Voices - Vornholt John - Страница 29

The security chief smiled smugly. “I haven’t got a stack of files, but I’ve got one name. And that should be enough.”

Gray pursed his lips. “The name is?”

The security chief smiled. “First, you tell me what you’ve got.”

“All of these files,” said Gray proudly, “are a record of the bombing at the Royal Tharsis Lodge on Mars.”

“Mars?” mused Garibaldi. “I thought we were trying to solve the bombing on B5?”

“But they are related. The Free Phobos group claimed responsibility for both bombings, and Mr. Bester and myself were present at both.”

“You saw the bombing on Mars?”

“Thankfully, at a distance,” answered Gray. “Although if it hadn’t have been for Mr. Bester’s quick reactions, both of us might have been casualties. Do you see why I think they’re related?” 

“Yeah,” said Garibaldi thoughtfullly, “unless it’s some kind of conspiracy against the places themselves. What if somebody had a thing against this hotel on Mars, and they also had a thing against Babylon 5. So they picked the two places just to wreak havoc there. What I’m saying is, whoever the idiot was who picked B5 may have also had something to do with the bombing of the hotel.”

“No,” said Gray, chuckling. “That was me. I suggested Babylon 5.”

Garibaldi jerked up in his seat. “You brought them here!”

His hands were reaching for the telepath’s throat when a feminine computer voice made an announcement: “Welcome to Earth Transport Starfish, serving the routes between Babylon 5, Earth, and Centauri Prime. The first leg of our journey—Babylon 5 to Earth—will have a duration of forty-eight standard hours. Please settle back in your seats, and relax. A robotic cart with food and drink will appear in the center aisle after departure. You may signal for it by pushing the service button on your armrest. Credits are accepted. Enjoy your flight.”

Still seething, Garibaldi slumped back in his chair. Forty-eight hours was too long to sit next to a dead body, and that thought was the only thing that kept him from throttling Mr. Gray.

The little man looked embarrassed. “In retrospect, it was a mistake bringing the conference to B5. At the time, it seemed a logical choice. Removed from Mars, good security, a new place for most of them. I was very surprised when the violence followed us from Mars. This makes me believe even more strongly that the two bombings are related, and not just by the claims of a mystery group. I don’t see how we can solve the second bombing without starting with the first.”

Garibaldi muttered, “But Talia Winters was nowhere near Mars when the hotel bombing happened.”

“Precisely,” answered Gray, “which is an indication of her innocence, or the possibility that she was used as a dupe. Now tell me about that lead you have?”

Garibaldi smiled and closed his eyes. “When you show me something really good, I’ll show you mine.”

“Prepare for departure to Earth,” purred the synthesized voice.