"Don't say yes until you've heard what it is. Lawrence cared a great
deal for you, and if only for his sake, I must show some restraint."
"And what about you?"
"For myself, I would rather not ask a woman to do it. Also, it flushes
me out of the inner circles for good."
"But you think it could work, and be worth it."
"Yes."
"You want me to sleep with someone and kill him." She had forgotten
the boy. "Johnny, would you run off in the back and play? I'll be
there in a few minutes."
"Yes, Miss Elonna." He walked reluctantly into the back.
"You want me to sleep with someone and kill him."
"Yes and no."
"What do you mean, yes and no?"
"You say it as if it's nothing. I'm not asking you to sleep with some
soldier in a guardhouse and slit his throat. We're talking about
Roland Hunter, the head of Internal Affairs."
"THE Hunter? The man who ordered the purges?"
"Ordered, planned and executed, and the man who makes sure there is no
rebellion of conscience among the whites, no dissent of any kind. A
big target, Elonna, and very wary." Again she was silent.
"Still. If you could arrange it..... I think I could do it."
"With what weapon, Elonna?"
"Well, what about a poison needle?"
"No good. You will be thoroughly searched. Thoroughly."
"All right, then. Stop turning it around. You're the one who's
supposed to have a plan."
"Yes, though I'm not particularly proud of having thought of it."
"Morgan, you're forgetting what he's done to us."
"All right. Have you ever heard of Sanlen 12?"
"It's some kind of nerve poison, isn't it?"
"Yes, like's snake's venom: poison to the blood but not the stomach."
"What are you saying?"
He told her, in detail.
"But that's horrible. God, what a way to die. . .and to kill."
"You would have to want to kill him very badly, and not hesitate at the
critical moment. That's why I've been such a harsh judge of your
character. This is no game, and the stakes are life and death." She
looked into his eyes, and knew he was in deepest earnest.
"I need time to think." The boy came back into the room.
"I'll be back tomorrow night. Think about it in the cold light of day.
You must be very sure." He lifted his rifle.
"Before you go....."
"Yes."
"How would you set this up? How would you make him trust me?"
"Oh, he won't trust you, not for a minute. But he does trust me, as
far as he trusts anyone. As for setting it up, that's fairly simple.
Many of the cabinet ministers and high military men have taken
mistresses, and not all of them white. If the Undersecretary of
Affairs should happen to come across a beautiful black woman he
fancies, a non-person with no rights, why shouldn't he keep her for
himself? And if he's ruthless and full of ambition, as I'm supposed to
be, why shouldn't he offer to share her with the Secretary, or even
keep her discreetly hidden for his private use? I've been known to do
such favors in the past."
"But if he hates us so much, why would he want me?"
"You don't understand men very well if you have to ask, at least not
that kind of man. Power and domination are what he craves, sadism and
total control. Do I have to say more?"
"No."
"I'll come back tomorrow if I can." He shouldered his weapon. "You
see why it was so hard for Lawrence to ask of you. Toward the end, he
had decided against it. Just so you know, the thought of sending you
in with that monster..... I'm not that cold. Not yet. But they are.
Good-night." He switched off the shield and left the cave.
"Good-night." She stared at the table.
*
Morgan returned two nights later. He looked tired and grim.
"Elonna. I'm sorry I couldn't make it yesterday. I almost couldn't
come now. They're preparing the full offensive against Marcum-Lauries.
I'm just sick thinking about it. The Laurians don't stand a chance.
And they're good people." As he glanced at her briefly she saw
something in his eyes that she had not expected. He looked away.
"Hello, Johnny," he said absently. Without being asked, the boy ran
into the back to get him some water.
"Sit down, Morgan. Don't worry about me, I'm all right. I'm even
grateful for the extra day. I'm finally clear in my own mind."
"You know you don't have to do this."
"Yes. But I want to, Morgan." She handed him the cup and sat down.
"Only. . .I can't do it by hating them. I've tried. I tried
remembering my husband's death, but that only made me feel a terrible
loss, not hatred. So I tried thinking about what they had done to
Lawrence. Sometimes I think all he ever wanted was to live out his
remaining years in peace. But he couldn't. They had taken even that
away from him. He was no soldier, any more than Eric was. War was the
last thing either wanted, and it killed them both---my husband quickly,
and Lawrence slowly, from the inside. He tried to be hard and cold,
but his faith in life had been shaken too deeply. Do you know what I'm
saying?"
"Yes, though I think there was more to it than that."
"Maybe. I'm just trying to tell you how I feel."