�So��said Sam. David could tell he was trying to hide his fear, and to show full confidence. It wasn�t working too well. �Is this how you want your mission to end? Do you want the report that High Command receives to show you shot your only hope?� David�s anger grew beyond his control. His military training and coolness faded away.
�Only hope? ONLY HOPE?� He exclaimed. He pressed the barrel deeper into Sam�s forehead, knocking him into the hard rocky walls of the cave. Sam lightly squealed, and closed his eyes, breathing heavily. �Do you have ANY idea in hell what you�ve done? Betrayed me, my team, and for God�s sake you got Jean killed and nearly the rest of us!�
Sam knew there was only one way out of this. He�d have to spill everything he knew.
�I�m the only reason you got out alive, and I�m your only way off of this rock�� Sam felt a little better as he saw David look off to the side of him, thinking. His cold eyes locked back onto Sam. He cocked the hammer.
�Then you, m�boy, have got a hell of a lot of explaining. Talk.� Sam, sweating harder than before now, took in a deep breath.
�During our night up in that tree after we landed, I spotted a pattern in some static. I used the encryption keys we were given by high command, and it turns out it was our informant.� David saw a flashback of that night, the dark, strange trees that supported their hammocks. Seeing Jean rest her head upon the military pillow, so peaceful in such a circumstance. He snapped back and focused on Sam.
�So, the pattern being sent in the static was some kind of greeting pattern, so I sent a mimic back. I talked to him for a bit, but he just stopped after about twenty minutes. The connection was still live, but no one was typing back. I checked the logs in the morning, and he still hadn�t sent anything.� David eased off the pressure slightly. He was still keeping his finger just hovering above the trigger.
�And?� demanded William. �What does this have to do with betraying us?� David hadn�t noticed it, but the rest of his team had pistols leveled at Sam as well.
�Just listen�, Sam said, with a certain level of authority in his voice. �So, the next night we set up camp, I linked back to the frequency. Dead. Just static. So, I checked into some of the enemy�s records, more specifically �Captured Enemies�, the crap they feed to their citizens. Turns out our informant got caught, quite a nasty execution, too.� David�s eyes seemed to only get colder. �So I knew what I had to do; I had to get into the base he was working in and find his files. I would�ve just hacked their system, but he liked to keep things on paper. I sent a message to one of their watchdogs that I was a defector with information for him. He became especially interested when I told him I had AGF�s.�
�So you used us as bait?� Shouted Hisheena. Sam looked down slightly, and slowly nodded.
�Indeed�� began N�tn�see. A level of extreme thought could be heard in his voice. �That would be the only option short of a full on assault.� Sam was beginning to feel a level of relief. At least one of these barbarians believed him�
�So, I looked at where you had us headed, and gave him the coordinates of that canyon. Once I got back to their base, they began their interrogations. I gave them some false intelligence, but they believed me. When I heard that you had finally managed to get out of that primitive cell, I went into their system and locked off every passageway except the only one with direct Aerovent access to the roof. I�m sorry it had to be the room it was, but tough luck. Plus, I have some information that may relieve you of your grief. The woman on that table,� David winced slightly. �Was not Jean.�
David�s eyes, still locked with Sam�s, clenched with confusion.
�It�s amazing how far these people have gotten with their flash cloning technology. I asked to interpret one of the prisoners myself, and they let me speak to Jean. I took a blood sample, flash cloned her, and sent the copy back to the cell. She�s not with me right now, though. She was busy doing something with their satellites while you guys got out, and I�ve only spoken to her on the network since.� David�s blood ran cold. He had never thought of the enemy spying them from above. He silently cursed himself for the mistake. So far, Sam�s story was checking ok. But if he managed to defect to the enemy�s side, who knows what lies he could conjure up.
David slowly lowered his sidearm from Sam�s forehead, leaving behind a distinct red circle. He holstered it, and his team did likewise. Sam exhaled heavily. David�s hand still hovered just above the pistol, though.
�So, Sam, what�s your plan now?� David demanded.
�There�s a path through these old mines that leads us to one of their underground facilities. Don�t worry, Hisheena should have us a safe route by the time we get there. It�ll be about half a mile through the hallways before we finally get to the senate room. I would�ve spoken with them myself but apparently they want you. Or something on you you haven�t told me about.�
�Very well, lead the way. And Sam� he grabbed his shirt, and held him half an inch from his face. In a voice with such threat behind it like Sam had never heard, he said: �And she had damned well better be alive�. Sam felt more comfortable with the gun in his face.
