The Operative (A Star Trek novel)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Back at the safehouse, McCoy and the others are beginning to get anxious, when they hear the coded tap at the door. Flynn and Montenegro slip inside.

"Well?" he asks. "Did you find them?"

The two augments glance at one another in a way he's not seen before, as if each is waiting to allow the other to speak. Odd.

"Yes, Doctor," Flynn says. He describes where they are being held. "There are eighty-five people in there, some of whom are undoubtedly guards—we only got the count by tricorder once we slipped inside their security net. We'll have to warn Enterprise to be prepared for some wolves in with the sheep."

"So what now?" McCoy asks.

Helena Mendoza has moved up to stand by him. "We are going to rescue them, aren't we? Some of my friends are likely to be in there."

Flynn shakes his head ruefully. "I wish we had the time to wait until we could find all the Fed personnel. If we spring this bunch, it's going to be that much harder to do a repeat performance later."

"But the Klingons and Romulans..."

"I know, Doctor Mendoza," he says patiently. "That's why we've got to try to at least get these people out of here. We don't have much time.

"Monty came up with a plan while we were coming back from the place." He stops and looks at Monty encouragingly.

Well, something's going on, McCoy thinks.

"Right," she says. "If we try to break them out, there are going to be casualties—probably a lot of them. And we don't have anywhere to hide that many people. So what we're going to do is take out enough shield generators that Enterprise and the other ships can beam the hostages up."

"Do we know where the shield generators are?" McCoy asks. "I mean, I know where one is, but we've got to make sure it's the only one covering that area."

"Right, Doctor," Flynn says. "When the town goes to bed tonight, Monty and I will go in search of the shield generators with tricorders. We're less likely than any of you to be seen, and if seen, to be caught. And hopefully, by waiting that late, there will be fewer people out to catch sight of two very fast people moving about.

"Until then, let's make plans for what we'll do when we do find the generators."

"No."

It is Chekhov. All eyes turn toward him. He is standing with O'Connor and LaRue, and all three of them seem grimly determined.

"What?" Flynn says, more surprised than annoyed.

"No, sir. We do nothing until we also plan how to free the captain."

"But Mr. Chekhov, the mission..."

"Can go to hell," McCoy puts in, "as far as I'm concerned, if we don't rescue Jim and Spock. Chekhov's right."

Flynn looks from one to the other of them. The students watch them, but studiously try to look as if they are not watching. Monty looks upset, or possibly annoyed. On my behalf? he wonders, then shakes his head to clear it of frivolous thoughts.

"We can do this without you, you know," Flynn says, as calmly as he can in the face of this nascent mutiny. He wishes he were as confident as he sounds that they can do it without them.

"But not without me," Montenegro says slowly, somewhat sadly.

Flynn looks at her in surprise. "Et tu, Brute?"

"Come on, Flynn," she says, beseeching. "When did we ever have any loyalty to anyone? These people do. It's a good thing. Let's help them free their captain. Besides, he's a good man."