Темное, кривое зеркало. Том 3 : След на песке.
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"How do you think the…. Keepers came to be attached to our people?"
"The Enemy, the humans…. there are a number of possibilities. Rest assured those responsible will not survive much longer. A good evening and a good rest." The screen had faded and Valen sat back, puzzled.
He was still at a loss to understand Sinoval's antipathy towards him. Perhaps it was the Vorlons, although there seemed to be more to it than that. It might well be little more than the reasons which had turned Marrain away from the light. Marrain had been so focussed and sure, and the source of that focus was that he was the greatest warrior of his age…. perhaps ever. He had been strong, fast, skilled, wise. And then along had come one who was stronger, faster, more skilled, wiser.
Valen looked up and sighed. He had been wandering for longer than he had thought. It was time to return to Delenn. There was…. work ahead.
She was not quite sure how she had escaped from the sights of the gunmen. She had hidden, but even a cursory search would have revealed her hiding place within seconds. The assailants did not seem interested in her however. From her position beside the door to the kitchen she could hear at least two people moving around. Their movements were precise and definite, as if they knew exactly what they were looking for. Within minutes they were gone. Catherine finally allowed herself to breathe again after she heard the door close. Slowly, she crept out of the kitchen and looked around. Little seemed disturbed. Nothing of any value seemed to have been taken. Just….
Her personal computer. She could see almost immediately that it had been touched, and she knew without checking what would have been taken.
The G'Kar Files. Project Bermuda Triangle. It was the only thing of any interest stored there.
But very few people knew about that file, very few….
Unless this came from IPX themselves, but why…. or who…. or….
She realised just how quickly her thoughts had been running and she breathed out slowly, finally bringing herself to look at the one thing she did not want to look at.
For all that she wished to believe otherwise, there was no escaping it. A single glance showed her that Dan was dead. The shot had hit him point blank in the chest. There were traces of blood, but the wound had been cauterised almost instantly. He was dead.
Catherine swayed backwards and fell on to her chair…. where he had been sitting mere moments before. Her mind was reeling, but she forced herself to think.
Could this have been directed at him? He had a fair few enemies, that was certain. Maybe it was something he had been working on, something he had unwittingly stumbled upon without knowing it. Maybe….
Maybe she wouldn't have to hide somewhere else.
She wasn't crying, she couldn't. She…. she didn't know.
The G'Kar Files. It must have been.
Run. That was the only option. If this was connected to IPX then it was too big just for her. She needed help…. from somewhere. Had this been to find out what she knew? Then why the strange meeting earlier?
Stop thinking. She grabbed as much stuff as she could and fled. Time for thinking — and mourning — later. She needed help, and she knew where to find it.
Will you come to find me?
He looked around, puzzled. Everything was darkness. There was nothing to be seen or heard or felt.
Only her voice.
Will you come to find me?
He knew instantly whose voice it was.
Find me….
Will you follow me through darkness, through fire, past death and despair?
Find me…. please.
He picked a direction and began to walk. He did not know why he chose this direction rather than any other, but it seemed fitting.
Light engulfed him. A brilliant, dazzling light. He raised his hands. The light was hurting him.
There she was, chained as if set out for a sacrifice.
"I am lost in darkness!" she cried. "Find me. I am here for you."
And then they were…. around him. They were not in the light — they were the light. They spoke to him, and their words chilled him.
Follow us into darkness, into fire, past death and despair.
The darkness or the light. Choose.
"I…. I'm afraid of the darkness."
Then do what must be done.
He knew what to do. There was a dagger in his hand. Perhaps it had always been there. He stepped forward and looked into her eyes.
"I am lost in darkness for you," she whispered, staring at him. There was no fear, no accusation, only…. acceptance in her eyes. "I came here for you. There was no other way."
"I am afraid of the darkness," he repeated.
"No," she said softly. "I am afraid of the light."
Follow us.
He raised his hand. There was a trace of pity in Delenn's emerald eyes as Sheridan drove the dagger into her, killing her with one stroke.
Chapter 2
"Tell me, Miss Hampton, what is the current situation on the Sakai problem?" "Everything is proceeding as you planned, sir. Her partner was killed, and Sakai escaped. We have her under surveillance, and she is currently heading for Dome Three."
"Hmm…. is there any likely indication of why she is going there?"
"Little accurate information. Records do show that Miss Sakai has several friends and associates there. One in particular has some influence and a little power. A Miss Julie Musante. A former member of the Ministry for the Interior and currently a private lawyer specialising in interstellar commercial law…."
"Yes, yes, Miss Hampton. Thank you for your information. Maintain surveillance on Miss Sakai and inform our agents in Dome Three. Also…. establish a base of operations somewhere near Miss Musante's residence."
"Yes, sir."
The conversation ended and the man sat back, stretching out in his chair, the one item of luxury in an otherwise spartan office. "You see, Mr. Zento. Everything is going according to plan."
"I still don't see the point of this, sir," replied a man many would identify as being one of the richest and most influential in what remained of the Earth Alliance. "Surely we could have managed this with much less effort…."