"Clasp your hands over your head and step into the alley, slowly," he said.

Hands clasped over her head, Andre stepped into the alley.

"Here," said Lucas.

Andre turned toward him and Finn immediately came up behind her with his laser.

"Don't move a muscle," he said.

"De la Croix!" said Lucas.

"May I bring my hands down?" she said.

"You just leave them where they are for the time being," said Finn. "What do you want?"

"You are going to be betrayed," she said.

Lucas glanced at Finn quickly, then looked at Andre and put his finger to his lips, shaking his head. She looked puzzled, but nodded that she understood. Lucas glanced at Finn and pointed to his throat. Moments later, they had both removed the miniature transmitters from their throats. Lucas held his hand out and Finn gave him his transmitter; then Lucas took off his gauntlet, placed both units inside the thumb of the gauntlet, rolled it up, and tucked it into his boot.

"All right," he said, "talk quickly and quietly. What do you mean we're going to be betrayed? How do you know? What's your interest in this?"

"I have no one else to turn to," she said, softly. "Although I did not know Jack Bennett long, he was my friend. He said we had to help you. Without you, I am trapped here in this time. I have no desire to remain here."

"What do you want?"

"I want you to take me with you to your future time," she said. "I want this implant Hunter promised me."

Finn and Lucas exchanged looks.

"We'll see," said Lucas. "If you convince us, we'll both do what we can. But we have to be convinced."

She nodded. "I thought that the men who broke into D'Artagnan's house and killed Jack Bennett were your enemies," she said. "The ones you call the Timekeepers. They gave chase when I fled, but I killed one of them and escaped the other. Then I returned to the house, only to see you being led away. I thought you had been taken prisoner. I followed you to the house on the Rue Servadoni, thinking that I had to help you, but I could not think how at once. While I watched and waited for an opportunity, I saw a man leave that house. I learned it was the one called 'Mongoose.' I followed him."

"Why?" said Finn.

"I thought perhaps that I could take him prisoner and then ransom you with him."

"Goon."

"I trailed him to the Rue Ferou and was about to take him when he stopped and gave a little whistle, like a bird. He waited, then whistled again, and this time someone answered and he stepped into an alley. I followed, keeping to the shadows. He met a man, a very large man, a giant. He called him Freytag."

"Freytag!" said Delaney.

"You know the man?"

"Go on, go on!"

"I did not completely understand what was said between them…"

"Can you repeat it? As much as you can remember?" Lucas said.

"I will try. The one called Mongoose said that it would be tonight, that the musketeers will be leaving at dawn or shortly before. He did not say where, but he said something about Constance Bonacieux. He called her 'Sparrow' and said that she had D'Artagnan wrapped around her little finger."

Finn gave a low whistle.

"Continue, quickly," Lucas said.

"The one called Freytag asked about you, and Mongoose said that you would be right where he wanted you, riding across the countryside, harassed by Richelieu's men. Then he said that his people would be spread out, in position along the route that the musketeers would take. He said that he would send you out to join them."

Tags: Simon Hawke TimeWars Science Fiction
Source: readsnovelonline.net