“MARSCORP doesn’t want to see its innocent employees suffer,” Dennis said in an unbelievably smarmy tone, “but, as an individual not representing the interests of anyone else in any official capacity, I’m prepared to speak with you, Darren, if you’ll guarantee me safe passage. Let’s talk this out before more innocent people lose their lives.”
“You think I’m going to let you get close enough to drop me again, Dennis?”
“There are limits to what even I can do within a twenty-four-hour period, even without getting shot. Grant me safe passage. As a goodwill gesture, I’ll bring one of your captured soldiers. At the very least, it will buy you a few minutes to calibrate the Compression Matrix. Before you ask, it doesn’t take a mind reader to figure out why you’re holed up in there.”
I didn’t t
