The chatter I heard was largely about traffic control and a couple of accidents causing diversions. If they started channeling traffic here, we’d need to evade. I wished I could drive. She was good enough, but not a trained combat driver.
A bit later she said, “They think they’ve found a bolt hole, as they call it. Industrial space in one of the parks.”
“We need to check it out, then. Much as I want to keep out of sight, we need whatever intel we can get. That also is very much something he’d look for. We spent a lot of the Earth mission using industrial space. I’m not sure he went anywhere else.” I wasn’t sure I remembered the details. That bothered me. He’d stayed at our facilities. Deni and I had reconned and set the safe houses. I think.
“I want a scrap of chameleon,” she said. “I’ve narrowed it down to three. Knowing who he acquired that from will help a lot.”
“Which three?”
“Ours are licensed from Chersonessus. It could be ours or theirs, or Novaja Rossia.”
“Interesting. Yes, that would narrow things a lot.”
Right then I heard a warning. “Be advised of traffic diversion around Parke West. Civilians should be dissuaded from the area by traffic warnings and zone management. Local traffic may proceed. Report, investigate, and be prepared to detain any subject evading zone restrictions if instructed.”
That was interesting. Whatever they were doing, they planned to move in a bit, and wanted to do so quietly. Useful intel for me, and of course, for him if he were listening, which he should be. So I needed to watch for him exfiltrating in case I could get a shot, and then for any intel.
“Any way to narrow down the location?” I asked.
She said, “It’s in Parke West. I’ve got locations on the response units and can estimate an area.”
“Drop me, find a place to lurk, come back when I call. I may need emergency exfil.”
“Be careful,” she said.
“Will do. Turn fast at that intersection, cruise behind the market. Drop me, park in front, shop for a bit, then go elsewhere. I’ll walk it.”
She turned fast enough to seem she’d forgotten an errand, but not fast enough to be remarkable. The access behind the shop was rutted and worn, with a portable chiller trailer, dumpster and waste tanks. The side was fenced against a broad expanse that looked like it might be a golf course or trotting field.
Silver slowed over the ruts and potholes, and I popped the door, hopped out and flipped it closed again. I felt decent enough, except for the stench of garbage. She powered gently forward and around, and I was alone.
CHAPTER 7
It was a bit chill, but I found it rather refreshing, actually, and the evening damp was pleasant rather than the type that sucks the heat out of you. I turned and walked the other way, across the inlet she’d taken. There was no sidewalk, but there was a well-worn path through the grass along the verge that occasionally dipped onto that lot, which was the rear of some commercial campus. That was good. Pedestrians weren’t unexpected here.
Just past there was the business park. I needed to get into his space before the cops did, accomplish either his execution or an intel sweep, and get out. For the former, exfil was less critical.
My phone had unit numbers on screen. Those were probable locations.
Dressed as I was in a pullover shirt and slacks in gray, I wouldn’t be out of place. Still, I was exposed and would have limited time before I did get questioned, and at least asked to depart the area.
This was an active evasion scenario. I could most likely get questioned safely, but once I did, I was done with the recon. So I’d be skulking around while pretending I wasn’t.
I could see two police cars from here, so they might be able to locate me if they had multispectra imaging. There was a rising fog from the well-watered growth, and some evergreens and local flat-leafed bushes that would disperse my image somewhat. I kept walking, and angled across the “park” aspect of the facility toward hard cover—other buildings.
Shortly, I slipped into visual shadow, then into real shadow, with building and treeline to mask my presence. I took a glance at the phone on its dimmest level. Silver had eliminated one building, leaving four, and changed two. The new one was the one closest to me. I bet it wasn’t the right one, but of course I would check it. I walked over the lumpy ground to it, then onto the pavement alongside.
This one was officially vacant, which made it a worthwhile hide. There was a rear emergency exit. I gave good odds to it not being alarmed, and possibly not even locked. I was half right. The door moved slightly at a pull, and I slipped a flexitool in to shim the catch. It opened and nothing happened.