"Charles Ingrid - The Sand Wars 06 - Challenge Met" - читать интересную книгу автора (Ingrid Charles)

not begin to comprehend.

The disk, sketchy at best, had confirmed as much. He apologized
mentally to the other Jack Storm for usurping his life. There was nothing he
could do about it now. The disk had not given him memories but warnings,
dire warnings to help keep him alive if the worst should happen. Once
again, Jack Storm was a man with but half a life—now he was missing the
end instead of the beginning.

"Commander Storm?" The nurse technician leaned into the otherwise
empty lab. "We're done monitoring you. I'm told the emperor wants to see
you as soon as possible."

He nodded. Thanks to the disk, he had a fairly good idea who his
enemies were this time around and Pepys was high on the list.



Amber shivered despite herself. She shut her jaw firmly and clenched her
teeth, determined not to give Vandover the satisfaction of knowing that cold
sleep daunted her. But to sleep the sleep of near-death in the arms of
enemies was a far different prospect than doing it in the embrace of friends.

The Minister of War brushed shoulders with her. She recoiled from the
contact, but he seemed not to notice as the taxi bumped to a halt, its hovers
whining. He dropped a cassette into her hand.

She closed her hand over it without looking. "No unexpected surprises?"

"You'll find Madam Sadie's seal on it."

Amber dropped the cassette into a hip pocket. Sadie had once been an
unflappable friend. Now a traitor. She did not find the information assuring.

"Do you wish me to accompany you?"
 "No."

The minister did not look surprised. "Very well. I'll be back for you
tomorrow." Unspoken was the warning for her to be here, awaiting him.
Amber did not rise to the bait. She would be waiting. For now, she had
nowhere else to go.



Pepys was waiting in the audience hall. It was empty, banners slack upon
their rods in the domed ceiling, daises empty, he sitting almost forlornly in a
chair to one side. Jack recognized him only because he'd been shown photos
of him. Yet as he approached, a familiarity prickled him like pins and
needles. Yes, he'd known the frizzy red hair would drift finely about the
man's head as if filled with static electricity. And he'd expected the hard