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  Hugo peered over the shoulders of the nearest Splinters, trying to make out more of what lay in the room beyond. He made out ranks of crates, racks of guns and a row of armoured flyers before the doors clicked shut.

  “Hey, spacer-boy,” someone snapped. “Eyes front.”

  Hugo looked away and stepped up beside Bolt. The man who'd spoken, who was so thin his temples looked hollowed-out, kept his face turned toward Hugo a moment longer. Everyone was silent and Hugo felt his palms dampen. Then the first man turned away and gestured to someone further back to come forward. He wasn't in a suit any more but Hugo recognised the man who had relieved him of his weapons in Evangeline's office. The man looked from him to Rami then back to the Splinter and nodded. The thin Splinter turned back to them.

  “Bring it out.”

  Bolt and Hugo moved towards the back of the Jeep.

  “Just you,” the Splinter snapped, pointing at Bolt.

  Hugo stayed put as Bolt moved out of sight around the back of the Jeep. He didn't dare look at Rami but kept his eyes focussed on the thin man. Bolt brought round first one then the other crate and lowered the lifters to the ground.

  “Open them.”

  Bolt popped the tops and lifted off the false top-trays of engine parts to reveal the neat cubes of red cement stacked underneath. The leader leaned in to see before nodding to another Splinter at his side. The nominated man slung his rifle over his shoulder and came forward, pulling a device with a long probe from his belt. Hugo counted his heartbeats in an attempt to calm them down. The Splinter knelt by one of the boxes, pulling his goggles off as he leaned in. Hugo was aware of heavy scrutiny locked on him as the man dipped the probe into the cement. There was a series of beeps. The Splinters and Evangeline's man all watched in silence. Hugo watched the leader who watched him right back.

  The tester straightened then nodded at the leader before resuming his place.

  “Over there,” came the leader's muffled instructions as he pointed to a spot against the wall. “You got your accounts?”

  Rami took a step towards him with her computer panel held out. Hugo looked away when he felt Bolt's elbow in the ribs and turned to fire up the second crate's lifter and follow Bolt with the first to the spot indicated. It made his skin crawl to turn his back on the guns but he forced his pace to be easy and his movements smooth as he stacked the crate in the corner. They returned just as the leader was handing computer panels back to both Rami and Evangeline's man.

  “Open the exterior doors,” someone barked and the exit started grinding open again. The ring of men began to break up, some disappearing back into the building, some towards the cement crates. Evangeline's man was talking in the leader's ear but the thin man's blanked-out face was turned toward Hugo still. He didn't look away as Bolt backed the Jeep out of the warehouse.

  “Take us a few miles away, Crewman,” Hugo said as the gates of the compound closed in the rear-view mirror, amazed his voice was steady. He swallowed over and over with a dry throat as they put distance between themselves and the stronghold. He instructed Bolt to pull over once there was more light in the puddles on the groundway.

  “Zero?”

  “Webb here.”

  “Did you get all that?”

  “Affirmative.” Webb's voice sounded a little too cool, even over the wrist panel's speakers. “Sound like a merry bunch. Did you get inside?”

  “Yes.”

  “And?”

  Hugo looked at Bolt who nodded. “We're going to take out that building. Tonight.”

  “Tonight?”

  “Affirmative,” Hugo said. “Before they get a chance to use the cement.”

  “You think they plan to move that soon?”

  “The building is crammed,” Hugo murmured. “Whatever they're going to do they're ready to do it.”

  There was a pause. “Good luck then, Captain. We'll be listening.”

  “Get Spinn misdirecting the external cameras and sensors where he can. We'll leave it an hour then we move in.”

  “Affirmative. Out.”

  “Take us further away where we can hide the Jeep and get ready,” Hugo said zipping up his jacket and fishing gloves out of his utility belt.

  “Yes, sir,” the crewman said and started the engine. He couldn't read either of their faces and hoped this was only a sign that they were focussed.

  It was the slowest hour Hugo could ever recall experiencing. He tried to make himself not watch the chrono but every time he came back to himself he was staring at the red numbers, ticking from one minute to the next with aching sluggishness. Rami and Bolt murmured to one another as they checked over their tech and the charges in the compartment under the driver's seat, but on the whole it was a silent waiting game. That night cycle seemed darker than the ones he'd spent suited in drift during orientation.

  When the hour was up Bolt edged the Jeep as close to the complex as they dared, parking behind a boarded-up meltworks. They pulled on their goggles and slipped into the dark, keeping to the shadows as they stole over a low wall into the next yard. The bulk of the Splinter warehouse showed up black against blinking track-lines and the distant orange of the colony's night-cycle ceiling. Hugo took up the rear, keeping his ears tuned for any movement.

  It seemed like an age later and yet far too soon when he had his back pressed against the compound wall. A glance at his wrist display confirmed they still had four hours left until the day-cycle began. All was silent apart from the dull hum of life-support somewhere overhead.

  He turned to Bolt and Rami, waiting for his order, and nodded. In the green haze of the night-vision he saw them return his nod, strap on grips and start climbing.

  There was no precise ascent through a sensor blind spot this time. This was a scramble with time a beast at their heels. They crested the wall right next to a camera. When they hoisted themselves over and started the climb back down the other side and no shots were fired, he assured himself Spinn had managed to get a hold on the camera feeds at least.

  His boots hit tarmac just after Rami's. They crept through the shadows to the back wall of the warehouse. Nothing moved.

  “Ten minutes,” Hugo whispered after they’d confirmed the coast was clear. “And I don't care what happens, you get in trouble you get on the comm.”

  Bolt and Rami nodded then disappeared into the dark. Hugo watched them go, gathered himself and turned and skirted the warehouse wall in the other direction. He kept close to the concrete, controlling his breathing with an effort. When he reached the corner and peered round, he saw a Splinter patrolling the length of the building, rifle held ready. Hugo ducked back out of sight and pulled out his gun. He held himself still until the man came into view then there was the pop of his silenced weapon and the man lay crumpled on the ground. Hugo stared at him for a moment, the blood showing a dark green in the night vision, then bent, grabbed a handful of his stab-proof jacket and pulled the body around the corner. He shoved it into the deepest shadows and hurried back to the corner.

  After having confirmed there was no other patrol in sight, he knelt and pulled a charge from his pack, nestled it into the juncture between the ground and the wall and pressed a code into the keypad. There was a bleep and a small red light flashed twice and then went black. Hugo got up and ran the length of the building to the next corner. Once again he flattened himself against the concrete and peered around. He could see the barred gate, sentries on either side, but they were both facing away. Hugo knelt and laid the second charge, activated it and then sprinted back the way he had come.

  Rami turned the opposite corner just as he came back round the rear of the building and waved for him to follow her. He kept close to her heels as they hurried to join Bolt waiting at a side door. They took up positions on either side and Rami glanced at her wrist panel and held up her hand, splaying the fingers.

  Five minutes, she mouthed. Hugo checked his gun then stared ahead into the faint haze of the night vision feeling blood pulse through his hands
.

  Five minutes ticked by and then three more before the next patrol opened the door. A man and a woman stepped out, pulling their dust-scarves up over their faces as they did. Hugo's and Rami's shots hit the first one in the head and chest and then a shot from Bolt brought down the other. There was barely even a sigh from them as they crumpled to the ground. They dragged the bodies out of sight from the door then ducked in, clicking it shut behind them.

  He pulled down his goggles, blinking in the brightness and followed Rami and Bolt at a run down the bare corridor. They ducked through the first open door and found themselves in the dark and echoing hangar. In the light from the corridor he made out stacks upon stacks of munition crates, racks of guns and the gleam of yards and yards of bullet belts as well as the row of armoured fighters hulking in the shadows like insects. All three of them stood frozen and stared around at the stockpile for a moment before Rami brought them back with a click of her fingers. They let the door close behind them, plunging them back into darkness, and used a lenslight to start searching.

  “You think getting the cement back through the gate is the best option?” Hugo whispered as he helped Bolt check over the nearest stack of crates.

  “It's the quickest way,” Bolt muttered.

  Hugo didn't ask any more and just focussed on the search, aware of time ticking by.

  “Captain,” Rami's hiss came from another dark corner of the hanger. “Over here.”

  Bolt and Hugo trotted in the direction of Rami's voice. She had found the doors that lead through to the entryway they had brought the Jeep into earlier. After a quick scan around with their lenslights they saw their crates still in the corner where they'd left them.

  “Zero?” Hugo whispered into his panel.

  “Webb here. How's it going, Captain?”

  “We have laid charges and located the cement. Moving to re-take it now.”

  “Roger.”

  “Captain,” Rami breathed, shining her light into one of the crates. “There's some missing.”

  “What?” Hugo said, leaning in. Sure enough, two cubes had been removed from one of the crates. “Find them. We can't leave without -” He blinked and cursed as light flooded the room.

  “Freeze,” came a hiss from behind them. Hugo froze, bottom dropping out of his belly. Rami and Bolt looked over his shoulder, faces hard and pale. “Turn around. Good and slow.”

  Hugo turned, holding his hands away from his sides. Two men stood there, rifles trained on them and nasty smiles over their dust scarves that melted away as Hugo turned. One glanced at the other, though the guns never wavered. One nodded and the other's face screwed up and he pushed at something on his throat. “Armin. Armin, come in.”

  “What?” came a crackly voice from the speaker on his throat comm.

  “The Zero fucks are back.”

  “Who?”

  “That spacer lot from today. Bastards are only trying to steal back their sale.”

  “What the hell are you telling me for? Take care of it.”

  IX

  “Webb, wait,” Kinjo pleaded. “You can't. Rami said -”

  “Screw what Rami said,” Webb said hitting the hatch control. “Get back up to the bridge and monitor their transmission. Let me know if anything more goes wrong. You ready, Marilyn?”

  “As I'll ever be,” Harvey grumbled as she pulled on gloves, but Webb couldn't miss the tight smile under her goggles.

  “Just keep up,” Webb said, getting on his bike and firing the engine. “Kinjo, go.”

  He watched over his shoulder just long enough to make sure the midshipman was heading back up the ladder then was riding down the hold ramp before it had finished lowering. He tore out of the docking bay and onto the docks, weaving between stacks of cargo. People jumped out the way, angry shouts drowned in the engine noise. The gates were ahead, the customs officer staggering out of her booth to see what the noise was. He pulled the bike in the other direction towards a loading ramp. He sped up the ramp, across an industrial lifter, pulled up the handlebars and revved. The bike jumped the distance between the lifter and an outbuilding. He was vaguely aware of the customs officer shouting but then the bike juddered to the edge of the outbuilding roof and he accelerated off the edge.

  The bike cleared the dock wall and hit the tarmac of the groundway on the other side with a bone-juddering impact that sent waves of pain riding up from his ribs, but he just gritted his teeth, and then he was tearing away from the docks. He spared a single glance over his shoulder to make sure Harvey was following then turned back and increased his speed, heart hammering in his ears, cursing Hugo with every breath.

  ɵ

  “Okay you lot,” the Splinter said, the leer back. “Against the wall.” Hugo didn't move away from the cement. The man who had spoken scowled and hoisted his gun to aim. “You wanna take this whole sector with you? See if I care.”

  “Wait... ” Hugo held up a hand.

  “I thought so. Step over there.”

  Hugo managed to throw a look at Rami and Bolt. They were stiff but their faces were calm. Rami flicked her eyes his way and nodded almost imperceptibly then looked back toward the Splinters.

  “Move,” the second man growled.

  Hugo raised his hands and took a slow step away from the crates. Bolt did the same. The second they passed between Rami and the men there was a flash of movement, a thunk and a gurgling sound and the first man was stumbling back, hand clutched at his throat. The second the other man took to gape at his dying cohort was all that was needed for Bolt to put him out with a shot to the head.

  “Quick,” Hugo said, rushing forward and grabbing one of the fallen men's rifles. “Grab the lifters.”

  “Captain,” Rami began as she retrieved her knife from the first man's throat.

  “There's no time,” Hugo snapped. “Grab one each and move now. Now.”

  Rami and Bolt looked at each other then ran for the crates. Hugo rushed over to the door control, pulling on his goggles. “As soon as I've cleared the gate,” Hugo said, reaching for the light switch as Rami and Bolt drew level with the crates on lifters, “you move. Get that shit as far away as you can as quick as you can. I'll retrieve the missing cubes.”

  “Captain -”

  “Are you ready?”

  He saw Rami swallow, then she nodded and pulled on her goggles. Hugo shut down the lights then hit the control for the door. With a screech it started to open. In the night vision he saw the two sentries by the gate turn in the direction of the noise. Hugo dropped to one knee and fired. The night split apart, the rifle hammering into his shoulder. Sparks flew on the metal of the gate and the two men went down. “Go.”

  Rami and Bolt dashed to the gates. Hugo watched long enough to see Rami hack the controls and the gates start to open then he dropped the rifle, drew his hand gun and turned back into the building. He glanced at his wrist panel, saw there was twenty minutes left, cursed and ran back across the warehouse floor. Just as he was passing the two dead men he heard a crackle then a tinny voice.

  “Mario? What was that noise? Is it done?”

  Hugo pushed sweaty hair back from his face and knelt next to the first body, fingers sliding in the blood for the throat comm. “It's done,” he grunted.

  “Good. Dump the waste then relieve Arvo and Nam on the gates. No more fuck ups.”

  Hugo took another steadying breath, pressed the throat comm. “Acknowledged,” he said, then held his breath. No reply came and he let the breath go and scrambled to his feet and ran for the storage hanger.

  The stores loomed up on all sides in the dark. It would take weeks to look through it all, but he couldn't see the Splinters being stupid enough to throw a couple of red cement charges loose in with all their supplies. He hesitated one moment then went with his gut and made his way back to the door into the corridor. He flattened himself against the wall and opened it a crack.

  His night vision blurred and flashed in the light and he pulled off his goggles, squinting.
There was no sound or movement. He waited ten more heart beats then stepped into the passage and ran, keeping his steps light and gun ready. He glanced in the windows of the doors he passed but just found darkened store rooms and supply lockers.

  There was a flight of stairs at the end of the corridor. He strained his ears, glanced at the time on the wrist panel, swore and raced up. The next level was another brightly lit corridor with doors on either side. Still there was no one around and he dared to hope most of the Splinter force was in the apartment block for the night-cycle.

  He peered in the window of the first door he came to and saw a room with banks of displays and workstations. Lights flashed and reports and newsfeeds scrolled on the screens but no one was sat at any of the keyboards. He spotted a long workbench with tools, scanners and other equipment scattered along it, including the probe the Splinters had used to test the cement. With one more glance along the corridor to confirm he was still alone, he ducked inside. He caught the telltale smell of bloodgrease in the air and felt his heart beat rise and started rifling through the piled junk on the workbench.

  He muttered curses as he kept searching and found no cubes then jerked as someone grabbed his collar. The shock caught him off balance and they slammed his face into the worktable. He tasted blood, saw stars and then there was the cold muzzle of a gun pressing into the back of his neck.

  “Drop it, asshole.”

  Hugo recognised Armin's voice from the throat comm. He dropped his gun and it clattered to the floor. Then he was being hauled up off the workbench and bundled out of the room. He tried to pull away but the hands that had him were strong and the tightened hold on his collar cut off his air. He scrabbled at his throat as he was manhandled down the corridor and then the world exploded in a shower of white stars.

  Somewhere beyond the pounding in his skull he was aware of being hauled through another door and flung on the floor.