Темное, кривое зеркало. Том 3 : След на песке - [40]

Sinoval's dark eyes had narrowed, but he had been willing to speak. He still did not like the one who purported to be Valen, although primarily because of Vorlon involvement in the affair. "Good day," Sinoval had said. "How are you?" His words had been polite but hard. There was little warmth in anything he said.

"Well." Speaking with Sinoval was so like speaking to Marrain. He would look for the deeper meaning behind each word and rarely hesitated to make judgements based on what he saw there. "Delenn has spoken to you of the…." He paused. There had been a different name for the things in his day…. what had Delenn called them? "The Keepers…."

"Yes. We have found some here. Fortunately we have our own methods of detecting and destroying them. I would offer their help to you, but I fear their aid would come at a price higher than you would wish to pay."

The Soul Hunters, of course. Sinoval had made some sort of bargain with them. Valen wondered idly if some report of the Enaid Accord had survived. Unlikely, of course, since it had been very secret even then. Still, the alliance with the Soul Hunters had been very beneficial for a while — but a lot can happen in a thousand years, and no alliance lasts forever. Sinoval must have offered more than Valen had been able to offer.

"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.