Machiko had pointed out that this was not at all their goal that they simply wanted to stop the obscene and dangerous genetic engineering. She hadn't mentioned the Company subversives. They had a big hump to get over. If they got over it, they'd figure out the rest later. However, it was the "even more riches" line that Daniels used on MacCraken and Marino, and Machiko was glad he had, because it worked. Not that Lou and Jim were not appalled at the truth of what was happening here-they were simply mercenaries, with a taste for loot and adventure. It had taken a very long time, through the medium of Attila's burned body, to explain the situation, to convince them. Finally, what it came down to Was cold, hard cash. Nonetheless, their roles in the rebellion could be minimal, though vital. She and Sanchez, along with the horde of yautja, could deal with the princ.i.p.al part of the operation. But they were going to need some serious help in getting to that point alive.

"What's going on back in Evanstonville?" said the head of Attila the Hun.

"Just about the same thing as when you asked ten minutes ago."

"Yes, but when do you think we can be ready?"

"You're going to have to ask Sanchez yourself, because I certainly don't know."

"But where is Sanchez?" "Out getting ready, I suppose-"

"Look, I know it takes a great deal of effort, but could you please tune back in and see if he's gotten back to Operations Headquarters?"

"Operations Headquarters" was a tool shack behind the garage which they were using for a base.

"All right, all right. Hold your horses."

The light in Attila's eyes momentarily dimmed as he made the necessary interneural connections.

They brightened again.

"There. I'm through. You can speak," said the android.

"He's back?"

"Yes."

Machiko leaned closer to Attila's head, which served as her microphone in these communications.

"Sanchez?"

"Yes, Machiko." His voice sounded weary.

"How's it going?"

"Well."

"Good. What time tonight can we make the raid?"

There was a pause. "Look, Machiko. I'm not so sure that tonight's the right time."

"What! Why not?"

"Zorski called in all the troops. They're patrolling. Armed to the teeth.

It's like they're expecting you or something. It's hard to coordinate this because they've got us out there too."

"You mean it's impossible."

"I didn't say that. It's just that-well, we were up most of last night, and we're pretty d.a.m.ned tired."

She thought about this. Not good. On the other hand, she had the pack of Preds in fighting trim and ready to go. Nothing worse than a huffy, impatient pack-and there were numerous packs here. h.e.l.l, they'd start fighting with each other!

"Look, I can sympathize. I'm tired, you're tired. But you've got stims, right?"

"Sure."

She sighed. "Then you're going to have to use them, because it's gotta be tonight."

Another pause. "Okay. You're the boss here. I guess I'm going to have to go with what you say, Noguchi."

"When can you have the setup ready?"

"No earlier than midnight."

"Midnight's a little too dead-on. Let's make it a half hour later."

"You got it."

She was half expecting more complaints. When she got a positive answer, she was taken aback, but relieved.

"As planned?"

"As planned."

"Fine. We'll count on you. And you know what to do if there's any problem."

"Twist this body's right hand off."

"Yes, but only in an emergency. I think it's going to be as hard to get back on as the head."

She switched off.

"You had to remind me," said Attila.

"Look, pal. You had better hope we get you and your erstwhile body into the same room together eventually," said Machiko.

"Oh, that's all right. I've always been rather cerebral anyway.,'

"Attila?"

"Yes."

"Heads up."

She tossed him in the air like a basketball, caught him on the way down.

"You're the kind of gal who tries a poor android's soul, Machiko."

She grinned, feeling a little better.

"Thanks. I'm starting to appreciate better that you've got a pretty special one, Attila."

"One favor, then, Machiko-that is, if we get through all this?"

"Yes?"

"Can I get a new name? I think I'm going to want to disa.s.sociate myself totally from this war business."

She looked over at the group of yautja, fencing and sparring and exercising in the glow of their lanterns beneath the cover of their bower.

She took a deep breath.

"I think I know exactly what you mean," said Machiko Noguchi. At midnight they met at the base behind the garage.

Sanchez.

Daniels.

MacCraken.

Marino.

Ostensibly, they had turned in for the night in their rooms at the barracks, pleading exhaustion after a long day's work. As mercenaries, they were not under any particularly strict military pattern, cut off from the rest of the security forces, especially now that their leader had gone rogue.

However, Sanchez had figured that it would be best for the operation if anyone in even vague authority believed that they were presently visiting slumberland and not planning outright and total mutiny.

Sanchez drew in a lungful of smoke from his cigarette. "All right," he said. "Are we all clear on our orders? Have we all got the equipment we need?"

"You bet," said Lou MacCraken, holding up his compact but quite effective incendiary device. It had been programmed personally by Sanchez for maximum pyrotechnics, maximum noise. "Gee, I always wanted to blow something up."

"You want mine, too?" said Marino, looking down with extreme misgivings at his own device.

Since Sanchez doubted these two soldiers' abilities the most, he'd given them the simplest things to do.

All they had to accomplish was a simple jaunt to an area on the southern perimeter of the settlement, farthest from the biogenetics lab. Here they would set their bombs by the force-field emplacements. They would blast away the perimeter barrier with maximum effect, leaving a gaping hole in the preliminary defenses.

Many troops would then disperse to meet with presumed attackers.

However, they would find nothing.

Meantime, Sanchez and Daniels would go to the appropriate section of the perimeter fence itself and turn that off quietly and discreetly. Fortunately, d.i.c.k Daniels had the circflow experience to accomplish this, without a great deal of trouble. "You just gotta know which fuse to fry," he'd explained. Even Attila had agreed this was the proper tactic.

At that point Machiko would lead the Predators to the lab.

The rest would come naturally.

She'd instructed them as to the lab's layout. They'd be equipped with plasma blasters, not just sharp weapons.

It seemed to Sanchez a bit of a suicide mission on the part of the aliens.

He just knew they couldn't accomplish this on their own.

"You haven't seen these guys working as a group before," Machiko had said, adding that it would probably be best if all four just stayed out of the way and came to clean things up when it was over.

All four seemed to think this was a marvelous notion. "What about the other guys?" said Lou.

"They're getting paid for fighting. They're going to earn their money,"

said d.i.c.k Daniels. "If all goes well, they'll survive, and Evanston and the others won't-or will be taken prisoner. At which point we'll be the ones who will offer the fighters money. And they'll be our mercenaries."

"Which means, as our own bosses, we're just going to have to pay ourselves double, right?" said Marino cheerfully.

"Hey. Just don't fry your G.o.dd.a.m.n chickens till they're hatched," Daniels said.

"Yeah, something like that" Ned Sanchez got up. He started to distribute the weapons and ammo and equipment he'd swiped from the nearby magazine.

"Everybody know what they've got to do?"

They all knew.

"Everybody got your comms on the prearranged frequency?"

Namely, one that Zorski's men would be able to pick up, accidentally or on purpose. Daniels had done the handiwork on that one, the sly fellow.

"Good," said Sanchez. "We've got a new job to do, and I'm here to tell you it feels a lot better than the one we were stuck in before. Now, let's go do it and live to tell the story over some beers."

They charged out into the night.

Chapter 25.

Time?"

"One half hour after midnight."

Machiko Noguchi looked around at the Hunters gathered impatiently behind the car. They looked startling in the dim moonlight, like primitive G.o.ds sprung up from ashes of past bonfires, wild and slavering for revenge. The night smelled of blood and horror, and her heart beat with adrenaline and with purpose.

"Bakuub?"

She gestured in a questioning challenge method, a kind of stirring motion meant to bring up a fellow's blood, charge him with kins.h.i.+p and all the finer points of bonded honor.

"We hunger for it!" proclaimed the Leader of the Predators, his snarling voice m.u.f.fled through his mask. He pounded his hand blaster on his armor. A stream of words came out that Machiko did not quite recognize.