by Darren Shan
"One who'll take advantage of any opportunity. I believe Ama and I are made for each other. There's chemistry between us. She'll love me, given time. In fact I think she'll come to love me so much, she'll do anything I ask. If I leave this city and head for some godforsaken corner of the Earth, she'll follow. You'll never see her again if I do that, Cafran." I smiled. "Or can I call you Daddy?"
"You're mad," he gaped.
"Maybe. But look in my eyes. Look in Ama's. Tell me I'm crazy then."
He glanced across the room. Ama was watching us, an amused frown creasing her face, wondering why the act had paused in the middle. He licked his lips. "She'd never leave me. We're too close. Even if you did marry her, she wouldn't just abandon me."
"You're sure of that?"
"I am."
I shrugged. "Maybe you're right. You know her better than I do. Maybe she'll stick by you, regardless of what I ask of her. But wouldn't you like to be certain? Wouldn't you like to insure her long-term loyalty?" I gave him my sneakiest smile and sat back.
His nails were digging into my finger. His right hand hovered above the top of the guillotine. The diners were looking on curiously, whispering, catching whiffs of the tension. The magic might be on the point of turning nasty and they relished the prospect of some unexpected blood.
Cafran looked up, smiled abruptly and brought his hand crashing down. I convulsed reflexively, in my mind's eye seeing the finger cut in two, blood spurting, harpies and vampires converging to suck me dry. But the blade came to rest harmlessly at the bottom of the guillotine. The crowd gasped, then clapped as I withdrew my finger and flexed it. Cafran stood, bowed and sat again. "Now," he said, "where are these papers you want me to sign?" A pause. A charming grin. He tapped me on the chin and winked. "Son."
I thanked Cafran for the meal, shook hands on the deal and took my leave. He was still smiling ruefully. Ama was waiting outside, arms crossed, serious as a judge in a hanging case. I walked over. We stood, staring silently for a minute, uncertain of ourselves. For all I knew she was one of The Cardinal's assassins, on orders to seduce, tempt and murder one Capac Raimi. For all she knew, I was The Cardinal's man through and through, here to make up for last night's error. Neither of us knew if the other was a potential lover or killer. It would have been comical if our lives hadn't been on theline.
Ama broke the silence. "Have fun the other night?"
"Fuck yes," I said, and then we were both laughing. "I never did it on the stairs before."
"Me neither. Kind of different, wasn't it?"
"Pretty exciting."
"And intoxicating. Invigorating. And incredibly, ridiculously stupid."
"I know. Screwing like rabbits on the stairs of Party Central. If anyone had chanced upon us…"
She chewed her upper lip. "So you're Capac Raimi."
"And you're Ama Situwa."
"Ever hear of me before today?"
"No."
"I'd heard of you."
"Word of mouth?"
"No. I read about you in the files at Party Central."
I hesitated, smile fading. "Can you tell me what you were doing there?" I asked.
She looked around nervously. "How close are you to The Cardinal? How loyal are you?" She watched closely for my response.
"I don't know," I answered truthfully. "Up to a couple of days ago I'd have said I was loyal to my last breath. He was the key to all I wanted, riches, glory, power. Now I'm not so sure. A friend's gone missing and I think The Cardinal might be implicated, that he's playing games with me. If pushed, I'd describe myself as loyal but wavering."
"I broke into Party Central," she confessed. "There's an unguarded window on the second floor. I get up there with a rope. I've been sneaking in three or four nights a week, searching the secret files on the top floors. I've enough evidence set aside to tear The Cardinal to shreds. I could destroy him in the blink of an eye tomorrow if I wanted."
It was a tall story, a lone woman breaking into Party Central unassisted, but I believed her. "Are you going to attack him?" I asked.
"Probably. Eventually."
"Why? What were you looking for? Why did you go there?"
"I'll explain later. For now, know there's nobody behind me. I've done this for and by myself. If you betray him, it's for me, a woman you don't know, a woman you've screwed once on a flight of stairs, who thinks she's in love with you, though she doesn't know why." She smiled sickly. "If that sounds reasonable, you're as crazy as I am for telling you this."
She was trembling. I was a total stranger yet she'd entrusted me with everything she had, her body, her heart, her life. Nobody had ever placed such faith in me before. I never thought anybody would. I felt weightless. Torn. For some reason I wanted to run with her madness and join her against The Cardinal, but that would mean risking everything, putting my future on the line.
"Do you know Adrian Arne?" It wasn't an important question, but if she lied the way others had lied, I'd shop her to The Cardinal before the night was out.
"Not in person," she answered. "But I know the name. He's one of the people on the Ayuamarca list."
"What?" I'd heard that name before.
" Ayuamarca. It's what I went to Party Central to find. It's the answer to the questions I've been tormented by since I came to this city. I haven't been able to crack its secret but I know it's the key. It's full of names. Mine, Adrian Arne's, Leonora Shankar's, yours. Dozens of names and a puzzle to go with each." She checked her watch and tutted. "I have to go in. Father needs me. A couple of the regular waitresses are off sick."
"We have to meet again," I said quickly, afraid she was going to vanish like Adrian once we said goodbye. "I want to hear more about this list and what you're looking for."
"Of course."
"Where? When?"
"Tomorrow. The docks. Pier 15. Come about six. That'll give you enough time to think things over. You might decide I'm too much of a risk and choose to remain true to your boss. I won't blame you if you do. I'm asking more than any stranger should. Maybe you'll come with Ford Tasso and a squadron of Troops." She sighed. "I can't stop that now. If I've made a mistake, I'm dead. I'm gambling on the chance that you love me-and that's so crazy that thinking about it makes me sick."
She left. I stood staring after her, mouth hanging open. A couple of seconds later she was back for one last question. "Do you remember your childhood?" I must have jumped because she smiled knowingly. "Neither do I," she said. And then she was gone again, this time for good.
I filed my papers back at the office. Sonja was there, sullen, glaring at me, but she brightened up when she saw the signed forms. She'd been trying to land Reed for almost as long as The Cardinal had. She asked how I did it, making an effort to bridge the chasm between us. I only grunted. She'd tricked me and lied to me. I wasn't prepared to forgive and forget. I gave her the forms to finish, made a curt excuse and left.
I wandered the streets of the city for a few hours before making my lonely way back to the Skylight. Could I really betray The Cardinal? It should have been an unthinkable question. He'd spared me. Brought me into the fold, set me up with a great job, told Ford Tasso and Sonja to teach me. I was going to turn on him after all that, on account of a cat burglar who'd seduced me on the stairs? It was crazy.
I had to give her to him. For all I knew she was a plant, and he'd put her in my way to test my loyalty. If she wasn't-if she was genuine-revealing her was all the more imperative. I should go home, shower, pick up my phone and tell The Cardinal all about Ama Situwa and the threat she posed. Feelings-the stirrings of what might be love, but which was probably just horniness-be damned.
I'd about made up my mind when my cell rang. It was one of The Cardinal's secretaries. He wanted to see me ASAP. He'd heard about my deal with Cafran and wanted to congratulate me in person. That was the deciding factor. I'd go there and tell him face-to-face. Ama Situwa was finished. The hell with Adrian too. I had my own neck to worry about and that mattered to me m
ore than any other's.
Just when my future had been settled, my phone rang again. This time it was one of Conchita's doctors. She'd had a visit from her husband, suffered a relapse and tried to kill herself. He said she'd nearly succeeded. He asked me to come as swiftly as I could. They'd drugged her but she was still conscious. If I couldn't help her, she'd have to be taken someplace where professionals could care for her. He didn't come right out and say I was the only thing between her and the nuthouse but it was what he meant. Forgetting all my other troubles, I barked at Thomas and we made it to the Skylight in record time. The Cardinal would have to wait.
When I reached Conchita's apartment, I was told she'd calmed down since they called, due to exhaustion, drugs and the blood she'd lost. She was in her bedroom, resting, crying, staring at the ceiling, half-dozing. The doctors wanted me to come back in the morning, but then a nurse came out and said Conchita had been asking for me, so they decided I'd better go in after all. They warned me to be gentle with her, comforting, understanding. As if I needed telling.
I entered, closed the door and crossed the room to the frail figure stretched across the bed. "Hey, little one," I said softly.
Her eyes opened and she smiled weakly. "Hi." Her voice was faint and pained. "I thought you weren't going to come, that I'd die alone tonight, that I'd lost you."
"Don't be silly. You can't lose me. I have a homing device stitched into my skull. It always brings me back, whether I like it or not."
"Silly." She grimaced. "It's been so long since I tried to kill myself. I forgot how much it hurts." She began to weep. I cuddled her gently.
"Shh. Don't cry. There's no need. I'm here. I'll help. I promised to protect you, didn't I? Forever." I backed off just enough so I could see her face. "What did he say, Conchita? What did the bastard say to make you want to end it all?"
"He was awful, Capac," she moaned. "He didn't mean to be. He was trying to help, like you are now, only he doesn't know how. He wanted to prepare me." Her eyes were brimming with tears. She shook her head sadly and some of the tears trickled out. "Poor Ferdy. He always tried to do what was best for me. He was just never very good at it."
"He's still alive?"
"Of course," she sniffed. "Ferdy will never die. He'll go on forever and ever, horrible and helpless as always."
"I thought he was dead."
"No. It was Ferdy. He'd lost some weight but otherwise he didn't look so different."
"What did he say to make you do such a… a foolish thing?"
She stared at me coldly, the maturity of her age in evidence for once. "He told me you were a gangster."
My face fell. "Conchita, I… I was going to tell you. I didn't want-"
"It's all right," she said. "I don't mind. I had my suspicions anyway. But he also said you were an Ayuamarcan." That word again! It shocked me coming from her lips. "He said getting close to you would be a bad idea, but I knew that anyway."
"Why would it be a bad idea, Conchita?" I asked quietly.
"Because almost all the Ayuamarcans end up dead," she replied. "A few get to live-the chosen few-but the rest… By telling me, he hoped to soften the blow." She snorted. "Stupid monster of a man."
"I don't understand," I said, letting her go, moving away.
"Don't worry," she said, following me. "I'm not going to listen. He frightened me when he came. I tried to kill myself because I was scared. I couldn't face losing you. But you're different. You're not like the others. You can beat him, I know you can. You're not like them… or me." She nodded when I looked sharply at her. "I'm one too. I'm weak like the others. But you can turn the tables on him, Capac. You're stronger than the rest of us."
"I still don't understand," I said. "What does Ferdinand Wain have to do with this? How can a nobody who's supposed to be dead wield so much influence? How does he tie in with this Ayuamarca list? What power does he-"
"Ferdinand who?" she interrupted.
"Ferdinand Wain," I groaned. Was she forcing him out of her thoughts already? Shutting reality out again?
"Who's that?"
"He's…" I reached across and touched her hand. I didn't want to continue but I couldn't let her retreat, not until I had the information I needed. I had to push her, much as I might hate myself for it. "He's your husband. Ferdinand Wain." She stared at me numbly and shook her head.
"No, Capac," she whispered.
"Yes, Conchita."
"No!" she screamed. Then grabbed my face and stared at me, horrified. "I thought you knew. I thought that was why… God. I'm not married to Ferdinand Wain, Capac. My husband is Ferdinand Dorak."
"Who…?" My mind reeled. I knew the name but couldn't admit it.
"Dorak," she repeated. And then, sitting back, face ashen, eyes starting to well with tears, she said, "I'm married to The Cardinal."
ama situwa
I sat alone in Shankar's, as far removed from the morning regulars as possible, and brooded over the events of the previous night. I had no appetite. I'd ordered a glass of orange juice but lost interest in it after a couple of bitter sips.
Ferdinand Wain didn't exist. The name was a cover, something toserve up to doctors, nurses, hotel staff and gullible fools like me. Conchita was married to The Cardinal.
I still had trouble accepting it. How could that old monster have won the hand of sweet, innocent Conchita? Then again, maybe she hadn't always been this way. The fragile, defenseless woman holed up in the Skylight might be a result of the illness which wrecked her body. What was she like before?
Conchita said nothing of importance after hitting me with the bombshell. I asked a few more questions about the Ayuamarcans but she waved them away with exhausted mumbles, saying only that they were dead people. She fell asleep in my arms. I held her for a long time, staring off into space, feeling her weak heart beating softly. She didn't stir when I left.
Three people had now mentioned this Ayuamarca file. The killer, Paucar Wami-I'd recalled this morning that he'd said Adrian and I were Ayuamarcans, and realized that was why I'd instinctively linked him with Adrian's disappearance. Ama Situwa, who claimed to have invaded Party Central. And The Cardinal's diseased wife. An unlikely trio, unconnected in any other way as far as I could see. But who were the Ayuamarcans? What linked them? And why did so many wind up dead?
A thin hand tapped my shoulder and disturbed me. I looked up,startled, expecting the angel of death, but it was only Leonora. "May I sit with you?"
"Sure." I stood and pulled out a chair. She thanked me and sat, setting down a plate with a sliced pineapple on it.
"You look like a man with too much on his mind," she said. "Islife with Dorry getting you down?"
"It has its darker moments," I confessed. "I never guessed it would be this complicated. I thought I'd take a few months to settle and after that it would be easy. I'd be told what to do, I'd learn and rise through the ranks, same as any other business. I wasn't prepared for the intrigue, the uncertainty, the madness."
She laughed. "You face the same maze as all Dorry's favorites. The higher one flies in this city, the stranger things get. If it is any consolation, it is a sign you are going places. He is testing you."
"I wouldn't mind a test but some days I feel like I'm being set up for a fall. Like he's planning to exploit me and toss me aside when he's finished."
"It is possible," she admitted. "I do not think those are his plans, but I have been wrong before."
"That's a big comfort," I said sarcastically.
She touched my arm sweetly. "There are no safety nets with Dorry. You knew that when you came aboard. It is too late to complain now."
"You're right. Sorry. It's been a hard week."
"They will get harder," she said gloomily. She ate a slice of her pineapple and glanced around the restaurant. A tiny flicker of doubt crossed her face. Then she dismissed whatever was troubling her and smiled. "I love this place. It is my home. In many ways my life began the day I opened for business. I have watched the great
men and women of this city sweep through, seen history in the making. Dorry was a nobody when I established this restaurant and only guttersnipes came. Then, as his power grew, this became the place to be. I remember the night he brought the president here. He looked so happy, the most powerful man in the country on one arm, Con-"
She stopped and grimaced.
"Conchita on the other," I finished.
She blinked, surprised. "You know about Conchita?"
"I met her in the Skylight. We're good friends."
"Does Dorry know?"
"He does now." My face blackened as I thought of her almost killing herself. "What's the story with them?" I asked, moving my glass to one side so I could lean closer. "Did he really love her?"
"As much as he could, yes." She sighed unhappily. "I thought Conchita would be the saving of him. He was so violent in the early days. When I first met him, he was a common thug, a brutal bully. He'd never learned to suppress his rage. He lashed out like a hyperactive child. He was an animal. I spent years coaching him. I saw the potential, the man he could become. I devoted myself to him. I am not sure why. There was simply something about him which drew us together.
"He was suspicious. He had never trusted anybody before. I do not think he knew his parents. He grew up on the streets, sleeping in garages and deserted houses. He could not read, could barely talk coherently. I changed that. I taught him how to speak, read, reason, act. The one thing I could not teach him was how to love. He had no interest in companionship. Then Conchita came along."
Leonora was lost in the world of the past. I hardly dared breathe lest I disturb her. "She was so lovely. Petite but full of life. She persevered with Dorry as I had, put up with his tantrums, overlooked his rages, loved him wholly. They were like Beauty and the Beast. He roared at the world and she laughed. In public she would tickle his stomach and rub her nose across his neck. Nobody dared smile."
"She calmed him?" I asked.
"No. She helped, as I had. But he went on killing people as if they were flies. His private life never distracted him. When the disease ruined her mind and drove her away from him, many people expected him to fly into a rage and take it out on the city. He did not. It was business as usual, no matter how much he was hurting inside."
