Free The Plague Forge [ARC] by Jason M. Hough

Tania, he saw the evidence of it in that look, and he couldn’t blame her. Still, he had to say something, despite the fact that Tania would probably slap him again if she knew.
    She’ll do worse when she finds out what I’m doing next.
    “Keep an eye on them?” he asked Tim.
    “Will do,” the man said, and smiled. “For as long as they’ll put up with me.”
    “Good.” He shook the water from his hat and studied the sky for a moment. “I guess it’s the Magpie’s turn, before this becomes a real storm.”
    Tim nodded. “Good luck out there, Skyler.”
    “Thanks. We’ll be off within the hour.”
    Skyler entered the dimly lit room and set the duffel bag on the floor beside him. The prisoner’s gaze darted to it for a split second, only the slightest hint of fear on his face. Then he glanced up, past Skyler at the woman behind him.
    “Well, well. Skyler Luiken, we meet again,” Russell Blackfield said. “Who’s the tart?”
    His words tumbled out with no real emotion behind them, as if some part of his mind had forced him to speak. The once-impressive man looked thin, haggard. Dark lines marred the skin under his bloodshot eyes. He had an uneven beard and his hair was matted. There were bruises around his wrists, likely from restraints applied too tightly. His lips were cracked from dehydration.
    Skyler glanced away from him and focused on Ana, who stood in the doorway of the colony’s only holding cell, arms folded.
    “Well?” Skyler asked her.
    She pursed her lips slightly, then gave a small shrug. “Yeah, I could do it.”
    “Do what?” Russell asked, a slight amusement in his voice.
    “Kick your ass from here back to Darwin,” Skyler said.
    “Ah. No need for violence, young lady. I’m a lover, not a fight—”
    “He gives me the creeps,” Ana said to Skyler, ignoring the prisoner. “But I’ve met worse.”
    With a grudging nod, Skyler went to Blackfield and set a canteen on the floor in front of him. “Go start the preflight,” he said over his shoulder. Then he waited until he heard the outer door click closed.
    Russell picked up the canteen, removed the cap, and sniffed the contents before taking a swig. His eyes closed ecstatically as he swallowed.
    “The water has a price,” Skyler said.
    Russell took another sip. “Put it on my tab? I’m good for it, thanks to this work furlough program they’ve planned for me. Digging ditches, my dream job.”
    “I want information.”
    The man paused. His eyes flicked to Skyler, then back to the canteen. “Is this going to be more bullshit about how my presence here is some kind of ruse? I’ll let you in on a secret, Skyler. The only secret here: I am not that clever.”
    “Oh, I know.”
    Russell laughed once, raised the canteen in cheers, and took another sip.
    “I want to know about Nightcliff.”
    The man lowered his hands, a flicker of doubt crossing his face. Then the bemused smirk returned. “What about it? No offense, mate, but I’m not running the show there anymore.”
    Skyler rubbed his neck, feeling a headache coming on. I can’t believe I’m doing this . Still, if he could kill two birds with one stone … “Maybe not, but you know its secrets.”
    Blackfield gave a slight shrug. “Maybe. Some, yeah. I’m a bit curious why you’d care.” His gaze went to the black duffel bag again. “Darwin’s a lost cause, or hadn’t you heard?”
    “That may be true, but there’s still people I care about there, and I’m going back for them.”
    “So? You’re immune. Land in the Clear and hike in. As long as you keep your head low, I doubt the vigilant Jacobites will notice.”
    “It’s more complicated than that, unfortunately.” He’d debated how much to say all night, and he chose his next words carefully. “There’s something we need, inside Nightcliff. Something Grillo won’t want to lose.”
    Russell’s eyebrows shot up, and Skyler knew he’d played the right card. Blackfield was a lot of things, but at