by Skyler Grant
I didn't say anything—I couldn't. I'd have raged, and rage was the wrong approach with Anton.
"We'll honor our terms, of course," Inanna said.
"The party is tonight at seven. Don't be late. I'll send along some suitable attire," Anton said, before he snapped his fingers and we were dumped from the Matrix.
We'd lost. At best, the results of that would be an evening that might shed some more light on how better to kill him.
5
I was kind of at one with my armor and that's what I wore. The nanites hosting Ismene could probably form a wider range of outfits, but really, armor made a lot of sense when people were regularly trying to kill me. Anton would just have to deal with it.
I had my doubts about what kind of garments would be sent over. Inanna's turned out to be a stunning off-the-shoulder gown in blue that had the sort of tasteful simplicity that belied, or maybe proved, just how much it cost.
The lines were ruined a bit by the gun at her hip. I didn't think anybody in their right mind would fault her for that. I had one at mine.
When we arrived at the former train depot Anton called home the space outside was filled with vehicles. Combat drones hovered overhead. From inside came the sounds of music.
Guards confirmed our identity and registered our weapons before passing us through. The last party I'd been to that was at all like this had been hosted by my parents the night before Olympus fell. A difference here was the attendees were more than just the major orbital corporations. In the first minute of looking around I saw a good dozen outfits unlike anything I'd seen before.
Anton approached and kissed our hands, before taking us by the arms. "You didn't like your dress?"
That was to me. I'd gotten a look at it, and it had been a daring number in black I'd liked. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing that.
"There have been a few too many assassins trying to kill me lately," I said.
Anton made a face. "I heard. On a date, no less, how barbaric. You'll be safe tonight, on my word."
I believed him. As Inanna said, Anton honored his deals.
I spent the next hour being arm-candy. It wasn't that hard, I smiled politely and laughed at jokes, and made a note of every name. Every attendee tonight was somebody worth knowing and somebody worth watching.
"Ah, there she is now," Anton said, guiding us over to a woman standing near the stairs. Those features couldn't be anything other than Olympian, but even for Olympus she would have been memorable. I think she was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen.
Inanna narrowed her eyes at the woman, who flashed us a brilliant smile at our approach.
"Persephone, Inanna, I'd like you to meet Aphrodite," Anton said.
The name gave me a start. It wasn't all that uncommon for Olympians to have named themselves after the Gods. Still, given my identity as Persephone now and her clear Olympian heritage, it felt a bit like meeting family.
"We've met," Inanna said coldly.
"Play nice, dear," Aphrodite said, and stepped forward to lift my chin as she studied my features. I almost expected her to check my teeth. "Pretty enough for a soldier. Generation thirty-seven from the looks of you, though you shouldn't be."
Each major upgrade to Olympian genetics had a generation number. The last official line I remembered was thirty-five, although essentially having been reproduced by Ismene using the experimental sets, I was thirty-seven. Aphrodite was right, but she shouldn't know that.
I pulled my chin away. There were certain features a trained eye could recognize. I didn't have such an eye, but Ismene did.
"What is this woman?" I thought.
"I don't know," Ismene answered. That wasn't what I wanted to hear.
"You've got the genetic database."
"I've got nothing in the Olympian database. I do have something from the lab we took over, maybe. If you don't mind risking looking like a fool, call her titan-blooded," Ismene said.
"And you're titan-blooded," I said to Aphrodite.
Aphrodite, far from looking offended, seemed pleased at the words, "Oh, you were right Anton, she is an interesting little thing. Comically wrong, but interesting."
I must have tensed, because Inanna put her hand on my arm. "Careful. Although she doesn't look it, you may have been introduced to the biggest monster in the room."
Aphrodite turned her gaze to Inanna. "No giving her spoilers or I'll be wroth."
"You play your game and I'll play mine," Inanna said.
Aphrodite gave a cruel little smile. "Persephone, dear. Break her nose."
The world seemed to blur into a haze of red and the next thing I knew I was being pulled off Inanna. Her lip had been split and a stream of red was leaking from a nostril.
What the hell had just happened?
"I didn't mean to," I said.
"I know. Aphrodite here was making a point, and she made it," Inanna said, scrambling off the floor.
"Let me get you cleaned up," Anton said, guiding her off through the crowd and leaving me alone with Aphrodite.
"I'm considering what that was. I think she somehow used our Always On Network link to take control like I can," Ismene said.
"That wasn't about you, dear. My apologies for turning you into a blunt instrument, but your associate had to be reminded of the consequences of getting involved in my business," Aphrodite said, looking me up and down appraisingly. I wanted to break her nose.
"Can you block her from doing it again?" I thought.
"Working on figuring that out."
"What is it you want?" I asked.
"Anton seems to think that you have some small bit of potential and he wanted to see you live up to it. I was rather more skeptical after that garish spectacle you made with Green," Aphrodite said. She reached out to brush a fingertip against the shoulder of my armor.
"I kill monsters. I think if you or Anton are hoping for me to be useful, you're looking in the wrong place," I said.
"But what if I need some monsters killed?" Aphrodite asked, pulling her hand back. "You're more interesting than I'd credited. You'll be hearing from me. Anton is coming back with your friend now. Do give him a good kiss in thanks."
Anton was coming back with Inanna and I felt myself on the same sort of helpless autopilot as before. My lips met his and the kiss was a long one. Tongues came out and there were more sparks than I'd have wanted.
When he finally pulled away I felt that control of hers slipping, and I trembled in rage. Inanna was on my arm in an instant.
"Don't cause a scene," Inanna whispered.
I could do that.
"I want an explanation later," I whispered back.
"You won't be getting one," Inanna said.
Anton said, taking my arm, "You impressed Aphrodite. If you hadn't, she'd have had you cut your own throat. But come, come. I have a last surprise for you."
A holographic stage was set up in one corner of the room and he guided us to it as the lights dimmed.
There recreated in full size was Venom, as abused and tortured as we'd seen her in the Network. She was sobbing and was running from something out of sight.
"I finished the digitization just as you were getting ready to arrive. Just had to make sure it is unique," Anton said.
I didn't know where this was really taking place. Too far away to do anything to stop it.
A hound finally bounded into the vision from behind the fleeing Venom, teeth burying into her leg. She stumbled to the ground. Once she was down it was only a matter of time, the hound ripping and tearing off bits Venom. The screaming faded mercifully quickly.
The lights came back up. The guests seemed unmoved by this little display, and I got the feeling it was nothing new to them. This wasn't meant to impress them—this was to make a point to me. I wish I understood it. And how Anton could be so charming one moment, and such a monster the next, was simply disturbing.
Anton was searching my features, looking for something.
I gr
ipped that icy shard of hatred inside myself and held onto it. I let it cool my blood and chill my demeanor.
"I am going to kill you, you know," I said, quietly to him.
"You're not the only one with two sides, Persephone. There will come the day you cherish how open I am with mine," Anton said with a faint smile, as he offered me a small cube of green glass. "Here's all that's left of Venom. I'll find my client a replacement, there is always more gutter trash. I wish I could witness you reuniting Venom with her husband."
I didn't know if it would be more a mercy to crush that cube underfoot or to do just as he asked. In the end I took it from him.
Inanna might be the one with the broken nose, but she wasn't the only one to leave that party feeling beat up.
6
The ride back to base was an awkward one. Inanna sat across from me in the car as the autopilot took control.
I knew I shouldn't start anything. I was too angry just yet and I had just broken her nose. Still, I couldn't stop myself.
"Are you going to tell me what all that was about?" I asked.
"I already said I'm not," Inanna said.
This woman had left a lucrative place at Roma to sit beside me. Why not tell me everything?
"Can you explain why not, at least? I mean, I just broke your nose and I still don't know what happened," I said.
Inanna gave me a tired smile. "There are rules and I adhere to them. I'll go on the missions you find for us. I'll fight by your side and help you face the challenges you've set for yourself, but I'm not your wise old mentor. I am not an endless source of information."
I glared at her and she met my gaze implacably. Sometimes you had to take your allies as they came. Inanna was a powerful resource inside the Network, and a smart and talented member of the team outside of it. I could find my answers elsewhere, if I had to, but it did add her firmly to the list of mysteries needing to be solved.
"Ismene. I've got a list of things I want you to look into," I thought.
"Because I love being turned in a search engine," Ismene replied. Of course, she was far more than that to me. "I know. I know. Don't get sappy," Ismene added.
"If I ask anybody else to dig into these the world will see me do it."
"So, I'm like your sexy spy nymph? Badass. Let's do it," Ismene said.
"Inanna's genetics. I want some answers as to what she is. Aphrodite as well, she spent awhile touching my armor."
"You know she was pretty much giving us that one," Ismene said.
I hadn't missed that fact.
"I know. You found something similar in the local lab. I want everything on that you can find me. Also, that message you'd set aside for me—after I first woke up after the big battle," I said. "About someone missing The Harrowing of Etrusca."
"It seemed important. I caught you thinking about it later. It referenced something Orestes had said to you the day before Olympus Station fell. I haven't found out anything more, but I'll broaden the search. He was my friend too," Ismene said.
I couldn't think of any other threads to poke at. If I'd been feeling lost and adrift before, tonight had at least given me purpose again. Anton couldn't be allowed to continue and those powerful clients of his had to fall.
Soon we pulled up to the base and I triggered the defenses to allow us safe passage.
Making my way into the lounge the others were up and waiting for us. Fang had been bound to a chair with thick loops of heavy duty chain. Even his cybernetic super-strength shouldn't be breaking through that.
"Did you find her?" Fang asked at once. Of course he did, he was worried about his wife.
I didn't know how to break the news gently. I held up the glass cube and shook my head. "I'm afraid not. He'd... finished... with her."
"Fuck," Diva said. Yeah, that about summed things up.
"You couldn't forgive her for almost taking you out. Did you even try to get her back? Fuck you," Fang said, straining at his chains.
"We tried. Truly," Inanna said.
"I've seen you when you try. We've all seen you when you try. Was she not worth your time? Give me my damned wife and I'll go, but know this isn't done. I'm going to finish you and then I'm going to finish that fucking flesh peddler," Fang said.
Diva moved fast. I think she'd been waiting to do it, pistol quietly drawn from her side, and she fired a round at close range into Fang's skull. It didn't handle the explosive round well, bits of skull and brain matter splattering throughout the lounge.
"Well, this dress is ruined. Not that I'd planned on keeping it," Inanna said, and stormed off.
"He just lost his wife and you shot him?" I asked. That was cold.
"I still owed the Vipers for what they did to my cousin, and you heard him. He was going to be back," Diva said.
I didn't think it was an idle threat coming from Fang. But cold-blooded murder still didn't sit well with me. Also I was certain, given my Always On feed, that word would be getting back to the Viper's soon enough. I focused upon the ruins of the man in the chair.
I announced to the Network, "If any of the others would like payback for this. They know where to find us. We won't let things go as easy as we did last time."
Diva gave me an approving look, but I wasn't having any of it.
"You made the mess. You're cleaning the upholstery," I said.
"I call the body," Hammer said. Several pairs of eyes swiveled towards him and the cyborg shrugged. "Spare parts."
Right. That was grim and grisly.
"I'll take Venom, if you're giving away weird souvenirs," said Ismene, as her orb zipped into the room.
"Why?" I asked.
"It's a digitized simulation of a human. I know it isn't a real AI, but I'd like to study exactly what he does."
It was grim too, but some good might come out of what had happened to her. It was better than the rest of this whole bloody fiasco. I nodded and set the cube on a side table.
My wristcomm chirped. I checked and it was Columbia. I didn't think the timing was a coincidence with all that had happened.
"I need to take this. Get this place cleaned up," I said, and made my way to somewhere less gory to settle down and connect to the Network.
When I materialized I was in an office, but it wasn't Columbia's usual one. Outside a window Earth hung in the sky, and the walls were covered by pictures of Columbia with friends.
"This your real office?" I asked. Columbia sat on a couch near the window. She was dressed in shorts, and a tee in her usual red, white, and blue.
"Inspired by," Columbia said, and patted the cushion nearby. I joined her.
"Hell of a night," Columbia said.
"You were watching?" I asked.
"Yeah. I worry about you sometimes, and you were picking up some serious viewers. I know you don't usually care about that sort of thing, but there were a lot of eyes on you at that party," Columbia said.
I wasn't surprised. That was the sort of affair a normal stream would never show. If I felt myself surrounded by and confused by mysteries, that meant the viewers were probably intrigued.
"What did you think?" I asked.
"That Diva is a fucking sociopath. Inanna is shady as hell. That Aphrodite bitch is crazy and I'm more worried about you than ever," Columbia said.
I had to smile at that.
"I don't suppose you can tell me anything?" I asked.
"I would, if I knew anything. Honestly. But you have to keep in mind that even though I'm the face of Liberty, I'm kind of a figurehead," Columbia said.
That belittled her role more than usual. It was true, of course.
They wanted her on billboards and shooting up people, all in the name of freedom. The actual decisions were being made elsewhere. I could read enough into what she was saying to get that Liberty probably knew something—and she'd been blocked.
"It's fine. Thank you for trying," I said.
"I also heard what you said about possibly wanting to come back to Liberty," Columbia said.
"You know it's been tough coming by work."
"I and Liberty could use your help with some matters soon. You wouldn't be officially back on our roster, but it would be good paying work. You, Inanna, Billy, your whole team," Columbia said.
Just the day before this was something we desperately needed. Now I worried if it was a productive use of time. Still, I owed Columbia and Liberty a lot, and she was a friend at the very least.
"If you need me I'll be there. What's this all about?"
"We're restarting our AI research and production program. It's making some waves," Columbia said.
It was a travesty the program had ever been stopped. The reason was the mistaken belief that AIs had been responsible for the destruction of Olympus Station. It led to a war that never should have happened.
"Going to make Bell a grandma?" I asked. Bell was the AI that ran Mayflower station.
"You call me a grandma, I'm going to start calling you over forty," Bell's sonorous voice said from the surroundings.
I winced. Technically I had been born forty years ago, but I'd been dead a good twenty of them. They didn't count.
I hugged Columbia goodbye. It looked like we'd be paying our own bills for the time being.
7
I had a restless night trying to sleep, it had been such a miserable day.
In the morning Ismene called everyone together for a meeting. When I arrived Inanna was already present, dark circles under her eyes. The lounge had been cleaned up and Fang's body was gone. Hammer had it off somewhere scavenging it for parts, and I still didn't want to think about that.
"You look as rough as I feel," I said.
"I was up all night working on something with Ismene," Inanna said.
Ismene's holoprojector zipped into the air and she shimmered into life.
"I needed another medical mind to bounce some ideas off," Ismene explained.
Soon everyone was gathered.
"Thanks for coming. I found something interesting and I thought it best to brief the entire team. I'm sure you heard what went on at the party. Persephone had me looking into a cellular sample I got from Aphrodite," Ismene said.