“A few weeks ago, one of my soldiers found a naked woman in his office after hours.”
“Sounds like a soldier’s dream,” Boris quipped. Tupelov glared at him.
“Indeed,” the general said again. “The woman claimed she was a surprise from his friends. Then she attacked him and ran out.”
“Outside?” Boris asked. “Naked?”
“Da,” Tupelov answered.
“And then?”
“And then she disappeared,” Tupelov said.
Boris raised his eyebrows. He thought he might have an advantage here.
“That seems extraordinary,” Boris said. “A naked woman simply vanishes into a cold, Phrygian night? Has the soldier been investigated?”
Tupelov glared at him. His single eye attempted to bore a hole right through Boris. It was all Boris could do not to laugh.
“We have been sweating him, Comrade Major,” Tupelov said. “The outrageousness of his story is not lost on us.
“There are just a few things that don’t add up. First, the man had no reason to make up such a story. He went back to the office, because he forgot something. That’s when he found the woman. Nothing seemed to be out of order. It wasn’t like he was attempting to cover something up.”
“Perhaps he is seeking attention,” Boris offered.
“Perhaps,” Tupelov replied. “But there’s something else. For several weeks, the staff had ‘adopted’ a stray black cat. It hung around the office and was treated as a pet. Since the incident with the naked woman, it hasn’t been seen.”
Boris paused. He needed to play this carefully.
“I’m sorry, Comrade General,” he said. “I’m really not certain why you’re telling me all this. You said you had a mystery I could help you with. So far, I don’t see what it is I could do.”
Tupelov gazed at him for a moment. He seemed to be sizing Boris up. Boris put a quizzical look on his face.
“I believe you have a Shadow under your command, Major, who has the ability to shapeshift into a cat. I also believe this agent is a woman.”
Tupelov let that hang in the air. Boris supposed he was trying to be intimidating. It was working on one level. Boris knew that Tupelov was onto him, but Boris was not new at this sort of thing. He’d been a field agent long before he was promoted to a regional commander. He was not about to be bullied or scared by a pompous general.
“I wonder,” Tupelov continued as he wandered around the office, “if you can account for this agent’s whereabouts last month.”
“Of course,” Boris said right away. “Shadowcat was on assignment.”
“Doing what?” Tupelov asked without looking at Boris.
“I’m afraid that’s classified information, General,” Boris said. “I’d have to see some sort of clearance.” He paused then added, “So far as I know, there are no joint operations between the army and the PDB that would require us to share information on missions.”
Tupelov turned and faced him again on that line. The two men stared at each other for a moment. Both knew what the other was saying.
“No, of course not,” Tupelov said. “It seems you can’t help me after all.”
“I’m sorry,” Boris said.
“I’m sure the incidents are pure coincidence,” Tupelov continued. “I would hate to think what the consequences would be if they weren’t.”
He walked back to the desk and met Boris’s stare. His lone eye blazed furiously.
“An unauthorized investigation would be a ... deadly mistake,” Tupelov said.
Boris stood up. He didn’t like being threatened, especially by a general whom he had good reason to believe was engaged in some form of malfeasance. He put his hands on his desk and leaned in close.
“I agree, Comrade General,” he said. “Any sort of unauthorized activity would be great cause for concern.”
The two men continued to stare at each other. Tupelov’s jaw was set hard. After a moment, he smiled.
“So long as we understand each other, Major,” he said. “Thank you for your time.”
“You’re very welcome,” Boris said. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be more help.”
Tupelov saluted again. Boris returned it. Then the fierce general turned on his heel and strode to the door. He stopped and turned back.
“Good day, Major Davidov,” he said. “Think about what I said.”
“I already am,” Boris replied.
Tupelov nodded. Then he went out.
Boris collapsed into his chair. He had done his best to show the general no fear or subordination, but, now that he was gone, Boris wanted to vomit. He heard Tupelov’s threat very clearly. He was more certain than ever that Shadowcat was onto something with her investigation of Operation: Hammerfall. He prayed Tupelov didn’t know anything more about her mission. If he did, they were both in a lot of trouble.
Chapter 20: Kenderbrick
(Twenty-Six Hours, Fifty-two Minutes before Revelation Day)
“Where the hell have you been?”
Wolf was shocked at the tone from his new controller, Kenderbrick. He hadn’t even had time to introduce himself. He’d been shown into the briefing room at the safe house, and she’d immediately accosted him about his whereabouts. This was not how he was accustomed to being treated.
“Trying to avoid getting killed,” he said, making sure she heard the sarcasm in his voice. “By the way, I’m Wolf Dasher. Pleased to meet you.”
“I know who you are, Shadow Six,” she snapped.
She looked him up and down, appraising him. He took the opportunity to the do the same. She was a portly but very pretty woman. Back home, she’d have been called “pleasantly plump.” She wore a very loose-fitting tunic and leggings to disguise her body, but Wolf suspected, judging from the shape of her face – round but not wide – there was a lot under there to like. She wore her blonde hair shorter than most women. It was bobbed and tucked behind her ears. It looked a little like a man’s cut to Wolf. She was all business, this woman. She worked a hard job in a hard place, and she was not planning on screwing around with anyone. Wolf sensed that, not only did she demand respect, she got it.
“You look like shit,” she said after a moment.
Wolf had a look at himself. She was right. His clothes were torn from the fight with Ravager, and he didn’t doubt his hair was a mess. He hoped he didn’t have any bruises showing.
“Sorry,” he said. “Side effect of a fight in tight corners.”
“What happened?”
“My carriage was attacked in the forest east of Al-Adan. There were elves in white hoods trying to run me down.”
“Sounds like the Sons of Frey,” she mused.
“That’s what I thought too,” he said. “Although, I thought the Sons of Frey were the ones bombing the city.”
“They are,” she answered. “That’s how they’re accomplishing their mission in the urban areas. Outside the cities, they have a violent militia that terrorizes the countryside. They kill and loot, and there have been allegations of sectarian purges.”
“Sectarian purges?”
“Anti-Freyalan genocide,” Kenderbrick said. “Some of the Shendalis think the best way to deal with the religious schism is to eliminate the other side.”
Wolf thought about that for a moment. Ravager was working with the Sons of Frey and with Silverleaf. Was Silverleaf a mass murderer? Possibly. He had a very cavalier view of the importance of others’ lives. And he was Shendali. But Wolf sensed he was too much of a patriot – towards elves, not his nation – to be willing to resort to those kinds of crimes.
Ravager, on the other hand, was easy to see as a genocidal maniac. The man had a taste for blood and cruelty. But if he wasn’t working for Silverleaf on this angle, was it a Phrygian one? Were the Phrygians attempting to gain the upper hand by wiping out the Alfar-supporting elves? Again, it seemed conceivable, but then why would Silverleaf be working with them? If they were trying to effect a Jifani coup, why would Silverle
af cooperate? He hated Jifan from his time in the Elfin Civil War. Something still didn’t add up.
“When were you attacked?” Kenderbrick said.
“Earlier this afternoon,” Wolf replied.
“Damn it, Shadow Six, you were supposed to be here yesterday. You’ve had us all worried, especially after the attempt on your life at the dock. Where have you been?”
“I spent last night at Silverleaf’s villa,” Wolf answered. He saw Kenderbrick spinning up to ask another question, so he cut her off. “I needed to gather some information on the ambassador. He’s our only lead on Shadow Five’s murder. There was no better place to search than his home.”
Kenderbrick opened her mouth to protest and then closed it again. She chewed on that thought for a moment.
“Although that makes sense,” she said, her tone softening only a shade, “you are due at a state dinner tonight. For God’s sake, Shadow Six, it’s being given in honor of your arrival. You could have blown your cover by going there. I’m your controller. You need to operate under my direction.”
Wolf stared at her for a moment. Kenderbrick was trying to establish her authority. Wolf suspected she had to do this frequently with Shadows. She wanted to make sure she was controlling the operation. Wolf tried not to be offended, but it was hard.
“Let’s not forget my cover is just that – a cover,” he said. “I may be posing as Her Majesty’s ambassador, but my mission is to find out who killed Sara and get to the bottom of it. I was following directives from the chief.”
“And the chief put me in charge of you,” Kenderbrick shot back. “I know what your mission is, but you’ve got to maintain your cover too. Frankly, I’m offended Bartleby sent someone who doesn’t know shit about the situation to act as ambassador. You have the potential to really screw this up. Because of your actions, I’m not going to have time to brief you properly for the dinner tonight.” She sighed and then looked resigned.
“What did you learn at Silverleaf’s?” she said.
“A lot, actually,” Wolf said. “When I arrived, Silverleaf was away meeting with a Phrygian general named Tupelov.”
“Hmm,” Kenderbrick commented. “That doesn’t sound familiar.”
“I don’t know what it was about,” Wolf continued, “but it was held offsite, and I don’t like the idea of the ambassador to Urland meeting with Phrygian military personnel.”
“Agreed,” Kenderbrick said.
“Speaking of which, Silverleaf is using a Phrygian Shadow as a henchman.”
“Blonde? Well muscled?”
“That’s the one,” Wolf answered.
“We’ve seen him with Silverleaf several times at the palace, but no one knows who he is,” Kenderbrick said.
“His name is Ravager,” Wolf said. “Silverleaf claims he’s a defector, but I’m not sure I believe that, given that this General Tupelov is also somehow involved. Ravager is the man who murdered Sara.”
“How do you know?”
“Because he tried to do the same thing to me.” Wolf shuddered at the memory. “He hurls these balls of Shadow from his hands. When it touches something, it creates a mouth with hundreds of teeth that tear the victim to shreds.
“After I left Silverleaf’s villa, Ravager attacked me with the assistance of the Sons of Frey. Quincy’s special carriage took care of the terrorists fairly well, but Ravager was another story. I’m lucky to be alive.”
“Wait, are you saying Silverleaf is running the Sons of Frey?” Kenderbrick looked alarmed.
“I don’t know,” Wolf said after a pause. “It looks like it, given Ravager and the Sons of Frey attacked me after leaving the villa. But I have a hard time believing Silverleaf is in league with those monsters.”
“Why not? He’s Shendali.”
“True, but it just doesn’t feel right. Why would Silverleaf help Jifani terrorists?”
Kenderbrick nodded. She thought for a moment.
“Good point,” she said at last. “But then why kill Shadow Five?”
“I don’t know,” Wolf admitted. “She must have discovered what he was up to, but we’ve got no idea what that is. I feel as though some key piece of the puzzle is missing.”
Kenderbrick nodded again. Her gaze wandered off into space, and she turned possibilities over in her mind. After a moment, she returned her attention to Wolf.
“Did you learn anything else while you were there?” she said.
“Well,” Wolf said, “I don’t know if ‘learned anything’ is the right phrase, but I did find this.”
Wolf reached into his tunic and produced the strange paper with the drawing of a hand on it.
“This was in Silverleaf’s safe,” he said, handing it to her. “I can’t read it. It looks like some magical language. But it stood out, so I used my post-cognitive vision on it.”
“Oh, yes,” Kenderbrick said. “I read about that in your file. What did you see?”
“Silverleaf found this page in some larger grimoire. He’d been searching for it for a long time. Despite all the magic in the book, Silverleaf was only interested in this one page. He tore it out and left with it.
“Anyway, it seemed like it could be important, especially since he had it locked up in a hidden safe, so I grabbed it. Maybe you can look into it and see if it leads us somewhere.”
“Will do,” Kenderbrick said. “I’ll see what I can find out about Ravager and General Tupelov too.
“In the meantime, get yourself cleaned up and dressed and meet me back here in thirty minutes. I need to brief you on what you need to know tonight.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said.
Wolf left the briefing room and contemplated all he’d said. It made no more sense now than it had five minutes ago. He gave up trying to figure it out. He was going to have to let his mind relax and let the answers come to him.
He had another big job tonight. He needed his brain to be fresh if he was going to survive his first night of negotiations.
***
Half an hour later, Wolf was back in the briefing room. He was wearing another itchy, uncomfortable, high-necked tunic. He’d washed his hair and powdered his face. He felt ridiculous.
Kenderbrick was going over each member of the coalition government, so Wolf would know what he was up against. There was the president, Aurora Spellbinder; the Minister of Culture, Ahmed Lumendrake; the Minister of Finance, Seneca Waterdown; and on and on. Wolf tried hard to pay attention, but he was exhausted from his trip and finding it hard to focus.
“Spellbinder is both your biggest ally and your biggest challenge,” Kenderbrick was saying. “She’s Freyalan and fairly progressive. Unfortunately, she understands very well the delicate position she’s in trying to hold this coalition together. So she will try to be accommodating to you, but she will also try to be accommodating to everyone else. She’s terrified of the whole thing falling apart and the country descending into chaos or, worse, conservative rule. Trying to get her to take a risk or make a commitment will be difficult.
“Lumendrake is the one who causes her the most problems. He’s Shendali and an arch-conservative. He’s a hard-liner, who got his appointment to appease the insurgents. By not only putting him in the government but also in an influential role, the moderates were hoping to reduce the amount of sectarian violence.”
“Did it work?” Wolf asked.
“To a degree,” she answered. “The more moderate conservatives fell in line, but they weren’t the ones who were the real trouble to begin with. It’s the hard-line Shendalis who were the most violent. Lumendrake’s appointment only served to encourage them, and he does nothing to dissuade them from their terrorism.”
“Does he run them?” Wolf asked.
“We don’t believe so. He just refuses to call for an end to violence. He’s influential enough to make them stop—”
“But he won’t do it,” Wolf finished.
“Right,” Kenderbrick said.
“Bastard.”
“
Wait until you meet him. Anyway, Lumendrake wants nothing short of a total withdrawal of all our forces. He won’t negotiate on anything else until that matter is settled. That puts Spellbinder in a tough position, since she knows it isn’t that simple.
“Now Goldenfawn is a little more reasonable.”
“Who’s she again?” Wolf asked. He was beginning to feel his brain overload. He understood the importance of preparation, but he was at his best when he was improvising. He was getting to the point where he just wanted to meet all these people and play it as it came.
“He is Shamir Goldenfawn, the Minister of Internal Security. Like Lumendrake he is a conservative Shendali, but he’s no fundamentalist. He has a much more realistic view of the situation, probably because, since he deals with security issues, he has a much better understanding of how prepared Alfari troops are to deal with the violence.”
“Which is to say not at all,” Wolf commented.
“No!” Kenderbrick sounded cross. “The Alfari soldiers are not incapable. They know what they are doing, especially the Elite Guard. The problem is their numbers are small, because a lot of potential soldiers have joined militias instead. The scope of the conflict demands more troops than the Alfaris can bring to bear at the moment, which is one of the reasons they need assistance from us.
“Damn it, Shadow Six, you’ve got to pay closer attention. You’re going to make a mistake and set the negotiations back months if you don’t.”
Wolf tried not to be furious. This was an overwhelming assignment and not his field. He was here to find out what Silverleaf was up to and stop it, not negotiate a peace settlement with the Alfari Coalition Government.
“Now listen,” Kenderbrick continued, “Goldenfawn also wants a complete withdrawal by the Urlish military. However, he is willing to consider options to phase it over time, and he doesn’t mind a longer timetable. He’s the one you’ll need to persuade to our side if you are going to get Lumendrake, but you’ll have to appease him somehow first.”
“Blood and bones, Kenderbrick,” Wolf said, rubbing his eyes. “Is there anyone on this government at all sympathetic to us?”
1 State of Grace Page 17
