Hey, I know that guy. Marco knelt down beside the man. He lifted his hand and bent his arm around, studied a tattoo and a knot of sandscars on his wrist. Danger, he said. He looked up at Vic, saw the confusion on her face. His name. Thats what he went by, anyway. Used to be in the Low-Pub Legion. Muscle. Blew shit up. Whatever you needed, he did it for a price. Went north when the price got better.
Cannibals? Vic stayed away from the wastes as much as she could; there was a grove of trees up there and a couple sources of water, some nice dive sites, but the dunes were generally unsafe.
No, a new outfit. One of our bomb guys hooked up with them as well. Word is theyre fast and loose with their coin. Havent taken credit for any attacks, but that dont mean they arent trying. What happened to his face?
Looks like he was hit with something.
Marco reached down and touched the dead mans cheek. The flesh moved like rotten fruit.
Fuck, Marco said. Its like a sponge.
Vic held her hand over the mans face, careful not to touch it. She just lined her palm up over the damage. Graham mustve had his dive gloves on. He powered his suit up and shoved your friend here in the face, probably when he came back around the bench to threaten him.
You think he hit him with his suit?
Vic nodded. Wouldve powdered his skull. Turned it into sand. I think thats his brains leaking out his nose.
Aw, fuck. Marco stood up. And he just left him here?
Well, either Graham took off in a hurry or Danger here wasnt alone and Graham was hauled off. Weird of him to leave the place unlocked and unmanned like this. Hes weird about his shit.
Yeah, well it was weird of whoever took him to leave that kick-ass visor just sitting there on the workbench.
Vic turned to see what he was talking about. Dont even think it, she said, watching him reach for the set.
Just want to see them.
A friend of mine might be in trouble.
So whatre we supposed to do? And what do you think Danger wanted? Your guy owe him money, maybe?
What do you think, you goon? You think maybe were not the only two trying to track down Danvar by following leads rather than bumping over the dunes with our sails flapping in all directions? Someone else thinks Graham knows where Danvar is. Or shit Vic stood up. Maybe someone else knows that Graham knew where Palmer went. Maybe were two steps behind
No, no, no. Marco paced up and down behind the workbench, shaking his finger at the dead man on the ground. Ive got it. Oh, fuck, Ive got it. You were right. Its north of here. Theres this guy Brock, the one I told you about, the one whos been hiring up talent and throwing coin around. I bet thats who financed all of this. Yeah. Marco stuck the end of one of his long dreadlocks into his mouth and chewed, lost in thought. Vic gave him time. For all the grief she gave Marco, she had fallen for his brains before his good looks. What if your brother didnt discover Danvar? he asked, reasoning something out.
Im listening.
What if they think hes the one who leaked the news?
Damien said that guy was dead.
Well, maybe he aint. Maybe it was your brother, and now theyre after him to shut him up. Maybe they thought your family friend here could track him down. I think they just want him dead.
I dont like where youre going with this.
But it makes sense, right? Otherwise, wheres your brother? No ones seen him or his friend, right? I bet theyre both in trouble.
Or theyre over Danvar right now, diving and hoarding. Or theyre both shit-faced drunk. Either way, we should check with this guy you know. The two assholes who barged into my place were wearing kers from the north
Who, Brock? I dont know him. Only heard about him.
Whatve you heard?
Conflicting stuff. I heard he grew up in Springston and came from money. But a friend of mine says his accent aint like the Lords, that he had to be from up north. Supposedly he has a camp up there in the middle of the wastes. I know a guy, Gerard, who quit their group. Came back saying he couldnt live that far from an adequate supply of pussy
Lovely.
In fact shit, Gerard disappeared on a dive a week
or so after he got back. And nobody found his body.
We need to go talk to this guy.
To Gerard? Im pretty sure hes buried.
No, idiot, to Brock. His camp, you say its in the middle of the wastes? You know where?
Not really. Marco chewed on a dreadlock. Its near the grove, I think. I remember Gerard talking about lavish campfires. West of the grove but south of some big spring. I only remember cause he was bitchin about having to haul barrels of water down from
An explosion of bells rang out as the front door was thrown in. Thrown in with violence. There was a shout, and then the stomp of heavy boots. Vic turned and looked for some place to hide, started to yell for Marco to cmon, to get out the back door, but then two men with guns joined them in the workshop, silver weapons gleaming, one swinging at her and the other at Marco.
Hey, whoa Marco said. He held up his hands, and Vic found herself staring down the barrel of one of those ancient and unreliable killing machines.