by V Guy
“The decoy?” he asked.
“Prepped and ready to go,” replied Arturo.
“The Rumbler?”
“Ready to fly,” said James.
Malik paused as he examined them. “We depart in one hour for Tinzel. Ileana, I have some changes for tonight’s schedule. One initiate is close to completion and could choose tomorrow morning instead of after midnight, if she desires.”
Ileana nodded. “I’ll ask. I must say, you don’t look very good.”
He grimaced. “Trips every night this week, just like last week. Arturo, ensure two people are on the bridge to man the decoy and pilot the ship. James, how’s the new equipment in the tanks?”
“We’ve worked all day. Still much to do.”
“And we began reviewing procedures for the nerve removal,” added Evelyn, walking beside him.
“You worked on the Fates?”
“We thought you could use the break. They still need a lot of work; they’re a bundle of sensory excess.”
Malik paused and made a slight smile. “Thanks. Our lives are becoming ever more convoluted.”
“St. Gale and the complications with Serena?”
He nodded. “It seems we’re doing everyone favors.”
She questioned him about the new medical procedures while he warmed his meals then left him to responding to two of the initiates’ concerns. They eased away to allow another pair of initiates to approach. Four of them sat nearby at the Empire table, starting a game of two versus two, some of them stopped to discuss future life matters, others came to kill time, while others inquired about one or more of his simulation or Xist programs. When his meal was eventually completed, he dismissed himself to his quarters to begin the evening’s sessions.
***
Nighttime and darkness were favored habitats for the unscrupulous. Sometimes people of similar inclinations with power and influence functioned equally well during the day, their adeptness at living the illusion of character singling them out. Michel Rest was one of those men.
The police chief of Tinzel, Rest was unusual among Malik’s targets. Some of the other people he had confronted, equally guilty, had fallen under the pressure of money, drugs, blackmail, or sex, and occasionally quarter was given. Rest was a lover of power. Always had been, and the extra money helped, as evidenced by a marvelous residence and a position in the community that stoked his engorged ego. As with everyone else Malik confronted, a direct mental interrogation had revealed everything. Rest’s evening was yet incomplete.
Malik removed the interface and involuntarily walked the man to the third-floor balcony of his palatial home, where he brought Rest to consciousness. Confusion covered the man as his senses became attuned to his location. Malik kept him vertical until his awareness was up to the task.
The cool night air encouraged the transition. Rest straightened, looked over the edge in confusion, then turned to see Malik situated between him and freedom.
“Did you have a grievance with me?” asked Malik.
Rest looked at options for his safety, then his arrogance took rein. “You’re not supposed to be here, lizard.”
“Where should I be?”
A sneer formed on the chief’s face. “My security cameras are monitored elsewhere, and people will know you were here. Those rumors about your vaunted your ability to be where you shouldn’t will be verified. Make me offers; what is your freedom worth to you?”
Malik’s countenance hardened. “Not much. You killed Serena.”
“There’s no getting her back,” said Rest, making a smug grin. “Plenty of people dislike you. Who else are you willing to lose?”
“Nine men were killed in a warehouse to cover the killer’s tracks.”
Rest’s eyebrows rose in appreciation. “Sounds like pure speculation. I suggest you leave. I’m tired and growing impatient.”
“A police sergeant in your service was located a considerable distance from his jurisdiction. I found him. I questioned him.” Malik stepped closer. “I broke him.”
The chief straightened. “None of this will hold in court. Your witness is of no value.”
Malik was expressionless. “Four people worked closely with you. You did jobs for three businesses.”
A strain of worry entered Rest. He reached to his pocket to grab his com, but it wasn’t there. Malik blocked his attempt to call out by paralyzing his vocal cords.
“Suicide seemed to be the only option. You’ve already left a note.”
Rest’s eyes widened. “No. Wait!” he squeaked, turning involuntarily to the railing. He climbed over, jumped, and did a belly flop onto the concrete below.
Michel Rest, the police chief of Tinzel, died instantly.
Blood slowly spread from the chief’s body, spreading a visible taint that reflected the man’s corrupted life. Malik’s anger simmered within him. There would be new problems to face and an even greater schedule tightening that would follow. Four additional people worked with Rest, and three businessmen contracted through him.
A fresh groan of annoyance rumbled through his muscled frame as he observed the body. St. Gale will be furious.
***
The hour was late when Malik exited his quarters after the final session, but Evelyn and Jenna ensured his needs were met. They followed as he moved to the forward passage to confirm the Rumbler was ready to launch.
“The council woman?” asked Evelyn.
Malik nodded. “I need to discover what she knows.”
“You’ve no mind box,” said Jenna, noting his pack’s slackness.
“It’s just an investigation. She gets to live.”
Evelyn smiled. She knew he preferred more decisive measures. “Good luck. Bomani and Makaha are watching the ship and decoy.”
His return smile was strained. “Then we’re in good hands.”
The crew stationed Pathfinder above the outskirts of the capital, and the Rumbler moved from the absolute darkness of the passage to the well-lit night surrounding Marshall. Yana Dril, his target, was on record for being present during the previous day’s council sessions, and he reasoned that she might be at this home. She had four residences on the planet.
The most probable habitation was a luxurious high rise in the center of the city, well protected by internal and external security. Malik adjusted his shields to cut entry through the building’s sensors then took the craft to the high-rise’s roof. The council woman owned a large, outside suite; he moved to the appropriate side of the building to crawl upside down on the walls. When he reached the correct floor, he stretched his mind outward to find her. She was present.
Soon Dril was involuntarily awake. She tied a thick robe about herself, moved down the steps and the family room, and stepped toward the balcony pool. Her trek took her past the waters to unlock the far door and disable the sensors to the open-air portion, and she exited to stand along the railing.
“It’s a cool night to examine the city,” said a voice to her right. It was a sound in her mind.
Dril turned in surprise. A dead man stood at the other end of the railing. Her surprise shifted to fear. “What are you doing here?”
“Enjoying the same morning,” said the man, shrugging. The image and voice projected into her mind tightly grasped the railing with both hands, as if holding it might extend his longevity. “I’m afraid you’ve lost me. Who else do you have among my ranks who can still offer financial support?”
She paused, pondering the odd question, but various names flowed freely from her lips. Her mind correspondingly connected the names with the pasts they represented.
“Certainly there are others?”
Dril noted the confrontational tone within the response, and several more names came to mind; they were soon unwittingly spoken. Her mind instinctively provided the details.
He nodded. “What have you done for them?”
The question she wanted to ask refused to form, and the answers of which she was suspicious volunteered to be rev
ealed. Two follow-up questions and responses trailed the first, and she was finally able to express her feelings. “Aren’t you dead?”
“Someone I wanted killed, returned the favor,” he replied. “I can no longer help you; I hope you have someone else who can.”
Her mind immediately provided two names, which she spoke as a comfort to the man. The relationships were refreshed in her mind.
He smiled. “I guess I should say goodbye.”
The critical supporter of her office simply disappeared. She looked in confusion toward where he stood, trying to figure out what had happened. Motionless long enough for Malik to remove the interface she never detected, Dril paced back to her bed, locking doors and securing alarms. When she awoke the next morning, she would blame the odd encounter on something she ate. Malik climbed the building, entered the Rumbler, and returned to the ship.
James was there to recover and close down the hovercraft. “Well?”
“We may have just received more time-consuming work,” replied Malik, assisting. “Or we may be deepening a friendship and increasing our value.”
“Good, I think,” said James, making a crooked expression and entering the craft to take readings. “I don’t think eighty units is practical. That’s a lot of fabrication, integration, and scrap for such big tanks, and we have few workers to assemble them.”
Malik considered the evaluation. “It is. I’m reducing the goal to eight. We’ll still need the two breach wedges.”
James looked at him in surprise. “You’re actually backing off a project?”
31: Cutting Deep
Day 760: Evaline, Pathfinder
“Are you ready?” asked Malik, entering the infirmary. “Do you have any questions?”
A new weekend had arrived, and a fresh challenge was near.
The commandos, Helen, Evelyn, and Violet were all present and had split into pairs to remove Malik’s nanobot nodes. Four different sets of equipment were sterilized and waiting, while two medical bots hovered nearby as backups and for emergencies.
Nods of readiness followed, but only Evelyn spoke. “We’ve been well drilled, and you’ve prioritized the order of removal. We’re following your direction.”
Malik acknowledged her with a nod, climbing onto a projected extension joining two of the tables. “I will be suppressing the nanobots’ interference, but don’t be shy if you have equipment issues. Understood?”
“We’re ready,” said Violet, her nervousness apparent. Li was her partner in the operation and gave her a supportive squeeze on the shoulder.
Malik glanced at the others. “Proceed, but be certain of what you’re removing.”
“One,” said Evelyn. Borislav was her partner, centering the scanner on the target.
After a moment, the small node of bot-producing cells appeared in the collection container and was immediately atomized. “Extraction complete.”
Malik’s eyes closed. “Healing effected. Continue.”
“Two,” said Arturo. Helen was his partner. Moments later, he added, “Extraction complete.”
“Continue,” said Malik.
The third node was removed by Violet and Li, and the fourth was extracted by Bomani and Makaha. New targets were assigned, and the cycle continued with a total of thirty-one nodes. Malik’s extremities were easy to reach with the extractors, while the deeper ones often required depressions of his skin to get the instruments close enough. The deepest nodes remained out of reach.
“Fifteen still remain,” said Evelyn, activating her laser scalpel. “It’s time to cut.”
Malik shifted his body to provide greater access. “Be judicious with your cuts and precise with your insertions—I’ll feel them.”
Their judgment was that lowering the nanobot count prior to the operation would incite the construction of more of the little factories—the nodes would be first priority. The consequence of this was that he was required to remain awake to suppress the nanobot’s effects. It also meant that pain killers were forbidden during the procedure’s invasive portions, since he needed to remain alert to suppress his healing response.
He grunted as the scalpel made a thin incision, gasping as the thin cylinder was inserted into his belly. Six remote removals followed; his distress was evident. The extended-reach extractor used for the insertion was removed, and he initiated healing even as another incision was made farther forward on his torso. Two more such incisions followed; his complexion was nearly beige when they finished. The final extractor was withdrawn, and he concentrated as the final incision closed.
“That’s it,” said Evelyn, watching the monitor above him. “No budding, not yet.”
His skin color returned to a more normal brownish-green as he lowered himself to the floor. Li disabled the projection while the other helpers dismantled the extractors. They then reassembled them.
“The nanobots’ concentration is unchanged. That might happen later.”
Evelyn motioned to the others. “You’ll need us again.”
He raised a foreleg to accept several portable assemblies. “Tomorrow, maybe.”
Malik lowered himself to the floor and positioned himself for the equipment and their respective wraps. Two were installed on each leg, one on the tail, four on the neck, and two at the shoulders. Each one’s position was verified, they were secured, and then the extractors were activated. This time they targeted nanobots in his veins. After tightening the instruments’ tolerances, the other helpers stepped back. Evelyn evaluated each assembly.
“We may get more than nanobots,” she said, checking one of the installed remote monitors. “This is the only method of quick extraction.”
He tested his range of motion. “Can’t be helped, but you do have an entire day off to observe.”
She made a snort and patted him on the shoulder. “Never with you. The Fate’s surgeries are done, but their excess nerves still need removal. Go on, you’re good to go.”
Malik eased from the infirmary to see a gathering of worried initiates. Ileana and an initiate eased forward.
“How did it go?” asked Ileana.
“Success,” he said, cocking his head as a quantifier. “But I’ll need follow-ups. Interviews?”
“If you’re ready. Are you certain you don’t need recovery time?”
“Fairly. The invasive portion of the procedure was relatively brief.”
He moved to the ladder and climbed, careful to avoid dislodging or jostling any of the assemblies. Evelyn followed closely to restore the ones that shifted, Ileana came next with seven more concerned initiates in her wake. When they reached his quarters, Evelyn turned to them.
“Give us a moment.”
She entered with him, made a careful check of the extractors, and smiled. “We’re all good. I’ll get Ileana to bring you provisions later. Good luck. Summon me if you need anything.”
He smiled and nodded, and when the quarter’s open hatch revealed one of the twins, he motioned her forward. The girl cautiously entered, looked at the attached equipment, and voiced her concern.
“It’s a part of the process.” Malik gestured to the seat. “You seem uneasy. I’ll be fine.”
Her issues ran deep. In addition to experiencing the agony of discovery, the realization of the lies she was told about who she should be, the trauma required to discover the truth, and the realization of the lies she had told herself became acutely clear.
The second twin entered the next session. Self-discovery had been the foundation of Malik’s therapy, but discovering they were runaways, and that their carelessness largely contributed to their situation triggered the onset of depression.
Malik was intimately aware of their struggles. Indeed, he was partially party to them. Their adjustments paralleled his regrets, they were constant reminders of another pair of girls, and his attempts to salve the void within them left an emptiness within himself.
Ileana entered with a meal and placed it before him. “Are you good for another?”
&
nbsp; “I could use a good cheering up,” he replied in a monotone, withdrawing from the emotions they triggered. “Nothing matches the emotional wringing a distraught girl experiences.”
“And you thought you were the tough one.” She sat in the chair. “Women frequently deal with this craziness; we experience a magnification of it every month. But we also get the upside, feeling a joy and passion you’ll never know.”
“I could use a little of that.” He smiled and looked at her in amazement. Every movement she made was astonishingly smooth. “Consider me appropriately humbled. Thank you for the food.”
She rose and nodded. “You’re strong. You’re making them stronger.”
“I’m not certain how much I agree.” He groaned and straightened. Malik’s mind was formidable, but throughout the second appointment, he had felt a mental unease. “Get Evelyn.”
She arrived to check the extractors and scan his system. Maria shadowed her, observing and taking her own readings.
“You’re losing the nanobots’ interference and might be a little light-headed,” said Evelyn, examining the results. “You could be overcompensating. You definitely need additional fluids and nutrition; I think the extractors are taking more than nanobots. Unfortunately, tightening the tolerances extends the duration.”
She glanced at Ileana, Ileana looked at Maria, and Maria made a quick departure. “You should take the day off.”
“The schedule is too tight,” said Malik, narrowing his lips. “I’ll be fine.”
Evelyn smiled and patted his shoulder. “I’m watching; it’s why I’m here.”
Maria arrived with additional refreshment.
“You eat,” said Evelyn to Malik. “You have too much work to do.”
They waited until the next initiate arrived. Evelyn gave him a knowing wink, Maria carried away the dishes, and Ileana motioned the new woman forward.
This initiate was desperate to find her abductor, requesting additional memory-capture sessions. A second one was insistent upon displacing a vindictive brother and returning to ailing parents.
Evelyn arrived after the session to reset four of the extractors. “You’re moving too much.”