"Affirmative."
"How odd."
"Cannot process the--"
"Yes, I know. Set new response parameters under my authority. Are you ready, idBot?"
"IdBot is ready to comply."
"When speaking to me, delete this term: 'Cannot process the request. Please rephrase.' Replace it with the term, 'I don't understand, sir.' End request. Can you comply?"
"IdBot can comply."
"Good. Location of Dark Neon Art Gallery."
"Dark Neon Art Gallery is in Tarth City, Top Tier District, on Gallery Row." The system overlaid a map of the city, with a pin in the designated space.
"Ah, yes. Near Yutai Art."
"Affirmative."
"I wonder if they've met?"
"I don't understand, sir."
"Sorry, idBot. My friend, Anne Cain, is opening another Yutai Art studio on Gallery Row. Any indication L Givens and Anne are acquainted?"
"Affirmative. Are details required?"
"Not at this time." Alitus flipped through his handwritten notes. "Relationship of target to occupant?"
"Wulf Gabriel sub-leases apartment to L Givens."
"Target owns the apartment?"
"Affirmative."
"Number of times per year target accesses the apartment?"
"One."
Alitus clasped his hands behind him. "Is purpose known?"
The idBot system did not respond for a moment. "Conjecture drawn from associated documentation."
He smiled at idBot's way of saying it had an educated guess. "Continue."
"Maintenance and security overview on part of owner. Average stay eight minutes."
He ran through the same exercise at other locations where Wulf spent time. Wulf worked inside the Nizamrak Building at Lucsondis Entertainment, and spent huge portions of time in various on-site businesses owned by Saint-Cyr. His and Saint-Cyr's living quarters were at the top of the building, and some days, Wulf seemed to do little more than change floors at random intervals.
When Wulf left the building, he spent large chunks of time at any of the four Batchelors restaurant locations, with the longest time spent at the oldest site. The upstairs had an apartment belonging to the business owners, Terellee "Trink" Vandermeer, and Yvan "Dazzle" Ellory, with whom Wulf had a long friendship. Saint-Cyr was an investor in their business, and also had a long term relationship with the pair. Their apartment's security safeguards were not maintained by idBot, and Alitus could not access them. When Wulf went there, to idBot, he was as good as invisible.
Likewise, he disappeared when using any of the various hoversines and other private vehicles belonging to Saint-Cyr. IdBot itself was owned by Saint-Cyr, who obviously made good use of its privacy resources.
"Thank you, idBot. That will be all. Close presentation." The image wall went blank, and a ghost image of the black-and-green idBot logo appeared, an eye with a square iris. "Incorporate all data, including my questions, into a report bundle, please."
"IdBot has completed the request."
Alitus sat at his desk. "IdBot, open private mail system. Prepare message to Her Majesty. Classification: Your Eyes Only. Subject: Wulf Gabriel's business and personal whereabouts. Message: I have verified and logged target information as requested. Attached presentation provides four weeks of activity. No indication target is acting outside usual parameters. End message. Seal with tag, 'Vouchsafed by Division of Imperial Intelligence' and prepare for encryption on my mark." He pressed his thumb to the encrypt pad on his desk and sent the note.
"Hmm. What time is it, idBot?" When the system answered, he summoned his assistant.
Jarod entered at once. "Yes, sir?"
"I had appointments all afternoon. What happened to them?"
"I rescheduled all but one person."
Alitus flattened his hands on the desk. "Without asking me?"
"Your schedule had ten minute appointments based thirty minutes apart. A Class Four is detailed work. I didn't see the point of you being disturbed when you would need to focus. I reset them to fit in your morning schedule, fifteen minutes apart. Would you prefer I handle things differently in the future?"
He considered before answering. "No. I like your initiative, Jarod. However, I schedule my appointments spaced farther apart to allow time to write reports afterward."
"Would it be permitted for me to take notes during some of the meetings and write first drafts of those reports for you, sir?"
Alitus sat back. "For some, yes. I appreciate the suggestion. I'll let you know which ones in the morning when we go over my calendar. I have one person to see?"
"Yes, sir. Minister Roth Kloven. I would have rescheduled him but since he had the same rank as you, I thought it wise not to."
"I see. Good thinking, Jarod. However, if the situation comes up again, feel free to put Kloven at the bottom of any list."
Jarod grinned. "I will, sir. Thank you. He's in my office now, waiting to see you."
"Show him in." He motioned to the door. "Then, since you've handled my other appointments, I won't need you to stay. Secure your office, alert the Praetorian on duty that I'm not to be disturbed, and you may go. Enjoy the day."
"Yes, Minister Vivaldi." Jarod bowed. "Thank you, sir." He swept out of the room.
The meeting with Kloven went more smoothly than Alitus expected, and the man was in and out in short order. Once he'd gone, Alitus activated another set of locks from a remote on his desk, darkened the windows, and sealed the room from prying eyes. He turned off idBot's voice and record commands.
"IdBot, do you copy?"
No answer.
Satisfied with the room's security even against idBot, Alitus activated a manual slideshow program. This bank of private images displayed Wulf Gabriel in his days as a supermodel, many of them behind-the-scenes of him changing outfits. Most of these were nude shots that he'd omitted from sending Destoiya.
Alitus tapped play, and leaned back in his chair.
Images of Wulf's flawless body, sculpted physique, and captivating smile filled the wall-sized screen. There were hours of images to peruse. Wulf had modeled for years, and idBot had access to virtually every camera in the empire. Even the shots in storage were available via the system. These were images no one other than the photographers and their assistants had seen.
Alitus propped both feet, clasped his hands behind his head, and let out a long, satisfied sigh. "I love my job."
From Alitus, Tales of the Chosen - the sequel to Wulf, and prequel to Jawk.
This book is available now. Check your favorite online site.
The Tales of the Chosen characters appear in other stories set in the Tarthian Empire.
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Wulf, Tales of the Chosen Page 21
