It was odd, wasn’t it, how a once-successful imperial general seemed pleased to follow orders from a junior officer. One day, Daeholf would have to stop Trimas from running away from his mistakes. But, alas, not today, as he was stuck in a room that felt smaller every day, and over which his eyes had run a thousand times per bump in the poor plasterwork.
So, still in bed, reports on killers growing heavy and dark.
It was time for something else, and he didn’t have to go far to find it. To be honest, he couldn’t go very far, but Kellan had been at the butcher’s a lot recently organising the bribery campaign, and there was only one room in this building guarded all the time.
Daeholf’s bedroom.
So, Kellan’s papers where sat there in a corner, papers allowing him to track everything that was happening…
Papers just within Daeholf’s reach.
Alright, so bribery and corruption wasn’t necessarily better than people being murdered, but at least it wasn’t trying to find connections between the original Nightwalker’s victims, so it was a simple but painful matter to climb slowly out, pick the box up and bring it back.
This time, as he laid back again, he was pleased to notice the ordeal hadn’t been as bad as it used to be…
He was healing, actual noticeable healing!
And now the body fought back with a wave of pain. I’m in bed you bastard, he thought of his flesh, and looked at the box. Right, let’s learn exactly what Trimas and Zedek have been up to.
The first piece of parchment was fished out, and it was a running total of the sums Kellan had organised into the city, and what had been sent out. It was at this point that Daeholf looked at the other box Kellan used, the one with the jewels and the gold, and realised exactly how much was in it…
If they’d been burgled, someone would have been able to move to the imperial city and buy a nice house. Or start people getting stabbed in the back until fifteen were dumped in the river. Which, in many ways, was the imperial city, at least as Trimas told it.
Daeholf now had to weigh the fact he’d never been sat next to so much unguarded money and wonder why they hadn’t just installed Karina as governor or something suitably expensive with the need to keep reading, so he picked another document up.
A synopsis of a gangleader who was going to be bribed. His strengths, his foibles, the amounts he was paid, and what happened to him.
What happened to him?
Yes, it listed the date and the money sent, and then the fact he’d been arrested on an unconnected issue by the Thieftaker. A blow to Kellan and not money well spent.
Daeholf peered into the box, and saw a lot of paper, so he pulled himself up and began reading and sorting it all around him.
As the box grew lighter, so the semicircle of papers grew round Daeholf, until he was in the middle of a strange, predatory flower.
On that pile, the outright bastards of the city, the muscles who would batter and kill and, it appeared, take bribes. On the pile next to it, the same class of people but those who refused to turn away from the head of the underworld and would need removing through other means, all pushed along by money.
This pile here was corrupt....
Wait.
Wait a moment.
Daeholf felt his mouth go dry and his head begin to twist, and he looked at the papers, moved a hand over them, knew something was forming in his mind.
Now he jabbed an arm forward and picked the paper up. This woman had been bribed by Kellan, but ran afoul of the underworld and vanished, while the next person — and this paper was snatched up — was arrested by the guard.
Here, and here, and here the underworld reacted to the bribe and fought back, as part of the war Kellan was starting and fighting with no outside muscle.
But here, here and here the Thieftaker had removed the criminal.
Of course, the Thieftaker was supposed to have arrested pretty much everyone on these lists because they were all criminals, but here was the thing.
Here was the thing.
The parchment where people had been bribed was filled with the war, with the underworld removing people. The parchment where people had refused the bribe saw damage the other way.
But while the parchment where people had been bribed was filled with the Thieftaker, she was absent from the reports of people refusing.
Daeholf leaned back. He wasn’t a mathematician. He wasn’t one of those people who advised the Emperor on probability. But this was clear: the head of the underworld and their network was working in conjunction with the Thieftaker and her guard.
In conjunction…
Daeholf looked at the material, and what he knew of people. People couldn’t be in charge of two powerful opposed organisations and work this well together. The legions worked because one general ordered the people below him and the people below that and there was an emperor telling the general. When multiple generals came together, troubles tended to begin unless seniority was worked out.
But from what he’d learned of Vika, she was not a subordinate to anyone, barely the Governor… And from what he’d learned from Kellan of this kingpin, they were in charge too.
Vika. The head of the underworld. Working in perfect union to counter a threat that was only to one of them, the one Vika was opposed to…
Either Vika was being blackmailed somehow, and Daeholf doubted that would ever have been allowed to last, or…
A man, mysterious and shrouded in deliberate mystery, conveniently unknown to anyone. Their only name ‘boss’, or the head of the underworld.
A visible, famous figure, and a careful shadow.
Vika basically was the head of the underworld.
Preposterous.
So why did it feel like the right conclusion.
Daeholf picked up the empty box and banged it on the floor to summon his friends.
*****
“And here she is,” Zedek said from the doorway. They all heard someone jogging up the stairs. Zedek moved over and seated himself on the chest as Elena entered the room.
“The messenger made it sound urgent,” Elena said. “You suddenly cracked the case or something?”
“Or something,” Daeholf said. “You’d better sit down.” Trimas shot him a dirty look before standing up and offering Elena the chair.
“I’m fine,” Elena said.
“Please,” Trimas said, walking over to the bed and sitting down hard on the end. Daeholf winced. “Oh, sorry, was that your toes?” Trimas said blandly before shifting slightly.
Elena rolled her eyes and sat in the chair. “What couldn’t wait until morning then?” she said.
“We’ve cracked a case, just not the case we were working on,” Daeholf said.
“So?” Elena said.
“We know who Hood is,” Trimas said helpfully.
“Okay, now you’ve got my interest,” Elena said. “How in God’s name do you know that?”
“We worked it out,” Zedek said.
“I get that you may have resources I don’t, and I probably don’t want to know about, but how? It’s been a mystery ever since he came on the scene.”
“Or she,” Trimas said.
“She?” Elena said doubtfully.
“You’re probably not going to believe us if we tell you, so we’re going to give you the evidence. You’ll be able to reason it out for yourself,” Daeholf said.
“Why won’t I believe you this time? I think I’ve managed to swallow all the wild tales you’ve told me so far,” Elena said.
“This is a little different,” Trimas said.
“Okay, so what’s the evidence you want me to see?” Elena said.
“Our bribery ledger,” Zedek said, picking up a stack of papers.
“I think it would be better for everyone if I didn’t look at that,” Elena said. “I’m turning a pretty big blind eye to all this as it is. I might be suspended but I’m still an officer of the law.”
“That’s why we need you to have
a look,” Daeholf said.
Elena looked at the bundle of papers in Zedek’s hand, intrigued. “You’re trusting me again then I take it?” she said.
“To do the right thing, yes,” Daeholf said.
“Okay. Hand them over. I’m not making any promises and I’m not sure I’m going to see what you’re all expecting me to. You may be jumping to conclusions.”
“We’ll leave that up to you,” Zedek said, handing her the papers.
Elena looked at the bundle. “This may take me a while,” she said.
“We’re not otherwise busy,” Trimas said.
“And this is important,” Daeholf said.
“Okay, some peace then. Let me read,” Elena said. She started scanning the paperwork and before very long was frowning deeply. Trimas, Daeholf and Zedek all exchanged glances.
“How do I know that name?” she muttered to herself at one point.
“Report at the back,” Daeholf said.
“I’ll get to it,” Elena said, waving him off. She continued to read. The time passed slowly and the three men started to fidget.
“There’s enough evidence here to lock up half the business people in the city,” Elena said eventually. “This is horrifying. And the officials? I knew there was some corruption in the city but this is madness.”
“Try to put that to one side for a moment and focus on what happened to a suspicious number of people we bribed,” Daeholf said.
“I know what you’re getting at,” Elena said. “I’m not sure I want to believe it though.”
“It makes sense though,” Trimas said.
“I know it makes sense. But I know the woman. I don’t want it to make sense,” Elena said.
“Do you think we’re wrong?” Daeholf said.
Elena sighed, shoulders slumping. “No. It’s there to see. Much as I don’t like it, the Thieftaker is the Hood.”
“We’re in agreement then,” Zedek said.
“Why did you have to bring this to me?” Elena said. “Don’t say it,” she added before anyone could speak. “‘It’s because you trust me, isn’t it? I’m really starting to hate that word.”
“We’re trying to decide what to do with the information,” Trimas said.
“You don’t have a plan?” Elena said, surprised.
“Nope,” Daeholf said.
“You’re expecting me to come up with one?” Elena said.
“Hoping you’d help,” Zedek said.
“What about your employer? Surely she’s got some sort of plan to deal with this? Didn’t you say she’s involved in an underground war with the Hood?” Elena said.
“Our contact has gone missing,” Trimas said.
“You don’t sound unhappy about that,” Elena observed.
“He didn’t like him,” Zedek supplied.
“I can’t just sit on this information,” Elena said.
“We know,” Daeholf said.
“Damn you all,” Elena said. She looked around. “I can’t take this to the watch. No one there listens to me as it is, let alone if I start making insane sounding accusations like this. And there is no way this evidence would really hold up in court even if we could find one that would try her. After, of course, we found someone crazy enough to arrest her and a cell that could hold her.”
“That was our thinking too,” Trimas said.
“She’s got a lot of friends in this city,” Elena said. “Well perhaps not friends, but certainly a lot of people that are scared enough of her not to go up against her. And that’ll almost certainly be on both sides of the law.”
“Agreed,” Daeholf said.
“We can’t try and arrest her ourselves, either as Hood or Thieftaker. We could try abduction I suppose, get her out of the city to be tried somewhere else…” Elena said, musing.
“It’s possible,” Trimas said doubtfully.
“But that would be insanely dangerous,” Elena finished. “Besides which, our chances of taking her alive are slim, even if we could get to her.”
“Very slim,” Daeholf said.
“So whatever we try to do, if we live, she’ll probably end up dead,” Elena concluded.
“Very probably,” Trimas said.
“We’re talking about murder here then. What are you people doing to me?” Elena said in despair.
“The three of us have been in this situation before,” Zedek said gently. “Sometimes you have to think of the greater good.”
“Greater good? Planning to and deliberately taking a life? It goes against everything I believe in,” Elena said.
“We’re soldiers,” Daeholf said. “We were anyway,” he amended. “In war there are casualties. And sometimes killing one person can save many more.”
“This isn’t war,” Elena said.
“She’s selling enough weapons to start one,” Trimas said.
“I’m crossing a line here. And there’s no way back,” Elena said.
“You don’t have to come,” Trimas said.
“That’s not going to make any difference,” Elena said. “I’m just as involved by planning as if I strike the blow myself.”
“Not quite,” Daeholf said.
“Now isn’t the time for sophistry,” Elena said. “It’s still crossing the line.”
“It is,” Daeholf acknowledged.
“There’s the letter of the law and the spirit of the law though,” Trimas said. “Killing a criminal who was otherwise above justice to stop more crimes would be the latter.”
“Perhaps,” Elena said. “You can’t kill the Thieftaker though, you’d be on the run for the rest of your lives, and it would prove nothing of her involvement in crime.”
“You have a point,” Trimas said.
“So she’ll have to be taken as the Hood, probably from her base,” Elena said.
“That’s where we were drawing a blank,” Daeholf said.
“Luckily for you, I have a good idea where that is,” Elena said.
“Where?” Daeholf said.
“A warehouse. I’ll show you,” Elena said.
Daeholf swivelled to the side of the bed and stood up, wobbling slightly. He steadied himself. Trimas and Zedek looked at him, surprised.
“But not you,” Elena said to him firmly.
“No?” Daeholf said.
“You’re too weak,” Zedek said.
“And I’d be getting in the way,” Daeholf said glumly.
“I didn’t want to be the one to say it…” Trimas said.
“Sit back down before you fall down,” Elena said. Daeholf frowned at her but complied.
“Good to see you’re recovering well though,” Zedek said.
Trimas clapped Daeholf on the shoulder. “You’ll be back up getting into trouble with us in no time,” he said. “Just not this time.”
“This is really hard for me,” Daeholf said.
“Pretend you’re a general, sending your troops to war,” Trimas said.
“Easy for you to say,” Daeholf said.
“I’m missing something here, aren’t I?” Elena said.
“You’ll get used to it,” Zedek said. “I did.”
“I don’t like the two of you going into danger without me,” Daeholf said.
“Three,” Elena said firmly. Daeholf looked her in the eyes. She looked straight back, unflinching.
“This had better be a good fucking plan then,” Daeholf said. “Get some paper.”
*****
Three figures walked down the main streets of Bastion, moving calmly and coolly, betraying nothing to the passersby who just thought them a slightly ill matched couple and a friend which just went to show how good people were at reading things. All three wore their cloaks loosely around them, but such was the weather they might even have looked underdressed.
Beneath those cloaks there were weapons and armour, although Trimas really did feel underdressed after leaving the breastplates of imperial office behind for something leather and stealthier.
Stealth was
to be the order of the day.
The three took a turn off the main roads, casually taking a right and disappearing into the warren of backstreets. They had closed in on the docks. The eyes of paupers looked up at them desperately, and the eyes of would-be thieves peered out from the new group of passersby.
Trimas and Elena knew they were being eyed up, and hoped to project the image of people not to mess with on this evening. They succeeded, although Zedek wasn’t having much luck with the same.
Strength in numbers.
As they came to a crossroads in the backstreets they paused, so Elena and Trimas could exchange a few words about direction, which ended in a nod and a turn down the desired route.
The path was now narrow, one abreast, with no one huddled up in it except one bundle of rags at the far end. Trimas walked up to it, bent down and gave a gentle shake, and the person inside gave a stir and pulled back fearing for their life.
Instead of a dagger, the homeless man’s eyes saw a silver coin being held up.
“Disappear,” Trimas told him, and once the coin was taken the lane was clear.
Elena had spent the moment looking at the wall, and the pipe attached to it.
“So this warehouse was so well built they installed drainage pipes?” Zedek asked, looking at the architecture.
“If we could leave the design critique for later?” Trimas suggested.
“Oh, of course.”
“You’re right though,” Elena added, “and a light person could shimmy up and get on the roof.”
Zedek nodded and looked at Elena.
She looked back at him.
“Oh, me, of course,” and he slung on a backpack and began his progress up the pipe and the wall.
“You’d probably be better,” Trimas told Elena.
“I’ve never climbed a wall. I have a feeling you two have.”
“We’ve not necessarily climbed them well.”
They watched, as Zedek reached the top and pulled himself onto the roof. It took a few moments to remove the rope from his pack, secure one end and drop the other down, so Trimas could climb up. When Elena followed, they made sure to use the rope as a safety system.
Knives of Bastion (An Empire Falls Book 2) Page 38
