by Stina Leicht
She positioned herself next to the glass wall and half turned so that she could watch Gau without being too obvious about it. He hadn’t moved from the piano. The woman she’d spotted earlier was gone. A tall, willowy woman with pale skin and deep-red hair swept up into a chignon had taken her place.
Theodella Archady, Vice President of Serrao-Orlov Corporation. Angel recognized her from local news glimpsed on the vid screens at Monk’s.
Enid’s voice came over the tiny speaker hidden in Angel’s ear. “Nine. Eight. Seven—”
The floor shuddered from some sort of concussion. Angel’s battle reflexes kicked in. She dove under the piano—the only possible shelter from broken glass. Her CA automatically activated, adjusting her biochemistry. A loud explosion violently rattled the glass wall. People screamed. Many flinched. But very few moved from where they stood.
“What the fuck was that?” Angel whispered while she disentangled her skirt from her boots. On her hands and knees, her heart hammered at her breastbone. She didn’t want to think about what would’ve happened if the glass hadn’t held.
Ghostly text, figures, and lines appeared in her vision as her CA began inputting information.
Lou asked, What’s going on?
Strat-com ready.
Not now.
Standing by.
Her vision cleared. Her heart continued its sprint.
“Stay where you are, Captain,” Enid muttered.
A fire alarm went off. Thick smoke from the device in the bathroom below drifted into the hallway. Angel could just see it. She shifted her attention to Gau—or at least his legs and feet.
He spasmed three times in sync with three shots and fell in a nerveless heap. He landed face-first. Blood pumped out of the gaping wounds in his head and chest. She watched him convulse. He began to choke—never a pleasant sound. She attempted to keep an emotional distance by remembering his résumé of crimes—the one that Rosie had provided before she’d accepted the job. The smell of gore tasted like copper in the back of her mouth. Gau’s left arm lay a foot or so away.
Three more crisp pops brought her back to the present. Theodella Archady staggered against the piano.
Nearby, someone screamed. Angel blinked. She studied Gau for new wounds. That was when Theodella Archady collapsed on top of Gau. She lay on her back with her head on his shoulder. He’d stopped breathing. Theodella’s head rolled, and suddenly, Angel was gazing into her wide, confused blue eyes. Theodella’s mouth opened as she tried to form words. She blinked once, and then her face went slack. Her pupils dilated.
Angel asked, “Enid? Did you hit a second target?”
“Of course not. There’s a second shooter,” Enid said. “Business first. Do you have confirmation?”
The pool of fresh crimson spread wider around the two bodies. Avoiding the stain, Angel inched closer, laid a hand on Gau’s wrist, and felt for a pulse.
“Confirmation is given,” she said. Then she backed up, gathered up her skirt, and crawled from under the piano.
“You’re clear to leave, Captain,” Enid said.
Angel trusted Enid. However, everyone missed details from time to time, and Enid was one floor up.
Get me a location on the second shooter.
A few seconds passed as the strat-com processed available data.
Shots indicate the origin of fire to be the balcony. No further information available until visual acquired.
Great. “The second shooter is up there with you, Enid,” Angel said. “Be careful.”
“Thanks.”
Getting up on her knees, she peered over the edge of the piano and scanned the balcony. She saw no one. The guests had begun fleeing for the exits. There was no sorting through the panicked chaos.
“Enid, you have anything on the other sniper?” Angel asked.
Enid said, “They’re professional, whoever they are. A fucking ghost. Probably long gone.”
Angel stood up and dismissed the strat-com.
“I’m out,” Enid said. “See you in twenty.”
At that moment someone grabbed Angel’s arm, and a woman’s voice whispered in her right ear. “You need to get out of here.”
It was the strange woman.
“Who the hell are you?” Angel asked and yanked her arm free. “What do you want?”
Who are you talking to? Are you in trouble? It was Lou. I can call Enid back. She isn’t far.
“There’s no time for introductions,” the stranger said. “But I believe it would be better for us both if we leave together. It will garner less attention from security.”
“Are you sure about that?” Angel asked.
The woman tilted her head as if she was listening to something. “Yes.”
Curious, Angel shrugged. “All right.” I’m fine, she thought to Lou. See you at the rendezvous point. She followed the strange woman as she crossed the room to the smoky hallway.
Okay, Captain, Lou sent. Be careful.
The woman gestured at the smoke. There was something about her demeanor that made Angel uncomfortable. Her eyes were filled with an uncanny intelligence. “I assume this is your work?”
Angel gave a sideways nod to where Theodella Archady lay. “Was that yours?”
The woman’s gaze remained focused on the hallway. “I asked you first.”
“What makes you think it is?” Angel asked.
“You’ve been communicating with someone since you arrived. Several someones.” The woman pointed to her left ear. She was now wearing a black leather backpack that Angel hadn’t noticed before. It didn’t go with her tuxedo jacket, but then nothing about her outfit was congruent. “Also, I saw you check Gau. You weren’t doing it for his health. Why did you do it?”
“You planning on reporting me?”
She briefly paused before tilting her head to one side. “Gau was a murderer who worked with three different crime bosses and was selling them all out to Serrao-Orlov. I believe that makes him an asshole. Is that the correct term?”
“Oh. Ah, yes. It is,” Angel said. Her stomach clenched. That information wasn’t in the report Rosie had given her. Rosie isn’t obligated to give you all the background information on every target. You should’ve found that information yourself. Still, she couldn’t help feeling a little betrayed. Would knowing have made any difference? Would you have told Enid not to pull the trigger?
“You didn’t know,” the woman said. The statement was almost a question.
“Not that part. Given everything else he’s done, it doesn’t really matter, does it?”
“I suppose not. Whomever decided Gau should die isn’t my concern. I was merely curious,” the woman said. She stared into the smoke. “However, I do need to know that my planned exit is safe. Security will be checking everyone at the front door. I don’t believe they’ve thought to send anyone to the kitchen, yet. Of course, they haven’t discovered the bodies. Everything changes the moment they do.”
Having memorized the building’s floor plan, Angel knew the kitchen was the only other easy way out. And the kitchen was through the hallway. “It’s safe. The smoke is not from a fire.” She’d decided on a smoke bomb because the crowd would run away from the smoke, not toward it—leaving the exit open.
“Let’s go, then,” the woman said.
The two of them bolted down the hallway just as a fire crew pushed their way through the front door. Angel heard them shouting—ushering the last of the guests out of the building. A crash from below and a gout of foul black smoke burst up out of the stairwell, confirming that the firetrucks were, in fact, necessary. Angel’s eyes were stinging by the time they got to the end of the hallway.
“That fire isn’t mine, but you know that,” Angel said.
“This is true.”
Angel wiped away tears with the back of her hand and coughed. “I saw you taking to Gau earlier. One might suspect you were friends.”
The woman took a right turn to the kitchen. “No. He was an asshole. I asked
him why he was at the party if he was not friends with the host.”
“Is there anyone you do like?”
“Well, you’re not so bad,” the stranger said. “So far.”
“Who are you?”
The woman paused before entering the kitchen. She cast a measuring gaze around the room. Now that Angel was closer, she sensed a coldness in the woman’s demeanor that she hadn’t before. “Kennedy Liu. And you?”
“Angel de la Reza.”
“Nice to meet you.”
“Was Archady your kill?”
Kennedy shook her head. “I’m not in that line of business.”
“What business are you in?”
There was something not right about this woman.
“The business of getting out of here in one piece.”
Kennedy pushed open the kitchen door. Angel prepared herself for the obligatory screams of panic, but the staff had already evacuated. The back door hung open and sour night air wafted in. A quick series of lightning flashes strobed the humid night sky. A long peal of thunder followed. The wind was kicking up. Kennedy hesitated. Once again, she appeared to be listening to something.
“Why were you here?” Angel asked.
“I was invited to a party. It seemed like a good idea at the time.”
“All right, don’t tell me.” Angel went to the door.
Kennedy put out a hand. Her expression changed from surprise to concern. “I wouldn’t. Not yet.”
“Why not?”
“Someone is waiting out there. I’m guessing they aren’t friendly. They are armed.”
Angel tilted her head. “How do you know?”
A figure wearing a security uniform stepped in front of the doorway. Angel assumed a fighting stance, as did Kennedy.
Angel’s strat-com switched on again.
“Your new friend has very good hearing.” The formal tone was as unexpected as it was familiar. “I was as quiet as a mouse. Although, I should reconsider that metaphor. This isn’t Earth. It might contain implications I hadn’t considered.”
“Sukyi?” Angel asked. “I told you to stay home!”
“Since when have I ever listened to your instructions?” Sukyi asked. She covered a cough. Her skin appeared more ashen than it had the day before. Sweat glistened on her face.
She has a fever. She should be in bed, damn it, Angel thought.
“You need me,” Sukyi said as if arguing with her unspoken words. Sukyi took her hard gaze off of Kennedy long enough for a quick glance to the street. “It seems I’ve arrived in the nick of time.” She waved them through the door. “Kurosawa is waiting.”
“You know this woman?” Kennedy asked.
“Sometimes I wish I didn’t,” Angel said, making a face at Sukyi.
Sukyi winked in return.
Kennedy stepped outside, and Angel followed after. Out of habit, she pulled the door closed. She didn’t register the uselessness of the gesture until it was already done.
“Are you not going to introduce me to your new friend?” Sukyi asked.
“Is it necessary just now?” Angel asked.
“I believe it is,” Sukyi said. Her tone was lightly salted with cold menace, and Angel saw that Sukyi had a hand inside of her jacket. “She has me at a social disadvantage. And you know how sensitive I am.”
“Kennedy Liu, party guest,” Angel said, emphasizing the last two words. “This is my friend Sukyi—”
“Edozie,” Sukyi said, and stuck out her hand. “I understand that the handshake evolved as a signal that neither party had harmful intent. It being difficult to hold a weapon and execute the gesture at the same time. Of course, that assumes that both parties are right-handed, but the action is so much more elegant than putting your hands up in the air, don’t you think?”
To Kennedy’s credit, she didn’t flinch back as non-Earthers often did when Sukyi was having one of her bad days. There was only one well-known disease that fit Sukyi’s symptoms: the NiV-37S virus. And news of the devastation that the NiV plague had wrought on Earth had traveled far and wide—so much so that four of the six other planets remaining in the URW restricted Earth immigration, even though the plague had ended a decade ago.
Kennedy didn’t hesitate. She took Sukyi’s hand. “Is she for real?”
A flash of profound shock appeared on Sukyi’s face. It was gone so fast that Angel was sure she was the only one to have noticed. Kennedy didn’t move to wipe her hand on her clothes either. In that instant, Angel had a strong urge to hug the woman.
“Very much so. I’m afraid,” Sukyi said. “Come on.” She led them to the path that circled the back of the house and headed to the side yard.
Kennedy asked, “Are you the Sukyi Edozie who faced down Maeve O’Connell and her crew on Pangu Station?”
Angel said, “No one proved that.”
Pride now burst through Sukyi’s carefully maintained emotional walls. “The one and only.”
“You’re an assassin,” Kennedy said.
“That was merely a lucky shot. I’m a smuggler and thief if you want to get specific,” Sukyi said. “But who’s interested in sordid details?”
Kennedy smiled. Angel could almost see the connections being made inside Kennedy’s skull.
“You keep interesting company,” Kennedy said.
“Her or me?” Sukyi asked as they navigated their way to the street.
Sukyi nodded and gave the security guards a casual salute as they rushed past. Spying Sukyi’s uniform, the guards let them go without so much as a glance. Once they were more than a block away from the mansion, they paused so that Sukyi could unbutton her jacket and remove her hat. Her long brown hair fell past her shoulders, covering the corporate emblem on the front of the jacket.
“Where did you get the uniform?” Angel asked.
Sukyi raised an eyebrow and gave Kennedy a sideways glance. “A kindly security officer decided to donate it to the cause.”
“A dead security officer?” Angel asked. She had to, given the evening’s events.
“Why, Angel de la Reza, are you asking if I broke the rules?” Sukyi asked.
Angel gave up on being cagey. Kennedy already knew they were responsible for Gau. “I’ve a bad feeling my report will be met with a certain amount of scrutiny tomorrow. I need to know how much this is going to cost me.”
“I’ll have you know, I asked the gentleman for his assistance… politely,” Sukyi said, and gave her a significant look that bordered on wounded. “One could even say gently.” She produced a stunner from her pocket.
“I see,” Angel said.
Sukyi relaxed. “Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?”
“That’s not funny,” Angel said.
“Fair enough,” Sukyi said, and turned to Kennedy. “And how are you this fine, soft evening?”
It’d begun to sprinkle.
“I don’t believe I’ve had a more interesting night,” Kennedy said, seeming to borrow some of Sukyi’s formal tone.
“How long have you lived here?” Sukyi managed to keep the question this side of suspicious.
Angel felt Sukyi loop an arm through hers, linking elbows before they continued on.
Kennedy said, “I only arrived last week.”
Sukyi said, “Well, we must look one another up again. Angel knows only the best people.”
In spite of everything, there really was something off about Kennedy. Whatever it was, it gave Angel the creeps. At the moment, she just wanted to get back to the ship.
Sukyi asked, “Do you have an address at which you might be reached?”
Kennedy smiled. “I’ve a feeling we’ll run into each other some other time.” And with that, she abruptly stopped. “This is where I say goodnight.”
Angel gazed up at the sky to hide relief. “Our ride isn’t far. And we can get you home before the storm starts.”
“I’ll be fine,” Kennedy said.
“I enjoyed meeting you,” Sukyi said. Her face was unre
adable.
Kennedy turned to Sukyi and put out her hand again. “It was very nice to meet you, too.”
Sukyi blinked and then shook it.
“Good night,” Angel said.
With a wave, Kennedy turned down the next street and vanished into the darkness.
“Who is she?” Sukyi asked, staring after Kennedy.
“I’ve got Lou and Kurosawa looking into it,” Angel said. “Why aren’t you home in bed?”
“You needed me,” Sukyi said. “And I am here as always.”
“Really?”
“Well, that, and the hotel forced me to check out this morning,” Sukyi said. “Something about disease control restrictions.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake.”
“Do you have a spare bed?”
“Of course, you can stay with me,” Angel said. “Do we need to pick up your things?”
Sukyi shook her head. “Lou let me leave my bag on Kurosawa.”
Angel nodded. “So, why are you here?”
“I thought we covered that.”
“I don’t mean tonight,” Angel said. “Why are you on Persephone at all?”
Sukyi flashed her one of her biggest grins and raised an eyebrow. “Now that would be telling.” Then she pulled a threadbare red scarf from the canvas bag hanging off her shoulder and wound it around her neck.
Angel sighed. She’ll let me know when she’s ready. “We’d better get out of here before the street floods.”
Heavier raindrops splashed the pavement in increasing frequency. They both ran the last half block to Kurosawa. Out of breath and coughing, they staggered up Kurosawa’s ramp. Enid was at the top to meet them. Sukyi choked until she almost passed out. Enid helped get Sukyi inside and placed an oxygen mask on her face. The fact that Sukyi let her do it spoke volumes.
The rain began pounding the ship’s hull. Finally, Angel felt gravity press her deeper into her seat as they lifted off. She gazed out the window, trying to catch a last look at the Archady Mansion. Corporate security clustered around the place like Hadley beetles around a disturbed nest.
