Deathstalker 03 - Deathstalker War Read Online Free PDF Page A

Real life isn't like that."
    "Paranoia," said Hazel, smiling. "A game for the whole family, and anyone else who might be watching. Let's get out of the cold and find somewhere warm before my toes drop off."
    Owen glanced approvingly round Silver's private quarters as he sank into a deeply comfortable chair by an open fire. The ex-pirate Security chief lived in a fair amount of comfort, by Mistport standards. There were a number of high-tech appliances, including electric lighting, rare on a world where all forms of high tech had to be smuggled in past Empire blockades, at great cost to buyer and seller. Either head of port Security paid really well, or Silver hadn't entirely given up on his old piratical ways. Hazel sat opposite Owen, frowning into the dancing flames of the fire. She looked tired and drawn, and older than her years. Something was troubling her, but Owen had more sense than to ask what. She'd only bite his head off. She'd tell him when she was ready, or not at all.
    Silver bustled about being the perfect host, making sure his guests were comfortable, chatting cheerfully about inconsequential things, and pressing large mugs of mulled wine on Hazel and Owen. Hazel just held hers, making no attempt to try it, so Owen took a gulp of his, just to be polite. Normally he
    couldn't stand mulled wine, but this proved to be easy on the palate and hotly spiced, leaving a pleasant warmth behind as it sank past his throat and chest and headed for his stomach. He nodded thankfully to Silver, who pulled up a chair facing his guests and looked at them inquiringly.
    "Fill us in on what's been happening recently," said Owen, when a long pause made it clear Hazel wasn't going to start the ball rolling. "We weren't here long enough to ask questions on our last visit. What's this about a Typhoid Mary and an esper plague?"
    "The Empire smuggled her in," said Silver. "She was an extremely powerful rogue esper, primed and conditioned to kill other espers. People fell dying and brainburned all across the city, and where she passed children woke screaming from their dreams and would not be comforted. She destroyed a lot of good people before she was finally brought down. The Empire's plan had been to kill so many espers that the psionic screen which protects Mistworld would collapse, and the Imperial Fleet could move in at will. That didn't happen. But we came bloody close…"
    "What happened after she was captured?" said Hazel, not looking up from the fire.
    "We deconditioned her," said Silver. "It wasn't her fault. She'd been programmed by mind techs. She works for us now."
    "And you trust her?" said Owen. "The Empire could have planted all kinds of control words in her subconscious. She wouldn't even know they were there till someone triggered them."
    "There were quite a few. We found them. This is an esper world, Deathstalker.
    The depths of the mind hold no secrets from us."
    "How much damage did she cause?" said Owen.

    "Lots. We're still clearing up. Many people in important positions were either killed or brainburned, and for a long time there was chaos in the city as various factions fought for control. The worst of that is over, praise the good Lord, but there's still a lot of jockeying for position going on. Watch your backs while you're here. There's a lot of people who'd kill both of you just so that someone else couldn't have you."
    "So," said Hazel, finally turning to look at Silver. "You're doing all right for yourself then, John?"
    "I'm doing fine," said Silver, blinking slightly at the sudden change of subject.
    "Better than fine. These quarters are a damn sight cosier than that rathole you used to hide out in down by the docks. No, I take that back, now I come to think of it, rats wouldn't have lived there for fear of catching something."
    "Head of port Security is a plum job," said Silver easily. "As long as I keep things nice and peaceful, no one looks too closely at how I do it. So, on the one hand, I crack down