“Don’t do it,” Harvey said, his voice trembling with a mixture of fear and anger. “It may be a trick of some kind.”
“Well, if it is, Harv, then mebbe we’ll chill anyone in sight,” Downey said slowly.
“Right. ‘Cause we’ll go along, just to keep things safe…all of us. With the boy and his father, and the rest, in front. Just to be sure,” Blake added. He looked at Jak before adding, “You learn who to trust when your life is on the line, and let’s just say I’ve been having a few doubts about you lately, Harv.”
There was nothing that the sec chief or the mutie woman could do at that moment to change things, and as the crowd parted to allow Blake and Downey to usher Dean out of the hall, followed by his father and companions, Harvey held Jenna back from her husband as he followed.
“Shit’s about to hit,” he said softly. “Follow, I’ll try to round up those who’ll follow me straightaway. We’ve got to move now.”
Jenna nodded her agreement, then followed Alien, who was looking back to see what had happened to her.
In the swell of the crowd, Harvey managed to slip away in order to locate those he knew would be loyal to him first and foremost. The moment of truth was approaching.
DEAN LED THEM through the tunnels and corridors of the ville, heading unerringly for the outer reaches and the tunnel that terminated in the metal door. He felt better for having Jak by his side, as the albino also knew where the lab lay.
“I hope for your sake this isn’t true,” Alien said to Jenna in a quiet voice. “Because if it is…”
“Of course the child lies,” she hissed back at him, venom dripping from her tone. “You trust him against me?”
“You forget I have the legend and history of Raw and the Illuminated Ones passed down to me from my forefathers,” the baron replied. “I know something of your forefathers, and the taint that may have traveled down.”
“You’ve never said anything of this before,” she said quietly.
“I had hoped…but perhaps not,” Alien replied with an infinite sadness in his voice.
They had now reached the tunnel that terminated in the metal door. Dean halted before it. The lock was still in place. He turned and looked back at Alien and Jenna.
“This is it. She has the key,” he said simply.
Alien turned to his wife. “Well?”
“I don’t have a fucking key,” she spit. “I know nothing about this place.”
There was such conviction in her tone that, for a moment, Dean found he was even doubting himself.
“Well, we’ve got to get in somehow,” Blake said, stepping forward and examining the lock. “Think I could shoot it off?”
J.B. leaned forward to get a better look, being careful not to move quickly or arouse any suspicion about his actions. “I’d say you need some plas-ex for that,” he commented. “I’ve got some, so if you’ll let me…”
Blake nodded. “I’m pretty sure I’ve got nothing to fear from you,” he murmured, “but just for show, make it slow.”
The Armorer grinned and reached slowly into one of his capacious pockets before producing a small container of plas-ex.
“Now I think we’d better get back around the corner before we go any further,” he said.
Blake nodded and ushered Alien and Jenna back around the bend in the tunnel, followed by the companions, with Downey bringing up the rear. J.B. stayed by the door, attaching a small amount of the plas-ex to the lock and fitting a fuse before running back to join them.
“Down,” he shouted, clutching his ears and opening his mouth as the plas-ex blew, taking the protective measure as the explosion was in such a relatively confined space.
The lock had indeed blown, and the door was hanging open, the thick steel buckled by the force of the blast.
“Hot pipe, you made sure there.” Dean whistled as he led the way toward the lab.
The baron turned toward Jenna, who was noticeably hanging back. “Well?” he asked. “Why not come with us, if you have nothing to be afraid of?”