Shadow Puppets (Ender, Book 7) (Shadow Saga)

noticed that he was a psychopath and locked him up.
    Achilles was a prisoner in China. The message contained in Suriyawong's envelope undoubtedly told him the identity of the prisoner that they were supposed to rescue from Chinese custody. That information could not have been communicated before the mission departed, because Bean would not have allowed the mission to go forward if he had known it would lead to Achilles's release.
    Bean turned to Peter. "You're as stupid as the German politicians who conspired to bring Hitler to power, thinking they could use him."
    "I knew you'd be upset," said Peter calmly.
    "Unless the new orders you gave Suriyawong were to kill the prisoner after all."
    "You realize that you're way too predictable when it comes to this guy. Just mentioning his name sets you off. It's your Achilles heel. Pardon the jest."
    Bean ignored him. Instead he reached out and took Petra's hand. "If you already knew what he was doing, why did you come with him?"
    "Because I wouldn't be safe in Brazil anymore," said Petra, "and so I'd rather be with you."
    "Both of us together only gives Achilles twice the motivation," said Bean.
    "But you're the one who survives no matter what Achilles throws at you," said Petra. "That's where I want to be."
    Bean shook his head. "People close to me die."
    "On the contrary," said Petra. "People only die when they aren't with you."
    Well, that was true enough, but irrelevant. In the long run, Poke and Sister Carlotta both died because of Bean. Because they made the mistake of loving him and being loyal to him.
    "I'm not leaving your side," said Petra.
    "Ever?" asked Bean.
    Before she could answer, Peter interrupted. "All this is very touching, but we need to go over what we're doing with Achilles after we get him back."
    Petra looked at him as if he were an annoying child. "You really are dim," she said.
    "I know he's dangerous," said Peter. "That's why we have to be very careful how we handle this."
    "Listen to him," said Petra. "Saying 'we.'"
    "There's no 'we,'" said Bean. "Good luck." Still holding Petra's hand, Bean started for the forest. Petra had only a moment to wave cheerily at Peter and then she was beside Bean, jogging toward the trees.
    "You're going to quit?" shouted Peter after them. "Just like that? When we're finally close to being able to get things moving our way?"
    They didn't stop to argue.
    Later, on the private plane Bean chartered to get them from Mindanao to Celebes, Petra mocked Peter's words. "'When we're finally close to being able to get things moving our way?'"
    Bean laughed.
    "When was it ever our way?" she went on, not laughing now. "It's all about increasing Peter's influence, boosting his power and prestige. Our way."
    "I don't want him dead," said Bean.
    "Who, Achilles?"
    "No!" said Bean. "Him I want dead. It's Peter we have to keep alive. He's the only balance."
    "He's lost his balance now," said Petra. "How long before Achilles arranges to have him killed?"
    "What worries me is, how long before Achilles penetrates and coopts his entire network?"
    "Maybe we're assigning Achilles supernatural powers," said Petra. "He isn't a god. Not even a hero. Just a sick kid."
    "No," said Bean. "I'm a sick kid. He's the devil."
    "Well, so," said Petra, "maybe the devil's a sick kid."
    "So you're saying we should still try to help Peter."
    "I'm saying that if Peter lives through his little brush with Achilles, he might be more prone to listen to us."
    "Not likely," said Bean. "Because if he survives, he'll think it proves he's smarter than we are, so he'll be even less likely to hear us."
    "Yeah," said Petra. "It's not like he's going to learn anything."
    "First thing we need to do," said Bean, "is split up."
    "No," said Petra.
    "I've done this before, Petra. Going into hiding. Keeping from getting caught."
    "And if we're together we're too identifiable, la la la," she said.
    "Saying 'la la la' doesn't mean it isn't true."
    "But I don't care," said Petra. "That's the part you're leaving out of your calculations."
    "And I do care," said Bean, "which is the part you're leaving out of yours."
    "Let me put it this way," said Petra. "If we separate, and Achilles finds me and kills me first, then you'll just have one more female you love deeply who is dead because you didn't protect her."
    "You fight dirty."
    "I fight like a girl."
    "And if you stay with me, we'll probably end up dying together."
    "No we won't," said Petra.
    "I'm not immortal, as you well