The Monstrous Citadel

by Mirah Bolender

  Cherry’s face went red; she could serve as a witness, but all she really had to go on was Laura’s word, and if Amicae discounted Laura’s story, Cherry’s perspective wouldn’t hold water. Laura needed to target Juliana herself. She had to uproot the problem at its source.

  Laura closed her eyes. “So, Eliza was eaten by an infestation?”

  “Yes,” said Juliana.

  “And Lester was eaten?”

  “He must’ve been.”

  Laura sighed and opened her eyes. “I can’t give you Lester’s body, but I can tell you where Eliza’s is.”

  Juliana remained unfazed. “Laura, don’t you remember? What’s eaten by infestations can never be recovered.”

  “Precisely.”

  A pause, and realization flooded over Juliana’s face: white fear, red anger, expression twisting as she hit the tipping point.

  “Puer,” Laura said loudly. “6649 West Kallas—”

  “Shut your mouth!” Juliana screeched.

  “Third Quarter—”

  “You little—”

  Juliana lunged. The nearest police officer wasn’t prepared, so she yanked his gun from its holster easily. For one heart-stopping moment Laura looked down the barrel, Juliana snarling at the other end, flashbulbs popping on either side. Then, miraculously, it changed course. The gun went up. A bullet hit one of the hanging clocks, shattering its glass face. The Silver King had slid in and knocked her arm up. Another sharp movement and the gun clattered to the tile. The Silver King hooked one leg under Juliana’s, twisted the arm still in her grip, and sent her crashing down. She knelt over Juliana, flicking out her knife and raising it.

  “Stop.” Haru caught the Silver King’s arm.

  She glared at him. “I’d have thought the Mad Dogs wanted this ending.”

  “Balance can’t be kept if we don’t understand what affects it,” said Haru.

  The Silver King studied him before saying, “True enough.” She tucked the blade away and sent the officer a dirty look. “Take care of this woman, or we’ll do it for you.”

  She left. The crowd parted for her immediately.

  “Mobster filth,” said Juliana, still trembling on the ground.

  “I really don’t think I’m qualified for any of this,” said the still-armed policeman, while his coworker gingerly picked up the fallen gun. “We’re just here to check vendor licenses, not this.”

  “Well, it’s your problem now,” said Haru. “Considering there are, say, fifty witnesses to an attempted shooting here, I’d say an arrest is in order.”

  When the officers still hesitated, Byron prompted, “Rights of the accused.”

  This startled them into action. One knelt down, pulling out handcuffs and reciting the rights. Juliana didn’t take this well. She clawed at him, eyes wild.

  “I didn’t kill her! Lester killed her! Lester did all of it!”

  “Please hold still, miss!” said the second officer, moving in to help. “This behavior isn’t very dignified!”

  Juliana didn’t give a rat’s ass about dignity now. She lunged again. The officers hurried to cover their belts, but she’d aimed at Laura. Cherry and Mateo threw themselves in front of Laura, but a hasty grab at cuffed hands stopped her from reaching them.

  “You think you’ve got the best of me?” Juliana raged; Laura felt flecks of spit land on her face and recoiled. “You’re the one who’s finished! I’ll run you out of this city, you and your whiny sidekick! This isn’t over!”

  “Please take her away before she makes things worse for herself,” said Byron.

  The officers each fit an arm under one of Juliana’s.

  “This is treason!” Juliana howled as they turned her toward the nearest police box. “You can’t arrest your head Sweeper!”

  In the wake of this, no one seemed to know what to do. Juliana’s breakdown was probably newsworthy, but it meant destroying the media darling they’d built up. The reporters came to see Laura’s ruin; some were obviously upset by the twist, and Laura couldn’t blame them.

  Byron stepped forward, catching everyone’s attention with a commanding tone. “My clients will decline any further questions. This has already been a rough morning, and we’d prefer that the chief of police be the first to hear a full report. Thank you for your understanding.”

  Laura forced herself to relax. Only now did she realize Okane’s tight grip on her shoulder.

  “Are you okay?” she asked.

  “I should be asking - - - that,” he said. “I … That scared me a little. I’m glad that woman acted in time.”

  “I suppose it helped that Juliana didn’t have a knife this time,” said Laura. “I don’t mean that as a joke. That scared me too. Tremendously.”

  “Do - - - think that’s enough to get her out of Amicae?” said Okane. “Do we need to take it up with the Council, too?”

  “I think a telegram to the Puer Sweepers will do the trick,” said Laura. “They can invoke Terulian Law, maybe even get Coronae involved. They’ll take her away. In the meantime, if she’s in jail, she can’t come after us.”

  Honestly, no. On paper Juliana was the only remaining Sweeper in Amicae, and Clae had always implied that head Sweepers were beyond the usual law enforcement. Then again, Clae hadn’t attempted to shoot someone in the middle of the depot. Besides, if the Council put so much effort into her image they might insist on keeping her. She could be released in a matter of hours, could easily return to the shop and Okane’s home. Even if he managed to figure out the new lock, he wouldn’t be safe there.

  “You should stay with me for the time being,” said Laura. “I can only offer you a couch, but it’s a step up from hiding in Rexian barracks.”

  From his rueful smile, she knew his thoughts had followed the same line. “I’d appreciate that.”

  “I assume you don’t have a place to stay, either,” said Mateo, looking at Cherry. “The Ranger district seems to be emptied. I can provide lodging at the church. The dead will be brought there anyway.”

  “That doesn’t sound like a bad idea,” said Cherry. “But damn, you two, I realized your boss was crazy, but I didn’t understand to what extent! She looked ready to rip out your throat!”

  “Hopefully we won’t have to deal with her for long,” said Laura.

  “Not if the chief has her way in this case,” said Byron.

  They made their slow way out of the depot and toward the cable cars. Cherry and Mateo drew Okane into a conversation, but Laura stood closer to Byron as they waited for the cab to arrive. Ever since talking to Lester in Rex, she’d been considering an idea. It came together on the train ride back, but she wanted to go over it with someone first. Byron had picked up on everything she had, when it came to the MacDanels and Sweepers. Maybe he had insight on this, too.

  “You have a suspect in the Falling Infestation, don’t you?” she said. “Not Sullivan, of course, but it’s not Rex, either.”

  Byron grinned. “It sounds like you have a suspect, too.”

  “The kingshound gave it away,” said Laura. “It may be associated with Rex, but more than that, it’s a mad dog. Just another version of the MARU circle.”

  “Perceptive,” said Byron.

  “What I don’t understand is why,” said Laura. “They took down their own infestation? Is that what it is? If their boss is an ex-Sinclair, he’d know too well what kind of danger that brings.”

  “As much as it galls me to say it, there may be a good reason why the Silver Kings are on a rampage,” said Byron.

  “The balance,” Laura said flatly.

  “They do go on about that.” Byron breathed out a cloud of smoke. “They’re ruthless about anything they deem a threat to survival, usually to themselves but also for the city at large. You know what sparked unification and backlash at the MARU? The Council had an idiot plan to steamroll the native districts in the Fifth and Fourth Quarters. A ‘relocation’ plan. Anyone with a brain knew it was a bullshit story meant to cover a fucking g
enocide. It didn’t reach the papers, but it sure as hell reached the mobs. I cheered when Silver Kings assassinated the councilman responsible, but I can’t forgive what they did to me and to bystanders.”

  “So they think Mad Dogs are a threat in the same way?” said Laura.

  “Maybe. Maybe it’s all egos. I’ve been on the edge of the game so long, I can’t say.”

  “You said you were an expert,” said Laura. “Were you in the mobs at some point?”

  “MARU.”

  “Oh.” She looked out over the tracks again. “Have you got any tips on staying out of this mess?”

  “If they want to involve you, it’s hard to stay out. Keep insisting on neutrality. Silver Kings at least will respect that, and they’ll be determined to keep you that way.”

  “They haven’t helped me much at this point,” she grumbled.

  Byron chuckled. “Maybe today turns a new page. They might have new faith in you now.”

  Laura shook her head. “But you can’t think of a reason for the Mad Dogs to set up that infestation? Not any hint from your MARU days?”

  “That’s the problem. The leadership’s changed,” said Byron. He breathed out again and studied the smoke as if it were the most interesting thing in the world. “Mad Dogs has always been an oddity, but when the new boss came in, he gave them focus. They’re easily the most Sweeper-oriented mob here, so they know very well what they were doing and how to defend against it. They weren’t acting on a whim, and there’s no way something so elaborate could be a mistake.”

  “You said before that maybe they meant to contain it,” Laura recalled.

  “I think that’s the case,” he agreed. “Why? Who can tell? But it must’ve been clear to them.”

  22

  APPROACHING DARKNESS

  “Okay.” Morgan shuffled around the kitchen, sifting through items on the counter and purse swinging with the motion. “I’ll be gone until at least four. I’ll pick up Cheryl from school, so you don’t have to worry about that.”

  “Because I was so worried,” Laura grumbled, pouring herself another cup of tea. Okane smiled warily, unsure if this was a joke, while Morgan ignored her.

  “Without office hours you have a whole day ahead of you. Heaven forbid, I wonder if you’re planning to do me favors.”

  She’d taken Laura’s return surprisingly well, considering she’d been gone a week and a half with no warning. It helped that Laura arrived with a full escort: priest, Ranger, investigator, and multiple policemen. The police and Byron assured her that she’d talked with Albright and the police planned immediate action in regard to Juliana; Cherry shared that Laura had been under her wing most of this time and therefore safe in the wilds; and Mateo offered the softer reassurance of everything will be just fine. Cheryl had gained bragging rights, because none of her classmates had Rangers over for dinner, did they? Morgan still remembered Okane as “that nice boy who doesn’t know how to celebrate Underyear,” so it didn’t take much convincing to let him stay the night. He’d spent the morning following her around the kitchen and handing her ingredients; Morgan had jokingly asked if he wanted a job at the catering office.

  “There’s not much to do here otherwise,” Morgan said now, plucking up a notebook to stow in her bag. “I think Charlie will be back from school around noon, though, so I’d suggest going out. That boy’s become such a gossip! He was talking about those articles from the papers and implying things about you to all the neighbors. Well! I caught him in the act and gave him a piece of my mind.”

  Laura sucked in a horrified, excited breath. “Oh, no. You didn’t!”

  “I did!” Morgan brandished her keys like a weapon. “And he won’t forget it anytime soon. He’s out of my good books permanently. I’ll miss having someone to clean out the plumbing, but apparently there wasn’t much else to lose. Although, one of those policemen yesterday was young and handsome. Maybe today you should drop by and see if he’s available?”

  Laura forced a grimace. “Morgan.”

  “I had to try! Oh, and Okane, you’ll be with us for dinner again tonight, right? How do you feel about chicken à la king?”

  “Chick—What?”

  “It’s good,” Laura chuckled.

  “Then I’m sure I’d like it.”

  “Wonderful! I’ll make that, then. Maybe I can convince my boss to let me host another tasting party,” said Morgan, rubbing her hands together. “That’s twice in three months, but I’d love your input. We’re always working on next season’s cookbooks. I’ll let you know about it later!”

  Once she’d left, Okane leaned forward. “I like - - -r aunt.”

  “So do I,” said Laura, unable to quash her smile anymore. “I was worried for a while that she’d never stop pushing Charlie on me, but she keeps surprising me. We really should leave before he comes back, though. I’d rather jump off the First Quarter wall than talk to him.”

  “Well, I do have an idea of where to go.”

  Laura’s eyes narrowed. “You say that as if it’s something to hide.”

  “Maybe? I’m not entirely sure it’s legal.” He laced his fingers together and took a deep breath. “I want to check the sunk Pits.”

  It took a moment for Laura to remember what he meant. When she did, she leaned back in her chair, already tired. “Juliana was really interested in them. She wanted to reallocate the Gin there into our kin production, didn’t she?”

  “Exactly. Doing that would leave the Pit itself vulnerable to infestations.” He frowned. “Not just vulnerable, but perfect. It could become a breeding ground the likes of which we’ve never seen.”

  No one would agree to help her with that, Laura wanted to argue, but she couldn’t know for sure. Basil’s letter had implied the Council approved many things they hadn’t understood.

  “We could ask the Council for a list of approved items,” she said, tapping her fingers on the tabletop. “No, that wouldn’t work. Even if they agreed to get it to us, it would take forever to issue the list; it would be too late to do anything by then. I don’t think they’d agree to give us anything in the first place. We’re not on their payroll anymore. Technically we have no right to the information.”

  “The sunk Pits are my property,” said Okane. “I have every right to that information. I’ll bring the estate administrator into this if I have to.”

  “It would still take a ridiculously long time to get the information. Do you know where to find those Pits?”

  “They’re located in spurs along the outer Quarter walls,” he replied. “They’ll be very distinctive locations, and I’m told those areas of the mines have good signage. If we can get down there, it’ll be easy to track them down.”

  “We can get down there,” said Laura, standing. “We may not be official anymore, but the Council hasn’t revoked our IDs yet. We have enough stars on those to get anywhere we need to go in Amicae.”

  “So long as the person checking IDs doesn’t know about our situation,” said Okane, but he stood too.

  “Stars are stars,” said Laura. “Let’s do this.”

  * * *

  The door to the interior yawned wide open, ready to admit any workers. They slipped in with no trouble. The usual din of the interior had dimmed somewhat. In the wake of the Falling Infestation many of the machines and factories had been trashed. While some were fixed up quickly, others remained ruined. Some damaged equipment had been removed entirely—one of the elevator shafts was conspicuously blocked off—and scaffolds for repairmen had been erected along walls and walkways. Nevertheless, spirits remained undaunted and production went on, evident by the smoke, lights, and noise. They made a beeline for one of the elevators and waited by a crowd of miners.

  “Excuse me.” Laura approached one and waved for his attention. “Which level are you going to?”

  “Fifth,” the man replied.

  Laura glanced back at Okane. “Where’s our destination?”

  “Seventh level,” he replied.


  The man frowned at one, then the other. “Seventh? That’s—Hang on, have I seen you before? Aren’t you Sweepers? Don’t you usually go up?”

  “We have reason to believe that some of our equipment down there could be damaged,” said Laura. “I’d like to check its status, and arrange for repairs if necessary.”

  “Are you even allowed to go down?” said the man, suspicious.

  “We can’t waste time when it comes to infestations,” said Laura. “We have the credentials if you need them. Want to see our IDs?”

  “No, no, that’s fine. Just let me talk to the operator.”

  The man hurried away, clearly happy to escape them. They followed him to the operator. Laura didn’t catch most of the conversation, but the operator squinted up at her.

  “Don’t worry,” he said. “I’ll make sure you get down there. Just get on the lift with the rest of them.”

  As the elevator clattered up and open, the crowd moved forward and the pair moved with them. They stood close to the grilles as it rattled closed again.

  “Going to the fifth level,” announced the operator, dull and tired.

  “Wait! Stop that elevator!”

  The operator jolted to full awareness and looked around. The miners stood on tiptoe to squint at the disturbance. Okane made a choking noise.

  “Is that Cherry?”

  Cherry ran across one of the walkways, with Mateo dashing behind her.

  “Hold it! You’re not getting away without giving me a goddamn answer, you absolute idiot! Stop that elevator!”

  “This one?” the operator called, gesturing at the elevator.

  “No, the other one! You with the bandana, stop the—Augh!”