Blood Engines(97)

 

“I don’t blame you,” Marla said. “Still, better than centuries of bondage at the hands of the Celestial, right?”

 

“Ultimately,” Ch’ang Hao said. “Though there were moments, jammed into the tiny seats, when I thought back fondly on the spaciousness of my prison. The spell you cast enabled me to pass through security unmolested, though I had none of these passports they desired, and their machines beeped at the nails on my harness.”

 

“Did you…have any trouble? Once you arrived?”

 

“I found the serpent,” Ch’ang Hao said. He shook his head. “The jungles are being cut and burned. It is shameful.” He looked her in the eye. “It makes me look forward to the extinction of man.”

 

“I don’t blame you. And you brought the snake back?”

 

“I did. It is in this trunk, sleeping, dreaming of food and warmth. I did not wish it to be afraid in its last hours of life.”

 

“Thank you, Ch’ang Hao,” she said. “Your debt to me is fulfilled.”

 

“I am aware of that. I do not need you to tell me the nature of my obligations. May I trouble you for transport away from this place?”

 

“Sure thing, if you promise not to kill me while I’m driving. Let’s get this trunk into the van.”

 

Ch’ang Hao helped her lift the steamer trunk in, and then he climbed into the backseat. Marla got into the driver’s seat in time to hear Cole introduce himself. Ch’ang Hao introduced himself with his customary courtesy.

 

“Are you going after the Chinese guy again?” Marla asked, pulling away from the curb and driving toward the freeway.

 

“I owe him a debt of pain,” Ch’ang Hao said. “A far greater one than I owe you.”

 

“I should tell you,” Marla said, “your former master is the one who kidnapped Rondeau. He demanded that I bring you back to him in exchange for Rondeau’s life.”

 

Ch’ang Hao considered that. “Do you intend to do as he asks?”

 

“No. I doubt I could take you against your will even if I wanted to. I just wanted you to know, your old master might be dead. I had to come get you, and now I’ve got to go deal with Mutex posthaste, so I sent a friend to rescue Rondeau. Assuming things went well, he probably had to kill the Chinese guy.”

 

“No,” Ch’ang Hao said. “My old captor still lives. I would know if he died.”

 

Marla drove in silence for a while. “Shit,” she said at last. “Shit. That means B failed. Which means both he and Rondeau are most likely dead.”

 

“I am sorry for your loss, Marla,” Cole said.

 

“Rondeau seemed an honorable man,” Ch’ang Hao murmured.

 

“Yeah,” Marla said. This was more than a personal loss, though. B had told her that Rondeau was crucial to her success, and that without him, defeat was assured. If there was ever a time to give up, this was it.

 

But no. The future wasn’t fixed. There were strong possibilities, yes, and maybe the odds were astronomically against her without Rondeau, but that didn’t mean she should give up. When there was only one game in town, that was the game you played, even if the odds were against you. “I’m sorry, too. But you know who’s going to be really sorry? Mutex. If I hadn’t had to deal with him, I could have gone to save Rondeau. And once I turn Mutex into a splatter on the ground, I’m going to help you out, Ch’ang Hao, and we’re going to kill the Chinese guy together. If that’s all right with you.”

 

“I respect your wish for vengeance,” Ch’ang Hao said, “and you are welcome to join me. He is our common enemy. Any outstanding business between us will be dealt with later. I have many things to attend to before I settle my business with you. I wish to visit the jungles to the south, where my children die with the forests. I hope I can remedy that situation. I may be gone for years, and perhaps you will die while I am otherwise occupied. But if you live…I will not forget about you. We will meet again, when all this is over.”

 

“I’ll count the days,” Marla said. “But right now, I’ve got to stop Mutex. I don’t have time to drop you off anywhere, Ch’ang Hao, so you’ll have to come along. I don’t expect you to fight with me, though if you want to work off some frustration doing so, you’re welcome.”

 

“Perhaps,” Ch’ang Hao said. “Where are we going?”

 

“For a walk in the park,” Cole said.