“What was The Corporation’s creed?” Shig asked. “To safeguard social equality and justice, maintain social order and stability rather than causing chaos and turmoil, and inspire positivity and appreciation of the good and beautiful in all walks of life.”

“Lot of good that does you when a quetzal is ripping you in two,” Yvette growled.

Kalico said, “I also remember the Corporate adage: ‘No case of corruption will escape investigation, and no corrupt official will escape unpunished.’”

“But you haven’t been corrupt,” Shig told her. “When have you ever acted in your own best interest instead of the betterment of others?”

“When I tried to put you, Yvette, and Talina up against a wall and shoot you dead?”

“You had not found your tao at that point.” Shig’s smile warmed.

“Yeah, well, my tao may be headed for a . . .”

In her earbud, Two Spot said, “Supervisor? Just got a mayday from Juri. He says the shuttle is going down. Everything just quit. Went dead. He’s on manual, riding it down on emergency power, but says he’s not sure he’ll have enough to land.”

“Where are they?” Kalico stood, staring out the dirty window, as if she could see the ailing A-7 from her office.

“Not sure, Supervisor. Signal’s coming in from the west.” A pause. “Wait Juri’s down. They’re . . . It’s gone dead, Supervisor. I mean, nothing.”

Kalico took a deep breath, closed her eyes. “Let me know the second you get anything.”

“Roger that, Supervisor.”

Shig and Yvette had both been listening, as had anyone else on the net. Yvette said, “I’ll call Bateman, have him prep our bird.”

“Why should you?” Kalico asked. “I’ve got a new A-7 sitting right out there on the field. And as soon as I can get a team on board, we’re leaving.”

“Assuming we can find them,” Shig said warily. “If they’ve lost all power, can they even broadcast?”

“Depends,” Kalico told him as she reached for her rifle where it was leaned against the wall behind her. “If they’re down in deep forest? Well, we’ve never put an A-7’s hull integrity to the test when it came to roots, but I don’t like the odds.”

Shig had accessed his com. “Talina, you read that?” Then, “Yes. The shuttle field. As soon as you can.”

Kalico slung her rifle. “Looks like IG Soukup’s facing his own reckoning with Donovan, doesn’t it?”

“And if Donovan wins?” Yvette asked.

“How many ways can you spell, We’re fucked?”

Chapter 46

  46  

Falise watched the shuttle lift off from just inside the fence. She had her fingers woven into the chain link, saw the dust billow as the bird rose into the darkening lavender sky. Beside her, along with the other locals, Kylee Simonov was just as hard-eyed.