Blood Pact by Dan Abnett

Author:Dan Abnett [Abnett, Dan]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, pdf

FIFTEEN

The Hunters

“Is this all of it?” asked Edur. He gave a nod of his head that indicated the barrack’s clerical pool in general, and the files and volumes gathered on the central desk in particular.

“Yes, commissar,” said Kolea.

Several Commissariat officials had already begun working through the regimental files, especially the day-book and the company logs. Two agents of the ordos had also begun what looked to Viktor Hark like a forensic examination of the Tanith First’s central records.

“Are you going to tell us anything?” asked Hark.

“No,” said one of the ordo agents.

Edur looked at the officer of the Inquisition with some distaste. The Inquisition was already taking over, and that wasn’t the only reason Edur had an unpleasant taste in his mouth. He tilted his head to suggest that Hark and the Tanith’s acting commander, Kolea, might like to step aside with him.

It had all been, by necessity, hasty, but Edur had been briefed by Mercure before riding the Valkyries out to Aarlem with the Inquisition. Mercure had been emphatic: while Mercure took the matter to Command-level authority in the hope that Command might apply some pressure to the ordos, Edur was to do all he could to make sure the Inquisition didn’t trample everything flat on the ground.

“I want us to hold on to some control in this, Edur,” Mercure had said, “for as long as we can, or until we know there’s nothing worth holding on to.”

“Both the Inquisition and the Commissariat are keen to discover the whereabouts of Colonel-Commissar Gaunt,” Edur told Hark and Kolea.

“Wasn’t he at Section when this happened?” asked Hark.

“Yes,” said Edur.

“Isn’t he still there?” asked Kolea.

“We don’t know,” said Edur.

“What does that mean?” asked Hark.

“It means that part of the building has burned out, another part is still ablaze, and there are a fair number of corpses still to be recovered and identified.”

“Gak!” Kolea whispered.

“The thing is, if Gaunt’s alive, we can’t find him,” said Edur.

“And that’s why you’ve locked us down, and come in to take us apart bit by bit?” asked Hark.

“That’s the key reason.”

“Because?” asked Hark. “I’m sorry, Edur, but you’ve missed something out. Some key component.”

“A second individual is missing,” said Edur. “A high-value prisoner. The prisoner may even have been the target of the raid. Gaunt was last seen in the vicinity of the prisoner’s cell, and he was aware of the prisoner’s significance.”

“And if they’re both missing, they could have got out together,” said Kolea.

“Gaunt may have got this prisoner to safety and gone to ground?” asked Hark.

“That’s one possibility,” said Edur.

“And the other?” asked Hark.

“Gaunt may have been working with the raiders to extract the prisoner. I hasten to add this is not my theory. However, the Inquisition is understood to be entertaining it.”

“I don’t believe this,” said Hark, shaking his head. “This is all about fething Gereon again.”

“In so many ways,” agreed Edur.

“They’re never going to let it go,” said Hark.

“Is there any evidence to back up this slur?” Kolea asked.

“There are some unfortunate details,” said Edur.

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