by Niranjan K
“Just tell him to have a plausible story,” Alexander said. “I may be over reacting too. After all, none of us know how this works.”
“You’re right,” she said, her eyes looking past him as she spoke, and a slight frown appeared on her face.
He turned his head to see Raul talking to an unfamiliar man in a dark suit.
“You know the man he’s talking to?” He asked, as he turned back to look at her.
What could have caused her such worry? Was the man an Investigator?
“He’s a reporter,” she said. “His name is George Savin.”
Alexander had heard the name, and had read a few of his articles, but he had never seen the man before. Isabel’s eyes moved away from Raul and met his. She gave him a half hearted smile that was almost apologetic.
“I’m sorry. It’s just... with the vetting coming up, I’m just too nervous about who he’s seen with, and reporters can be-” she paused, as if to think of an appropriate word.
“Nosy,” he supplied. “That’s what Niek would say.”
She smiled at that.
“Incredibly nosy,” she agreed. “Excuse me. I think I’ll go make sure he doesn’t say anything he shouldn’t.”
Alexander watched her leave, and he studied George Savin who was now approaching him. The man was of medium height, with dark hair, a square jaw, aquiline nose, and hazel eyes. He was broad-shouldered, with a straight posture and easy stride. Graceful, much like the prose of his articles. Alexander wondered what he was doing here. Savin was an investigative reporter, not a society columnist. A funeral was hardly the kind of thing he covered. Unless he knew Sergio, and how could he have known him unless... Alexander’s eyes fell on Raul and Isabel. Was it all a ploy, to get Savin to interrogate him?
“George Savin.” The man held out his hand, and Alexander took it. He had a firm grip, and he looked him directly in the eye.
Alexander smiled. “Alexander Selwood, but you know that already.”
Savin smiled back. “It doesn’t even require guesswork.”
“It’s unusual,” Alexander remarked, “to see you here today. Unless you’re not working.”
“Oh, I am working,” Savin laughed. “And my editor would have a fit if I didn’t get a quote out of you.”
“Since when did an investigative reporter start covering funerals?” Alexander asked, deciding to be direct.
“It’s a long story,” Savin grimaced.
I bet.
“Give me the short version. My people and I are already on edge, and I wouldn't like anything exacerbated by something you might print.”
“Well, it... it does make me look like a fool, but if you must know, I botched my last story. I chased a lead that was a dud, and ended up wasting two weeks of my time for nothing, unless you count the expenses, and my editor was mad. This here, today, is my penance, so to speak.”
It sounded convincing, but the man gave no details. Perhaps it was natural; after all what reporter would give details of a good story before it was printed? That didn’t make it any less suspicious, though. It was too convincing and too convenient a story.
“So?” Savin asked. “How about that quote?”
His gaze was shrewd and completely at odds with his casual tone. He was making an attempt to relax his posture, but there was still a tenseness to his frame. Alexander had seen reporters like this before. Savin was chasing a lead; he was after a story, not a quote.
Before Alexander could utter some platitude to deflect Savin, his attention was claimed by Ania.
“Mr. Selwood, if I can have a word, please?”
She was the Head of Tech Security in Selwood Corp, though she looked nothing like anyone’s idea of a department head or of tech security. Ania was petite, with long red hair, blue eyes, an oval face, delicate features and flawless skin. Her figure was slender, yet curvy. Alexander smiled at her with real warmth, welcoming her interruption with more than ordinary relief.
He nodded at her and turned to Savin. “My apologies. Why don’t you come over to the wake at my house later, and you can have your quote.”
He patted him on the shoulder and moved away with Ania. He ought to have been trying to get rid of Savin, but he knew the type. Some reporters were like bloodhounds. They had to be made to lose the scent early on, or they would never let go. George Savin needed to be confused and misdirected, not pushed away.
Ania led him to a corner of the cemetery, away from the rest of the crowd.
“We had a breach yesterday,” she said. “You were at the Defender Base, and I thought it wasn’t serious, but-” she shrugged.
Alexander stilled.
“A breach.” he stated.
It didn’t matter that she hadn’t informed him immediately. She was good at what she did, and he did give his people a lot of autonomy, but if she chose to come to him with it now, it only meant one thing.
“The State?”
She nodded. “I assume so. Only they would have had the capability to even breach our systems. It was too professional a job.”
“What did they access?”
Alexander was not nervous. There was nothing in the system that would affect him, but her answer threw him for a loop.
“Nolan’s personnel record.”
Alexander raised a hand to rub his forehead, and also to hide his eyes from Ania. He was certain that she would see his shock otherwise. Robyn had told him about the Elite’s interest in Nolan, and now they had breached his systems to gain access to his records. It troubled him, and though Nolan himself was unaware of why the Elite was so interested in him, Alexander had a fairly good idea.
“You’re certain of this?” he asked.
She looked offended. “I’m no amateur, either, Mr. Selwood. I am certain. They activated my trace.”
“And could you trace it back?” He demanded.
She shook her head. “It was pinged back, but I can get a general location with some tweaks. Only, it would take some time.”
“Get me that location.”
“I’m already on it,” she said. “I’ll have it by the time the wake starts, hopefully.” She paused and looked away. “Why are they interested in Nolan?”
Alexander followed her line of sight to Nolan who was sitting next to Kaya, trying awkwardly to comfort her. She was sobbing into his shirt now, and Nolan was patting her head gingerly. Alexander nearly smiled at the sight.
“Why are they interested in anything?” he responded. “Just keep me posted.”
“Are you going to tell him?” Her gaze returned to his face.
“Can you think of one good thing it’ll do other than to scare him out of his mind? If we knew what it was about, then perhaps, but we don’t know. This could just be a random check or something. Or maybe it isn’t even the State.” Amir’s face came to Alexander’s mind, though why anyone in the Resistance would want to breach his systems to check on Nolan was beyond him. “Perhaps it’s just someone else who’s equally good.”
Alexander could think of only one other person other than himself, Amir or the State who could have done this, but she was in the Stasis prison now.
“We’ll know when I get the location,” Ania said, her eyes meeting his. “If it is the State, you should tell him. Perhaps it’ll scare him, but he should know.”
“Get me the location. I’m not making any promises, but I’ll try and find out more, if it indeed is the State.”
Alexander was thoughtful as he walked to the company bus, barely acknowledging Savin, who had approached him again. If it was the State that had accessed Nolan’s records, he could make a good guess as to why. It meant he would need to contact Mason, but first he needed to get rid of Savin’s persistent presence. Once they were at the wake, Alexander could lose him, and go to Mason and warn him. Damn Mason! Why the hell couldn’t he have stayed on Hafi? But there was no use worrying about it any more.
Alexander debated contacting his informant, but felt he could expect no help from that
quarter, not on this. Their alliance was one of mutual convenience and shared goals, but there were some things they couldn’t ask of each other and this was one of them. No, Alexander had to take care of this on his own.
“Something wrong, Mr. Selwood?” Savin asked, honest curiosity in his tone, but his eyes were still keen.
“Just routine things,” Alexander smiled. “Companies come with a lot of headaches.”
Unlike Savin, Alexander could school his body, and his expression to match his tone. That was one of the things that had helped him survive and stay out of Thaxter’s grasp for almost 7 centuries.
Savin could be a real problem. Alexander had no idea what story Savin was chasing, but he had to do something fast. There was no time for elaborate plans. Right now, he had to go and warn Mason. Once he was back, he could do something about Savin. It didn’t hurt that Savin was easy on the eyes either. He might be able to distract him quite pleasurably.
Alexander smiled at Savin.
“So, Mr. Savin, you were asking for a quote.”
Twenty Six
John Patrick muted the volume of the media wall and yawned. Aria and Ash weren’t home yet, and he was feeling bored. There were some old movies on the media wall, but he was not in the mood for movies. Perhaps he should call his sons, but Dylan wouldn’t answer if he was working and Nolan was having that funeral and the wake afterwards.
“June, what’s the time?” He asked.
“1600, Mr. Patrick,” came the answer.
John yawned again. It had only been an hour since Ash and Aria had gone shopping, they weren’t likely to be back anytime soon. Perhaps he should have gone with them, but the last time he’d taken Ash shopping, she’d nearly bankrupted him. He could never deny her anything. Aria could keep her in check, but he never could, and Ash did need new clothes. She was growing out of her clothes as fast as they could buy them. John smiled as he thought of his daughter. His family was a miracle that he’d never hoped for or expected, or even wanted at one time.
The only thing he’d ever refused her was a pet. That was the only concession he’d made to his old self. A preparation to face the worst. If for some reason, they had to leave suddenly, they couldn’t take an animal with them. Besides, humans could be disguised, fingerprints changed. Animals were more distinctive.
“Mr. Selwood is here to see you,” June said. “He’s at the front door. Shall I let him in?”
John’s thoughts stopped and he frowned. What did Alexander want with him? Not that John didn’t like him. He owed the man a debt of gratitude for all the help he’d given him when he’d fallen in love with Aria and had wanted to marry her, and then subsequently when he’d given Nolan a job as his Assistant. Then why was it that he couldn’t help a feeling of foreboding when he heard the man’s name?
Alexander knew too much about him, and that was dangerous, not just for him, but for his family. John liked Alexander, but he was also wary. Of course, he knew enough about Alexander too, but John knew he would never use that knowledge against the other man. He owed him too much.
“I’ll get the door, June,” he said, as he ambled towards the front door, keying in the code into the panel to open it. June could probably do it faster, but it was one of the things that he liked doing. He was never too comfortable around technology, despite being surrounded by it 28X7, and keying in an access code to let someone into the house was his small concession to himself. Besides, June belonged to Selwood Corp which was convenient since that meant he could enjoy everything the Sentient provided without any of the catches that came with it, like the 28 hour surveillance by the State.
“Alexander,” he greeted as he opened the door. “What brings you here?”
Alexander looked the same, except his hair was much shorter, and he was clean shaven. They hadn’t met in person since Alexander had found this house for John. At first glance, the clean shaven man looked like a stranger. It was as effective a disguise as any, John thought, as he fingered his own beard and moustache. They did a decent job of disguising him, as long as he hid the scar on his left cheek. It was too high for any facial hair to cover.
“Mason,” Alexander said, as he entered the house.
“John, please,” John waved Alexander to a chair. “I haven’t been Mason for 30 years. Besides, I call you Alexander,”
“Instead of Gerald, you mean?” Alexander smiled. “But I’ve been Alexander for a significantly longer period.” He paused. “I didn’t come here to discuss names.” The green eyes were sharp suddenly. “The Elite are on to you.”
John was still smiling when Alexander spoke, and it seemed as if his facial muscles had seized up. He was aware of a feeling of numbness, his knees buckled, and he sat down on the nearest surface, which was the small side table they’d got when Nolan and Dylan were learning to walk and they needed something sturdy, yet soft, so that it wouldn’t fall when the kids bumped into it and wouldn’t hurt them either. His body knocked off the framed photograph of all of them together taken on Ashley’s birthday. Aria had got it framed only the day before. She’d probably be supset.
He was aware of Alexander’s voice coming from a great distance, and he wished the man would stop talking. A hand was on his shoulder, and another under his chin, pushing it up, and he saw a pair of green eyes.
“Pull yourself together,” Alexander said, his voice too close now, and John drew a deep breath. Alexander released him, and took a step back. “June, bring some water for Mr. Patrick,”
John accepted the water, and drank it, though his hand was shaking so much that he spilled more than he drank. Alexander said nothing, didn’t even look at him.
“How?” he asked when he felt like he could speak without his voice shaking too much.
“Is that important?” Alexander asked impatiently.
John drew another deep breath.
“I need to know,” he said, his voice steadier and stronger.
Perhaps it would not do any good, but he still needed to know where he’d tripped up, been careless.
“Have you talked to Nolan recently?” Alexander asked instead of answering him.
“Yes, three days back, it was our family dinner night. He didn’t stay the night, though Aria wanted him to,” he stopped, aware that he was maundering and flushed.
“You’re lucky he didn’t,” Alexander said drily. “Or there would be no need-”
“Alexander,” he interrupted, sounding much more like his usual self, to his immense relief. “If you don’t tell me how they found me, I swear I’ll strangle you!”
“Sergio Martinez died in his sleep three days ago. The Sentient alerted the hospital and the Defenders, but he was already dead when they got there. You know what happens when a sudden and unexplained death occurs outside of a hospital.”
John sighed. He knew.
“How did he die?” he asked now.
“Heart attack is the conclusion, borne out by the doctor’s scan and Sergio’s medical records.”
“Still... you’re saying some random Defender recognised Nolan?”
“Valeria Chernova was there. She saw him.”
John pressed a hand to his eyes, “My God!”
“I’m sorry,” Alexander said quietly. “I... I never would have expected her to be there,”
It took a moment for John to process the words. “You killed him. Zhidium?”
He could have asked why, but he didn’t. It wasn’t worse than causing the death of all those children back in the twenty third century or all the things he did in Aeras later. At least Zhidium was painless. Not that he had any right to talk or judge. Hadn’t he done far worse things himself, as Mason?
It was after he was arrested in Aeras that Alexander—Gerald Lane, then—had bribed John to help him escape from the Elite’s custody. John wasn’t certain even now if he did the right thing. Lane had changed his name and had gone underground, but they had stayed in touch, albeit sporadically. That was how Alexander had come to know about Aria and had he
lped John build this new life and identity.
Alexander nodded, saying, “I overlooked Sergio’s past or I would have found a way to do it without involving my employees.”
“His past?”
“His DNA Scan revealed him to be Felipe Diaz. That’s what brought Chernova there.”
“Pablo Diaz’s son?” John asked. “I take it you didn’t know.”
Alexander shook his head. “He never told, and I never asked.”
“So, she recognised Nolan.”
“She must have. She asked the head of my HR about his family, and she refused to tell Chernova. Later in the day, there was a breach to the servers at Selwood Corp to access Nolan’s personnel records. The head of my Tech Security traced the locality from where the breach happened to the third block of Havan Plaza.”
“Where the Central Console is,” John said.
Alexander nodded again.
They were both silent for a while, and John was conscious of a feeling of anger towards Alexander, a desire to blame him for what had happened, but what good would that do? Easy enough to say Alexander should have tried to find Diaz’s real identity, that perhaps he never should have trusted the man, but none of that was going to do any good. It wasn’t even anyone’s fault, to be honest. It was just a combination of unfortunate circumstances.
“Mason,” Alexander said, and as John opened his mouth, he corrected himself. “John. Whatever. You need to hide. You need to go. You can’t stay here where they’ll find you.”
“I’m surprised they aren’t here, already,” John said, feeling calm. It wouldn’t do to panic now. He needed to be calm, to think, but all his thoughts seemed to revolve around the same things.
At least we don’t have a pet. What will I tell the children? How is Aria going to take this?
“Thaxter is off planet,” Alexander said. “He’s off galaxy in fact, trying to woo the Coalition.” He leaned forward, “This is your window of opportunity, John! Saito and Meier would not act without Thaxter’s say-so, and the rest won’t act unless Saito or Meier tell them to. This is your chance. Take your family and disappear!”
