فصل 17

Chapter 17: A Simple Order

The guards stood at attention as Quentin, still disguised as Hatch, walked out of the brig. Quentin nodded to Torstyn, then turned to the guards. “I have spoken with the Taiwanese government. They are ready to take Mr. Yin into custody. We will oblige them.” The guards glanced at each other. “Who, sir?” the first guard asked.

“Don’t you even know who you’re guarding?” Hatch bellowed. “Didn’t you check your prison log?” “My apologies, sir. I must have missed the name.” “Indeed. Tara will finish interrogating Mr. Yin; then you will escort him, unfettered, off this boat to the Taiwanese officials. They will be waiting for you on An Ping Road. Do you understand?” “Yes, sir,” the guards said simultaneously.

“An Ping Road. Do you think you can handle this?” “Yes, sir. No problem, sir.”

“I don’t want to be bothered any more concerning this matter. I’m angry enough that we have to return this criminal. I’m going back to the bridge.” “What about EGG Welch?” the senior guard asked.

Quentin spun around. “What did you say?”

The guard cowered. “. . . EGG Welch. I was just wondering, who will . . .” “Citizen Welch is no longer an EGG, and he will not be called one. The penalty for using that term for him is imprisonment. Do you understand me!” “Yes, sir.”

“Now, I gave you a simple order. If my orders are too difficult for you to follow, then perhaps your rank should be changed to something a little more basic, like GP.” Both men shuddered. “No, sir. We’ll see that everything is done as requested.” Quentin looked back and forth between them. “We’ll see. Tara will call for you when she is ready. This prisoner exchange is an embarrassment to me. I want you to take Mr. Yin out the back of the boat and avoid all guards. You must hurry; we are about to set sail. If you are asked what you are doing, you will tell them you are following specific orders from higher up. Do you understand me?” “Yes, sir.”

Quentin turned to Torstyn. “Torstyn, you and Tara will escort these men until they are off the Faraday; then you will report to me. You have ninety minutes before we set sail.” “Yes, sir,” Torstyn said.

Quentin turned and walked away.

The guards looked at each other fearfully. Less than a minute later Tara called over the intercom, “We’re ready. Open the door.” “Yes, ma’am,” the senior guard said, unlocking the brig. The door opened, and Tara walked out ahead of a Taiwanese man. “Mr. Yin is ready to be escorted to the Taiwanese officials,” Tara said.

“Yes, ma’am. Admiral-General Hatch has given us our orders.” They stepped to either side of their prisoner. “Let’s go.” Torstyn fell in behind them.

Welch, of course, didn’t speak. As they walked him out of the brig, one of the guards stopped at a kiosk.

“What are you doing?” Tara asked.

“We’re checking him out. It’s required procedure.” Just then Quentin walked back, as himself, down the hallway. He pulsed, killing the kiosk. “Did Admiral-General Hatch tell you to follow procedure, or did he tell you to avoid further embarrassment?” The guards looked up at him. They were speechless.

“I just spoke with the admiral-general. He was not happy, and he was very specific with his orders.” Quentin lifted his cell phone. “Shall I notify him that you think you know better?” “No, sir,” said the second guard. “We’ll escort the prisoner immediately off the boat.” “I would recommend that. The Admiral-General mentioned something to me about a rank change.” “There’s no need to threaten us, sir,” the first guard said. “We will follow orders.” The two guards took Welch by the arms and hurried him down the corridor, while Tara, Quentin, and Torstyn followed from a distance. The guards led Welch to the second floor, where the staff was completing the loading of food. When the group reached the loading ramp, Quentin said, “Give me your weapons. You won’t need them.” The men disarmed. To the guards’ surprise, Quentin handed one of the pistols to Welch.

“Be quick,” Quentin said to the guards. “The Taiwanese officials will meet you on An Ping Road near the front of the mall. That’s two miles due east. I recommend you take a cab.” “Yes, sir.”

They hurried off. “How far can you hold the illusion?” Quentin asked Tara.

“I’m not sure. No more than a few blocks.”

“Won’t they be surprised.”

“What if they try to return him?”

“They won’t. Welch is armed; they’re not. And they just broke three Elgen protocols and are now guilty of aiding an Elgen fugitive. Discipline will be execution. I guarantee we won’t ever see either of them again. At least not alive.” “What about EGG Welch?”

“I don’t know,” he said. “I don’t know.” He turned back. “Let’s get back to our room before anyone discovers that the prisoner’s missing.”