Tamisa intended to offer Martin Anderson a spot on the Advisement Committee, since his innocence in the assassination had been proven, but she doubted he would take it. In fact, he had strongly hinted that he was planning to retire and leave behind his life as an enforcer, as well as the memory of his brother’s shameful downfall. She was still wondering if there was anything she could say to Martin to make him reconsider, when the vessel reached the building in which Sheldon Ayers had once resided.
She could have taken the personal transporter and instantly materialize in Sheldon’s office, but she somehow felt it would have been disrespectful. An amusing thought, considering that he was dead and she was just about to violate his privacy.
She was surprised to see that the personal vessel had parked in front of a luxury residential high-rise. From everything she knew about Sheldon Ayers, she expected him to have lived in a secluded mansion, decorated in the style of Terra Antiqua. It felt strange to see that he had lived among so many people.
His large apartment on the ninety-sixth floor was still in possession of the Enforcement Unit as long as the investigation of Ayers-Ross was ongoing. In his will, Sheldon had specified that all his worldly possessions were to go to his parents, who were still living. Tamisa planned on calling them both in for questioning, in spite of Timekeeper Kernis’ insistence that they could add no relevant information to the investigation, since Sheldon had severed contact with them a long time ago.
The mindguard had left his extensive library, as well as any manuscripts he was working on at the time of his death, to the Ayers-Ross Thoughtprotection Agency. That part would prove a bit more complicated. Kriss White had been empowered to take over the reins of Ayers-Ross, but for the moment, White was still in custody of the enforcers. The company had ceased all operations. Depending on the results of the investigation, White could be ordered to shut down Ayers-Ross forever.
When the door opened and Tamisa entered Sheldon’s home, she felt like she was transported into another dimension, one that existed only in the mind of the great mindguard. The place looked just like she had expected. It was the home of an eccentric. The interior design was rustic, but not outdated. The apartment felt cozy. Every object seemed to possess a vast personal history. Many of the artifacts looked like they had probably been brought back from his many trips to Terra Antiqua.
The place was quite large, but not enormous, as it could have been given Sheldon’s wealth. It was clear that he placed little importance on opulence. Instead, it was a place designed to stimulate the intellect, with tasteful artwork and stacks of printed books organized neatly on countless book shelves. They looked very old and extremely valuable.
When she entered his office, she felt a unique energy. She was certain it was the place where he had spent most of his time. A large antique desk dominated the room. Close to it was a bar which contained all sorts of expensive hard liquor. Underneath, a wine bar displayed at least fifty rare vintage bottles, most of them from Old Earth. A sudden, perverted desire she couldn’t explain grabbed hold of her. She took out a bottle of Pinot Noir and poured herself a glass.
Glass in hand, she took a seat at the great man’s desk, wondering what it must have felt like being Sheldon Ayers. She leaned back on the comfortable armchair and felt a strange connection with him, as if his ghost were there in the room, speaking to her, perhaps saying, ‘One of us had to lose!’
But Tamisa did not believe in ghosts. She took a sip of wine and found it exquisite. She looked down and saw a leather-bound manuscript. It was lying there as if it had been left specifically for someone to find. She was surprised that she hadn’t noticed it before. Something about the way it was placed made it feel like the centerpiece of the entire room. She read from it and it didn’t feel inappropriate.
It was a journal. The handwriting was delicate, cerebral and disciplined. Though she wasn’t sure she had ever heard Sheldon Ayers speaking, at that moment, she could hear his voice inside her head as clearly as if he were standing right next to her:
“Day 1: Today my grandfather accidentally called me Robert. It is my father’s name. He immediately corrected himself and tried to laugh it off. An insignificant error for any other man but, I fear, the beginning of a tragic journey for him. I think it is best that I record this journey.”
THE END
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Mindguard Page 36