“But why do that?” you ask.
“To cover your trail. If you kill someone in Rio, making it look like one of the drug gangs was involved is a pretty smart move,” Bertram says.
You sip your drink, letting that sink in.
“Well, if the fiance’s trying to make it look like a drug deal gone bad, hiding until the case is closed, he’s doing a decent job,” Agent Bertram says. “I’m not any closer to catching Senhor Lucio de Ocampo. There are traces of the guy in the city—he’s got an empty apartment—but the real surprise is this visitor who was casing the place.”
“How’s that?”
“Guy looked like he was former military, maybe Spec-Ops. Dunno, he ditched as soon as I made him. Still, keep an eye out. If he’s a mercenary, we might be in trouble. And if he was hired by our guy, that means I’m close.”
“Could this mercenary be the killer?” you ask.
“Anything’s possible,” Danly says. “But if there’s a pro involved, it’s most likely a clean-up team. The original crime scene looked anything but professional.”
“Unless it’s a real pro, who wanted it to look rushed,” you say.
“Could be,” Danly replies without umbrage.
Agent Bertram thumbs through the dossier he brought with him, sips his drink, then continues. “The background check came through about an hour ago. Viktor Lucio de Ocampo. No criminal record, no history of violence. He got his undergrad at the University of São Paulo, then went on to do his doctoral work at Harvard and MIT, earning top marks at each school, before he took an internship at Human Infinite Technologies in the States. Later worked for some German engineering startups, no doubt earning himself some spending money, which he then augmented with clean energy grants. He’s been working independently for the last few years and he was set to be the keynote speaker at the Energy Summit, evidently with plans to share some kind of breakthrough, but he was recently blacklisted.”
“Why?” you ask.
“That’s my next move. Time to see if he might have some enemies, or at least if there’s someone running this conference who can tell us more.”
“I’m going into the favelas,” Danly says suddenly.
Bertram nearly spits out his drink. “What? Why?”
“I’m fine with you looking into the fiancé angle, but I need to look into the drug angle. I think she was a warning sign for somebody, and I aim to find out who.”
“I’m fine with you looking into that.”
“Guys… keep it civil,” you say.
“That means the Rookie stays with you,” Danly adds. “The slums are no place for a civilian.”
“I don’t know, what if this Spec-Ops ’merc turns out to be a threat?”
Okay, you’re being doubted. Time to prove you’re more than just luggage. Or at least explain that you’re willing to prove it, should the need arise.
“I’m here to ID the guy,” you say. “You didn’t think I knew there’d be danger when I signed on to help you catch a murderer?”
They both stare at you.
• “This drug angle seems the most plausible. Didn’t the RSO say she failed a drug test? Agent Danly, I’m going with you.”
• “The fiancé is some kind of scientist and the guy I saw was slim, wore glasses. Maybe they’re connected? I’d like to stick with you, Agent Bertram.”
MAKE YOUR CHOICE
Cold-blooded
Just before the man makes it away, the revolver erupts into a deafening roar, shaking the bones in your hand with the recoil. The man drops dead on site. Spinal shot. Smoke rises from the muzzle and blood pools around the man’s still body.
A man shouts at you in Portuguese from behind.
• Turn and shoot!
• Drop the gun; you’ve been bested.
MAKE YOUR CHOICE
Colonel Mays
The entire room empties back into the waiting area: Paul, the assistant, Agent Danly, Agent Howard and his two partners, and finally, the Ambassador himself. The man looks exactly like his picture from the Rio consulate, right down to the sharp suit and power tie.
With a practiced smile and a tone that makes you feel like some sort of visiting dignitary, he says, “Well, this must be our Cooperating Witness—your nation thanks you for all your help on this case. I’m sure Howard here will want to pick your brain later.”
You shake hands and the Ambassador says, “Paul, do we have room on the plane for these two?”
“Six open seats, Colonel.”
“Perfect. Come on, we leave for Rio in an hour. The Energy Summit starts tonight, and I don’t want to be late.”
Danly shakes his head. “It’s fine, sir. We can drive.”
“Why the hell would you do that?” the Ambassador asks. “I’m not just being polite, we’ll need you for added security. Let’s go!”
“Yes, sir,” Danly says.
* * *
The duration of the flight is just shy of two hours. Most of the time, Agent Danly stares out the window while the Ambassador and Howard swap Army stories. Paul, the assistant, manages paperwork while the two other agents nap. After you land and deplane, the Ambassador excuses himself and gets into a private car.
Once he’s gone, Agent Howard says, “Okay, see you two around. Enjoy the sites in Rio. Carnaval starts tonight; try not to get into too much trouble. And watch the news the next few days—you should see us wrap up this case in no time.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll drop my notes off right now,” Danly says. “Come on, Rookie.”
With a burst of laughter, the three men parrot “Rookie” and slap one another on the back. Danly just walks away.
Once out of earshot of the others, Danly says, “I need to spend a few hours at the consulate. Can you take a taxi back to the hotel? Take a shower, maybe a nap—I’ll check on Bertram and ring your room when I get back.”
“Sure thing,” you reply.
• Back to Rio…
MAKE YOUR CHOICE
Coming Clean
“The same thing everyone wants,” she says with a shrug. “The newest, best ideas. Technology has proven to be a worthy investment as production costs go down and efficiency goes up. We’re hoping to be blown away by some of the presenters and then entice them to join our team.”
“People like Viktor Lucio de Ocampo, the ex-keynote speaker?”
“Yes, we were looking forward to what he had to say. His new programs were set to push clean energy forward by at least a decade. Of course, BP wanted to be at the forefront. We have a generous slush fund prepared for those who ‘wow’ us at the Energy Summit.”
“Are you thinking of buying up their patents so you can sit on them? Let oil remain king?”
“The opposite, actually. We’ve just invested heavily in ethanol, so the next logical step would be to invest in its successor. The kind of topic the doctor was supposed to present on.”
• “What exactly was Viktor going to present on?”
• “Tell me more about BP’s ethanol developments.”
• “I’ve heard enough. Thank you for your time.”
MAKE YOUR CHOICE
Commander Shift
You watch as father and son continue loading the ship, preparing to cast off after the other crew members return. Neto notices your glance as he carries an open crate full of green, spiny fruit. After unloading, he takes one of the fruits and bids you to follow him.
Once you make it to the top deck of the ship, the boy holds the fruit up to you for inspection. “Graviola,” he says. “Sometimes we call it ‘Soursop’ in English. It’s good, you should try!”
Before you can respond, he pulls a knife seemingly from thin air and cuts the fruit lengthwise, offering half of it to you. The inside is white, but glistens yellow, slick with juice; black seeds dot the meat of the fruit.
Not wanting to be rude, you take it, watching as Neto scoops out the pulp, and then follow suit. It’s pleasantly sweet, though the juices run stickily over your ha
nds and mouth.
“I hope you like,” he says.
“Where did you learn English?”
“Ehh, there are many sailors who speak little. I know them and I speak them so I learn. One day I go to America!”
“Oh, yeah? What do you want to do over there?”
“I will be famous movie star—like Will Smith!”
You can’t help but smile. The ship’s engine roars to life, churning the river and sending you away from port. Suddenly, Bertram is beside you.
“All right, Hotshot. Wake me if there’s trouble. I’ll be in the mid-deck cabin they set aside, swaying in a hammock. Enjoy your riverboat tour!”
When he leaves, you look back at the boy, Neto, who’s more than ready to play tour guide for you.
“This is a pretty big river,” you say. “Have you ever been on the Amazon?”
“No, never. That is far north of here and does not connect to Rio Fingido.”
A monkey’s ululating howl comes from somewhere in the treetops and branches sway in reaction to movement that can’t be seen from beneath the thick canopy. A nesting family of egrets calls out as a fledgling egret loses its balance and falls into the river below. The bird is quick to come to the surface but, not yet able to fly, it squawks and flails its wings in a panicked swim.
The river suddenly explodes in a cacophony of fish and churning water so powerful that the bloody spindrift hits the boat. The egret doesn’t have a chance against the piranha feeding frenzy and you watch in awestruck terror as the bird disappears in only a matter of moments.
“Do not worry; the piranha don’t eat people. They can take a finger, but he is what you need to be careful for: Camen.”
You follow Neto’s outstretched finger toward the far bank, where a crocodilian animal at least ten feet long slips into the river and silently swims toward the commotion, which is over before it gets there.
“They eat people?” you ask.
“They drown people.”
“Noted,” you say.
“Sample any fruits you like,” Neto says, stepping away from the rail. “I must go see if father wants help.”
You look down at the newly placid water, knowing that a dangerous ecosystem lurks beneath, with offenders far worse than piranhas. A feeling of vertigo overcomes you and you quickly take a step away from the edge. Shaking it off, you look at the other crates.
The first crate to catch your eye has bananas, which were harvested bright and yellow—unlike in America where they ripen on the journey to the grocery store—which means the fruit should be exceptionally rich and sweet. Bonus: you could toss the peel overboard and watch it get attacked.
You opt for the banana, but when you go to pick one up, you’re in for a surprise. A large spider leaps out of the crate, barely missing your hand; its compact body is two inches long but its spindly brown legs extend to a full six inches.
The frightsome arachnid raises its forelimbs in a defensive display, boasting banded leg-stripes and large, ruddy fangs. Then, suddenly aggressive, the spider charges forward. You back away, trying to distance yourself from it, and slam against the back railing. The river is behind you; the spider keeps coming at you.
You shimmy against the rail, hoping desperately to reach the stairs, but the spider cuts you off. It’s almost as if the beastie is hunting you. Your brain muted by panicked adrenaline, you’re either about to scream, leap over the rail of the boat, or both, but just in time a knife slams into the spider, killing it instantly. Its legs curl around the blade.
“Did you get bite?” Neto asks.
You shake your head no, your sweat instantly turning cold.
“Good. This is armadeiras, called ‘wanderer,’” he says, sliding the knife against the boat’s edge and dropping the spider into the water below. “Most deadly in world. Bite from a big one, no more heartbeat, understand?”
You nod, still stunned at how close you came to death.
“Come, it is time to eat.”
Waiting for you in the kitchen is a large pot boiling over with the most wonderful smell. The chef ladles out generous helpings of some kind of stew and hands you a bowl when you enter. A picnic table with attached benches serves as the kitchen table.
“Feijoada,” Neto says. “Black bean, pork, and cow.”
You look down at the stew, which was poured over a bed of rice, and your mouth waters. It’s warm, rich, and flavorful, and the whole crew eats heartily without so much as saying a word. After the meal, Bertram bids you good night and you head off to bed for your one big chunk of sleep.
* * *
The next morning you wake up with the sun in a small, single-window room as hazy light filters through a linen curtain. You are floating in a hammock above cleaning supplies and crates. All in all, you had a pretty decent night’s sleep.
When you make it back out to the deck, you find a tired Agent Bertram sitting with his assault rifle cradled in his lap. The deck is wet, and beads of water stand atop anything that isn’t soaked through. You must have slept through quite a rainstorm.
“Good morning, Hotshot! Welcome back to the land of the living.”
“Did I miss anything?” you ask.
“Nah, the pirates never showed.”
“Pirates?”
“Yeah, river pirates are a big thing here. Didn’t want to worry you. How’d you sleep?”
“Just fine,” you say, knowing that that might not have been the case had you been thinking about pirates.
“Well, I’d like to do the same. Wake me when we’re pulling into port.”
With that, he disappears below decks.
• Wait out the arrival to port.
MAKE YOUR CHOICE
Company Man
“Oh?” he says. “I wasn’t aware of any inspections that are scheduled.”
“That’s what makes it a pop inspection. Anyway, the guys we have upstairs are doing most of the work—checking the books and what-have-you—I’m just zeroing in on one thing specifically.”
You smile, impressed with your own silver tongue.
His smile drops. “You have people upstairs?”
“Yes, undercover. It’s an internal affairs kind of thing.”
He blinks, dumbfounded.
You put a finger up to your lips. “Shhh. You’re not supposed to know.” Then, with a wink, you continue, speaking low like he’s your confidant. “So, what’s the progress on erasing Viktor Lucio de Ocampo from the program lineup?”
“What?” He’s still got that deer-in-the-headlights look.
“Have we successfully ended the doctor’s involvement?”
“I… the only thing I know about it is that he was removed by the Energy Summit. Are you saying it’s bigger than that?”
“Isn’t it?” you bluff.
“Wh—what?”
The man is terrified. Maybe it’s time to let him off the hook.
“That was just a test. Well done,” you say convincingly.
“So… we weren’t involved?”
“Were we?”
“No,” he says, shaking his head.
You give him a wink and a smile. “Please call my ride.”
• Go wait for Agent Bertram.
MAKE YOUR CHOICE
Computing
You walk around to the back of the assistant’s desk, where you find a three-hole punch, a candy bowl, and a picture of Paul with his parents. On the computer screen, there’s a desktop background picture of a formation of fighter jets screaming across a blue sky with a gigantic, translucent eagle superimposed in parallel to their trail. Minimized on the task bar is his Outlook email program, and another called “LOTUS Forms Viewer.”
Out of sheer curiosity, you click the LOTUS program and find none other than Jane Nightingale’s drug report open in edit mode. The contents aren’t very elucidating, but after poring over the form, you learn that she was given “counseling” after testing positive for cocaine use. She claimed it was a coca-leaf tea, which was deem
ed plausible for the level of the narcotic found in her urine. A subsequent test showed the drug to be nearly out of her system. Extra computer-based anti-drug courses were recommended.
Switching over to the email system, you see the Ambassador’s calendar, which includes the current meeting with the new investigation team. Next up, a phone meeting with “RP Resource,” then another phone conference with the Energy Summit Security committee. After that, it’s lunch, and then….
The door to the Ambassador’s office starts to open. You quickly minimize the programs, dig your hand into the candy bowl, and act like nothing ever happened.
• Time to meet The Colonel.
MAKE YOUR CHOICE
Conference Rooms
This hallway is short and ends in a T before splitting again. The sign shows “Salas de Conferências 1-14” to the left and “Salas de Conferências 15-28” to the right.
You quickly peer into the nearest conference room; a woman in a lab coat is setting up an overhead projector for a classroom of about 50 people—the stadium-style seats are currently empty.
In another conference room, a male professor is preparing his lecture hall. He sees you looking in and smiles in response. The third conference room you check is dark and empty.
This is where the Energy Summit presenters will show off their discoveries. After the opening ceremony, individual talks on specific aspects of energy consumption and/or preservation will be given, according to the program brochure and the week’s schedule.
But it’s not where you want to be, not now. You’ve got to hurry while all the attendees are still together.
• Don’t stop. Check out Banheiros.
MURDERED: Can YOU Solve the Mystery? (Click Your Poison Book 2) Page 5
