"Context is important," Torquespiral said.
"Wait," Ixa said. "If this thing can't move without the control module, how did they abscond with the prototype?"
"They walked in there with fake authorization paperwork, loaded it onto a truck and drove off," Torquespiral said. "It was pure audacity."
"What about the control module?" I asked.
"Arclight assures us he'll have recovered it in no time," Torquespiral said.
"Arclight? Is that what he's been chasing Pax Carnifex around the city for? How big is this control module?"
"Shiva," Torquespiral said. "Provide us a life size mock up of the control module." The holograph table lit up and a roughly block shaped device appeared. It was about eighteen inches long, a foot or so tall, and four inches thick.
"That could fit in the case Pax Carnifex was carrying," I said.
"Accessing garage security footage for comparison," Shiva said. An image of Pax Carnifex appeared. Dimensions for the cars appeared and the image scaled up to life size. The superimposed control module fit neatly in his case.
"Wait - you have the security footage from the Leyden Regency garage?" I asked.
"You asked us to get it," Dad said.
"Oh, right. Does it show who set the plasma charge?"
"Searching..." The image blanked out and showed an empty parking spot. As the device was brought in and set up, it was obvious who had done it. He teleported away moments before the blast in a perfect match to the Morlocks' footage. Torquespiral's jaw dropped.
"We are screwed," Donny said.
"Looks like this is my case now," Dad said.
"But..." Torquespiral said. "He was a pillar of the community."
"Who was the engineer?" Donny asked.
"What?"
"The engineer who made the breakthrough. Who was it?"
"Walter Arroyo," Torquespiral said.
"Then I know exactly why," Donny said. "Shiva, back up the footage to before he teleported." The hologram rolled back to the image of Arclight standing over the bomb. "I can tell you why he did it, but I'd be breaking the rules." Donny looked at Dad.
"In this case, it might well be the lesser evil."
Donny motioned towards the hologram. "Meet Walter Arroyo, also known as Arclight."
"Isn't Arroyo blond?" I asked.
"It's called a wig," Donny said. "And I don't think Arclight is going to turn over the control module if he gets his hands on it." Torquespiral sighed. It was a long, drawn out sigh.
"You were the swing vote on Project Firegod, weren't you?" I asked.
"I thought Neutrino was against it because of his past with the Japanese. You know how the man holds a grudge. Miriam is against weapons in general. She's an actual pacifist. I was the deciding vote." Torquespiral shook his head. "Fighting crime was never the hard part of this life. Shiva, give Razordemon access to the files on Project Firegod, and call the other members of the board. We have to discuss Arclight."
"Understood," Shiva said.
"As of now, pending formal board vote on the matter, I'm provisionally declaring Arclight to be rogue," Torquespiral said. "Bring him in."
"Us?" I asked.
"You guys track Bussard, find out how he found out about Firegod," Dad said. "I'm going to run down Pax Carnifex. He'll bring Arclight to me."
"Shiva," I said. "Public records on Peter Bussard."
"Adjunct Envoy of the Republic of Sanalta to the United States. In the country on a diplomatic visa. Current residence is listed as the Sanalta Embassy in Washington DC. No record of a residence in New Port Arthur."
"We already knew most of that, but thanks anyway."
Part 25
It would be more surreal to deliver the news that a member of the Community had been declared rogue if we hadn't already had our suspicions. I think Xiv was the most sad about it. I wouldn't doubt it if it were the first time he'd actually faced the idea that heroes could go bad.
"Why aren't we going after him?" Jennifer asked.
"Because we're not the compliance officer," Ixa said. "Our focus is Bussard."
"What about the rest of the Elementals?" Pam asked. "And any Morlocks not in custody, like Serar?"
"Serar is still on our must recapture list as a multiple murderer," Ixa said. "The rest of the Elementals have not been declared rogue."
"Is this going to the press?" Jennifer asked.
"Just Arclight's fall from grace," Ixa said.
"So we've switched gears again?" Nick said. "We're running after a diplomat?"
"That diplomat is also a magic user," Ixa said. "He came to the meet yesterday buffed to the nines. Another meeting on his terms would be as much of an uphill battle as trying to take down Hypershadow. But step one is to find him."
"Pfft," Nora said. "Easy."
"Oh?"
"You told me to put a tracer on him in the confusion. He carried it back to the Barons."
"And you didn't mention that you'd succeeded before now because?" I asked.
"Morlocks and psycho dragon kind of distracted me."
"That's fine," Ixa said. "Tell me you have an address."
"That I do."
Nick laughed, then cried. He clutched his side and Jennifer went over to provide moral support. He gave her a pained smile. "I'm okay."
"Maybe things are starting to go our way," I said.
Donny groaned. "Don't tempt fate! The universe hates people who say things like that."
"So who's going?" Nora asked.
"Slow down," Ixa said.
"You just told her to do the one thing she's incapable of," Donny said. The girls ignored him.
"We need to scout the location, see what's up. Figure out what sort of guards and wards are in place. Then come up with a plan," Ixa said.
"As a neighborhood, the Barons is mostly old money," I said. "Service professionals and delivery people are pretty much invisible."
"Shut up and stop telling us what we already know," Nora said.
"I know the area," Ixa said. "I would take Jennifer along, but the Edgars family is too well known as a part of the Community, and she's give away the mission."
"Part of me wants to be angry," Jennifer said.
"Pam and Xiv are too conspicuous," Ixa said. She turned to look at me. "You'd still attract too much attention." She pointed at Nora and Donny. "You two are with me. Get into civilian clothes."
"No can do," Nora said, "I have work. It is Monday."
"Then why are you here?"
"It only takes me a few minutes to run in and get changed."
"Right. Call Cupric and tell him to meet us at forty first and M. Dressed nicely," Ixa said.
"And the rest of us?" I asked.
"Well, you don't have a babysitter since Jennifer is looking after Nick, so the board would be upset if you ran around."
I frowned. Ixa gave me a peck on the cheek.
"Go over potential trainees with the other members," She said.
Nora's phone beeped. "I have to run," she said, rushing over to the blast door and tapping her foot as she waited for it to open. I collected the relevant files from my office and dropped them on the table as Donny was rushing out the door after Ixa. Xiv sat down next to me.
"What's there to discuss?" Nick asked, "Half the voting members just left."
"I, for one, want to know why he put Birdstrike up as a candidate," Pam said.
"Really?" I asked. "The whole Junior Redemptioner program doesn't ring a bell?"
"Twerps wouldn't stop hitting on me," Pam said.
"All of them?" Nick asked.
"No, just this one."
"That's not a plural," Nick said.
Xiv tapped my
shoulder. "What is it?" I asked.
"I'm confused about something," Xiv said.
"All right, what are you confused about?"
"Victor's my brother, isn't he? Shouldn't I feel something about him being captured?"
"No matter what he calls you, if it doesn't feel like he's your brother, he's not."
"I sort of didn't feel anything one way or another, and I started to wonder if that made me a bad person for not caring."
"You're not a bad person. The connection with a brother is not a matter of strict genetics. I don't think you should be worried if you don't regard Victor to be your brother. You don't have an awful lot in common."
"I- I have to think about it," Xiv said.
"You know what doesn't add up," Nick said. "Fabian Baker."
"Are you going to insult his music again?" Jennifer asked.
"I'm not talking lyrically," Nick said. "Did I hear wrong when he said the death threats weren't signed by the Morlock Society before the crash?"
"I don't remember," I said.
"Didn't you remember a room number from a year ago?" Xiv asked.
"Yes, but not every detail sticks like that."
"Suppose you're correct," Jennifer said. "What bug you about it?"
"Assume that the Morlocks are sending the threats. The day of the crash they fail to take out their intended target and almost a whole cell gets bagged at 722 Walker. They're not exactly boogiemen when their failures are in the news. Changing from unsigned to signed isn't going to gain them anything."
"Okay, I think I see where this is going," Jennifer said.
"But if it was someone else sending the threats, diverting the investigation to waste time looking at Morlocks makes perfect sense."
"That doesn't narrow it down much," I said.
"It doesn't have to," Nick said. "The suspect list is still only people who could get at Fabian's car to sabotage the brakes and the driver's seat belt."
"Since the brakes didn't fail until they were going down Avenue G," Pam said, "It was probably a small hole in the brake line. They could have gotten away with outright severing the e-brake."
"Wait - what was done to the seatbelt?" Jennifer asked.
"The latch was shaved so that it would click in place, but a hard tug would release it," Nick said. "According to the police anyway."
"That takes a bit of time," Jennifer said. "It would almost take unquestioned access to the car."
"So who in his inner circle wants Fabian Baker dead?" I asked.
"Why are we assuming they missed their target?" Pam asked. "You have a rich and famous guy set to marry a nobody girl. That's going to arouse jealousy. Does he not allow anyone else to drive that car? Did you ever ask who was supposed to be driving that day and why it wasn't him?"
"No," I said. "We screwed that up."
Nick winched as he reached into his pocket. After a moment of struggle, he pulled out his wallet. "Can you find a business card for Amy Brown in there?" Nick asked, handing the wallet to Jennifer.
"Who's she?" Jennifer asked, flipping through the cards in his wallet.
"Baker's publicist."
"Found it," Jennifer said, pulling out a plain white business card. "What's this handwritten on the back?"
"I promised I wouldn't give that number out," Nick said, taking the card. "It's Baker's cell number."
"How'd you get it?" Jennifer asked, trying to take the card back.
"By promising not to give it to any fans," Nick said. "If I give it to you, he's going to cancel the invite for you to meet him socially, and change his number."
"That's just cruel," Jennifer said.
"That still doesn't explain why he gave it to you," I said.
"On one hand, he was drunk," Nick said. "On the other, he appreciated being treated like a normal person for a change."
Jennifer crossed her arms and glared at Nick.
"In the long run," Nick said. "You'll probably see more of him if I don't let you have this number."
"I know," Jennifer said. "But I'm still going to be mad at you right now."
Nick handed the card across the table to me. "Ask him the questions we forgot to." I shrugged and dialed the number.
"Hello?" A very groggy voice said. "Is this a telemarketer?"
"No, it's Travis Colfax."
"Who? Wait, that name sounds familiar," Fabian said, still not fully coherently.
"Eyepatch, we talked about Morlocks."
"Oh, right. What time is it?" Fabian asked. "Seven in the morning? Why are you calling at this ungodly hour."
"Because I forgot you were in a different time zone."
"It's daytime where you are, isn't it?"
"Yes," I said, leaving out the part where I regarded seven as daytime as well.
"So, what are you calling about?"
"There was something that's been bugging us."
"Us who?"
"Nick and I."
"All right, shoot."
"Did the Morlocks ever sign their threats before the crash?"
"That's a very odd question." Fabian said. "Not that I know of. I don't think I ever heard of them before the crash."
"Okay. Just one other really silly question, then you can go back to sleep."
"Sure. What is it?"
"Did you normally let other people drive?"
"Naw, I never let anyone drive that car," Fabian said. "Cops asked the same thing. Not the Morlock question, the driving one. They also wanted to know what was different about that morning. Are you going to ask me that next?"
"Sorry if it sounds a little interrogatory," I said. Then I asked myself if that was even a word.
"You don't trust the cops."
"They're kind of busy with all the bombs," I said.
"Right. So are you playing private eye or something?"
"A girl died, someone has to find out why."
"Okay," Fabian said. "That morning, I was puking my guts out. Amy sent the girls off to go shopping and handed Vanessa my keys. We never did figure out what made me sick. Something I ate, maybe."
"Amy would have known you didn't let people drive your car."
"She was distracted, they were debating calling an ambulance for me. Keeping her paycheck alive was probably at the foremost of her mind."
"Thank you," I said. "Sorry about waking you up."
"Hey it's not a problem, it was an honest mistake. In the time between when you guys visited and now, I've talked to exactly no one who isn't on my payroll or otherwise hanging around me for money. Hearing something other than greed is a nice change of pace. Even if it is at seven in the morning."
"Well, thanks again for answering my questions. I'll let you get back to sleep."
"Look, would you guys mind if I called every now and then just to say hi and have someone to talk to like a normal person?"
"That would be fine," I said.
"Cool," Fabian said, hanging up. I made sure my phone was off and put it away.
"I don't know if that was sad or pathetic," I said. I glanced over the odd looks I got, then filled them in on the answers I'd gotten.
"Does that sound to you guys like someone might have been trying to kill Vanessa and make it look like a botched attempt on Baker?" Pam asked.
"What?"
"There are a lot of really common things you can spike someone's food with to make them look like they had food poisoning," Pam said. "If it wasn't Miss Brown, then it was someone who knew that the first thing she'd do in a crisis would be to get the hangers-on out of the way. If they sabotaged the car overnight, or early that morning, then they deal with the fiance and everyone is looking the wrong way. Throw in the Morlock red herring and the chances of it comi
ng back to the right track get slim."
Gruefield 18 (Tarnished Sterling Omnibus) Page 88
