“I’m not sure. They both spent a lot of time there. It’s possible Norm got to know the owner or the drink tender. Maybe he was paying them to keep tabs on Waterbury and wanted to check in. Norm has lots of contacts. He pays them well, and as far as I know, once Norm has a spy, they’re loyal to him.”
Norm was a likable guy. Usually. When he wasn’t irritating the crap out of her.
“Landing at public transpo, one block from target location, in thirty seconds,” the sim announced.
“I guess we’re about to find out,” Kaylee murmured.
Mina checked her cuff once more. Nothing from Vince. “Yes, we are.”
Kaylee snarked, “Knowing that old spider, there’ll be another cryptic note on the waste-room mirror.”
“I hope not.”
The drone landed, and they departed.
A block in, Kaylee bobbed her head in front of them. “Tell me this is not the place. Don’t they know they can print another sign that actually has all the letters? That one looks like it’s from a hundred years ago. I bet it used to light up with neon inside. Now it just looks pitiful.”
“They probably kept it for nostalgia’s sake. Back then, patrons were very loyal to their local bar. It was a big deal.”
“The outside glass is tinted. It’s not solar-catch either.” Kaylee wrinkled her nose as they came to a stop in front of the door. “No wonder a creep like you-know-who wanted to hang out here. No one pays attention. It’s a keep-your-head-down-and-walk-on-by kind of place.”
“We’re paying attention now.” Mina swung the door open.
It took a few moments for their eyes to adjust to the dimness. Not more than four ultras were on, all of them at barely there lumen levels. Two customers sat spaced along the bar. No one occupied any of the scattered tables. One drink tender was busy mopping up an area of the original wood bar.
“What can I get you ladies?” he asked genially.
“I’m actually looking for one of your customers. A guy about this tall.” Mina raised her hand to just above her shoulder. “Gray hair styled a centimeter off his scalp. He’s been a patron here for many years on and off. He would’ve frequented this place a lot about seven years ago. We have reason to believe he was just here.”
The man chuckled. “You’re talking about Billy. He said you’d come by. He’s nothing if not predictable.”
“When did he leave?” Kaylee asked.
“Oh, going on about ten, twelve minutes ago.”
“What did he say to you?” Mina asked.
“Came in for a quick hello, like he does sometimes. Said he was expecting guests, didn’t know when, likely soonish. At least one would be a female matching your description.” He angled his head toward Mina. “Said to tell you not to worry. He’s dealing with it.”
That only escalated her worry.
“Did he happen to say how we could get in touch with him?” Mina asked. “He’s not answering his cuff. It’s pretty important we get a hold of him.”
“He said you’d be persistent.” The man laughed good-naturedly. Now that Mina’s eyes had adjusted to the darkened interior, she noticed he was about Norm’s age. Taller and skinnier, his hair dyed dark brown. Not too many enhancements, but a few.
“He was right.” Mina waited.
“He said that if you looked extra anxious, I was supposed to tell you that he was keeping an appointment he made. And that he wasn’t gonna let the same thing happen twice.” The man rubbed his chin. “He was pretty vague, but when I pressed him, he wouldn’t give me anything else. Except the coin to relay this message to you.” The man flashed her a broad smile. He was missing a tooth on the bottom. Kind of went along with the broken sign outside. Not only could you print a sign for cheap, you could also print a tooth. Or, technically, have a dentist do it for you. “What he didn’t know is that when he contacted transpo to pick him up, I saw the address he was going to. He typed it out slowly on his cuff. It’s dark in here, so he did it on holo.” The man shook his head. “Hard to keep secrets at Tanks.”
Mina didn’t mention all the secrets Waterbury had kept over the years sitting in this very place. Or the fact that Norm was being sloppy on purpose.
“How much do you want?” She wasn’t interested in negotiating. Mina needed answers now.
“Billy settled on fifty even. I’m thinking you need this information badly, so I’ll give you a deal. How about forty-five?”
“Done.”
The man began to protest. “Wait a minute. I was being a little too hasty—”
Mina spoke into her cuff. “I need a coin delivery of one hundred world currency to the main drink tender at Tanks. Approval through Director McAllister. Respond immediately.”
“Submitting order. Please wait,” a bot at headquarters replied. A few seconds later, it said, “Order approved. Delivery will commence in seven minutes.”
The man stared at her cuff in wonder. Then blinked. “Okay, then. The address was an easy one to remember. It’s only a couple kilometers away. It’s a popular inking emporium called Eclipse Ink.”
“Webb’s getting body ink done?” Kaylee snorted. “That doesn’t sound right.”
“He’s not getting inked,” Mina replied. She debated asking this nice drink tender to give her an alert if Waterbury showed up, but she didn’t want to get him on the Syndicate’s radar, so she opted against it. “Thanks for your time. Your coin will be here in the next five.” She turned and walked out. Kaylee followed.
“Sounds like you know the place,” Kaylee said as they began to walk toward the public landing pad.
“I do. I had a case a few years ago involving a crafty burglar. Traced him back to Eclipse. He was one of their inkers. He was placing microlocators under the skin of his clients. He would grab their skin residue for DNA and their prints off a set special substance he precoated on the armrests. He would chat them up, figure out how secure their residences were, get the name of their sim. With the aid of the locators, he knew when they weren’t home. He went for places where the residents used smudgers to get in and out.”
“I remember you telling me about that guy. He evaded you for a while.”
“He did,” Mina said as a government craft set down. “I actually found him in what’s called The Underground of Eclipse Ink. It’s a space they lease to freelancers. That’s why I know Norm is not getting inked. They specialize in performing procedures down there. Body piercings, beauty implants, hair, eyelashes, embedded jewels, stuff like that. At the time, the staff swore up and down those areas were aboveboard and legal. Guess what I bet they also do?”
“Illegal procedures. Like implanting echo fibs.”
“Ding, ding, ding. Hand the woman a maple treat.”
“Goody, I’m dying for one.”
The drone landed, and they boarded.
“If we can reach him quick enough, hopefully we can stop it from happening.” Mina was more worried about Norm than upset with him right now. Upset would come later.
“What is your destination please?” the sim asked.
“Eclipse Ink,” Mina ordered.
“Eclipse Ink has monitored landing,” the sim replied after a few seconds. “You must have an appointment to access its hub.”
“Cite a governmental exception,” Mina said.
After fifteen seconds, the sim intoned, “Override accepted. Landing in less than one minute.”
“I can’t believe that devious spider is going to go through with it.” Kaylee shook her head. “It’s such a stupid thing to do without contacting you first to see if you had a better plan. And you do. A totally better one.”
“I can promise you that Norm is not thinking straight.” Mina settled back in her seat. “He’s likely in some kind of shock from the torture. I should’ve taken that into account. Assessed his mental health before we started all this. Com
bined that with all his years he’s tried to get Waterbury boxed for good. He wants to stop him at all costs. Norm knows the horrible stuff Waterbury is capable of, and he doesn’t want any of us involved. In his mind, the Syndicate will never let up, meaning that all of us will be in their crosshairs forever.”
Kaylee gazed out the window. “Do you think that’s accurate? Do you think they’ll be laser-focused on us for life? In all of my years with the CIU, I’ve never come up against them before. None of us has, at least that I know of. They’ve always been exceedingly careful about covering their tracks so they don’t get caught. And if they happen to, they always find a way to wiggle right out.”
“I’m not sure,” Mina replied honestly. “But I can swear to you that I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure none of us ends up at the mercy of the Syndicate. That means keeping everyone involved quiet. If no one knows the identities of the people who brought them down, they can’t exact revenge. Exposing this case quickly and making sure it’s chaotic will be important. Once Waterbury gets Babble, things will fall apart for them. Hopefully, whoever gave Waterbury his orders, including bosses, will be hauled in.”
“When you guys were listening in on the communication between Mr. Frackin’ and the guy at Waterbury’s, you said he made it sound like they had something big brewing. That would be a benefit. Even better if they blame this entire data grab on Waterbury for deciding to torture a federal ex-marshal. I mean, it was freakishly stupid. Especially since he’s still on monitored probation.”
Mina nodded. “That would be ideal. This case carries more risk than anything we’ve dealt with in a long time. We’re going to have to be extremely vigilant. There’s no way around it. But we took an oath to protect the innocents, whatever the currency expense. This is one of those times.”
“Yeah, it’s an expensive one. But I’m in it. Knowing we’ll be a part of bringing down this massive organization that has killed, maimed, and wreaked havoc for years on end will be extremely satisfying. Maybe the most satisfying to date. I’m kind of shocked we’re getting approval to do this. Seems like the higher-ups are okay with us taking down a crime organization that has made a multitrillion-dollar dynasty out of operating in the gray zone of legalized crime. If we’re successful, it’s going to rock the world.”
“I’m surprised, too,” Mina said. “I think we might be entering into an era where the world is fed up with coexisting with ongoing criminal activities. It seems the committee agrees. We’ve presented them with a chance to bash a hole in the Syndicate’s titanium shield, and they’re allowing us to take the swing.”
“I wonder what your faux auditors would say to this,” Kaylee snarked. “Certainly whoever sicced them on you wouldn’t agree with going after the Syndicate, as they seemed not to want criminals locked in boxes. This kind of proves the audit wasn’t from our committee. Is McAllister any closer to figuring out who ordered it?”
“Not that I know of. I’m sure it’s been sidelined due to what’s happening today. But I’m certain he’ll get to the bottom of it. I’ve never seen him so angry. When I got up to leave the room, and the auditors tried to stop me, McAllister whipped open the door and looked like he was ready to physically fight them.” Mina chuckled. “They are going to rue the day they pissed off Duncan McAllister. I can promise you that.”
“I’d love to see the ending to that, printed treats in hand. I really would. Our director remains in a constant state of composure each and every day. Thinking of him teetering on the edge is kind of exciting. I hope they come back into the building and demand a meeting.” Her glee spilled over.
“It would be at their own peril.”
“Landing at Eclipse Ink,” the sim intoned.
“Let’s go get Norm so this case can begin its free fall,” Mina said.
Chapter 13
“Hello, Agent Kane. How may I help you?” The young woman behind the reception desk greeted them with a tentative smile.
Mina was relieved the woman recognized her from her previous op. Mina couldn’t recall this woman specifically, but she wore a very helpful name badge.
“It’s nice to see you again, Ramona,” Mina replied smoothly. “You can assist me by directing us to the procedure rooms of The Underground. Someone I’m looking for is with a technician down there.”
The girl had so much body ink running along both arms that no undecorated skin showed. Her hair was dyed a brilliant cerulean blue to accent her eyes, and her ears were lined with a variety of piercings.
Even under all that ink, Mina could see her pale at the inquiry.
“I’m sorry,” Ramona started, “I’m not allowed to give nonclients access to that area. You have to have an appointment, then that technician comes up and escorts you down.”
Mina knew the drill. “Please contact your supervisor. Is it still Roxie? Tell her I’m here and require her assistance.” She couldn’t recall Roxie’s surname, but she was happy that she was able to pull out the woman’s first name.
“She’s one of them, yes,” Ramona replied, tapping a board embedded into the desk. She glanced up, her smile expressing her relief that Mina was letting her off the hook. “She’ll be down in a second. Please take a seat over there.” She gestured to a small but nicely furnished waiting area.
Mina and Kaylee walked over.
“Are you going to have to call in a warrant?” Kaylee asked. “Or do you think she’ll comply?”
“I think Roxie will cooperate,” Mina replied. “She’s the one who swore up and down the last time that everything that goes on below ground is legal. In fact, she staked her career on it. Because I’d already apprehended the guy I was looking for, I told her she was clear, and I wouldn’t investigate any further. But if I had to return, it would be a different story. If someone is performing illegal implants in her building, this will be the second time it’s happened.”
They didn’t have to wait long.
A tall, willowy redhead, dressed in a sheath dress of vibrant, metallic gold that accented all of her decorative ink, strode into the waiting area. Mina saw her apprehension even as she tried to hide it.
She extended a hand. “How nice to see you again, Agent Kane. What brings you by?”
Mina shook the proffered hand. “My partner, Agent Poston, and I are here to pick up a man we believe is receiving, or about to receive, an illegal implant in your basement.” She chose not to mince words. She didn’t have time to waste.
“That’s not possible. We don’t condone or approve illegal implants here. I was very clear with you about that last time. Nothing has changed.”
Mina knew Roxie was in a difficult position. Mina liked the woman and wanted to work with her. “You were crystal clear. During that conversation, you assured me that all business conducted here is legal, and I took you at your word.” Roxie blinked, her expression serene. “But I have intel that suggests otherwise. You can allow me access to continue my investigation, which might lead to inconclusive findings. Or I can procure a warrant to do the same.” Mina glanced at her cuff. “I believe it will take no longer than five minutes to procure a warrant, as I’m currently involved in a very sensitive matter. If the warrant is enacted, this place will be shut down so a formal investigation can take place, which is standard procedure. The choice is yours. But I need you to make a decision immediately. The person I’m here for is at risk of dying if something goes wrong.”
Roxie cleared her throat, flattening her hand across her chest. The backside was covered in interesting geometric designs. Mina couldn’t imagine wanting something like that for herself, but it was beautiful on her. Inking and re-inking was a big business. It’d gotten incredibly easy over the last fifty years to laser off old designs and add new ones.
But that didn’t mean it wasn’t painful. Needles injected ink under the skin. Nothing else worked as well.
“I will, of course, lead
you downstairs. No warrant is necessary.” Roxie gathered herself. “But I want to make this very clear before we proceed. If any of our independent contractors are providing illegal services, they are breaking their agreement with us. They will be asked to leave immediately and will be escorted out. If you care to press charges and make an arrest, that’s up to you. You have my word that we will cooperate fully. We employ staff on our main and upper floors.” She made a sweeping gesture to include the upper stories. “We do full lifechecks, we monitor all procedures, and we follow the law. Nothing happens without our knowledge. Below ground, in The Underground, we procure contracts with independent agents who provide various services that complement our line of work. It helps with the building costs, as upkeep is expensive. Each of our contractors signs a binding agreement with us that everything they do here is completely legal. I can provide those contracts, if necessary. Nothing illegal is condoned nor tolerated by Eclipse Ink. Just as I told you the last time we met, you have my word.”
“I appreciate that.” Mina inclined her head toward the woman. “I’ll give you an address of where to send those contracts, if needed, depending on what we find. I’m certain Eclipse is protected well by the agreements. Independent contractors have a level of freedom that regular employees don’t have, which makes them harder to monitor. Right now, we need to get down to those rooms. I doubt the man we’re looking for used his real name, but his appointment would have started approximately fifteen minutes ago. He’s a little shorter than I am and has steel-gray hair and a stocky build. Somebody will have noticed him.”
Roxie nodded. “Come with me.”
They followed the manager down a hallway. She stopped in front of a single tube station, DNA-swiping to unlock it.
The ride was short. The door opened, and they had to wait for their eyes to adjust to the lighting—or lack thereof.
“Hey, it’s a neon sign.” Kaylee gestured to the scrawled letters mounted on a red-brick wall lit by pale pink gas. It read Welcome to The Underground. “We were just talking about those. Somebody should tell the guy at Tanks he can get a fresh, updated sign. So much prettier and full of life.”
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