Part 14 (2/2)
”So you need a suspect,” Jaina said, thinking quickly. ”Someone high up in the government. High enough to set the payments in place and to order the fake arrest.”
”Such as?”
”What about Blaine Harris?” she suggested. ”He's the one who told us about Malinza's arrest. And he's certainly in the right spot to do everything else.” Malinza and Vyram exchanged a look that Jaina couldn't interpret. Then Malinza shrugged. ”It's possible.”
”I can have a closer look at his records,” Vyram said, hands moving again across his equipment. ”Let me patch into the network and I'll see if we can find something on him.” This took Jaina back a little. ”You've sliced into the Deputy Prime Minister's private files?” Vyram smiled fleetingly up at her. ”Give me a minute and I will have.” Jaina looked on as Vyram closed the doc.u.ments he had opened for her and set new programs running. His fingers were quick and confident as he prepared the Stack's system for connection to the Bakura's planetary network. Jaina wasn't the only one admiring his skill, either. Malinza's face was practically glowing with admiration as he worked. This quickly turned to concern, however, when a series of warning bleeps issued from the board before them.
Vyram frowned.
”Problem?” Jaina asked.
”I can't establish a link.” He tried something else, but received the same warning bleeps in response. ”There seems to be some sort of interference. ”
”Jamming?”
”I don't think so. More likely it's a nearby signal swamping the microwave feed from the satellite. Let me see if I can tap into it.” Data flashed across the screens as he switched rapidly from one program to another. ”Here, listen.” A regular bleeping began to pulse from the network's speakers.
”I know that sound,” Zel said from behind them. ”That's a homing beacon!” The dynamic inside the Stack instantly changed, with everyone suddenly rising to their feet and facing Jaina.
”So that's why my escape was so easy,” Malinza said, advancing a pace.
”Wait a minute!” Jaina protested, but was quickly shouted down by Salkeli.
”You led them right to us!”
”She's a spy!” Jjorg said, advancing on Jaina. ”I say we kill her!”
”Hold on,” Vyram said, fiddling with the array of computers and adjusting a directional antenna. ”She isn't the source of the transmission.”
”What?” Jjorg stopped in her tracks and turned to look at Vyram.
”Then where's it coming from?” Vyram pointed at Malinza.
”Me?” The rebel leader's face went pale.
Vyram checked the computers. ”I'm afraid so, Malinza. The signal is strongest where you're standing.” The others were staring at their leader with stunned expressions, unsure how to react. Even Vyram seemed frozen by indecision.
”Can we narrow down the location of the beacon?” Jaina asked.
”Maybe we can remove it before they home in.” Vyram adjusted the antenna and pa.s.sed it over Malinza's body. The program's bleeping went up in pitch as it pa.s.sed her midriff. She lifted her prison tunic to expose the waistline of her pants. There, embedded between two lines of st.i.tching, was a tiny b.u.mp in the fabric.
”They've had a bead on you the whole time.” Zel's eyes darted around him, staring wildly at the walls of the container-almost as if through them he could see security guards converging on the Stack. ”They could be here right now!”
”Get a grip,” Jjorg said in a manner that suggested his panic offended her. ”We have perimeter alarms, don't we? They couldn't get anywhere near the place without us knowing.”
”Why now?” Salkeli asked.
Jjorg turned to him. ”What do you mean?”
”They could've planted something on Mali like this months ago,” he said. ”So why now?”
”Because she's an escapee now,” Vyram said. ”And we're aiding and abetting her. They're clear-cut criminal charges, not something as gray as slicing.” Malinza stood. ”They're only clear-cut if my original charge isn't a fake,” she said. ”Which it is.”
”Either way,” Jaina said, ”we're going to have to get out of here.”
”Running will only make us look guilty,” the Rodian said.
”I agree with the Jedi,” Zel said. ”Staying here will get us caught.” A fierce buzzing from the computer system suddenly filled the room. All eyes turned to Vyram at the computer console for an explanation.
His expression was grim. ”That's the perimeter alarm.”
”I knew it!” Zel shouted, nervously pacing the confined s.p.a.ce. ”I just knew it!”
”Shut it, Zel! ” Malinza snapped. Then, more calmly, she turned to Vyram and asked, ”Which one is it?”
”North-Fourteen and South-Seven. They're coming in from both sides.”
”Air?”
”Not as yet.”
”Good.” Malinza turned to the others. She no longer looked the frightened teenager; now she appeared every bit the leader of a covert group under threat. ”I'm open to any suggestions at this time.”
”Why not let the Jedi fight for us?” Zel said, his expression just a little too eager and manic for Jaina's liking. ”She could easily take on-”
”No!” Malinza said sharply. Zel fell instantly silent. ”There'll be no fighting. You know that I will never approve of violence.”
”We might not have a choice, Malinza,” Jjorg said.
”No, there is an alternative,” Jaina said. ”You could remove the bug and give it to me. I could take it elsewhere, to throw them off your scent.”
”Isn't it a bit late for that?” Jjorg said. ”They're right outside!” Jaina resisted the urge to snap back. Although Vyram had proved that she was not responsible for having led the enemy to the Stack, she still felt as though everyone was blaming her for the situation they were in.
”They're not here yet, though,” Vyram said, looking thoughtful.
”Yeah, but they're not stupid, either,” Jjorg said. ”They'll know when they're being duped.”
”Not if we present them with many variables at once. We've had a distraction in place for some time, just in case a day should come when they'd find us.” He took a deep breath and looked at Malinza. ”I'd say that day has arrived, wouldn't you?” Malinza nodded, then hastily tore the bug from her waistband and handed it to Jaina.
”They're getting closer,” the young leader said, glancing at the screens as another siren went off. ”I'd hurry, if I were you.”
”I'll go with you,” Salkeli said. ”I know the streets better than you do.” Jaina hesitated briefly, then relented with a nod. She couldn't deny that what the Rodian said made sense. ”Okay,” she said. Then, to Malinza, she asked, ”Will you at least tell me where you're going?”
”I think it would be best if you didn't know.” The girl extended a hand; Jaina took it and shook. ”We'll meet again, though, I'm sure.”
Jaina just nodded. There wasn't time for long farewells.
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