Human After All by Connie Bailey Page A

reeling back, as Drue grasped Jaymes by the wrist. Jaymes stared at the Deputy President on the floor with blood pouring through the inadequate dam of his fingers.
    “Come on,” the Fox said. “We have to get out of here.”
    Jaymes stared numbly at the fallen Citizen in the rapidly spreading pool of blood until Drue yanked him out the door. The bodies of two of the Deep’s Combat-Ulteems lay in the hallway, and Jaymes could see a third CU lying just inside the door of Speaker Londean’s salon. The fourth was engaged in a hand-to-hand battle with Valens, who stood his ground over Cade’s motionless form. A few feet away, Parry was draped limply over a chair, a wet stain spreading on the back of his coat. Drue engaged Valens’s opponent in a flurry of flying limbs so swift that the motions look blurred. The minder moved back, stumbled over the body of his colleague, and lost his balance. As Drue and Valens sprang to follow up this advantage, the CU rolled away and came up on one knee with his comrade’s sidearm.
    “No,” Jaymes shouted as though he could command the bolt that flew from the end of the guard’s weapon.
    The eye-searing icicle of plasma struck Valens in the left side just under his ribcage. The Companion’s sweet features wore a look of utter wonder as he took a half step back and crumpled over his patron’s prone form. “Cade,” he said with his last breath, reaching for Londean’s hand.
    Jaymes flung himself down beside Valens as the light left his friend’s eyes. No one he cared for had ever died before, and he had the mad notion that it wasn’t too late to turn back the clock. He stared into the other T-bred’s sightless gaze until Drue pulled him to his feet. Jaymes saw the broken body of the last guard lying at Parry’s feet like a parody of a sleeping dog, and a small laugh leaked from between his stiff lips.
    “Don’t you fragging dare!” Drue hissed. “I need you alert and paying attention if we’re going to get out of here alive.”
    Jaymes focused on the Exotic. “We haven’t a chance.”
    “Not if you give up before the game’s over. Come on. Let’s at least try and make it to the Veetle port before more See Youz show up.”
    Jaymes looked around at the carnage. “This is too big,” he said. “They’ll find us, and we’ll be blamed for this mess.”
    “This was planned, remember?” Drue grabbed Jaymes by the jaw and stared into his eyes for a count of three heartbeats. “Are you with me?” he asked. “I know you were coerced into your role, but you’re in it now, and you might as well start dealing with it. We can both sit down and wait for Metropol, or we can run.”
    “It’s pointless.”
    Drue lost patience. It would be smarter to stick with the plan and leave the subverted T-bred on his own, but the Fox couldn’t do it. Despite his instructions, he couldn’t run and leave Jaymes to face the storm alone, but neither could he kill him. Snatching up an overcoat from where it had fallen, Drue wrapped it around the other Companion and led him down the hall. The plan was in shambles; the man he’d vowed to save was gone along with the one who was targeted for death, and he had to navigate the event of the Cloister social season to get to an exit. “You aren’t required to like it.” Drue recited Lady Alvera’s favorite phrase as he changed course and entered the warren of service corridors.
     
     
    J AYMES stopped in his tracks as he saw someone moving in the Veetle’s hatch. He was relieved when Alvera turned and gestured emphatically.
    “I’ve keyed in the command code,” she said briskly. “No questions. Go!”
    Jaymes reacted to her order immediately. He was in the pilot’s seat almost before she finished speaking, the pilot program in his wetware coming to the fore as he gripped the joystick.
    “I’m sorry I disobeyed your—” Drue began before Alvera cut him off.
    “It’s all right. I’m actually proud of you for saving the Prince. It