Madman's Dance (Time Rovers #3)(155)

“Oh my God.” Hopkins swallowed hard. “We need to get him home.”

“No,” she replied. “He’s too cold for the transfer. We’ll take him to Alastair. Once he’s stabilized, then we can move him.”

A low moan issued from the torn man’s mouth. “Ja…cynda?”

She moved in close. “You got it in one.”

“Cope…land,” he murmured. “Neuro…”

“Neuro-blocker?”

A faint nod.

“That’s how he got me,” Hopkins explained. “I was trying to get my breath one minute, and the next I had a bullet in the heart. I can still hear him laughing.”

Fury spiraled within her, coiling like a venomous snake. Copeland didn’t have the guts to fight man to man, so he’d downed his victims with technology.

“He’ll do the same to you if you’re not careful,” Mr. Spider advised, looking down from her shoulder at the wounded man.

We’ll see.

“Why didn’t Copeland just kill him?” Hopkins whispered.

To her chagrin, Theo overheard the question. “Don’t know,” he gasped. “Gave them money. Told them to…” he coughed hard, “throw me in Thames.”

Like Chris.

“Put me in wagon. They got drunk. I escaped.” He turned slowly toward her, trying to peer at her through his swollen eyelids. “Knew you’d…find me.”

Her heart trembled. “Damn right. Stay alive, okay? You die on me, and I’ll be really pissed.”

The swollen eyelids blinked slowly, painfully. “Too much…paperwork.” Her laughter was a trade-off for tears. Cynda pressed the Dinky Doc to his neck once more. The readings had marginally improved. At least he wasn’t shifting in front of Hopkins.

More boots in the passageway as the other Guv agents arrived. Cynda was grateful when Hopkins took charge, ordering them to find some way to get the wounded man to Alastair’s house.

“We’ll get things squared away,” the junior Rover assured her.



“Thanks.”

He marched off, barking orders just like Klein.

As they waited, Cynda wrapped her shawl around Theo and cradled him in her arms, trying to instill warmth. She cautiously brushed a kiss against his cheek, tears springing into her eyes. If things had played out differently, she would be holding his corpse right now.

“In case you’ve forgotten, we have unfinished business you and I,” she whispered into his ear. That no longer seemed enough. After a thick gulp of air, she tried again. “I love you, Theo.”

His bloodshot eyes opened, trying to focus on her face. He attempted a smile, cracking the dried blood on his cheeks. “Then it was…worth it.”

“Only if you live.” He nodded and closed his eyes again.

She gave him a hefty dose of painkiller, whispering encouraging words until he fell asleep. All the while, the ants raged inside her, demanding retribution.

Finding a coach this late at night hadn’t been an option, so the Guv agents had commandeered a wagon. The driver didn’t seem to mind, not with a shiny sovereign in his hand. Thanks to the medication, Theo was blissfully unaware of his surroundings. As they prepared to lift him, Cynda tugged on Hopkins’ sleeve.

“Treat him like a corpse. We don’t know who’s watching. I want Copeland to think he’s dead. And don’t contact 2058 yet. We need to sort things out first.”

The junior Rover nodded. “We’ll get him settled, and then you and I will hunt down that bastard together.”

“Works for me.”

Hopkins stepped aside and instructed his men on the move. A minute or so later, they were carrying Theo down the passageway on the tarp. By then, a few of the pub’s patrons had gathered on the street.

“Did the Ripper get ’im?” someone asked, deep in his cups.

“No,” Hopkins replied, tersely. He tossed the man a coin with his free hand. “Have a pint in his honor, God rest his soul.” The rest of the gawkers followed the beneficiary back into the pub to spend his newfound wealth.



Once Theo was in place, she covered him with a blanket one of the agents had scrounged. Hopkins and the others fanned out around the wagon like it was a funeral cortege, their faces grim.

Perfect.

As the wagon began to move forward, Cynda slipped back into Angel Alley and triggered her interface. Hopkins would see to Theo, guard him with his life. It was time to dangle the bait.

Cynda barely made it back to her hotel room when her interface started buzzing. The message was from Hopkins, demanding to know where she’d gone.

She ignored it. Instead she logged onto GuvNet.

You find him? Ralph asked.

Yes. Before Ralph asked anything further, she typed, One down, one to go. Send that message to everyone with an interface, no matter the time period. You understand?

What does it mean? Ralph asked.

Don’t worry about that. Make sure all the TPB Rovers receive it.

That’s just egging them on.

I know what I’m doing. Leave my interface open to all incoming messages.

You’re acting weird. What are you up to?

Settling a score.

She was pulling on the trousers when her interface lit up. Another message from Hopkins. She blanked that one as well. We’re not ready yet, guy.