Bite Back Box Set 1

by Mark Henwick

  He nodded. “Please, go on.”

  “I don’t know if Altau are typical of Athanate Houses,” I said, eyes on my hands. “I think they’re not, but they’re here and they’ve helped me and Skylur’s the leader of the Panethus. Not to mention president of the Assembly. I agree with the Panethus creed. What I know of Basilikos…” I looked up and met his eyes, “revolts me. Why wouldn’t I ally myself with Skylur?”

  Arvinder snorted. “It takes time to understand Athanate politics. That is time you haven’t had. You are aware there are fundamental differences between House Singh and House Matlal, though?” I nodded and he continued. “And, in time, you would have wondered how such diverse creeds became joined in Basilikos. Well, allow me to answer that, quite simply. Basilikos means every creed that has a principle that isn’t in complete conformity with Panethus. Basilikos wouldn’t exist as a group if Panethus hadn’t made it. The independents are those that don’t have a defining creed.”

  “And by creed you mean how you relate to kin?”

  He waved a finger at me. “Kin is a Panethus term, and a creed is more than that. But to keep it simple, yes.”

  “Then what do you call your human…” I struggled for a word, “partners?”

  “Devotees. And Amber, our Theokos creed is the oldest Athanate creed. Something Panethus find convenient to forget.”

  “Being old doesn’t mean it’s right,” I said. He wasn’t making any headway with me. Devotees sounded like a cult.

  “Ignore the wisdom of long experience at your peril.” He dismissed my comment. “I am not asking you to become part of anything fundamentally wrong and ultimately self-destructive like Matlal’s group. The Theokos group are only part of Basilikos because Skylur made us that.”

  “Well, not that I know squat about it, but don’t you vote together with Matlal at the Assembly?”

  Arvinder had the grace to look uncomfortable. “Skylur delights in maneuvering us to do this.” When I looked puzzled, he explained. “Panethus is an equally broad organization, and Skylur’s best strategy to keep them together in the Assembly is to have an easily identified enemy—everybody else.”

  “If you’re not on my side, you’re against me?”

  Arvinder nodded and finished his coffee. I took the last cookie. All that fruit for lunch, I had to balance it somehow.

  “So, you’re not as evil as you could be,” I said, with a smile to take some of the sting out. “Why does this mean I have to leave my home and go live in India?”

  He chuckled. “That’s not what I said. I am most aware that you would not countenance this.” He shrugged. “Where would you wish to set up our associate House in America? You like the Rockies; what about Boise or Cheyenne? For that matter, Aspen or Boulder?”

  I snorted. “Boulder? Home of the snappy, sassy blonde? I can’t afford a shack in Denver, so places like Boulder and Aspen are way out of range of my pocket.”

  “Not if you were allied to House Singh. A house, large and elegant, appropriate to your valued status and our requirements would be found. A team for you to make your own, an office, staff and, of course, devotees. House Farrell would be protected by our association, but independent. You will be House Farrell in truth then, not just in name.”

  “What?” He was joking, of course, he couldn’t really mean this. It was outrageous. How could I possibly be worth that sort of investment? “You don’t mean it.”

  He pressed on.

  “We most certainly mean it.” He leaned forward and tapped counterpoint on the table as he went on. “And we would not stop there. Our far eastern businesses require a suitable headquarters in America, and we are minded that the best option for us is a local partnership. We are most impressed by Ms. Kingslund. With her business acumen and our resources, which you would manage, our mutual enterprises would flourish.” He stopped abruptly and sat back, his dark brown eyes watching me closely. “And you would meet her then as an equal.”

  Oh, smart, smart man, to see that and sink that barb into me. I could feel the hook bury itself in my gut.

  So not joking then. My head was reeling and I could hardly take in all of what he was saying, which was not a good point to start trying to make sense of it, or evaluate it. I started at the easy end.

  “Why? How could I possibly be worth this kind of effort to you?”

  He smiled. “To us, and not to Skylur? Why, if you’re so valuable, does he leave you to wander the city and talk to the likes of me?”

  “Stop digging at Skylur, and just tell me why I’m worth this.”

  “You represent what was lost.” His eyes gleamed. “Lost when the Athanate strayed from the true way and became obsessed with Houses and secrecy. Shrouded in the Hidden Path, our innocence escaped and the burden of crusis was taken up instead. Houses became divided. Your Blood bears some part of that gift back to us.”

  Chills ran down my spine. Would Skylur have agreed to this meeting if he’d known that?

  “Why doesn’t Skylur believe it?”

  “He suspects, but can’t quite make himself believe. Maybe, he doesn’t want to believe it. And he doesn’t have the resources we’ve been able to focus on it. We believe, Amber. We believe.”

  I went and stood by the window, folding my arms to stop shivering.

  “How would you use this ‘gift’?”

  “A very astute question. Basilikos and Panethus cannot see beyond their struggle for power, and Theokos tries not to get trampled in the fight. What could we do? If we tried to increase our numbers to match them, they might even combine to defeat us. But, what if we do not threaten, what if we maintain a dignity, prove our case and offer to welcome those that come in peace? Neither Matlal nor Altau would be able to force their associates to attack us for fear that either they would be repulsed and excluded, or they might injure you.”

  I could drive a tank through some of the holes in his argument, if he’d been talking about human groups. Increasingly, I could comprehend that Athanate didn’t always respond in the same way.

  It was all creeping me out, but I might as well find out as much as I could.

  “Still too vague, Arvinder. Do you think it works just by me being bitten, and not biting like other Athanate? How many? Who controls it?”

  “My research suggests an exchange of Blood is required.” He bowed his head. “More research is clearly required. As to numbers and control, we would sit together to arrive at a comfortable solution for both of us.”

  Yeah, I believed that.

  He was going out of his way to present this in a handsome package, and I couldn’t bite his head off for that. But at the end, it was a prospect of a wearying life as the goose laying golden eggs, one after the other, forever. No way they’d trust the goose outside of the beautiful nest they’d build. And no way my wishes would hold sway, not in the long term.

  Would Altau be any better? Once he believed?

  Better than Matlal, who wouldn’t bother with the nest. And I trusted Skylur to defend me robustly a lot more than Arvinder’s clever finesse.

  I sighed.

  “Skylur’s going to be more than just pissed that you did this. You’re trying to make a deal with him, right? How do you expect he’d react if I showed up tucked under your wing at the Assembly?”

  Arvinder swiveled his chair to face me. “He is a pragmatist. Getting Theokos into Panethus would suddenly be his one overwhelming priority, overriding everything else. He wouldn’t dare risk that by being openly angry at either of us. And he’d be realistic enough to see that it was a massive error on his part to leave you out where Matlal might have gotten you.

  “You do understand that Matlal himself is looking for you now. He’s risking retaliation from Altau and censure from the Warders by bringing his people to Denver to catch you. Do not underestimate how unpleasant it would be if he does so. Death would be a mercy you would not be granted. I am amazed that Skylur is risking it.” He frowned and shrugged. “It’s as if Denver is empty of Altau. Mat
lal can do as he wishes. This is not a safe situation. Not for anyone.”

  “How do you mean?”

  “The way Matlal works, so like Skylur by the way, is to hide reasons within reasons. We think we know he’s bringing his people here to capture you.”

  Arvinder looked at me, his expression bland while he waited.

  “But really,” I said, “he’s bringing them in to attack the Panethus leadership at the Assembly.”

  Arvinder smiled. “I didn’t think you would have missed that possibility, but it would have been wrong for me not to mention it. I assume the reason that there appear to be so few Altau in Denver is part of the trap? Skylur has them hidden away, ready to pounce on Matlal?”

  I wanted to know the answer to that too, but I wasn’t going to speculate in front of Arvinder, prospective ally or not. And how much did what he was doing reveal his attitude towards an alliance? “Do you trust Skylur?” I asked.

  “I trust him to behave in certain ways. Not the same thing, I know. Why?”

  “What I meant is, you communicate to Skylur warnings about Matlal and information about what you think I am. At the same time, you’re trying to lure me away to Theokos. How do you expect him to react?”

  “Ahh. You come to the heart of it. I don’t know. Skylur is the most secretive and canny of us all. It wouldn’t be beyond him to be trying to trap me into this very move,” he gestured to indicate our meeting, “for reasons I can’t fathom. But at the end, I believe Theokos would have a better chance with you in our group than trusting to whatever Skylur might want. That’s why I’m making the offer. I also believe it is better for you.”

  “Why?”

  “Because the only strategies I can see Skylur preparing are to do with Emergence—making humanity aware of us. Your part in that could only be to force others to support him or forego access to your Blood. Or to suddenly, massively, expand his closest allies, using your Blood.” He stood up abruptly and half turned away. “Forgive me, I speak bluntly, but that is what I believe. Even with the best of intentions, your part in this would render you comatose, supplying your Blood like a…like a machine to hurry more Aspirants through to their Athanate status, more quickly and surely.”

  “Why would I agree to that?”

  “Why do you think you would have any option? You’ve read the oath of allegiance?”

  He joined me at the window, looking pensive now. In silence, we watched the people moving on the street below. People. What did he see? Potential devotees?

  When he spoke again, it was quieter.

  “They have no idea. They rush around thinking of their work, their friends, the latest movie, the next ball game. And meanwhile, the Athanate gather to argue what the next step is for all of us. Emergence is the strategy that convinced me to move Theokos to join Panethus, long before news of you reached us. This is the most dangerous issue ever to face the Athanate people. And humanity. I must be part of what directs it.” He shook his head. “There, I have laid bare my strategy to you, Amber, out of trust.”

  For your own reasons, and within your own limits. Basilikos.

  “You talk a good talk. But I’m sure I would say the same to Skylur if he were standing here making his case.”

  “But he isn’t, and that must tell you something.”

  I hummed. He could read that whichever way he liked. Skylur was busy.

  “And so to the other part of this—becoming part of the Theokos group. I warn you, I’m still human enough that I don’t like the sound of other humans worshiping Athanate.”

  He raised his hands as if warding off what I said. “We all are. We all come from humans. We never lose the human perspective. Not even Matlal. For him, it’s not a source of revulsion, it’s how he derives his pleasure.” Arvinder turned and stared somberly out the window again. “He’s not even the worst of them.”

  “I can’t…” I struggled to put it into words. “People worshiping me...” My skin crawled.

  “The word you chose is not correct. You will have found this talking to Altau as well—there are words in Athanate which carry just the right weight, when the English word does not. You said ‘worship’. Think instead of ‘adore’. Panethus focus on love of kin, Theokos, on adoration. It’s not so far.” He paused. “Forgive me, again, I intrude. If I said Ms. Kingslund adored you, would it sound so wrong? Do not focus on the worship of some blank-faced mass of people, focus instead on individuals.”

  Gods, he was good at this. Basilikos. Basilikos. The warning I shouted inside seemed to have less and less force every time. Dammit, he’s sounding so damned reasonable and I know he’s wrong, I just can’t seem to form the arguments.

  He checked his watch. “I must go. We must not endanger everything.”

  “I’ll walk you down,” I said. “Thank you for everything today.”

  We walked to the elevator.

  “Will you consider what I proposed?” he said.

  “I have. Attractive as it sounds, I feel that Panethus is my home. If my Blood has advantages for crusis and you want a part of that, I think Theokos would be better off joining Panethus, and the sooner the better.”

  “Within Panethus, those advantages would be within Skylur’s gift,” he said. “To hold or dispense as he believes fit. Don’t be too hasty. Think on it.”

  As we emerged from the elevator, he handed me a card.

  “Use this number to contact me at any time before the Assembly, or Ronit’s number if I’m already in the Assembly. Once you walk into the Assembly, the die is cast and it falls where it will.”

  He signed himself out at the front desk.

  “I understand Diana has not rushed off to New Mexico,” he said. “That’s a wise move. Please tell her to use extreme caution if she visits.”

  I opened my mouth to contradict him and then changed my mind. “I thought you were the one who gave her the message about problems there?”

  “I am. At no point did I suggest she go there. Ronit said she would anyway. It appears he’s wrong.”

  How the hell would you know that? Just how compromised was Altau?

  But then another thought struck me. I hadn’t seen her get on a plane. I’d just left her at the airport. And I knew, for whatever reasons, she was doing things deliberately without letting Skylur know. Had I been blindsided?

  Arvinder and I shook hands.

  “If you just want to know more about Theokos,” he said, “ask Diana.”

  “Why her particularly?”

  “Ask her that as well.” He smiled at some inner joke, passed through the door and strode down the street.

  Chapter 31

  Skylur didn’t answer on the secure phone Tom had given me and I had to stop thinking about the conversation with Arvinder—I had another job to do here and it needed my full attention. Whatever way things went, the Assembly was a turning point and I couldn’t afford to not be around. Like being in prison for the illegal acts I was about to do.

  I hit the street with my laptop and a half-prepared script in my mind. The octopus was set up with a voice disguise, making me sound like an old man.

  “Is that Mr. Underwood?” I said when his secretary reluctantly put me through.

  “Yes, it is. I don’t believe we’ve met. Mr. Soule, is it?”

  “Soule, Michael Soule. I don’t want to waste your time, Mr. Underwood, or mine. I’m clearing out my house and I came across some old photos. Y’know, the black and white stuff that goes brown. Egg white for fixer and all that crap.” I could image Underwood’s ears pricking up. That clue had dated the photos.

  “I see, Mr. Soule. Well, old photos can be of interest to collectors. Can I suggest you bring them in?”

  “You can suggest it, sir, and I can call the next number on my list. I’m clearing out my house and then I’m clearing out.”

  I didn’t want to appear too eager, and this was another weak point in my plan. I needed him out of the office and this was the least intrusive way. After a couple of seconds,
Underwood cleared his throat. Collectors collect, it’s what they do. He wanted to see the photos. Just in case.

  “Well, if they were of interest to me, maybe I could make time today. What are the photographs of?”

  “Some family shots and portraits of people, weddings and funerals. Let’s see, businesses, y’know, store owners and bankers. I guess these’d be the ones people didn’t pay for, so maybe not the best shots. Have to say, they look good enough to me. Some gold mining, too. Now, they got labeled; they say Breckenridge and Russell Gulch. Some of dead people lying on the ground, looks like they’d been in some fighting. That’s got a date, says 1862. You interested or not?”

  Underwood was. I’d baited it with the names and the date and he had to see them. A collection like Grabill’s or O’Sullivan’s would make his name. Everyone knew there had to be some out there, but what had survived, undamaged, would be extremely rare. He took the address I gave him, and it would take him over an hour to get there and back. About five minutes later, I logged into Victor’s system to see that he’d left the office.

  Weak points started multiplying. He couldn’t trace my call, but I’d had to give him a cell number, and he might try calling it on the way. If he couldn’t get through, he might turn back. I’d need to be quick.

  The next task was to get the secretary out of the office.

  I gave it as long as I dared and then set the octopus up for a female voice.

  “Mrs. Ellis? This is State Patrol. There’s been an accident out on I-25. First, I want to say that Mr. Underwood is fine. He’s going to the hospital purely as a precaution, but he was very concerned about some old photographs in his car. I can stay here another half hour, say…”

  In five minutes, Underwood’s secretary was out the door and chasing wild geese on I-25.

  I was back in the building. As I watched her car come out of the parking garage on the security cameras, I turned off the electricity and security systems in Underwood’s office. Then I got the security cameras for that floor to replay video from that morning. There would be nothing to alert the security guard and no video record of my being there.