Part 25 (2/2)
”I don't mind if he doesn't.” Cortin watched them embrace, one hand close to her pistol, but it seemed that all Powell wanted was a kiss.
At least that much of his conditioning held, she thought. When they broke, she repeated, ”Shall we go to my suite?”
This time they made it. Suite Alpha's office was simple, but comfortably appointed, designed to give the subject a feeling of relaxation and trust. Cortin took her place in a grouping of furniture intended to help the subject feel more at ease that the normal desk-centered version of first stage, and gestured the other two to adjoining seats. ”Now, Charles, what is it you don't think I'll believe?”
”That--” The young man gulped, tried again. ”That I . . . had to come back. The Brothers . . . some of the older ones had me, the ways Captain Odeon and the others helped me find out I liked, but it . . .
with them, it wasn't right, and I finally figured out that was because Captain Odeon and the others also helped me realize the Brotherhood itself was wrong. Especially to hate you, when you're the one who let them help me.” He gestured, helplessly. ”So I had to go back to the Center, and find you, and . . . offer to help you any way I could, in return for the help you gave me.”
Her truthsense told her he was being absolutely honest. ”Did you tell the Brothers how you felt?”
”No, ma'am--that didn't seem like a very good idea. I let troopers see me, but they didn't do anything--maybe because you'd had me released.
Anyway, I didn't manage to get arrested until I hit one of them--and then no one'd believe I'd done it to get arrested! And that's how I ended up here.”
So Mike and the Inquisitors had modified the conditioning she'd set up, had they? Powell was supposed to be terrified of her, if not of them--justifiably so, she admitted to herself--but he was grateful instead, enough so that he'd risked his life to get back. He could easily have been shot for attacking a trooper, not simply gotten arrested. As it turned out, their modification should prove more useful than her simple revenge, so she couldn't get too upset with them--but she would definitely have to find out how it had been done!
”That's good, then. What help do you think you can give me?”
”To start with, I overheard them planning a raid. I don't think it's the big one--n.o.body down at my level is supposed know anything about that, except that it's going to happen--but maybe it'll help? Even though I didn't hear much?”
Cortin leaned forward, not trying to hide her interest. ”It will, Charles. Tell me about it.”
Powell frowned. ”It's supposed to be on the main convent of the Blue Sisters--you know the one, just south of Carthage Mountain?”
”I don't, but I can find someone who does. Go on.”
”It's supposed to be on their main feast day--that'd be the Annunciation, the 25th. But they're afraid the Service'll find out somehow, so if you post troops--even watchers--they won't show.”
Cortin scowled. The Blue Sisters--formally, the Order of Succor of the Compa.s.sionate Mother, Piety's order--were dedicated to caring for the seriously ill or wounded, especially Service troopers. So perhaps they were a natural target--and they definitely needed protection. ”The most important part is keeping the Sisters and their patients safe, even if it means the Brothers escaping. I personally hope that can be done without alerting them, but--” she shrugged, ”once I pa.s.s the information along, I'm out of it unless they pick up some prisoners.
Do you know if one of the Shannons will be involved?”
”I'm afraid not--that I don't know, I mean. But I'd think one would; it's the kind the Raidmaster would want to lead, either in person or by proxy.”
”Good enough; I'll report it as a possible, then.” She smiled at the young man. ”I'm afraid I'm not as good at this type of questioning as I should be, Charles; I'd like to call in a friend for it. Will you talk to him as well as you have been to me?”
”Of course, if that's what you want.”
”Good.” Cortin went to her desk and picked up the black phone, asked Brady to come escort a guest, then turned her attention back to Powell.
”You've been a lot of help already, Charles, and I'm sure you'll be a lot more--but have you given any thought to what you'll do when you've given us all the information you have?”
The young man shrugged. ”A little, but it depended on someone believing me. Like I said, I'd like to go to work for you, if I could.”
Cortin nodded; she'd definitely be questioning Mike next! ”Think about it some more, talk to my men--then if you're sure that's really what you want, I'll see what I can do. For now, go with Matthew; he should be at the main door shortly.”
When Powell left, Cortin turned to Odeon. ”All right, Mike, give!
Last time I saw him, I revolted and terrified him--now he's like a puppy eager for my approval, and I swear he has a crush on you. Why and how?”
To her astonishment, Odeon looked abashed. ”Uh . . . Ivan had an experimental drug he wanted to try, just to see how thorough a conditioning was possible and how much trouble it'd be. Well, you'd already set up a program for our young friend, so Ivan figured he might as well work on him. He outranks us--outranked you, then--so we went along.”
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