“We also understand that you took the position of Director under duress, out of necessity,” Sofia added. “I believe the situation was similar for Mr. Lacroix, regarding becoming an Auditor. We commend your selflessness in taking on responsibility as it was required, and your dedication to the good of Central.”
“This is the most flattery I’ve ever received,” Rebecca observed. “Too bad you want to fire me.”
“Reassign,” Henry corrected. “To a role for which you are better suited, one where you can excel – and act personally as the check to my power that you desire. Who better to assure that I administer Central fairly, and for the benefit of all?”
“Putting aside any other issues,” Michael said, “the Black Sun will never agree to any of this. You won’t get the votes, Lord North.”
“Not in the normal course of things,” Henry agreed. “What if Director Levy were to convene an emergency meeting of the Assembly?”
Rebecca’s jaw dropped.
“Now?”
“It is well within your wartime powers to do so, Director Levy,” Sofia assured her. “The quorum required under those circumstances is quite reduced. Only seven Great Families need to be represented, as I recall.”
“Let me guess,” Rebecca said, shaking her head. “You just happen to have seven.”
“I have more than that,” Henry said mildly, twirling his pen. “The invitation would be open to all, save the cartels in the Thule orbit. Treason would obviously disqualify them from participation.”
“And almost all the Black Sun cartels are trapped outside of Central,” Rebecca said wearily. “You have this all planned out, don’t you?”
“I married well,” Henry agreed. “It has been to my advantage.”
“It would be the best thing for Central,” Sofia said. “Think about it. If Anastasia Martynova returns to Central after the Thule Cartel has been expunged, she will have a comfortable majority in the Assembly, a huge military advantage, and economic control of all interests outside of Central. She will be able to dictate terms to all of us.”
“It would be even worse, should the Thule Cartel prevail,” Henry said. “As they almost did, just a few hours ago.”
“You make a convincing argument,” Rebecca said. “What if I don’t agree?”
“You have no Auditors, and many refugees and children to look after,” Henry said. “How will you protect them, Director?”
“I could order you to do so,” Rebecca said. “I’d be within my rights to compel you.”
“I am already involved in a cartel feud, and can therefore claim precedence,” Henry responded. “You know as well as I do that the authority of Central does not extend to cartel matters. You could attempt to compel a truce between our forces and Thule, but do you think they would acquiesce, even to a meeting?”
“When Anastasia returns, she’ll still have her majority,” Michael pointed out. “What is to stop her from deposing you?”
“The subsidiary titles associated with the Thule Cartel will be redistributed,” Henry said. “As the Chief Administrator, I will allocate a portion of them to deserving families.”
“A siege, then. She can grab all the fixed apport locations,” Rebecca said. “Starve you out. Central can’t feed or power itself.”
“It won’t come to that,” Sofia assured them. “We plan to tender an offer to restore all of the estates and rights in Central associated with the Black Sun to Lady Martynova, a direct exchange for the mundane commercial interests associated with the Hegemony. The Black Sun will still hold a slight majority in the Assembly and control half the seats on the Board.”
“We also intend to deed her the Thule title and a portion of their estates,” Henry said, setting the pen down on the desk, atop a stack of documents printed on vellum. “As restitution for her losses.”
“You’ve really thought of everything, haven’t you?” Rebecca pinched her lower lip. “You’re awfully confident that all of this will work the way you expect.”
“I trust everyone involved to know a good deal when they see one,” Henry said. “It is no secret that you do not want to be the Director. Everyone knows that Lady Martynova prefers politics and diplomacy to open warfare. The residents of Central prefer that the powers be in balance, particularly after this conflict and its attendant horrors. I am simply proposing that we all be placed in our rightful and ideal roles.”
“With you in charge,” Rebecca said, giving him a sour look.
“You and Mr. Lacroix will be in a position to oppose me, should you think it necessary. We will form a triumvirate, with the Chief Administrator in charge of Central, the Director in control of the Academy, and the Chief Auditor enforcing peace and compliance. The Auditors will be an independent entity, limited to their traditional role of enforcing the Agreement. A new Agreement, rather, between the three of us, to divide power for the benefit of all.”
“You would still have the controlling hand,” Michael said. “That worries me.”
“You and the Black Sun will be adequately positioned to veto any action that there is broad consensus against,” Sofia explained. “We are not proposing a dictatorship.”
“You will not get a better offer, Director,” Henry said, sliding the paper forward. “Consider your other options, and whether the Thule Cartel or the Black Sun would be so inclined to generosity.”
“Chinga tu puta madre,” Rebecca spat. “You aren’t being generous, Henry. We both know you don’t have the power to make this happen without our cooperation.”
“Alliances have been built on shakier foundations,” Henry replied. “We need each other, Rebecca. Isn’t that better than trust?”
“Not necessarily,” Michael said, pulling the document over and putting on his reading glasses. “We have been betrayed before, Lord North.”
“As have I,” Henry agreed. “Gaul Thule was once someone that I would have called a friend, above even our familial bonds.”
“You know what’s interesting to me? Out of everyone involved in this mess, you seem to have lost the least.” Rebecca crossed her legs, unable to sit entirely still. “Even the Auditors got fucked. You, though? You’re fine, safe in your estate, family accounted for, interests looked after.”
“I am a precognitive, Director,” Sofia reminded her. “Perhaps you have overlooked that?”
“Everyone has precognitives,” Rebecca countered. “Are you really that much better than all of them? Better than Gaul?”
“Not necessarily superior,” Sofia said. “Smarter, perhaps. Better prepared, certainly.”
“That’s just it,” Rebecca said. “Why are you so ready for this?”
“Some sort of conflict was inevitable,” Henry said. “I have done little aside from consolidating my position and waiting for an opportune moment. Is that such a remarkable strategy?”
“Okay, here’s the deal,” Rebecca said. “If Mikey says that the documents are okay…”
“They look fine so far,” Michael said. “Nothing irregular.”
“If he still thinks that, after he’s read the whole thing,” Rebecca added, glaring at Michael, “I’ll sign, but you gotta do something for me first.”
“I’m always pleased to assist the Director,” Henry said affably. “What can I do for you?”
“I have some reservations,” Rebecca said. “You don’t have the best reputation, Henry, and neither does the North Family. There are rumors.”
“I’ve only got one question,” Michael said, still absorbed in the fine print. “I’m quite concerned about it, though.”
“I got it, Mikey,” Rebecca said, putting a hand on his arm and giving him a look of concern. “I already know what to ask.”
“Please, ask your questions,” Henry said, leaning back in his chair. “I have nothing to hide.”
“That may be,” Rebecca said softly. “You sure you want your wife here for this?”
“I am not just his wife,” Sofia said tersely. “I am a Lady of a Great Famil
y, and I go or stay of my own volition.”
“Cool, cool,” Rebecca said. “You just might not want to hear some of this stuff.”
“I have no secrets from my wife,” Henry said. “Ask away, Director.”
“First question,” Rebecca said. “Are you in possession of any forbidden lexicon? You know what I mean. Anything from the Liturgy or the Requiem? Any Consuming Words?”
Sofia started, and Henry placed his hand over his wife’s.
“Of course, Director,” he said smoothly. “I am in possession of the Consuming Word used in the recent attack on Hegemony leadership, which is recorded in segments on several audio files.”
“That’s a violation of the Agreement,” Rebecca said. “A serious one.”
“We came upon a recording of the incident at the Hegemonic Council incidentally, before the current troubles began,” Henry explained. “We neither sought, nor researched, nor developed any such prohibited linguistic weaponry. All we have done is secure a potential weapon of mass destruction. How then have we done anything to contravene the Agreement?”
“You didn’t report it to me,” Rebecca reminded him. “You’re supposed to do that.”
“We only recently realized what we had,” Sofia said. “By the time we were certain of it, the conflict had begun, and we had no way of contacting the Administration.”
“You’ve had enough time,” Rebecca said. “I don’t buy it.”
“You don’t have to,” Henry said. “As Central is currently in a state of conflict, I am within my rights to retain possession until such a time as the Administration can guarantee safe disposal of the Word.”
“You’re probably right,” Rebecca said begrudgingly. “Bastard.”
Lord North smiled and waited.
“Okay, then,” Rebecca said, her hands playing about aimlessly. “What the fuck were you doing the night that Mitzi rescued Alex? That was an Audits job. The Hegemony shouldn’t have even been aware of the situation, much less have one of their top Operators in the field just in case.”
“Gaul asked me the same question,” Henry said, with an airy gesture that made Rebecca want to strangle him. “I’ll tell you what I told him. I was in the area on unrelated, private Hegemony business. When young Mr. Warner’s Etheric Signature activated, it was like the sun rising at midnight. Having already finished my prior obligation, I resolved to investigate the source of such a remarkable phenomenon. Any of you would have done the same.”
“I don’t know,” Rebecca said, scratching her arm. “That’s a pretty huge coincidence.”
“I realize how unlikely it all sounds,” Henry said. “Unlikely is not the same as impossible, however, Director.”
“I don’t believe in coincidence,” Michael said, glancing up from the papers. “With all due respect, Lord North.”
“What do you believe in, Mr. Lacroix?”
“Acts of God and acts of man,” Michael said levelly. “That’s all.”
“Then perhaps the responsibility for this can be laid at the feet of God,” Henry said, chuckling. “We do not have time to argue semantics, my friends. Is that all?”
“No. I have a question,” Michael said, taking off his glasses, his eyes fixed on Lord North’s serene expression. “It’s important.”
“I said I would handle this, Mikey,” Rebecca said, placing her fingers gently on Michael’s wrist. “We’ve recently been made aware of some disturbing rumors, Lord North.”
“Very disturbing,” Michael corrected sternly.
“I’m not surprised,” Henry said, with a bit of a sigh. “Jealousy and success run hand-in-hand in Central.”
“Let’s start with what we know,” Rebecca said, fighting the urge to leap to her feet and pace, the nicotine fit more than even her protocol could counteract. “Several years ago, an unsanctioned Operation was conducted by the Black Sun, targeting this very manor. It was supposedly a personal vendetta, retribution for a prior unauthorized action. A hit on your daddy, or you, or the whole family.”
“Those were the bad old days before Gaul managed his balancing act,” Sofia said. “Such things did happen.”
“It was a difficult time,” Henry said, looking at Sofia warmly. “Much like the chaos we contend with at present.”
“I’m assuming that’s as close to a confirmation as I’m going to get,” Rebecca said. “The hit was obviously not successful. We – the Auditors, I mean – investigated a bit, but your dad pulled the ‘cartel business’ card, and we backed off.”
“That is the way the Agreement works,” Henry said. “The checks and balances you are so fond of, Director.”
“Two days later, something else happened,” Rebecca said, redoing her ponytail. “There was another unsanctioned Operation. A second Black Sun raid on your family manor, involving multiple Operators and fatalities on both sides.”
“That is a rather outlandish rumor,” Henry said, with a rueful smile. “An incident like the one you are describing would be very difficult to conceal from all parties.”
“I’d think it would be impossible to hide. I’d think that it would start a war,” Rebecca said. “An outrage like that should have demanded a response from the Hegemony, but that isn’t what happened, is it?”
“This is your story, Director,” Sofia said. “Not ours.”
“Nothing happened. No complaint was filed, no retribution was taken. Everyone walked away and pretended that it didn’t happen. That’s strange, right? Not how the cartels usually handle things, particularly back then,” Rebecca said. “Your father had a reputation, Henry.”
“You began with rumor, and now you support it with still more rumor,” Henry said. “My father was a powerful and successful man, one who worked his entire life to successfully restore the standing of his family and his cartel from generations of ignominy and destitution. It is only natural that he would have made enemies along the way. If they were unwilling to oppose him to his face, at least they could whisper about him behind his back.”
“That could be,” Rebecca said. “That happens. Of course, there are stories.”
A look of annoyance flitted across Henry North’s features.
“More rumors, I suppose?”
“Rumors at best,” Rebecca said, nodding. “Some of it doesn’t even rise to that level of certainty.”
“I’m not surprised,” Henry said. “This is nothing more than idle gossip.”
“Granted, but it’s worrisome,” Rebecca said. “I don’t suppose you wanna tell me what actually happened back then?”
“I’m happy to,” Henry said. “Nothing. There was no such attack, much less two of them.”
“I thought you might say that,” Rebecca said. “You wanna know what I think?”
“Not particularly,” Henry said tersely. “If we might proceed with our business, Director…”
“Here’s what I think,” Rebecca said, tapping her fingers against his desk. “I think that Anastasia Martynova sent a hit squad after your father. Which is a mystery in and of itself, because she has never been one for rash behavior, even as a child.”
Neither of the Norths said a word, but Sofia stepped just a little closer to her husband’s chair.
“Let’s say that there were three Black Sun assassins,” Rebecca said. “Two Operators, and one in training. I’ll probably never know exactly who the first two assassins were. I assume you found out, before you had their bodies pulped into pig feed. That’s how your dad used to do it, right? All the cool cartels were using vats of acid by that point, but your dad was old school. The third assassin, that trainee I mentioned, well, I think that might have been one of our Auditors. Katya Zharova. You know her?”
“Only by reputation,” Henry said, shrugging. “I opposed her nomination to Audits, of course. An assassin from any faction is a completely inappropriate choice for an Auditor.”
“Rumor is, your father captured all three assassins, and he was pissed. Maybe because they were after him, maybe because they were
after you,” Rebecca said, leaning her elbows on North’s desk. “Story goes, he had ’em chained up in the basement for days. Your father took this all very personally, didn’t he, Henry?”
“I already told you that none of this happened,” Henry said calmly. “There was no assassination attempt, and therefore no assassins, captured or otherwise.”
“Interrogation is one thing,” Rebecca said, staring at Henry. “Revenge is another.”
“This is outrageous slander,” Sofia said. “We will make a complaint to the Assembly.”
“Knock yourself out,” Rebecca said. “You know that torturing prisoners is strictly governed and curtailed by the Agreement, don’t you?”
“I am certainly aware,” Henry said stiffly. “My father followed the Agreement to the letter, Director.”
“I’m sure you know, then, that any interrogation of a minor is to be supervised,” Rebecca said. “I assume your dad knew that as well?”
“You need to be very careful choosing your words,” Henry warned. “If you are making an allegation…”
“There is no allegation, Lord North,” Michael said somberly. “This isn’t an Inquiry. Not yet.”
“You are acting on hearsay and speculation,” Sofia snapped. “This entire line of conversation is offensive and outrageous.”
“I agree. It is offensive, and it is an outrage,” Michael said. “You said we needed to be careful asking our questions, Lord North. I’d make the same suggestion to you, regarding your answers. If you tell me nothing happened, then I’m going to believe you. If I find out you lied to me at some later point in time,” Michael shrugged slightly, “I’m going to take it personally. I take my student’s welfare very seriously.”
“I demand to know the source of this slander,” Henry said coldly. “I have a right to know and challenge my accuser. Am I to take it that Katya Zharova is your source?”
“Not at all,” Rebecca said, shaking her head. “We haven’t even spoken to her about this.”
“I urge you to do just that,” Henry said, his anger only evident in the forcefulness of his delivery. “I’m certain that she will tell you that there was no assassination attempt, and that she has never even met me, much less my father. The whole thing is a fiction, from beginning to end.”
The Church of Sleep (Central Series Book 5) Page 57