“You’d have to ask the Centau.”
“I’ll leave that to you. You ought to ask them, since you know so many.”
“I heard that.” He swirled the ice in his drink.
“What?”
“The implied ‘since you’re in bed with so many of them.’”
Holly crossed her arms and took a few steps away from the window to lean back against his desk. “I’d never accuse you of that, Dave. It’s your political diplomacy and negotiation skills that have allowed us to accomplish so much. Plus, you know, the fact that you’re ok with it.”
“Ah, Holly, my dear, the world isn’t black and white. I know you know that. You have firsthand experience with it, and life is a cruel teacher. Some of us learn the hard way. That is one thing you and I have in common.”
“I don’t think Elan wants to call it an orphanage, and I agree with him. School accomplishes several things. They’d have room and board. If the child has parents who did the shitty thing of selling them to the Shadow Coalition, the child will be allowed to see their parents under supervision. But they’ll never be betrayed again, like they were when their parents sold them. So, these are the most troubled kids. Elan wants to do it in a serene location. He’ll have intervention style teachers working with the kids to help them manage their trauma and find some kind of peace.”
“I like it, though I have some reservations. If I hadn’t been impacted by the Shadow Coalition, I may not be so understanding. So, you and your friend Elan can be grateful that I’m trying to give my son back his trust in the world.”
“How is Malcolm?”
“Doing better. He still has nightmares, but what child doesn’t? I would ease them for him if I could. I blame myself, Holly.” He shook his head, turned away from the window and put his tumbler down on his desk.
“Life is brutal.”
“You’re right. We all have scars. Some are worse than others.”
His statement seemed to be loaded with more weight than necessary, and she studied him. “You know all mine.”
“I know.”
She hunched her shoulders defensively. “I’m getting over it.”
“Don’t let it keep you isolated, Holly,” he offered, putting his hands into his pockets.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked, bristling.
“Exactly what it sounds like.”
“I’m the leader of a crew. The position is naturally isolating,” she said, suspicious that he somehow knew what had happened the night before. It felt unnerving.
“I can understand that. However, not every eligible bachelor in the moon system is on your crew.” He laughed. “But, back to your question. I will find some donors to fund more of the school. Perhaps we can set up a trust that will allow them to have an operating budget every year.”
“Thank you.”
“Is there anything else you need beyond that?” He glanced at his communicator. “I have another meeting in an hour and the commute time is twenty minutes.”
“One more thing, yes. I’m going to take out the Heart. So, if you know anything that will help me, now is the time to tell me.”
“I see,” he said, drawing up short.
“That’s it? You have nothing else?”
He shrugged. “Nothing much, no.”
Holly studied him. “Do you know anything about the Heart? Do you know who he is?”
“I do not.”
“Solid answer. But I don’t believe you. I know you know something, and I know it could help me.”
He made a hmmm sound and busied himself arranging items on his desk, walking away from her, around the desk to tinker with a wooden sculpture of a fish leaping out of a wave. He straightened it, lining up the edge of it with the straight edge of the desk.
“No answer. Suspicious. Who are you protecting?” She probed, refusing to let it go.
“You,” he countered, looking up at her, his blue eyes intense.
Holly blinked. That wasn’t the answer she’d been expecting.
“The Heart is dangerous, Holly. I’m not sure if the mission you’re on is worth it. Let the Heart drift into obscurity. You’ve done damage to the organization. Crippled it beyond repair. That should be enough. Now let it go.”
“It’s not. It isn’t enough and I can’t let it go. I was attacked in my cabin on the Copper Nebula zeppelin. Shadow Coalition ships stole that tanker full of hydrantium that we used to move the kids. And then I saw more SC ships on Itzcap and had a run in there with a couple members. They’re still out there. They won’t let up till I’m dead. I intend to strike them before they finish me.”
He seemed surprised by these revelations and he mulled it over.
“You see? It’s not just me being stubborn. They’re also stubborn. And I’m tired of more powerful people trying to control me.”
“I have heard whispers that something will be happening on Paradise. But I’m not sure how accurate that is. For all I know, it’s a cover for something happening somewhere else. You’ve seen them on Itzcap, so either might be a good start. If you go after them, be sure to finish the job, Holly. They won’t let you off so easily if you continue to kick at the hornet’s nest.”
SIXTEEN
“You guys know I just can’t leave the club all the time for any little lead that comes along off-moon. I mean, come on. One of us has to be responsible and keep the power on and the place warm for all your hot little bodies when you’re not off flitting around the moon-system.” Charly held a portable v-screen in her hand and strutted around the Bird’s Nest as Odeon busied himself with a drum, loosening the head screws. The head itself was torn.
“I’m always here, Charly,” Darius said. “I can hold the fort down.”
Charly’s gaze flicked over to him, a hopeful look flitting across her features before it was replaced with doubt. Holly saw it, but the rest of the team missed it. “Thanks D, but you’re on comms. Managing all the hackery shit. I can leave it sometimes with Torden, but that gets old quickly, especially considering how often something off-moon comes up.”
Holly made a placating gesture with her hands. “We’re a team. Your reasons for staying behind are valid.”
“Here, here,” Shiro agreed loudly. He’d been avoiding Holly’s gaze since they’d all arrived in the Bird’s Nest that afternoon. Holly could hardly blame him. The rejection, which was likely how he felt it, was still fresh. She had no problem looking at him. She was certain she’d done the right thing.
Odeon continued to manipulate the drum, working intently. “Everything I found, including speaking to Le Tissier, points to Paradise.”
“That was my findings as well, chap,” Shiro said.
“It’s all over the networks. Buried beneath encryption, but it’s there. Kind of as though an SOS went off, sending all the scattered SC members to a location on Paradise,” Darius agreed.
Holly nodded. “With this much all pointing to Paradise, I have a feeling its a bit of a trap or a cover. Anyone else get that sense?”
“Precisely,” Shiro answered without making eye contact. He studied the lion head on his cane instead, rubbing his thumb repeatedly across the gaping maw and the surprisingly detailed teeth. “It’s clearly meant to lure in anyone who has a beef with them.”
“Yes, Drake, I agree with you both.”
“But what choice do we have other than to go check it out to make sure?” Odeon asked, finally removing all the screws and pulling the torn head off.
“No joke. I can almost guarantee that it’s just a trap. So, stay here and let’s move on the statue job,” Charly offered. “How’s that sound?”
“That job will hold, Charly. This one won’t. For how many times we’ve all been nearly killed, wouldn’t you love to be done with that?” Holly asked her old friend, standing with her arms akimbo. “If we didn’t check, I’m sure it would turn out to be the real locale, and then we’d miss our opportunity.”
“Grrrr, fine!” Charly threw her spare h
and in the air, the other still busy with the v-screen. “I have two catered events coming up, anyway. You guys plan it. I’ll sit here and finish the orders.” She plopped herself in her desk chair and began working with a frustrated expression clouding her visage.
“The statue job is next. You’ve been working on the intel, right?” Holly asked, sort of hoping to cheer Charly up.
“Don’t worry about it—I have it under control. And yes, I have cameras staking out the location. We’re just waiting for a party there. Sometimes the rich owner puts on costume galas. He’s some weirdo that likes to do cosplay. Old world shit.”
That niggled at Holly’s mind, but she didn’t have time to focus on it. “Everyone else,” she said, spinning around to look at the rest of the crew. Odeon had stretched a new drum skin over the head and was replacing the ring. “Our options look like, what?”
Darius grinned. “Sorry Drake—you’re not going to like our options.”
“Head to Paradise.” Shiro said it quietly, still intently focused on the head of the lion.
“Anyone want a drink?” Holly asked, hoping to lighten the mood. The crew had never seemed so at odds with each other. It was like they were stir crazy, and ready to bite each other’s heads off.
“No thanks, Drake. I’m all jittery as it is,” Darius turned to his bay of v-screens. “Let me find passage to Paradise. It’s going to be subpar accommodations, you know. That’s how it is with Paradise.”
“I guess Trip is still out?” Holly queried. “Anyone heard?”
“Right. We chatted earlier. She mentioned she’s seen quite a few SC tattoos around the Itzcap space platform,” Darius said, interacting with the screen as he spoke.
“Good to know. What I think we’ll be figuring out is if the Paradise lead is shit, or valid. If not, then we either look deeper into Itzcap or write the whole Ixion-blasted thing off. In fact,” Holly said, reconsidering. “Darius, I’m going to ask you to keep your net wide on Itzcap. See if anything else comes out on that front.”
“Of course, Drake, already doing it.”
Odeon finished tightening the screws on the drum head and tapped the skin with a thump.
“So the statue job is what, then, not next?” Shiro asked, his voice dripping with disapproval.
“Still on the table. But we can’t just ignore that something is happening on Paradise. You were there with me, at Odeon’s grandmother’s.”
“Yes, I was, Ms. Drake. I saw everything you saw.”
“Then you agree?”
He tilted his head to one side, still avoiding her gaze. “Likely.”
“Then do you have an opinion about going to Paradise?”
“I think just the three of us going isn’t the best idea. Charly either needs to come, or Darius.”
“Negatory, good buddy. But thanks for tossing me under the wheels, Shiro,” Charly said, looking up. “I’ll be here, getting my hands deep into the machinations of the elite, my ear to the ground, pulling the puppet strings on the Centau.”
Holly laughed.
“Yeah, Shiro, what do you think, that I can do my own machinations from a zeppelin?” Darius shook his head. “I need to stay here at HQ.”
“Then we need someone else. Seems our muscle finds a lot of convenient ways to avoid doing her job,” He glared at Charly. “There are others available, perhaps, who can fill in her space, to even up the numbers.”
Holly bit her lip, almost certain Shiro was about to proffer Voss as a substitute.
Shiro grinned to himself as he continued to focus on the lion head. “I know someone. She’s good.”
“I knew it,” Holly said with a sigh. She shook her head. “You got your intel from her.”
“Voss isn’t welcome on the crew,” Odeon muttered.
“Fine, then Scotch. Iain Grant. Besides, I wasn’t going to say Voss.”
“Right. That’s why you said, ‘she.’” Charly chuckled. “A tiger can’t change its stripes.”
Holly felt her guts surge at the mention of Iain. “Shiro, did you get your intel from Voss? About Paradise?”
“Iain is a decent fellow. Honorable. I’d accept him on the team for this scouting mission,” Odeon said. He began to tap a quiet, complicated drum beat on the drum.
Shiro continued to avoid Holly’s direct question. “Will you ask Iain, then, Ms. Drake? There is safety in numbers.”
Her ears burned, thinking about how he’d kissed her the night before and knowing that he’d likely either been with Voss earlier in the day or had communicated with her in some way. But he was her crew member, and nothing more. Even if he’d been more than that, she would never try to control who he saw outside of their time together. That smacked too loudly of the way Grafton had been.
“I’ll ask him. But he’s like Charly—runs a business. I’d be surprised if he agreed to it. If he can’t, perhaps Trip would be able to meet us there.”
“I’ve found passage for you three on one of the nicer zeppelins. Still not as posh as the ships that go to Itzcap. Let me know when you hear back from Iain and I’ll snag the fares.”
SEVENTEEN
Holly hesitated outside Iain’s art shop. Her breath clouded in front of her face. The snows had finally ceased, but the air was frigid. She wore a Centau faux fur number, with lining around the hood and fur lining along the arms. The hesitation only lasted for a moment, and then she was opening the door and hurrying inside. Doubt was normal. But letting her doubts run her life wasn’t. Grant would be glad to see her and if he wondered at her intentions, let him.
Kaye was at the counter, polishing the glass that covered the valuable items. “Hi Holly,” Kaye said. “You looking for Scotch?” Kaye shouted the last part as though calling him from the back.
“I am. Mind if I ask you a question?”
“Go right ahead.”
“Why does he let you call him Scotch? He told me he hates it.”
“Bingo,” Kaye answered. “I love to razz him. That’s pretty much it. I know he hates the nickname. I like to really make him feel like an old man. An old bachelor. And he loves it.”
“I bet he does,” Holly laughed, appreciating the spunk of the girl. “He told me how much he dislikes it, so I’ve reverted to Iain.”
“Should be fine,” Kaye said. “He’s pretty cool. Takes all the teasing with good humor.”
He finally appeared from the back room. “Holly. Hello,” he said. “I didn’t know you were coming.”
“I didn’t tell you. I only use communicators when going somewhere in person doesn’t work.”
“So, you’re more analogue than you realize.”
“I think maybe I realize it just a small bit. More and more every day.”
The door opened and a Yasoan customer entered the shop. Grant whispered to Kaye to take care of them, so his niece disappeared into the front of the shop. Then, to Holly, he motioned for her to follow him into the backroom. Holly complied, though she realized she really only had a few more minutes before she’d need to head Le Tissier’s. She was meeting Odeon there to make some purchases before they headed to Paradise.
“Now then, what can I do for you?” He asked, folding his arms over his chest and leaning against the main desk. A record was playing softly, there was a half-eaten sandwich on a plate and a book was splayed out on the desk next to it as though he’d been interrupted during a break.
“My crew floated your name as a possible fourth to check a lead on Paradise related to the Shadow Coalition. They asked me to ask you. Our typical fourth member runs the Surge Club and often can’t leave. But I know you have a shop as well, which requires your presence to keep it in business. So, I realize it’s a long shot, and no hard feelings if you say no.” She wondered if she should offer him monetary compensation. Her funds were running low, but she could possibly spare a few thousand novas to make it worth his time, so she mentioned that.
“Payment and everything,” he said with a smile.
“I don’t expect yo
u to work for free.”
“So it’s work?”
She grinned. “No one goes to Paradise for a vacation. And we have no idea what we may be up against there. Hoping it’s not a false lead, but we’ll only know if we check it out. At that point, we’ll either figure out another move or bank on Itzcap.”
“That’s not what I meant, but I’m definitely interested.”
“Is that a sufficient amount? To cover your time away from the shop and then some?” She smiled, suddenly self-conscious. “I don’t always remember the going rate for crew members. But we’ll pay for your berth on the Zeppelin.”
“Yes, that should be sufficient, that amount,” he said.
“Hang on,” she said and tapped her ear and unmuted the mic using her communicator. “Darius? Iain is in. Snag the fare, thanks.”
Darius came back with a, “Who’s Iain, Drake?”
“Scotch. Iain Grant. Whatever you know him by.”
“Oh, right. Brilliant. Doing it. Hold, hold, hold. Right, then. You’re booked for the morning departure in two days.”
“Thanks Darius.” She shook her head and muted the mic again. “Sorry about that.”
“All my names can get complicated,” Grant said.
“Not that complicated. Darius just likes to pretend to be difficult.”
“Anything I need to plan for? Special equipment? Is anyone in need of paint supplies?”
“Yes, bring an easel and plan to be ready to capture the massive shipping platforms and containers. I’ve seen them, nothing quite compares.”
“Got it,” he said.
“We leave in two days. I’ll have Darius send your ticket through the network.”
“Thanks. Looking forward to more fiascos on a Zeppelin ride with you, Holly Drake.”
“Keep your fingers crossed that this one goes smoothly,” she said.
“Let’s not wish for something so dull,” he laughed.
* * *
Holly finished with Iain, surprised the man would agree to another mission with her crew. But some people got a taste for excitement and adventure and never got it out of their system. Though he claimed to not miss the military, she suspected he wasn’t completely satisfied leading a quiet life in Analogue Alley.
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