"Like I said, no fucking way. We are not taking into our confidence a fucking janissary for Christ's Holy Sake! Better to kill the bastard."
Hamilton looked up, intending to continue the argument, when he spotted a black-uniformed man leading a woman shrouded in a burka by the hand. The woman was not Petra; that much he could see by her walk. So he assumed . . .
"Why don't you kill him now?" Hamilton asked conversationally. "Me, personally, I think he looks kind of tough. You're on your own."
"Ibn Minden, Hans, Odabasi, Corps of Janissaries," Hans introduced himself, with a polite bow of his head. "And I understand I owe you a serious apology . . . which you have."
Hans inclined that head toward Ling. "She's told me everything—"
"Everything I know," Ling corrected. "Which may not be everything."
Don't be a bitch, said the little voice.
In response, Ling nodded her head vigorously, half a dozen times.
Stop that!
For the first time since Hamilton had known him, Bongo laughed uproariously. Everyone, Ling included, looked at him strangely. That only made him laugh harder.
"I'm a chippie, too," Bongo finally explained. "She was punishing her control . . . weren't you, dear?"
"You never told me," Hamilton said.
"'Need to know,'" Bongo quoted. "I needed to have the chip put in to control some of my voluntary and involuntary muscles after I was medically discharged. It's not pleasant to have."
"I know your mission," Hans said. "And I will help. But I have conditions. You will be thinking of killing me now," he added. "This will not only be harder to do than you suspect, but my disappearance will alert the local forces. This you cannot afford."
Bongo began to tense, as if for a killing fight, then just as suddenly relaxed. "What conditions?" he asked.
"First, the children slaves in the lower castle must be freed and delivered to a safe place. You can do this."
"We've no way to get them across Lake Constance," Bongo objected.
"That is merely a detail to be worked out," Hans said. "Second, you must free my sister and get her out as well."
"Done," said Hamilton, drawing an angry look from Bongo.
"Third," continued Hans, "you must get Ling—"
"—I'm not allowed to leave, Hans," Ling interjected.
"We'll talk about that later," he insisted. "For now I want these gentlemen to agree in principle."
"I can agree in principle to anything," Bongo said. "Doesn't mean I can follow through."
"Ling?" Hans asked.
She shut her eyes for a moment, then answered, in a voice that was not quite her own, "His name is Bernard Matheson. Bronx, New York, American Empire. He is a veteran of the Imperial Army's Special Forces. He holds their Distinguished Service Cross for gallantry above and beyond the call of duty in the Fourth Colombian Pacification Campaign. Married three times. No current wife. No children. Entered Imperial Intelligence after being invalided out of— no, medically retired from—the Army as a result of wounds received in the action for which he received the Distinguished Service Cross. Terminal rank: Lieutenant Colonel. He's been working the Boer Republic for the last—"
"That's about enough!" said Bongo.
"Bongo, Caruthers never told me—" Hamilton began.
"Need to know," Bongo repeated. "Besides, did I never mention how fucking much I hate the nickname Bongo? Just because my friends call me that doesn't mean I like it."
"I think you can follow through," said Hans, which drew from Bongo a shrug.
Beside them, Ling shuddered, gasped and said, "I hate being teleoperated."
"I sympathize," answered Bongo. "Now give me a minute while I consult with higher." He turned away and walked closer to the lake.
While Bongo was consulting, Hamilton asked Ling, "How did your people know about him? I mean, me I can understand. I assumed my file was downloaded to you just as I was briefed on you. But him?"
If you answer, you will be punished.
She just shook her head. Hans, instead, answered, "It should be pretty obvious they keep close tabs on you people. As obvious as that you are infiltrated."
"I suppose. And it must be easier for them, with Chinese unremarkably common in our Empire, while whites in theirs are pretty rare." Hamilton laughed. "I wonder who isn't infiltrated."
Ling said, "The Swiss."
"Yesss," Hamilton agreed, slowly. "The Swiss."
"Ahhh," said Hans. "Indeed. The Swiss."
All three looked generally southwestward, and said, almost together, "The Swiss."