High Flyer - Michelle Diener Page 0,17

that.” Oniba moved toward the door himself. “You going to be okay watching Sugotti on your own?”

Lancaster grunted a yes, and Oniba stepped out in Linnel's wake.

“So, it's just you and me, now. Is Hana out there?” Lancaster leveled the SAL in his hand at Iver as he moved back to the bench to pick up the screen he'd been working on before.

Iver smiled. “More likely one of your guys decided to take out Nuness. He's enough of an asshole for it.”

“And Lunn?” Lancaster's eyes narrowed. “Someone took him out, too.”

Iver shrugged. “Maybe you hire a lot of crazy assholes. I know I hired at least one.”

“Funny.” Lancaster drew back his lips in a parody of a smile, then glanced down at the screen.

Iver saw him scowl at it as if he didn't like what he saw. The expression was so petulant, Iver couldn't hold back the flare of rage.

“So, you must have drugged me that night you tagged me in the back.” He regretted the words as soon as they were out of his mouth.

Stupid!

Stupid to be baited into giving important information away.

“I didn't want to do it, but you were getting closer to that sky lane trial, and you wouldn't consider another route, you just had to have it between Permeo and Touka.” Lancaster tapped at the screen with hard, irritated jabs.

Iver lifted his shoulders. “You were subtle. I didn't even notice you were pushing for another route.”

“I wasn't. I had someone else do it.” Lancaster shook his head. “But you always have to be right.” He bent his head over his screen, muttering curses beneath his breath. “Yes, we are fucking on our way. Just running the preflight checks.” He tapped harder, jabbing at the screen.

Iver went very still. Lancaster wasn't talking to him, or even himself, he was muttering to whoever was communicating with him on the screen.

And he was lying to them.

But that seemed to be how Lancaster rolled.

“The sky lane route isn't a matter of opinion.” Iver picked up the conversation as if he hadn't noticed anything. He cast his mind back to the meetings he'd had about the route. About who had tried to argue for a different site. Couldn't think of a single one. “Permeo and Touka are the two biggest cities. The sky lane has to be able to work between them. If it doesn't, I've been wasting my time here.”

“Maybe it really is as simple as that.” Lancaster rubbed a hand over his short, military cut. “Doesn't matter. It can't go ahead.”

“It's going to.” Iver looked out through the Dynastra's door, aware that it was very quiet out there. “Whether I'm dead or not. I sent all the plans to the VSC last night.”

Lancaster looked up this time, the move jerky. “You didn't.”

“I did. I even spoke to Carina personally. She sends her regards to you, by the way.”

Lancaster closed his eyes. “I wish you hadn't done that.”

“Sorry, I didn't realize you were planning to sell out the VSC in general and me in particular, or I'd have kept it to myself.” He realized he was breathing heavily, so enraged he could barely draw in enough air. “What the fuck are you doing, Lancaster? There's nowhere you can run, nowhere you can spend whatever funds the Caruso have promised you. What could you possibly gain from this?”

“That's your problem, Iver. You think everyone follows the rules. There were times when I . . . didn't, and someone found out. Threatened to expose what I'd done, and I am not going to be imprisoned.” He shrugged, shuffled backward, and started up the engines. “It sort of spiraled from there. You take one step, and then another, and then before you realize it you are so far down the path, there's no going back.”

“We're here, with you about to kill me and the war about to restart because you were blackmailed?” Iver stared at him, and Lancaster looked away.

“Doesn't matter, I told you. It is what it is.” Lancaster glanced at his screen, and then looked out into the night. “Come on, slackers. We have to go.” When he turned, his SAL was steady on Iver. He moved to the doors and glanced out into the night, his foot tapping impatiently. Then he went still. “How did you find the tag?”

That's why Iver had regretted saying anything about it. He knew if Lancaster thought about it for any amount of time, he'd realize there was a big hole in Iver's explanation.

He bluffed