Madman's Dance (Time Rovers #3)(147)

“What do you mean all the bombs didn’t go off?” his captor demanded.

“Only one, in the East End. They found the rest of them,” the man answered breathlessly.

“How in the hell did they do that?”

“I don’t know.”

There was a grunt of pain as someone paid the price for delivering the bad news, then the sound of a body being dragged away.

Somehow Jacynda had stopped them.

“Not going well?” Theo asked, wishing he had the strength to laugh in Copeland’s face. “She outwitted you, didn’t she?” he said.

Another tremendous blow—this one to the head. Theo’s ears rang like church bells on Easter morning.

Copeland stepped closer. “Seems all I got left is you, geek freak. Where’s Defoe?”

“I don’t—”

The chair went out from under him, and Theo landed hard on the wooden floor. A second later a boot catapulted into his ribs. Bones snapped. He tried to cry out, but he couldn’t get enough air.

“Give him another round, lads.”

Blows rained down on him from all sides, so many he could hardly feel them anymore.

Jacynda. It was her face that comforted him as he slipped into the darkness.

“Ah, Christ,” Copeland swore. He rubbed a hand across his chin, trying to figure out how to work this to his best advantage. The failure of the plot was going to cost him everything if he didn’t find Rover One.



“This one’s a waste of time. Load him up, drop him in the Thames,” he ordered the trio standing over the body. “If he’s still alive, cut his throat before you do. Cut anything you want.”

“What about his boots?” one of the toughs asked.

Copeland smirked. “Strip him bare, I don’t give a goddamn. Just get him out of my sight.” He tossed each of them a sovereign and then scooped up the prizes he’d taken from his victim.

One last chance. This time he had to come out on top.





Chapter 18




It was near dark when Cynda finally staggered back to the hotel room, drained. Despite Anderson’s assurance that the Ascendant would contact her, she’d spent the afternoon hunting for Theo, increasingly desperate as the hours passed. When there’d been no explosions or raging fires in Southwark, she knew they’d triumphed. Without Theo, it felt like a hollow victory.

She’d no sooner changed into a dress when Hopkins arrived at the door.

“We didn’t lose one warehouse,” he reported. “Keats is the hero of the hour.”

She smiled. “He deserves it. Morrisey’s still missing. Copeland has him. He’s trying to use him as leverage for us to turn over Defoe.”

Hopkins didn’t seem surprised. “That Future, Anderson, caught up with me in Rotherhithe after I’d found all the bombs. He told me what was up and then insisted I give him the interface. I’d hoped I could keep it until we could use our own.”

When she didn’t reply, Hopkins began to open and close his own pocket watch over and over in nervous agitation.

“I hope you don’t mind me taking over like this,” he said. “You’re the Senior Rover here and...”

“No, you’re best for this,” she told him, staring at nothing. “I’m too close to this.”

“Is there something between you and Morrisey?”

She looked over at him. “Not sure yet. We spent so much time together while I was healing that we’re like an old pair of shoes. Except he’d like to take that friendship a lot farther.”

“Well, from what I’ve seen he’s a little odd,” Hopkins replied, “but he seems like a good guy.”

She smiled. “I don’t date higher up the company food chain.”

“No one will raise an eyebrow about that.”

Cynda shrugged. There was more to it than just the boss issue. More than she wanted to confront right now.

“You could always quit TEM Enterprises,” Hopkins suggested.



“And go where?” Cynda asked. “Time In Motion won’t hire me. TPB will see to that, especially after my brain reboot.”

“You could work for Guv. You’re used to odd people, so Klein won’t bother you.”

“Maybe. I just don’t know right now.” Cynda looked over at him with curiosity. “What about you, Hopkins? You got a special someone?”

“Had one. She bailed after I was shot. Couldn’t handle it.”

Cynda nodded. “It takes a Rover to understand this crazy job.”

“Or Morrisey. He’s one of us now.”

Which is why we can’t lose him. “Here,” she said, offering Hopkins the pistol. “In case you run into Copeland. This time, you’ll have the upper hand.”

“Thanks.” He paused as he opened the door. “I’ll let you know when we find Morrisey. I’m sure he’ll be okay.”

Cynda threw him a thumbs-up. The moment he was gone, her control began to unravel. She teetered between tears and the urge to tear the room apart.

“You need to be out there,” Mr. Spider urged.

“I can’t walk all over the East End forever.”

“I don’t think you’ll have to.”