Page 71 of Company of Thieves
“William is another matter,” Octavia said slowly, meeting his gaze with one that spoke volumes.
He made a little gesture. “I believe now is the time for plain speaking. You mean you will not attempt to dig William’s grasp from his empire because of your relationship with him?”
“He did rescue us when we were all about to be executed,” Octavia pointed out.
“And he promptly placed a bounty on your head,” Alan reminded her.
“One that, oddly, no one has sought to collect on,” Jack said, smiling at Octavia.
“No one?” Alan felt himself surprised by that. “There’s been no attempt to capture you?”
“Not by William’s men, no,” Octavia told him. “I don’t say I know what his plan is—which is why I will suggest we meet with him, because he might well tell us—but I don’t believe he is the enemy we think him.”
Alan shook his head. “You have not been a diplomat in his court. William is a devious man, with many plans of an intricate and detailed nature.”
“That may be so, but the fact remains that we have never been harmed by him. And just look at your meeting this evening. He did not harm Hallie or you.”
“She’s got a good point,” Hallie said, looking as thoughtful as Alan felt. “I still think it may be a trap, though.”
“Possibly,” he answered, thinking over the various options. He glanced up as a thought struck him. “Do we know how badly Etienne’s ship was destroyed?”
“We do, as a matter of fact,” Zand said, giving Safie a googly-eyed look that left Alan both annoyed and amused. “Just before we left theFalcon, one of the men we’d sent out earlier to scout the area returned and told us that although William’s airships had more or less destroyed the warehouse that we believe held Etienne’s ship, it wasn’t there. Certainly not by the time William’s ships arrived.”
“That’s very interesting,” Octavia said, frowning at the table. “He must have departed almost immediately after we returned to theEnterpriseand found Hallie. Otherwise, William would have seen him.”
“Why would he leave so quickly?” Jack asked. “He just got here.”
“Yes, but Hallie wasn’t there anymore,” she answered.
“What do I have to do with it?” Hallie asked, scooting her chair over so she could lean against Alan.
Instantly, he had to fight down the urge to insist she go rest. He reminded himself that she was an intelligent woman, and she would do nothing to endanger herself or their child. It didn’t do much good, but mindful of the saying about bringing a horse to water, he decided he’d just have to gently guide her to the path he preferred. “There are other ways to get a horse to drink,” he murmured to himself.
“I’m sure the horses are fine,” she told him, patting his hand before turning her attention back to the discussion.
“Your role in Etienne’s plans very much depends on just why he kidnapped you in the first place,” Jack was saying, looking speculatively at Octavia. “You know him best of all of us, Tavy. Was he just smitten with her, or do you think he had some nefarious plan afoot?”
“He stole her because he knew she was mine,” Alan said, well aware of his driving need for action. “A fact that my father also knew, and probably played upon, damn his soul.”
“That still doesn’t explain why he’d hightail it out of here when he found I’d gotten away,” Hallie said.
Alan dragged his mind from the depths of the anger that wrapped around the memory of Hallie being taken from him, and put it onto the problem at hand. “I believe that is a point we may need to set aside for the moment, until we know just what it is William wants of us.”
“Does this mean that we’re going ahead with being more kick-ass?” Hallie asked the table in general. “More proactive? Doing more than just salvaging goods for the people who need them? We’re going on the attack?”
They all looked at one another for a minute.
“Shall we take a vote?” Octavia asked. “Jack and I will be happy to be more aggressive in our dealings with the Black Hand and the Moghuls. We have wanted to refit theEnterpriseto become more able to take down other airships, and have the funds to do so.”
“And my new autonavigator—when I get it finished—should make maneuvering a hundred times easier and more effective,” Jack said, nodding.
Zand looked first at Alan, then at Safie. “We will do as the rest of you wish. I’ve spent my life fighting with Akbar, and I would consider it an honor to fight alongside Alan in the Company.”
Alan was silent for a few minutes, well aware that the others were watching him closely. Hallie said nothing, obviously allowing him to make up his mind without pressure. He looked at everyone at the table, then gave a shake of his head. “I reserve judgment about just how impotent you feel William is, but it has only ever been my wish to dismantle the Black Hand, and curb my father’s hold on Europe. We will continue to work toward those goals in whatever capacity is needed.”
“Then we are decided,” Octavia said with a smile at Jack. “We will meet with William, and once we find out what he wants, we will gather to make plans to take the Company in its new direction.”
“Despite your belief that the bounty that William placed on your head is not being enforced, perhaps you should remain behind when we meet with William,” Alan told her. “Just in case this is a trap to gather all of us in one net.”
