"Come on, cat," I said. "There's nothing more here we need."
Back on the ramp I beckoned my platoon leaders over.
"I'm going to the Sapphire Palace," I said. "Anybody that doesn't want to go can check out now. Pass the word."
Torbu stood silent for a long moment, staring straight ahead.
"I don't like it much, Owner," he said. "But I'll go. And so will the rest of 'em."
"There'll be no backing out, once we shove off," I said. "And by the way—" I jacked a round into the chamber of the pistol, raised it, and fired the shot into the air. They all jumped. "If you ever hear that sound, come a-running."
The men nodded, turned to their cars. I picked up the cat and piled into the lead vehicle next to Torbu.
"It's a half-hour run," he said. "We might run into a little Greyman action on the way. We can handle 'em."
We lifted, swung to the east, barrelled along at low altitude.
"What do we do when we get there, boss?" said Torbu.