Shadows (Ultrahumans Book 2)

by Niall Teasdale

  ‘Me? No. Unless… I’m a witness on a case involving the Tonaldo family, but killing me wouldn’t help them.’

  ‘Yeah, well… The Tonaldos aren’t noted for their forgiving nature. We’ll just wait here until the real police arrive. I’m Tony Ellis, by the way.’

  ‘Penny, Penny Worthington.’ The sounds of battle had receded from her mind now leaving an odd, silent calm behind them. ‘I think he’s gone, whoever he was.’

  ‘Maybe, but–’

  ‘Oh, I’m not going to move. I’m perfectly happy sitting here for now.’ Well, he was quite an attractive young man.

  ~~~

  ‘If they were going to hit you over the case, they’d have done it before now,’ Andrea said, pouring two mugs of coffee as she did so. ‘There’s no point now and revenge isn’t a valid motive, not when the thing’s tied up the way it is.’

  ‘Agreed, but I’m glad you’re thinking the same way,’ Penny replied. ‘So why did someone take a shot at me?’

  Andrea handed over a mug and sat down. ‘Good question. We can shake some trees and see what falls out, but my guess would be that it’s because you live here.’

  ‘You think someone’s trying to get to Cygnus?’

  ‘Or Twilight.’

  ‘Okay… Well, Penny’s not leaving the house until we sort this out, which is annoying. I’m glad June’s out of town.’

  Everglades, FL, 23rd May.

  The visitor centre was new, built of fairly ecologically sound materials in an area Ever had pointed out as being somewhat disturbed already, not close to any gator feeding areas, and with a good view. There were various presentation areas around the low building, and a restaurant with a balcony overlooking the wetlands, and the latter had been cleared of its tables to host the event June had been invited to.

  There had been no trouble getting the time off since they had finished shooting on time and were not expecting to need to call anyone back, but the designer responsible for the swimwear had almost begged her to wear one of his dress designs and then rushed around getting her fitted. It was deep red, the back cut a little like a sports swimsuit, but the front was basically a bra and skirt, leaving her midriff bare. She had matched it with a pair of strappy sandals which went quite well. It was not exactly what she might have chosen to wear to a swanky fundraiser, but she was used to being eye candy and that was certainly the case now.

  And it was not like there was a shortage of shorter dresses among the attendees. Various older men had younger women on their arms, and there were a few women about who seemed to be unattached and not in gowns. June noticed one blonde walking among the people with a look of distinct boredom on her face, and she was in a short, tight dress composed of purple, black, red, and orange panels, with a triangle of bare skin showing beneath her bust. Andrea had the vague feeling she should recognise her, but the name was not springing to mind.

  Everyone was waiting for Ever to show up. When she did, barely anyone noticed for a few seconds as she emerged over the side of the balcony and settled the twined fronds of various plants she was using as a dress into place. The fact that she was wearing anything at all surprised June, but it did seem as though things were changing for the goddess of the swamp.

  People had been more scared of her than anything. She had been known to kill people hunting for sport in the Everglades, and had done very nasty things to companies attempting to pollute the waters. But it seemed like the fear was finally fading, perhaps in part because there were some people in the room who likely had pictures of her on the wall to tell the date by.

  June stood off to the side, beside a table of snacks, and waited. She was not a VIP at this event and Ever had people she had to say hello to, but it did seem like the green-skinned Ultra was pressing palms as quickly as possible to get through them all. June noted that the blonde she had seen earlier was not pushing forward either and wandered across to where she was standing, more to be companionable than anything else.

  ‘Not rushing to meet our guest of honour?’ June asked.

  ‘We were talking two hours ago and crowds make me itch. Besides, you’re not rushing forward either.’

  ‘I’m not rich.’ June held out a hand. ‘June Summerfield, model.’

  The blonde grinned at her and took her hand. ‘Bianca Fullerton, rich person.’

  ‘Bianca Fullerton, CEO of Fullerton Technologies?’

  ‘For my sins.’

  ‘Well, you are rich then. Why are you talking to Ever?’

  ‘Because,’ Ever said as she appeared beside them, ‘Miss Fullerton may have a solution to an annoying pollution problem I have over on the west side. I am glad you two found each other; it saves me splitting my time between you.’

  ‘Ah,’ Fullerton said, some form of realisation dawning, ‘you two know each other from the calendar shoot. I can barely enter a room in our research building without seeing that thing on the wall. There’s that shot of you two in a pool with that blonde Ultra from New Millennium City.’

  ‘Cygnus,’ June supplied. ‘She’s a housemate. I got the gig on the calendar because Svetilo was trying to persuade Cygnus to do it.’

  ‘You’re being modest, June,’ Ever said. ‘Svetilo was quite keen to have you there as well, or she would not have teamed the three of us for those pictures, or done the ones with just the two of us.’

  June gave a shrug. ‘Maybe. That’s what really launched my career anyway and it’s coming along quite nicely so I can’t complain. Who got punched in the face over this pollution problem of yours?’

  ‘No one. This was actually a genuine accident, but cleaning it up is proving difficult.’

  ‘It’s a polymerising agent,’ Fullerton said. ‘It’s basically hardening sections of the swamp and getting it out would need gallons of industrial solvent, which would probably do as much harm as the original chemical. We’ve got a nanotechnology solution to it, but as I’ve been explaining to Ever, it’s experimental, only ever been tested in a lab, could cause problems, etcetera, etcetera.’

  ‘Isn’t nanotechnology supposed to be all… grey goo dangerous?’ June asked.

  ‘Yeah. That’s why we want this chance to show it can be used safely, and we’re doing it for free to prove the technology, but it’s going to take some effort on both sides.’

  ‘They want me to monitor the swamp for any escaping tiny robots,’ Ever explained. ‘I’m quite sensitive to technology invading my lands.’

  ‘And if anything does go wrong, we can kill the whole batch with a radio pulse. So it won’t be converting the whole of Florida into grey paste.’

  ‘However, I have spent the last two days talking to Miss Fullerton and her experts. I’m quite confident that nothing will go wrong and that I can be getting my swamp back to normal soon.’

  ‘We have,’ Fullerton said, ‘so I thought we’d agreed that you could call me Bianca.’

  ‘Ah, but June–’

  ‘And June can call me Bianca too. I hate being formal when there’s no point.’

  Ever grinned. ‘Very well, but if you’ll excuse me, I need to do some more hand-shaking. I’ll catch up with you both as soon as I can.’

  They walked out onto the balcony to stand at the balustrade and look out over the wetlands beyond. ‘She’s not what I expected,’ Bianca said.

  ‘Ever? She’s… changed a little since the last time we met. First time I saw her we were meeting in a little hut in the swamp and she was kind of distant, but the fact that we would get her money for her projects made her listen and I think we kind of grew on her. Cygnus and I went for a boat trip with her on a break day. She’s becoming more of a people person, but I bet she spends a day or two on her own after this.’

  ‘I guess I have you to thank for making the negotiations on this easier.’

  ‘I doubt it. Well, maybe we showed her she could get help from outside and it wouldn’t turn around and bite her. Something wrong?’

  Bianca was frowning. ‘I don’t know. Thought I saw�
�’ And then she was moving, her arms wrapping around June as she twisted around and pulled them both over. There was a crack and the sound of something hitting a wall or the ceiling behind them. June found herself lying on top of Bianca and still wondering why when Ever appeared beside them.

  ‘Are you two all right?’ the green woman asked.

  ‘Apparently,’ June said. ‘What happened?’

  ‘Sniper,’ Bianca said.

  ‘Yes,’ Ever agreed. ‘And this time I know where he is.’ Fluid as water, she leapt over them, vaulted the balustrade, and vanished.

  ‘This time?’

  ‘Last time we were here, Cygnus got shot by a fifty-calibre rifle. She was okay in a day or so.’

  Bianca raised an eyebrow. ‘Any idea why someone would shoot at you? With a gun, rather than a camera.’

  ‘Me? I’d have thought they were shooting at you.’

  ‘I haven’t pissed anyone off that much in… months. The technology industry is cut-throat, but not usually that bad.’

  ‘So… could have been either of us.’

  ‘Uh-huh. Guess so. Maybe we better stay down until she comes back.’

  ‘Uh-huh.’

  There was a pause and then, ‘You could probably get off me though.’

  ‘Do I have to? You’re comfy. And I never usually get to be on top.’

  ~~~

  It was a good thirty minutes before Ever returned, slipping over the balcony without her dress of leaves and vines, and with barely a sound. By that time, the guests had been calmed and moved to one of the other rooms and the police had arrived.

  ‘You’ll find the sniper about four hundred yards, straight out,’ she told the first uniformed man who looked her way. ‘He’ll be the terrified man standing in the ring of alligators. Don’t worry, they’re under orders to let him be taken away, but you’ll need a boat.’

  ‘Got him then?’ Bianca asked, climbing to her feet and then offering June a hand.

  ‘Easily.’

  ‘You took a while,’ June said. ‘I was actually starting to get a little worried.’

  ‘I took the time to have a little chat.’

  ‘Chat?’

  ‘A chat involving alligators and which parts they would eat first if he did not tell me who sent him.’

  ‘Ah. And?’

  ‘He is not clear on the matter, but he was sent to kill you, June. “The brunette friend of Cygnus.” He belongs to one of the drug shipment gangs based in the Keys. The request came from New Millennium City.’

  ‘Oh. I need to call home.’

  Ever nodded. ‘There is an office just off the reception area we can use.’

  New Millennium City, MD.

  Penny scooped up the phone without looking. Her glasses were out of reach, so looking would not have helped a lot anyway. ‘New Millennium Emergency Room. Who may I say is calling?’

  ‘Pen? It’s June.’

  ‘June, hi. How did the shoot go?’

  ‘Oh, fine.’

  ‘What’s wrong?’

  ‘Uh… Ever’s here. I need to talk to Cygnus. Is she around?’

  Okay, something had happened, but there were secrets to keep. ‘Upstairs. I’ll get her for you.’ Putting the phone down, Penny jumped to her feet, tripped over her robe, cursed, got back up, and ran for the bedroom throwing the offending garment off as she went. She had never noticed any sound effects when she changed, but if there were any she did not want them transmitting over the phone line. A few seconds later, still naked but a different shape, she picked the handset up. ‘June? Penny said you sounded nervous.’

  ‘Someone took a shot at me, Cygnus. Another sniper in the Everglades.’

  ‘It’s almost as though they grow from the mud,’ Ever’s voice said. They had to be using a speaker phone.

  ‘Hi, Ever. Did you catch this one?’

  ‘I did.’

  ‘He was sent by someone from New Millennium,’ June added. ‘I think Penny–’

  ‘They tried for Penny on Wednesday,’ Cygnus said. ‘I’m sorry, we thought you’d be safe down there and we didn’t want you worried. I should have called.’

  ‘Penny wasn’t hurt?’

  ‘They missed. Pure luck and a passing police cadet, but they missed. Are you safe at the moment?’

  ‘Oh, I don’t think they can get to me here.’

  ‘Right. I don’t want to impose, Ever, but could June stay down there with you until we get this sorted out?’

  ‘She could,’ Ever replied, ‘but my accommodations are a little sparse and there are bound to be more men like this one.’

  ‘I could take care of her.’ Cygnus did not recognise the third voice, but it was definitely another woman and she was there in the room with them so they trusted her.

  ‘Who’s that?’ Cygnus asked, trying to keep the edge out of her voice.

  ‘Sorry. Bianca Fullerton. I–’

  ‘Saved me from the sniper,’ June said. ‘She pulled me out of the way just before he fired. I was lucky too.’

  ‘I’m heading back to San Francisco early tomorrow. We don’t get a lot of drug traffickers out there and my place is secure.’

  ‘Okay,’ Cygnus said. ‘I don’t want to sound ungrateful or anything, but why would you do that?’

  ‘Well, if you want a selfish motive, being owed a little favour from one of the most powerful Ultras in the country is never a bad thing, but if I’m honest, it’ll make my nephew’s eyes bug out on stalks and piss off my sister-in-law. It’s worth it just for that.’

  ‘I believe Bianca can be trusted, Cygnus,’ Ever put in.

  ‘Well then…’ It had to be admitted that San Francisco would be a better place to hide. Cygnus gave a nod, even if they could not see it. ‘Okay, thank you, Miss Fullerton. June, you check in every day. We’ll let you know when it’s safe to come home.’

  ‘I will,’ June replied. ‘Oh, would you let Red know?’

  ‘Sure,’ Cygnus said as lightly as she could manage. ‘I’m going to need to talk to her anyway.’

  ~~~

  ‘Bianca Fullerton?’ Red’s eyebrows went up at the mention of the name. ‘She’s the CEO and majority shareholder of Fullerton Technologies. Billionaire. Bit of a mystery woman.’

  Cygnus frowned. ‘What kind of mystery?’

  ‘Not much known about her before she took over the company. She kept herself to herself, very private private life. Homeschooled and then a lot of travel. She had the money to do what she liked and she chose to do it out of the public eye. Then her brother died and she had to run a pretty big organisation. She seems to be doing a good job though, and I’ve never heard anything bad about her.’

  ‘Attractive?’

  ‘Pretty good-looking, yes. If she dates, she keeps that private too. I don’t think we’ve anything to worry about there.’

  ‘Good.’ Cygnus had not sat down on entering the office and now she turned to leave.

  ‘You’re… disappointed in me.’

  Cygnus stopped but did not turn back. ‘That’s one way of putting it.’

  ‘I’ve got a contact in Boston who can keep an eye on Twilight’s parents, and I’ll check with my contacts here. I hope… I hope this isn’t going to stop us working together.’

  ‘You’re the best source of information we have, Red. I don’t want to lose that. But if this hurts June too much, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to speak to you again.’

  ‘That’s… fair. I’ll be in touch.’ She watched as the blonde heroine left without another word and then muttered, ‘I was expecting to need a week in traction.’

  ~~~

  ‘We’ve got confirmation from Miami,’ Rex said as he closed the office door behind him.

  ‘And?’ Diamond asked, not expecting a positive outcome. The initial reports had not been good.

  ‘He missed, and that local Avatar, Ever, caught him. He’s in custody, and keeping silent, but Ever has a reputation for being very persuasive.’

  ‘She certainly
does. How can they both have missed? I tell you, Rex, the cards are not going our way at the moment.’

  ‘The knave we sent out said the Worthington girl just dropped as he fired. He thought he’d hit her at first, but then she was moving and someone dragged her out of sight. He said it was almost like she knew it was coming.’

  ‘This is what we get for messing with Ultras and… whatever Durant is. Some sort of Voodoo mumbo jumbo. All right, this place is going to get hot soon. They’ll assume it was Tonaldo and come looking for him, and I mean to see to it that they find him. You’ve arranged alternate sites?’

  ‘Three, just like you asked.’

  Diamond gave a nod and picked up her deck of cards. There was a quick shuffle and then she pulled one card out of the deck, placing it face-up on the desk. She grimaced. ‘Not exactly auspicious, but… Ace of spades. We move to site one just before dawn. Get everyone ready. I need to say goodbye to Mister Tonaldo.’

  24th May.

  ‘I say we go in there and ask the old bastard what the Hell he thinks he’s doing!’ Twilight’s hushed tones belied both words and expression. They were sitting on the rooftop opposite Tonaldo’s apartments, which were showing no lights at all.

  ‘I’m still not sure it’s him,’ Cygnus replied. ‘Somehow it just doesn’t seem like his style. It’s too much, too late.’

  Twilight gave a grunt. ‘Andrea agrees with you.’

  ‘You know, this would be a lot easier if I could talk to both of you at the same time.’

  ‘Well, you can’t unless you can–’ She stopped, pursing her lips thoughtfully.

  ‘What?’

  ‘Maybe you could.’

  ‘What?!’

  ‘Well, read minds. If you could hook into her mind, then you could talk to us both. You can rearrange your powers. Maybe you could do it.’

  ‘I don’t know… I mean, I’ve only ever done physical things. Even the psychometry trick was more like enhanced senses. And I’m not even sure how to do it. I’ve never seen a psychic work, and there’s nothing to see when they do.’

  ‘It’s worth a try. Think of it as a challenge.’

  ‘Fine. Okay. But in the morning. We’ll give Red a day to see if she can find anything and I’ll try a teleconference with both of you after a good night’s sleep.’