Across the aisle, Yassem and Marie sat together, saying little. Each, in her own way and for her own reasons, had imagined that if this journey ever took place it would mark the beginnings of a new life. Hopes for that were now gone, and both of them faced a life that opened up to a long prospect of uncertainty leading nowhere.
The plane landed and taxied to the terminal. Military vehicles and personnel were scattered along the airport perimeter, where work crews were constructing antiaircraft defenses and dispersal bays, and digging slit trenches. There were fewer civil aircraft than had been normal for LAX, although many painted olive drab or camouflage. An official from the newly inaugurated Federation immigration office met them as they deplaned and took them through arrival formalities in a secluded area, away from the public facilities. Wyvex and Dee were already waiting beyond. Police escorted the group out through one end of the regular Baggage Claim level to the pickup zone, where Luke was waiting with Cade’s maroon limo. They climbed aboard amid an arriving military unit jostling to sort out packs and kit bags on the sidewalk.
Inside, Vrel and Dee hugged warmly, but then Dee put a restraining hand on his arm and eased him away. Vrel frowned at her, puzzled. She moved her eyes in Marie and Yassem’s direction. Vrel returned a faint nod that he understood, at the same time reproaching himself for needing reminding.
Introductions were completed as the limo pulled out into the traffic. Wyvex and Dee already knew Marie’s face from the documentary she had made with Cade. Vrel indicated the front, where Luke had left the limo’s privacy screen down. “And that’s Luke, who was Roland’s right-hand man, I think you say.” Luke’s eyes left the road for a moment to glance into the mirror showing the rear compartment.
“Luke, hello,” Yassem said. The eyes found the mirror again, and Luke nodded in acknowledgment.
“Hi, Luke,” Marie said. “It’s been a long time.”
“You’re right about that. So how was China?”
“Oh, I didn’t know you already knew each other,” Vrel said.
“Maybe we never really did,” Marie told him. She looked toward the back of Luke’s head again. “It feels as if it’s all my fault, Luke. I’m sorry I didn’t bring him back. . . . Things could have been so different. One day I’ll tell you the whole story.”
Luke didn’t reply. Marie was hoping to begin building a bridge between them to close a gap that had existed in the past. His failure to respond struck her as strangely insensitive, even for Luke.
* * *
The gray Dodge following several cars behind had pulled out from the sidewalk parking strip opposite as the limo left the baggage claim pickup area. With the intervening traffic and melee of soldiers, Laredo hadn’t been able to positively identify all of the expected arrivals. But the importance of carrying through the mission there—before any of them had an opportunity to meet people from the media or Federation government—had been stressed, and in his judgment that didn’t constitute sufficient grounds to reconsider. He slid the detonator control out from the map receptacle under the armrest and flipped the primer switch to the ARMED position. An amber light came on to confirm.
* * *
Luke put the phone back in the holder on the limo’s dash panel. Still no answer. He wasn’t sure why, since there was hardly any reason to feel sentimental, but he had been trying to raise Julia ever since Warren’s call. It hadn’t required an effort of genius to fit the pieces together. If Julia had played her hand and gone, then nothing Luke said could make any difference now. He chewed on his lip as he drove, trying to decide if he should tell them.
” . . . the Midwest states might be about to come over,” Wyvex was saying behind. “But the East is pushing solidly into Texas. Everything’s confused.”
“Might Hyadeans be getting ready to play a bigger part?” Luodine asked in a worried voice.
“Nobody knows.”
“We heard there’s been a lot of air fighting,” Nyarl said.
“Especially in the center, yes,” Wyvex confirmed. “We’ve had raids here too. NATO is mobilizing in Europe.”