Halfblood Journey

by Rheaume, Laura

  Along with the bile that was swirling and trying to come up, a fire burned in his stomach. He wanted to turn that fire and acid on the bastard who had hurt her. Instead, he was going to be the one to burn, because Cord turned out to be the smartest after all.

  “Scere operative Summer will be fit for testimony by the time the case is brought before the panel.” The Kin lawyer started readying his things, as if the rest were inevitable. As an afterthought, he said, “Of course, you may take this time to refute any of the things that are before you.” He was confident. He knew that he had already gotten what he wanted, no matter what Scythe said.

  With a glance at the judge, Scythe figured that he was right. He had to try, though. He went down the list, explaining why each item was coincidence, or leading, or purely conjecture. However, the list was just too long; by the time he got three quarters of the way through, although everything he had said was true, it looked to the judge like he was just weaseling his way through the list, trying to find any plausible excuse he could. He skipped over why he couldn’t say where he was on the night of the attacks. That was something he had no choice about. He had already promised to safeguard the King and his plans to protect the Humans.

  When he got to the last, Summer’s testimony, he hesitated. This was going to go badly.

  “And,” prompted the prosecutor, leaning forward and folding his hands on the desk. He even smiled a little, but not so much that it was rude. “The testimony of Summer?”

  Scythe took a breath and answered, “I did not harm her, or do the things she said. I am not involved in the terrorists in any way.”

  “How do you explain her testimony, Scythe?”

  “She was manipulated into thinking it was me.”

  “And how would someone do that?”

  He had to be very careful. He knew that bringing the Human powers to light in that public forum would be disastrous for the entire race. The Kin would not respond well to Humans that could do what Mercy or Ian or even he himself could do. Soshia had told him years ago that it could mean the destruction of the Human cities, their forced redistribution into small, controlled settlements, and the possible exploitation or even extermination of powered individuals. As Humans did not respond well to such treatment, she believed that this would lead inevitably to a Human rebellion, a war which they didn’t have the resources to win.

  “With a special skill.”

  “Someone used a special skill and convinced Summer that you had done those things to her when you didn’t?”

  “Yes.”

  He let it stand as it was, which was to say that it was ruinous for Scythe’s defense.

  “Do you have anything more say in your defense, Scythe?” the judge asked.

  Scythe said in as forceful a voice as he could, willing the judge to hear the truth, “I have never, in any way, assisted or worked directly as a terrorist or anyone associated with them. You can hear that I am not lying.” The judge, who could tell that his heartbeat was steady, frowned thoughtfully.

  “Maybe,” the prosecutor said deliberately, “someone used a ‘special skill’ to convince you that you aren’t a terrorist.”

  Scythe just stared at him.

  “But then, you wouldn’t know, would you? As for determining if you are telling the truth, we know that you are not Kin, you are a halfblood. Who here knows how well halfbloods can lie? I don’t, but we do know that it is as easy as breathing for Humans, so...who can say?”

  After that, the judge announced that there was sufficient cause to indict and that Scythe would be held in custody until the full case could be brought against him.

  Scythe didn’t move from his seat. His mind was processing the information at an impossibly slow pace. He could not believe what was happening to him. How in such a short amount of time...less than twenty-four hours!...had they been able to gather so much against him? He was stunned at what a good case had been made against him with coincidental events and conjecture.

  When the guard stopped in front of him, Scythe numbly stood and followed him.

  Temper, who had been beside him throughout the hearing, walked with him to the detention area, saying, “There is only a little of substance. I will ensure that you are well represented. It is ridiculous, of course. The police have to have someone to take the fall, to assure the citizenry that all has been dealt with. Also, I suspect that Kelreig’s associates have managed to bring revenge upon you for having a hand in ruining their plans. I will make sure we follow up on that; perhaps it will help us locate a few more of those who assisted Kelreig from the shadows. Naturally, I will also have help from some who are indebted to you.” She was referring to her cousin the King, but Scythe couldn’t help thinking that it was his promise to the Blood Dragon that had made his situation worse. He wasn’t going to be able to tell what he had been doing, and he couldn’t lie...he was terrible at it anyway...so Scythe didn’t know what help the King could offer. That, however, wasn’t what tormented him at the moment.

  “Summer…” Scythe said, “Summer testified against me.”

  “I know. That will be the most damaging. I will go and speak with her today.”

  “She thinks I did those things to her...tortured her. That’s what she remembers.” Another burning wave crested and fell at the thought of it.

  “We will see. It will take at least a month before they will be ready with their case. That is time that we will have, as well. Do not worry. I will do what I can to get you released.”

  “Thank you, Temper,” he said absently. “I need you to take care of Mercy and Ian for me, too. Can you get them back to their home?”

  “I think I should be able to do that.”

  “Right away. There is a vision that has to be, has to be avoided, Temper.” He let her see how much it meant to him, only relaxing when she nodded. “Thank you.”

  “It is my honor,” she said.

  A few minutes later, he stood alone in a small cell, his home for the next few months at least. A bed and sanitation facilities were all that took up space in the little room. He lay down on the mattress, which protested with metallic creaking sounds, and rested his head on his crossed arms. The thick, green material of an inmate's standard uniform rubbed painfully against his tender skin. He absently counted each heavy breath as it was pushed from his lungs, and the rhythmic sounds, muffled by the pillow, echoed in the cold room.

  -----------

  Temper handed him a second stack of books, which he accepted gratefully, “Thank you.”

  “It was my honor. It is a small enough thing.” She looked around the cell, which was getting a little crowded with the rows of books lining the walls. “Perhaps I could take some of the ones you are finished with…”

  “Sure, I’ll have them ready for you next time. How are things progressing?”

  “The prosecution continues to find more to strengthen their case. Some of it you have handed them on a silver platter.”

  That surprised him. “Like what?”

  “They found an illegal biological weapon in your things, for one.”

  Scythe didn’t use bios, so it took him a minute to remember. “That was an antidote.”

  “That doesn’t seem to matter. It is still illegal. It is assumed that you either used or plan to use the toxin, if you have possession of the antidote. The terrorist group used a similar toxin for its attack on a bus station a year and a half ago. It will be one of the harder points to refute.”

  “I only purchased it in case I or someone else was affected by the toxin. I don’t use those weapons.”

  “I see. Well, we will see if that is sufficient to persuade the judge. Also, your record for the Scere L’Hedeler has been requested and received. While your service is exceptional, and a point for the defense, your profession and many kills are not assets, and neither are the many assignments where Humans benefitted directly from your actions, for instance, the slavery operation that we shut down.”

  Scythe sighed. It had be
en like this all week, each visit brought another load of bad news.

  “Still, we continue to build our case, and I know that my cousin has something up his sleeve as well. He has not forgotten your service to him, nor is he comfortable allowing you to take the blame for crimes you did not commit. However, things like this have to be handled delicately.”

  “I understand. How is the investigation into Kelreig and Nathan going?”

  “There was more than enough to prosecute Ward immediately for crimes against the Kin. He has already been sentenced, as have the involved Nathan Corporation executives.”

  “That fast?”

  “When the evidence is that clear, there is no trial. Kelreig, however will stand, and it looks like it is going to be a long process. His representation will be very good so it remains to be seen if he will see justice. The Nathan Corporation conspirators put up a good fight, but the information Aorin’s team gathered led to some fairly compelling evidence.”

  “Thank you, Temper, for everything you have done.”

  She nodded and then continued, “We have negotiated permission for you to receive one visitor, aside from counsel, each day. They have generously assented to an unsupervised, in-cell visit, which is typical for people with excellent representation like yourself. I assume that you will want to see your family?”

  “No,” he said firmly. “I don’t want them leaving the house.”

  “I understand your concerns; I was there when she had the vision and am as anxious as you to see it averted. However, one of the stronger arguments brought against you revolves around your years of isolation and your lack of family ties. We have little defense for this presently. I am recommending that you see someone each day, so as not to fuel the fires of the prosecution. Members of your okin are the natural choice…”

  “No.” It was not an option.

  “What person in your situation would not be visited by his okin? It makes you look strange. It casts doubt on the validity of your ties to them.”

  “No, not until Cord is caught.”

  “Is there any reason why Ian could not be the one to come?”

  Ian was not involved in the vision, but then, Mercy was alone, which meant that they were separated somehow. Scythe did understand Temper’s argument…it was strange for his okin to not visit, but was the risk really worth it? “No.”

  She sighed heavily, “Who else would make a difference? Anora?”

  “We have worked together for a long time, would that cast suspicion on her?”

  “It could.”

  “Then, of course, no.”

  “This is more difficult than I anticipated. Think on it and we will discuss it tomorrow.”

  Scythe nodded. “What progress is there on finding Cord?”

  “He has disappeared, but if you are correct about Mercy’s vision and now think it will occur here, then he should still be in the Capital, so I will make sure that the search is not halted until we find him. He has earned himself a place in the top twenty of the Scere’s list of Humans to apprehend. We have several Special Agents called in to track him down, so I don’t think it will be long, if he is still here.”

  Scythe wanted to share her optimism. If they had put multiple agents on Cord, he would have to be sitting in some basement, not moving even into a slip of sunlight from the window to avoid getting caught. On the other hand, he had been eluding capture for quite a while, and he had his talent, also, to assist him.

  Thinking again about Summer’s testimony, and about Mercy’s vision, and the insane cries of Irving before he blew himself up, Scythe’s hands slowly closed into fists. He wanted to be in on the hunt; he wanted to be the one to find him first. He blinked, catching the heat just as it began to spark and without another thought, put it out.

  Inside of him, the flames that had quieted in the last couple of weeks had started to burn again with more frequency, jumping forward eagerly during moments of frustration. Quicker to ignite and harder to put out, but still well under his control. Because he had so much time to think about it and little else to distract him, he had come to recognize the change that had recently come over him. He actually hadn’t noticed that they had died down until he felt them rise again in the last four days; then he realized that it had been a while since he had had to push. He could guess at the reason for the change, which was why it was hard to hear the bad news, hard to say, ‘No’ to their visits and hard to contemplate another six months, or longer, alone in that cell.

  He sighed and then took in and released a thought clearing breath. He had made his choice. He had chosen the warmth, and knowingly accepted everything that came with it, the worst of which was always the chance of losing what was found.

  Anticipating his feelings about Cord and seeing him bring himself under control, Temper said compassionately, “I know that you wish it were possible to join the hunt for him, especially since you cannot rest your fears for your family until he is found. However, you must focus on your own situation. It has become very dire. I am not as optimistic as I was. Some very resourceful people who know all about you are going out of their way to ensure you are jailed for a long time. It is almost hard to believe it is a group merely seeking revenge. Could there be another motivation?”

  “Like what?” Scythe couldn’t think of anything, or anyone that would benefit from him spending time in jail. The Scere L’Eler had been after him in the past, but they wanted to use him, not lock him up. The Scere would lose a good agent if he…“Could it be an attack on the Scere?”

  “I had thought of that, but...all of this for one agent, when we have so many? It seems a poor return.”

  “Maybe there is something I can do with my power that they want to...I don’t know...keep out of the way.”

  “Ah, perhaps a plan in the making that your ability would hinder, like the interrogations of the few rebels that survived the attack. If we can’t get the information that we want from them with the usual methods, we will employ you once you leave this place. That could be it, or it could be something that waits in the shadows ahead, something we haven’t glimpsed yet.”

  Scythe shrugged. It was just a guess. “Maybe I am just the victim of a hard working prosecutor’s assistant who knows what they are doing, someone like Aorin. Who knows?” That was a frightening thought. He wouldn’t want Aorin digging up dirt on him; he’d be dead for sure.

  Temper shook her head, “Not I. We’ll look into it. Perhaps I’ll ask Aorin. She is good at looking for needles. By the way, she was very upset by your arrest, and has been working long hours with us to build our case.”

  “That is kind of her. Please tell her that I offered my thanks.”

  “I will. She could visit, I suppose.”

  “That might be okay. I can’t think of why not.”

  “However, it might look that you have a closer relationship than you do, as she is unwed.”

  “I hadn’t thought of that,” Scythe said. “I don’t want to compromise her.”

  “I will ask her and see what she says.” She readied herself to go, saying, “I must leave as I plan to visit Ian and Mercy this afternoon to update them before I return to work. Do you have a message for them, or is there anything I can bring you?”

  “Just greet them for me.”

  “I could take a letter.”

  He took the paper and pen she offered him and a book from the new pile to write on. He penned a short note assuring them that he was doing as well as could be expected and asking for information about when they would finalize their plans to return home. When he had finished, he handed it to her. “Thank you.”

  “It is my honor. I will see you again tomorrow.”

  “Fare well.” Scythe wondered again why she went out of her way for him. They weren’t family or even friends, really. She was an associate that he had worked with on and off over the years. It was only during the last assignment that she had begun to treat him like a friend, and he had no idea why. Maybe tomorrow he would ask her.
In any case, he was very grateful for her assistance, and would be indebted to her no matter what the outcome of his case.

  After she left, he continued his workout, dropping to the floor to finish the second set of pushups.

  He thought of his okin and wondered what they were doing. It would have been good to see them, to give Mercy a few more lessons, to hear Ian’s jokes or to listen to one of his funny stories. It would have pleased him to just sit and talk, or take a walk in the city. The Kin capital had some of the most beautiful parks on the continent. In all the years he had lived there, he had visited only a few and almost exclusively when it was work related. He had never really felt the urge to visit them on his own.

  Scythe stood and began a set of the short lunges that only caused minor twinges; until his back healed completely, he had to modify all his exercises slightly. He compensated for it by doubling the time spent; it wasn’t like he was doing much of anything else. All he did for days on end was exercise, read and think.

  He thought about a visit to the city arboretum or one of its famous temples. These were things he had never done. Now that he had a family again, he wanted to do those types of things with them. However, his okin was complicated. They couldn’t go just anywhere safely. Right now, they couldn’t even leave the home they were staying in. When he thought about it, he realized that the Young family had been in danger from the Scere almost as long as he had known them.

  That made him think about Mercy when she had said those sad words with such a calm, resigned expression. It had been so difficult for him to hear that.

  I will never be safe.

  He realized that she had been living under the threat of discovery for years; that was why her father and Lena had taught her to kill, and why she was so good at defending herself. He tried to imagine what it would be like to never feel safe. The closest he had been to that was when he returned to Poinsea after years among the Humans. He had lived under the threat of assassination for months, but it hadn’t been intolerable, because the Blades had been looking out for him. But, Mercy...