by R S Penney
“Indeed.”
Dusep approached the podium from the side of the room, dressed in a blue jacket over a white high-collared shirt. The man was handsome with a stern copper-skinned face and dark hair with flecks of gray.
He leaned forward, squinting at the crowd. “Some new faces,” he said with a nod of satisfaction. “I wish that circumstances were different, but my candidacy for the office of Prime Council is more necessary than ever.”
Behind him, a hologram descended from the ceiling, white flecks of light resolving into a news broadcast of uniformed police officers outside the white-walled gardens of Pelor University.
Dusep turned, gesturing to the hologram as though he were displaying some prized piece of art. “Look at this mayhem,” he said. “Shots fired on a college campus. And this the second time in as many months.”
Larani had hoped he wouldn't bring up the skirmish at the University of Denabria. Thankfully no one had been injured in Leo's attempt to kill Jack, but Isara had murdered several students before Jack and Melissa chased her off. Those events were still a tender scar for many residents of this city.
In a cruel twist of fate, Jack had been present for both of those attacks, and now he sat right here in front of Dusep. If the Councilor wanted to make a scene, he would have all the ammunition. Perhaps Larani should have told her attache to concentrate on finding Leo. Hindsight was always so much clearer.
“The Sons of Savard,” Dusep said. “A terrorist organization growing right under our noses. The Justice Keepers should have rooted them out before they had a chance to attack our cities.
“Murders by a woman who looks exactly like the supposedly dead Director Jena Morane,” he went on. “With identical biometrics. We once believed that a Nassai would prevent its owner from misusing the power of their Bond.”
Larani felt her symbiont's anger, and she understood its source. Nassai did not have owners; they were free, sapient creatures who chose to share their existence with a human being. But Dusep spoke with the voice of a demagogue.
Jack sat forward with his arms folded, his face flushed from a surge of anger. “The guy implicates Jena in this,” he whispered. “Dusep knows perfectly well that Isara is an entirely different person, but he pulls this shit anyway.”
Larani narrowed her eyes as she studied the councilor. “Maybe he knows that,” she murmured with a nod. “But if he distrusts us, there's absolutely no reason why he would take our word on anything.”
“The time has come for decisive action!” Dusep intoned. “It's clear to me that the Justice Keepers need greater oversight. And I will tell you this now: if my opponent wins this election, you won't see any such regulation. Sarona Vason will provide you with the same ineffective security measures that resulted in the destruction of Vertical Farm 17, that allowed a fallen Justice Keeper to commit not one but two massacres in this city.
“The Justice Keepers had Jena Morane in custody, and she escaped. She escaped with the help of other Justice Keepers!”
The man was leaning over the lectern with a great big smile on his face, almost as if he could feel the audience eating up his every word. “Think about it, my friends,” he said. “Just take a moment and think about it. The Keepers have admitted their ineptitude. Right now, Jensen Noralis is set to stand trial for his crimes. Well, I wonder if we can really call this ineptitude. Has it occurred to you that we never had these kinds of problems before? Our criminal justice system had its shortcomings, but we never allowed a murderer who possessed a Nassai to escape custody. These missteps seem to be a hallmark of Larani Tal's term as a chief of the Justice Keepers, and one must wonder if perhaps Director Tal intended to allow Jena Morane to slip through her grasp. Do you have anything to say for yourself, Director Tal?”
Dozens of heads turned to look at her, some with suspicious expressions, others with simple confusion. The Bleakness take that man. She knew what his game was. If he made her a pariah, not only would it undermine the Keepers as an organization, it would be that much harder for her to attend these conferences.
Larani stood up with some reluctance, then closed her eyes and bowed her head to the councilor. “I'm quite sure they would rather hear you speak, Mr. Dusep,” she said. “I would be happy to answer questions at another time.”
Dusep's mouth puckered thoughtfully, but he exhaled and looked down at his notes. “As you wish, Director,” he said. “But I would advise all of you to really consider where you put your trust.”
Chapter 12
A ceiling of clouds stretched over the lapping waves of the ocean, all the way to the distant horizon. Gulls swooped low over boats operated by people who had decided they wanted a day out on the water. After six months here, it still seemed like such a weekend activity to Jack, but there were no weekends on Leyria. People had free days and flexible work schedules, but on any given day of the week, some people were in the office – so to speak – while others spent time with their families.
This narrow street that ran parallel to the shore was lined with buildings on one side that stood two or three stories high. On the other side, a grassy slope led down to a stone wall that overlooked the beach.
He saw Anna waiting there.
Dressed in blue jeans and a simple white t-shirt, she stood with her back turned, her hands spread out on the wall. Amazing how she could be so beautiful in the most casual clothes; just seeing her made his heart swell.
Jack stood at the top of the hill in jeans and a black t-shirt, the wind whipping at his hair. You're nuts, Hunter, he thought, shaking his head. Mooning over her like some dumb high school boy.
He started down the hill.
Anna turned around as he drew near, leaning against the wall with hands folded on her stomach and smiling up at him. “You made it,” she said. “I was worried Larani might keep you busy after this morning.”
“It was a rough morning.”
“Yeah, no doubt.”
He approached the wall, folding his arms on top of it and leaning over to peer down at the beach. “You heard about what happened?” he asked softly. “Leo attacked me when I went to see Gabi.”
Beside him, Anna turned to look out on the ocean, her face stiffening at his words. “Yeah, I heard,” she answered. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”
“I'm okay.”
She surprised him by putting a hand on his back and gently patting him, the gesture so very tender. “Good,” Anna whispered. “Because you know I'd really have to kick his ass if he hurt you.”
“Don't you have to do that anyway?”
“Oh, shut up!”
Jack squinted into the distance, the breeze hurling cool water droplets against him. “Well, I survived it,” he said, nodding once. “So, the question becomes 'what's our next step going to be?' ”
Anna stood beside him with her arms crossed, a snort of soft laughter escaping her. “Oh, come on, Jack,” she teased. “We don't have to talk about that now.”
“We don't?”
“No. I asked you here so we could get some lunch and unwind a little before going back to the grind. It's break time now.”
Chewing on his lower lip, Jack looked up at the heavens and blinked a few times. “All right,” he began cautiously. “What did you want to talk about?”
A brief silence made him wonder if this might be a more serious conversation than he had anticipated, and Anna's thoughtful expression told him that his hunch was pretty much spot on. She waited for a little while before responding.
Then, without any warning, she swatted his upper arm with the back of her hand. “So, what's with you and Cassi?”
He grinned, a flush scorching his cheeks, and felt his head loll from the weight of his chagrin. “You found out about that, did you?” he asked. “She's been…Well, it started out as casual sex, but I think she's developed feelings.”
“Oooh…Rough.”
Jack spun around to sit on the wall with hands gripping its edge, hunching over and forcing out a sigh.
“Yeah,” he whispered. “I feel like it's my fault. Gabi and I talked about this yesterday, and she tried to change my mind.”
Anna was smiling, her face red as she shook her head in wry amusement. “But she forgot the awe-inspiring power of Jack Hunter's guilt complex.” It was said with a mix of fondness and exasperation. “Why would it be your fault?”
“Because I knew I didn't love Cassi when I slept with her.”
“Did you lead her to believe you did?”
Squeezing his eyes shut, Jack breathed deeply through his nose. “Not on purpose,” he said. “In fact, she knew that I was still…That my feelings for someone else were still quite strong.”
“Oh really?”
“Shut up!”
“Still quite strong, huh?”
Nope, nope, and a whole lot more nope. He wasn't going to let her bait him into a bold declaration of his feelings! Na-uh! The last time he tried that, it made her avoid him for six months and nearly shattered their friendship. If she wanted to explore whatever there was between them, she could make the first move. Luckily, Anna spared him from having to come up with a reply. “It's not your fault, Jack,” she said. “You made it clear that you were in love with…someone else. Cassi understood that when she pursued a relationship with you.”
Jack shut his eyes, pausing for a second to think it over, then nodded his agreement. “I know,” he said. “I know that I didn't make her do anything; I know that I told the truth. I just hate seeing anyone get hurt.”
Anna was hunching with her elbows on top of the wall, her chin in her hands as she gazed out on the ocean. “I know how you feel,” she murmured. “Sometimes it seems like everyone who gets close to me gets hurt.”
“I don't think that's true?”
With a sigh, Anna let her head sink, the wind teasing the strands of hair that framed her face. “Bradley and you…” she muttered. “I hooked up with a few people this last little while because it just seemed easier than the mess of human emotions that seems to come standard with every relationship.”
“Oh yeah? How did that go?”
She looked over her shoulder to study him through narrowed eyes as if she hadn't quite expected that response. “It was all right,” she answered frankly. “There was a nice guy I met in a bar a couple months ago. And then my sister's Lenshar.”
“Lenshar?”
“Think of it as the Leyrian equivalent of a maid of honour.”
“Hot.”
Anna glanced in his direction, her big blue eyes all but popping out of their sockets. She gave her head a shake. “Uh huh…” she said. “You only say that because you like the idea of two women having sex.”
“Not at all!”
“No?”
He was biting his lip again, unable to ignore the warmth that must have painted his face a deep shade of crimson. “To be honest with you,” Jack began, “I'm just as turned on by the thought of you hooking up with some guy you met in a bar.”
And he was, he realized. Everything he thought he knew about romance told him that he should be feeling jealous, but there was none of that. He liked the fact that Anna made no apologies for pursuing what she wanted.
From the corner of his eye, he saw Anna watching him, and the expression on her face was unreadable. “You never told me about this side of yourself,” she mumbled. “I always thought you'd find my sexual history a little intimidating.”
“You never gave me occasion to tell you.”
They sat in silence for a little while, both chewing on what they had learned until finally Anna cleared her throat and said, “So…Wanna get some lunch?”
“I would love to.”
Rain pattered against the window in Larani's office when Ben walked through the door unannounced and found her sitting behind her desk scowling as she read through the contents of her computer monitor.
Larani glanced at him and blinked. “Tanaben,” she said, getting out of her chair. “I must admit that I did not expect to see you walk through that door again. What can I do for you?”
Ben crossed his arms, his head drooping as he paced across the room. “I learned last night that our friend Leo is loose again,” he explained. “Which means that anyone who had a hand in capturing him is in danger.”
Leaning over to brace her hands on the desk, Larani shook her head. “That's true,” she said with obvious fatigue in her voice. “Does this mean you'd like to be a part of the team hunting him?”
Ben narrowed his eyes, pausing for a moment to phrase his demand. This had to be perfect. “No, I didn't come here to join your little squad. We both know that you wouldn't want my help anyway.”
“Then why.”
Behind Larani, rain fell against the window in sheets and a brief flash of lightning gave him a clear view of the city skyline. Thunder rumbled ominously. Perfect weather for such a dreary day. He knew damn well that he had almost no chance of getting what he wanted, but damn it, Larani and her people had gotten him into this mess. The least they could do was give him the means to get himself out.
Turning himself in was supposed to have made his life easier. But every time he started to feel as if things were starting to calm down, some part of his life in LIS came back to haunt him.
Turning his head, Ben blinked at the wall. “Last year, you let me use Vetrid Col's armour,” he said. “I figure if you can't do your damn jobs and keep one prisoner behind bars, you could at least give me the means to defend myself.”
“You want Col's armour?”
“Among other things.”
In the corner of his eye, he saw Larani behind the desk with arms folded, her face as stormy as anything the thundering sky had to offer. “You expect me to just give you military grade hardware,” she said flatly. “And what exactly are you going to do with it, Tanaben? Wear it in the middle of a busy city street? I'm sure you'll feel quite safe when the children run from you in terror.”
He made his way to the couch along the wall, then sat down with hands in his lap, breathing deeply. “You're right,” he said. “I don't really want the armour. I was just using it as an example.”
“An example of what?”
“Of your willingness to bend the rules when it suits you,” he said. “When I turned myself in, they confiscated my modified multi-tool. I want it back. That might give me a fighting chance when Leo comes for me.”
No doubt Larani was wondering why he didn't just make a new one, but hacking a multi-tool's firmware was tricky business. He simply didn't have the time to make sure it was done properly.
Gaping at him, Larani blinked and then shook her head. “Are you bloody insane?” she stammered. “You really think that barging into my office and spewing these asinine demands will get you anywhere?”
“I want the means to defend myself-”
“The means to defend yourself would be to work with your friends, to help us find and capture this man before he does any more harm! Or have you completely turned your back on the people who care about you?” Her words sucked all the air out of the room. Ben couldn't think of anything to say. “If I had your multi-tool, Ben, I would give it back to you, but I don't. The Judicator's Office confiscated it after your trial.”
“You can get it.”
“Really?”
Larani sat on the edge of her desk with hands clasped in her lap, her eyes fixed on the floor. “And have you thought this through?” she asked with a shrug. “Tell me, what do you think the Judicator will say when I ask for your multi-tool?”
“I don't know,” Ben said. “But I'm sure you can do something.”
“No, you don't know,” Larani insisted. “Because you only think about rules when you're finding a way to break them…Get out of my office, Tanaben. I have actual work to do.”
Hobbling through the door to a conference room with a cane supporting his weight, Harry gritted his teeth and shook his head. “Never get shot,” he muttered. “You will be on your ass for months.”
On the other side
of the long, narrow conference table, Director Jon Andalon stood with his back turned, facing a window where raindrops attacked the glass and lightning lit up the sky. “You wanted to see me, Mr. Carlson?”
Harry chose the nearest chair.
He sat down with a wheeze of pain and practically folded himself in half, the ache in his chest flaring up. “I've been doing some thinking,” he said. “And I believe I have a way to capture Leo.”
The other man turned his head so Harry saw him in profile, arching one eyebrow. “Do tell,” he said. “Though I can't help but wonder why you wouldn't want to have this discussion with the rest of the team.”
He explained his plan as best he could, though it was clear that Andalon didn't like it one bit. Well, let him dislike it, and even injured as he was, Harry was still an asset to the team. He had been there in Ottawa; he had tracked this perp before. He knew a thing or two about how Leo thought.
If the others couldn't see that, well…Harry was not the sort of man to just sit by the wayside and let other people fight his battles for him. He was only forty-two, god damn it! There was still a lot of life left inside him.
By the time he was finished, it was clear that Director Andalon wasn't convinced of the plan's viability. The man offered protest after protest, counterpoint after counterpoint, insisting that this kind of Hail Mary would never work. Well, let him object.
If the Keepers weren't willing to help, Harry would just have to do it himself.
Harry frowned, then looked down at the floor. “There you have it,” he said. “That's the plan.”
Director Andalon stood on the other side of the table with arms crossed, his mouth a thin line as he shook his head. “What you propose is exceedingly dangerous,” he said. “I wouldn't be comfortable with it.”
Closing his eyes, Harry breathed in through his nose and then slowly exhaled. “Sir, I don't see any other option,” he began. “Leo is going to come after me, regardless; he's done it before.”
“You are in no condition to deal with him.”
Harry's face was on fire, but he was forced to nod his agreement with that particular objection. “Unfortunately, the universe refuses to put obstacles in our path only when it is most convenient for us.”
