met mine. I recognized that look from Revik; it was a hunter’s look. Moreover, it showed more perception than I’d given him credit for.
Realizing I had been holding back on him a little, I shrugged.
“Eliah might have mentioned it,” I said. “The succession order. When he found out I was screwing around with the Rooks’ network, he seemed convinced that’s what I was after.”
Seeing Maygar’s eyebrow go up, I rolled my eyes.
“I still don’t know what it is, Maygar,” I said flatly.
He gave me another half-smile, shrugging with one hand.
“It is exactly what it sounds like, Bridge,” he said. “It is a map of the succession order for the Rooks’ hierarchy. A map of the succession order would detail when and how each individual Rook ascends in that hierarchy to the spot above. Like when your American president dies...there is a list of who takes his place, right?”
“Sure,” I said, annoyed at his condescending tone. “Whatever.”
Maygar smiled wider, clicking at me softly. “This thing you seem so uninterested in, Esteemed Bridge...it is something every Rook in the network would pay all of their fortune to obtain. Hell, any in the Seven would.”
“Why?”
Maygar rolled his eyes. Unfolding his muscular arms, he used his light to draw an image of the Pyramid in my mind. Thrusting it forward invasively, he highlighted the node at its apex.
“The Head, understand?” When I nodded, he said, “This man at the top, he is the only one who connects directly to the Dreng. The only link between the Dreng and Earth.”
I nodded again, to show him I was following.
“He connects the rest to the Dreng,” Maygar added. “He also distributes the light, the skill sets, everything. To randomize the succession order, it is his protection, right? Without that, what’s to stop one of the other Rooks from stealing this top spot from him?”
I waited, figuring it was a rhetorical question.
Maygar smiled again, maybe because he heard me.
“The top of the Pyramid, it has a rotating hierarchy.” Using his light, Maygar highlighted the top tiers. They began a jerky dance.
I recognized that, too.
“You see how at any moment,” Maygar continued. “...A different seer falls into the position directly below the Head?”
I nodded again.
“This is to prevent assassination, Bridge. If you are big number two Rook, and you kill the Head but don’t take his place, you can bet whoever does is going to take you out. But...” He lit up the top tier once more. “...If you know the succession order, you can coup the big honcho right when you are about to take his place. Or make a deal with the one who does.”
He smiled, clicking again softly.
“But Bridge,” he said. “...We could do the same. There is a gap after the Head dies, when the Dreng are not connected to our world. The Pyramid is vulnerable then.”
“How long?” I said.
“Two...maybe three minutes to connect the new Head.”
At his meaningful stare, I sighed.
“Two minutes isn’t very long,” I pointed out.
Maygar laughed. “It was long enough for me to smack you down this morning!” When my face warmed, he smiled. “Of course, for any of that to be feasible, we would need to know who the current Head is. That is his other protection, Bridge. Anonymity. We think very few Rooks know the Head’s true identity in outside.” He pointed at me, his lips curling in a frown. “This is where you come in. Providing you can deliver what you say. Your Rook husband never could...despite all his bullshit.”