As he walked slowly away from the river, helped by the pair, Corvyn thought more about what happened, and the fact that it had definitely been a direct attack on him. Whoever it was knew that trying to enter the shadows was close to impossible from water. Given his disoriented sleep, just using the shadows to shield himself from either explosives or the directed energy beam, whichever had caused the high-speed hydrofoil to explode, was close to a miracle—not that Corvyn believed in the traditional definitions of miracles.
He thought about accessing the news, then shook his head. At the moment, he was not linked to Heaven’s system, and it might be best if he remained off the system for some time, at least until he was in a position where he could activate another sub-identity, since “C. O. Poe” should be presumed dead, at least for quite a considerable time. The most immediate question was exactly how the hydrofoil and everyone else on board happened to be destroyed. The most obvious method would have been by the Lances of Heaven, in order to stop Corvyn before he discovered who might have gained control of the Lances, but, given the safeguards surrounding them and the Lances, that was improbable. The most likely possibility was the use of traditional explosives, suggesting that the power involved needed to destroy or delay Corvyn. Or to discover any weakness you have.
“There’s a small community van we can use to get you to the clinic.”
Corvyn could sense that the man was worried that Corvyn might be in shock. Which he was, except not physical shock, but the mental shock from the idea that anyone would use that much power and that much effort against someone as much in the background as Corvyn had always been. And not care in the slightest about what happened to all the others on the boat.
“Oh, I don’t believe I gave you my name. I’m Wang Chao.”
“And I’m Liu Min.”
Corvyn thought, then said, “Stafie Corbin.” The name meant “shadow crow” in a long-lost language, and it was also a sub-identity he hadn’t used in generations, although any search for that name would provide confirmation that such a person existed in a small town within the considerable ambit of Helios and that Stafie Corbin was more than financially solvent.
“It’s not that far to the van,” said Wang Chao.
That was fine with Corvyn, whose legs felt shaky by the time the two helped him into the van, a conveyance that barely seated four but that drove itself smoothly to the Luoyang Community Clinic. A sleepy-eyed physician waited, a very young professional most likely recently certified and serving in a small community to pay off her education.
Ten minutes later, or thereabouts, Corvyn emerged from a diagnostic console and gratefully sat down opposite the physician.
After studying the diagnostics, she looked at Corvyn. “You’re very fortunate, sir. You have some heat damage to your dermis and some bruising. Most likely the immediate immersion in the river mitigated some of the burns.” After a slight hesitation, she asked, “Do you have any idea how the explosion occurred?”
“There was an intense flare of light. That’s all I recall.”
She nodded, then asked, “Did you see or hear anyone else?”
“I didn’t. One moment I was sound asleep. The next there was the flash of light, and then I was in the river.” All of what Corvyn said was true. He had just not told what happened between those moments.
“It’s amazing that you survived…”
Corvyn knew that it was even more amazing than the physician realized, but merely nodded as she continued.
“… you will likely be stiff and sore in places for the next several days…”
When she finished, she looked expectantly at Corvyn.
“I don’t have my card or anything, just the shorts in which I was sleeping. I can connect you to my data if you have a full-access capability.”
“Oh … that won’t be necessary. The clinic is rated for emergency care.”
Wang Chao nodded in turn. “You can stay with us tonight. In the morning, we can take you to the Bank of Baiyin here in Luoyang.”
That was a polite way of suggesting that if Corvyn were a fugitive or giving a false name, he’d be caught immediately if his name and biometrics did not match.
“That would be much appreciated. I’ll need to purchase clothes and personal items, and an electrobike to continue my journey to Keifeng.” Corvyn turned back to the physician. “Thank you so much. Is there anything special that I should do?”
“Light to moderate exercise would be fine, but nothing excessively strenuous for a few days. And if anything really gives you pain, see a physician or a clinic immediately.”
After nodding to the physician, Corvyn left the clinic with Wang Chao and Liu Min, sincerely hoping that events would not require anything strenuous, at least not immediately.
As the three sat in the van returning them, presumably, to the couple’s quarters, Liu Min said, “You might have to hire a van to take you to Baiyin if you wish to purchase an electrobike.”
“First, he needs to get some rest,” replied Wang Chao. “In the morning, we’ll see how he feels.”
“You’ll see how he feels,” she said with a hint of a laugh in her voice. “I have the early shift, remember?”
“The first thing I need is some clothing,” Corvyn said. “I’d rather not appear at the bank in just my sleeping shorts.”
“You can borrow something of mine,” replied Wang Chao, “until you can reestablish the links to your resources.”
“I won’t be imposing too much on you?”
“Not at all. We have a spare room with separate facilities. Liu Min’s brother was staying there for a while, but he’s in Tian now.”
“Oh?” From what Corvyn knew there was little philosophical love lost between the Taoists and the Confucians, just as the Paulists and the White One didn’t get along. That had so often been the pattern in history, that the most violent conflicts had occurred as a result of schisms in a faith, schisms that seemed insignificant to outsiders. Then again, planetary destruction had also occurred as a result of conflicts between radically different belief systems.
“He was always a Confucian at heart, not like the rest of the family,” explained Liu Min. “That’s why he lived with us while he finished his training.”
“You must care a great deal for him.”
“Someone had to.” Liu Min quickly added, “Do you have any siblings?”
“Not that I know of.” Corvyn injected a wryness just short of being bitter. “My … family is … rather dysfunctional … and scattered. That’s why I live in Diakrino.”
“I can’t say that I’ve ever heard of it,” said Wang Chao cheerfully.
“I’d only heard of Luoyang in passing,” replied Corvyn, “until I found myself here … and I’m very grateful to be here, especially in one piece.”
Liu looked to her partner. “You’ve been tracking what the other rescue units have been doing. Have they found anyone else?”
“They haven’t found much besides small scraps of material, but that’s not surprising from the force of the explosion.”
“Does anyone have any idea what caused it?” Corvyn asked, already knowing that the practical causes had to be limited.
“Not really. The most likely explanation is that the entire stored power system blew. It happened on the River Sanctus once, Feng Wen said, but that was almost thirty years ago.”
“How could that happen?” Liu Min frowned.
Wang Chao shrugged. “Anything can happen once in a while. Even on Heaven.”
Even when it shouldn’t. As Corvyn thought that, he found himself yawning.
“You must be exhausted,” said Liu Min sympathetically.
“I don’t know how you managed to swim in from close to the middle of the river,” added Wang Chao.
“I swam as much as I could with the current. The river’s a lot stronger than I am.”
“Most people wouldn’t think that way.”
“It took everything I had just to get partway out of th
e water.”
“Don’t worry. We’ll be home in a few more minutes, and you can get some sleep.”
Sleep was something Corvyn definitely looked forward to, although he suspected that the bed would be somewhat firmer than he was used to, but he had definitely slept on much worse.
If he could sleep. He worried that one of the hegemons might have gained partial access to the Lances of Heaven, even though he knew how unlikely that was. He shuddered at what he would have to do if that turned out to be true, or if even one of them was on the verge of obtaining such access, unlikely as it might seem.
A vixen’s charming and inviting eyes
ensorcell none who wear the raven’s guise.
29
Corvyn woke in the small room in which he had gone to sleep. The sun was up, but from the angle of the light, it had not been up that long. The bed had definitely been firm, but that hadn’t kept him from sleeping. He glanced around, but nothing appeared different—the same spare room, with the same light blond wooden table desk, chest of drawers, and chair, the adjoining bathroom, and the window shades. And the lack of wall ornamentation, which struck Corvyn as more Taoist, but that just might have been the way he perceived Taoists.
Corvyn rose slowly and gingerly, which turned out to be a good idea, because he was indeed sore in more places than he wanted to count. Because Wang Chao had laid out toiletries and a robe the night before, as well as a set of loose-fitting exercise clothes, Corvyn had no trouble in showering and dressing, except he felt guilty about using too much hot water, and cut off the shower, good as the heat felt on his sore body. Once dressed, he made his way to the kitchen.
Wang Chao immediately rose from the small table. “Tea or café?”
“Tea, please … black if you have it.”
“That I have. Liu Min is the one who likes green tea. Do you like cream?”
“No, thank you.” Corvyn eased into the straight-backed chair and, in moments, was looking at yellow wheat noodles accompanied by sliced pears, with a cup of black tea beside the platter. He took several sips of the steaming tea, then tried the noodles, which were hot and spicy, but not overpowering. His eyes didn’t quite water, and he was hungry enough that he ate all the noodles, and then the slightly crunchy pears. “That was very good. Thank you. I was hungrier than I realized.”
Wang Chao laughed. “You worked hard swimming last night.”
“Harder than I’ve worked physically in a while.”
“You never did say why you’re going to Keifeng.”
Corvyn smiled wryly. “It seemed important yesterday.” And it seems more important today. Not that he was about to say that. “I’m actually trying to find a musician with a particular talent. No one knows much about him, except he’s a fine singer and accompanies himself on an instrument that is a cross between a guitar and a lute. I’ve heard rumors about him, but the people don’t seem to remember his name, just his musicianship. I heard he might be in Keifeng. He doesn’t seem to stay anywhere long.”
“I can’t say I’ve ever heard of anyone like that. I’m more into instrumentals.” After a brief pause, Wang Chao added, “As soon as I clean up the dishes, we can walk to the bank. It’s only about half a mille.”
“That would be fine.” The sooner Corvyn left Luoyang the better. While his image or voice could not be used on any publicly accessed media without his permission, the newsies could still report that the sole survivor of the disaster refused media coverage, and that would have strongly suggested to whoever was behind the attack on the Blue Dolphin that Corvyn was still alive and functioning. Corvyn would prefer they be left guessing, at least for a while, and his staying with the couple would have made tracking him slightly harder.
The other question that nagged him was why Rudianos/Ares warned him not to stay on the boat, especially since Rudianos had earlier tried to kill him. If he truly wanted to kill me, why would he warn me?
Corvyn knew the most likely answer, and if that answer happened to be correct, then whoever was behind Rudianos was definitely connected to the tridents. Having Rudianos warn him was a masterstroke indeed, and he had no doubts that, if he had taken the warning, something possibly just as catastrophic would have occurred in Ilium. But Ares had set it up so that Corvyn’s remaining in Ilium was highly unlikely. Because he didn’t want anything to point directly to him.
For the moment, Corvyn had more immediate worries. He couldn’t resume his search, or go anywhere, without clothing and funds. So he needed to activate the Corbin sub-identity and then leave Luoyang quickly. As of the night before, only the clinic and rescue squad knew that he existed in Luoyang, but before long, traces would appear. Only the faintest of traces if you leave quickly.
A half hour later, he and Wang Chao walked down the sidewalk beside a street narrow enough to suggest that the town, or at least its center, was much older than Corvyn had thought. You should have known that. Except, after all the years, the memories of the smaller towns tended to blend together. The air was also moister and cooler, unsurprisingly, since Luoyang was more than twelve hundred milles north of Los Santos, as well as almost a thousand meters higher.
An older black stone building housed the Bank of Baiyin at Luoyang, but the recently refurbished interior was bright.
Wang Chao led Corvyn to a rear office in the comparatively small structure, bowing slightly to the woman behind the polished black table desk, seemingly bare, although Corvyn could sense the systems concealed within its clean lines.
“Assistant Director Wu Mei, might I present the honorable Stafie Corbin. He is the sole survivor of the courier boat accident last night. He lost everything but his sleeping garments.”
“He wishes to reestablish links to his assets?” Assistant Director Wu Mei, while not particularly large, reminded Corvyn in a vague way of another Wu, also a woman.
“I do, Assistant Director.”
“Your assets are located?” Her voice was pleasant, but direct.
“The Banque Helios,” replied Corvyn.
“That shouldn’t be a problem, then.”
If you’re telling the truth was really what she meant, because all the financial institutions on Heaven were linked, albeit with elaborate security protocols.
“If you’d enter the booth, sir?” She gestured toward the shielded booth in the corner of the modestly sized space.
The shields enclosed Corvyn as he stepped into the booth, ready to employ shadow manipulation if necessary, but he sensed that the links connected smoothly, and in moments the shields around him vanished.
Wu Mei’s eyebrows rose slightly as she looked at the data readout appearing within the surface of the table desk and visible only to her. “You wish the same card terminal as before?”
“If that wouldn’t be a problem,” Corvyn answered politely. “I do have considerable business ahead.”
The assistant director manipulated certain data, then said, “If you’d place your hands on the flat screen.”
Corvyn did so.
“Thank you. That will be enough. It will be just a minute or two.”
Corvyn waited. In perhaps two minutes, the booth produced a card.
“Now, if you’d use the card there in the booth to link with your banque, just to make sure there’s no problem.”
Corvyn did that as well.
“Excellent. You should be fine, sir.”
Corvyn stepped out of the booth and inclined his head to Wu Mei. “Thank you. I do appreciate your expertise and assistance.”
In the next hour, Corvyn purchased an outfit consisting of a dark blue jacket and trousers, a burgundy shirt, and black boots, along with a few other items. After saying his good-bye to Wang Chao and surreptitiously transferring funds to both the rescue workers, he purchased passage on the next van headed for Baiyin.
By late midmorning, he was seated on the left side of the twenty-passenger van viewing the Yellow River intermittently as the van headed northwest on the dark gray pavement. The haze was
just thick enough that the Pearls of Heaven were effectively not visible.
The van was only half full, and the other passengers included a woman and two children, both of whom were playing some sort of visio-structure game; three young men, all differently attired and carefully avoiding each other; an older man and a younger one, most likely his son; and the older woman sitting on the seat even with Corvyn on the other side of the van.
Up to this point, Corvyn had not accessed any media, and especially not anything about the destruction of the Blue Dolphin. Since, under the privacy rules of Heaven, neither the passenger list nor the names of any survivor could appear in any media without the consent of the individual or that individual’s heir, Corvyn should have some time before the power behind the attack would be able to determine if he survived, although it was certain that the attacker would believe he survived once any report of a survivor appeared. That was one reason why he wished to make his way to a larger city as soon as practicable.
The older woman wore black trousers and a black tunic emblazoned with what appeared to be abstract designs, or stylized Taoist emblems, suggesting she was neither financially strained nor especially well off. With an amused smile, she turned to Corvyn. “You seem rather an unlikely man to be riding a van.”
“My previous form of transportation suffered a breakdown in Luoyang. The breakdown also destroyed everything I wasn’t wearing.” Corvyn shrugged. “This seemed the only timely option.”
“You’re not from here.”
“No. I’m from Diakrino.”
“I’ve never heard of it. A white town?”
Corvyn shook his head. “It’s barely within the lands of the Skeptics.”
“A dark town, then.”
“More like lightly shadowed,” replied Corvyn with a humorous smile. “No matter what anyone says, there aren’t dark shadows anywhere there.”
“You must travel often.”
“Not nearly so much as when I was younger.” That was definitely accurate.
“That’s true for many of us, but you don’t look that old.”
Quantum Shadows Page 19