The Cleopatra Crisis (TimeWars 11)

“Damn right. You guys tried to take Steiger out in Plus Timeand you couldn’t do it. Well, I’m giving you a chance to hit him when: he won’texpect it and I intend to collect on that contract.”

“You do your part and I’ll see to it you get the money. Butbe careful, Marshall. Don’t tip him off.”

“Don’t worry. I know what’s at stake.”

“Where is Steiger now?”

“Asleep at my house. It would be the perfect time to do it.”

Simmons shook his head. “No, not with a potential temporaldisruption going down. We simply can’t take the chance.”

“So what the hell am I supposed to do’?”

“Hang tight and don’t lose your cool. I’ll bring some peoplein to cover you. In fact. I’ll take charge of this myself. I’d like to see thisso-called Col. Priest.”

“You know him?”

“We’ve met. We’ll move in close and keep an eye on things.Let Steiger and the adjustment team do what they have to do. Then once thetemporal threat is over with, we’ll take care of Steiger.”

“What about the adjustment team?”

“Do they know about you’!”

“I don’t think so. Steiger’s playing his own game, close tothe vest, as usual.”

“Then they may not be a problem. With any luck, we might beable to pull it off without them catching on. But if they get in the way, it’llbe just too bad for them.”

“So what you’re saying is that I’m supposed to hang out inthe breeze until Caesar’s been assassinated, one way or the other.”

“Or until they’ve neutralized the S.O.G.”

Marshall grimaced. “Terrific. So we’ve got Steiger, the adjustmentteam, the fucking S.O.G., and me right in the middle of it all, out in theopen. Damn it. I want some protection!”

“Take it easy. I said we’d cover you. If they don’t suspectyou, then all you’ve got to do is continue to cooperate with them. Long as youdon’t lose your nerve, you should be okay.”

Marshall moistened his lips and nodded. “All right. But ifthey make a move on me. someone had better be there.”

“Don’t worry. They will be. I’ll be in touch.”

Simmons clocked out and disappeared.

Marshall reached into the folds of his toga and took out apack of cigarettes. Normally. he never took the chance of taking them outsidehis room, where he could smoke with the door bolted and the wood braziermasking the smell, but his nerves were on edge and he really needed one. As helit up, carefully hiding the flame with his hand and holding the cigarette withhis palm cupped around it, he thought about the laser pistol he had hidden in asecret drawer in his room

The trouble with Roman clothing was that it wouldn’t hide itvery well. A tunic wouldn’t hide it at all, the bulge would be easilydetectable beneath the drape of his toga and he couldn’t very well walk aroundwearing a cloak all the time. He’d have to leave it where it was and count onhis dagger to protect him, which any Roman male could wear openly withoutarousing any suspicion. But the thought of going up against Steiger withnothing but a dagger made his stomach churn. He had no doubt what the outcomeof that would be. He wouldn’t stand a chance unless he took Steiger completelyby surprise. Get him while he’s asleep, thought Marshall, and drive the son ofa bitch up to the hilt into his kidney. Either that or cut his throat. Helooked out over the rippling, moonlit surface of the Tiber and exhaled heavily.He wished there was another way. but there simply wasn’t. Steiger had himbacked into a corner. Damn cowboy, he thought. This wouldn’t have happened ifhe’d just gone along with the others in the organization. Or if he’d simplykept his mouth shut. But no, he had to get up on his white horse and take onthe Network. Had to form the I.S.D. just to clean out all of the so-called “corruption.”As if there was any harm in people trying to make a little money on the side.

The agency expected you to risk your life and all you gotfor your trouble was a lousy government pension. So what was wrong with tryingto salt a little away for your retirement? All right, it was illegal, but sowhat? Everybody always looked the other way. Even the old director had been inon it. But then old man Forrester came in and got all tight-assed about it.Decided to put the Network out of business and bust everyone who was involved,right up to the old director. Jesus. It was his own fault the Network put acontract out on him. People were only trying to protect themselves.

Steiger should have stayed out of it, thought Marshall. Heshould have just kept his damn mouth shut and stayed out of it. It’s not myfault, thought Marshall. He’s left me no other choice. It was too had thatSteiger had to die, but there was just no way around it. And if it had tohappen, why not collect on the contract, so at least some good would come ofit? If not him, somebody else would get it. It might as well be him. You justdo the best you can and take what comes. thought Marshall. That’s how the gamewas played.

7

Drummond and Andell had both hated the idea, as had Travers.They thought it was much too dangerous, but Andre had overruled them, and totheir surprise. Priest and Delaney had hacked her up. The timing. they hadsaid, was too good to pass up. They thought it was a chance worth taking. AsDrummond and Andell were conducted into Cleopatra’s presence, each of themtried to keep his nervousness from showing. If this goes wrong. Andell thought.we could all be dead in the next few minutes. “Stop! What have you there?”

“A gift from Caesar,” said Andell, trying to keep his voicesteady. “For Queen Cleopatra.”

A tall, well-built man approached them. His head and facewere both shaved and he was dressed in Roman style. in an immaculate white togaworn over a gold-embroidered tunic. He was slim. but his muscular definitionspoke of a man who was given to sport and exercise rather than luxury. He had,thought Andell, the bearing of a soldier. He frowned as he met Andell’s gaze.Andell tried to keep his expression neutral. he lowered his eyes. as a slavewould be expected to do.

“Have you examined it?” the man asked the two guards who hadconducted them inside.