The Cleanway

by Tim Niederriter

  Ryan reached out to me. “He’s going to floor twenty. Alesia and I are taking Carol to meet him. Use the stairs and get the girl to twenty-three. Ask for Cannwald when you get there.”

  “Thanks,” I said, catching my breath, “I owe you one, Ryan.”

  “You all do,” he said. “Good way to rack up favors, don’t you think?”

  I turned to Rebecca and relayed what Ryan had told me.

  “Alright,” she said.

  “I’ve found the stairs.” Thomas pointed down a hallway, eyes dull. “Go ahead.” He glanced at Celsanoggi. “We’ll catch up with you.”

  “Stay safe,” I told him.

  “Safer than you.” He smirked.

  Rebecca, the girl, and I made our way toward the stairs.

  We made it to the 23rd floor without the building falling down, but I was panting and exhausted. The girl and Rebecca had taken it easier. I guessed by the few beads of sweat on Rebecca’s brow she was beginning to feel the exertion of running and fighting despite being in miraculous shape compared to me.

  She opened the door leading back to the building proper. A cluster of rifle barrels jammed toward us from the other side.

  “Hands up,” said a young officer on the other side. “Who are you?”

  “Ryan Carter sent us,” I said. “We have Sudhatho’s daughter.” I motioned to the girl, who scooted behind my legs. “This is her.”

  The officer frowned for a moment. “Alright, get in here. Everyone, they’re on our side.”

  He waved us through the door.

  I stopped at his side. “We had two others with us. Thomas Fenstein and an aeon called the lone sentry. They should be on their way soon.”

  “We’ll let them through,” the officer said.

  “They’re counting on you,” I said. “And thanks.”

  He nodded.

  I looked down the hall ahead of us. Groups of soldiers were packed into cover behind security desks.

  “We need to meet with Cannwald, right away.”

  “Private Jervis,” said the officer to a soldier nearby, “take these people to the colonel. And hurry.”

  The building shook with another impact.

  “We can’t hold up to this bombardment for long.”

  Rebecca and I followed Jervis down the corridor, past a pair of security desks, and to a large conference room. A view of the towering light ship dominated the windows on the far side.

  Conner Kohl and the wiry aeon Kamuek stood on either side of a pale man in uniform with a weary face. He looked very old. A handkerchief lay on the table beside him, looking completely sodden with sweat.

  Jervis left us at the door.

  “Colonel Cannwald,” Rebecca said, leading the way inside.

  “You’re Carter’s people?” he said.

  “I’m Rebecca Waters,” she said. “This is Jethro Gall, and Sudhatho’s daughter.”

  “My name,” said the girl sounding annoyed, “is Dasona.”

  “Oh,” Rebecca rolled her eyes, “my apologies, princess.”

  Cannwald frowned at me and Dasona, who still held my hand.

  “She is what Sudhatho has been hiding for so long…his own child.”

  Dasona leveled her gazed at Cannwald. “Are you a bad person?”

  “I want to help you,” he said, “Sudhatho may be your father, but he is also a criminal of the highest level.”

  “My dad is a criminal?” Dasona glared at Cannwald. “Prove it.”

  “He’s been employing assassins and dealing with foreign governments outside his jurisdiction, and that’s quite apart from sheltering a rogue star.”

  “My mother,” Dasona said softly.

  “Precisely. We need to take both of them in for everyone’s safety, including their own.” Cannwald sighed. “Will you help us, Dasona?”

  All eyes were on her.

  Dasona nodded. “What do you want me to do?”

  “Reach out to your father. Tell him to stop shooting. We want to talk.”

  “Fine,” she said.

  “Tell him to meet us on floor twenty-three,” said Cannwald.

  Dasona’s green eyes went cloudy. “Done,” she said. “He’s considering it.”

  Cannwald let out a deep breath he had been holding. “A good first step,” he said.

  Conner nodded, eyes cloudy.

  “Colonel,” he said, “Ryan and Alesia have made the trade. Damien is leaving the building with Carol.”

  “Only one left to worry about then,” Rebecca said, “Miranda.”

  “She’s still here?” said Kamuek.

  “Yeah, and half the cleans in this building are under her control.” Rebecca scowled. “She won’t take us negotiating with Sudhatho lying down.”

  “True,” said Cannwald, “but we have the security to stop her.”

  “Don’t be so sure,” said Rebecca. “Damien stopped us on floor nineteen. Miranda could be anywhere in the building by now.”

  “And she’s probably patched into any surveillance you have here,” said Conner, “so we have to assume she knows more than we do.”

  “This could be dangerous,” said Cannwald. “I’ll meet with Sudhatho. “You civilians should take shelter.”

  “No way,” said Rebecca, “I’m seeing this through.”

  Dasona’s grip on my hand tightened. “Jeth, don’t leave me.”

  Cannwald sighed. He motioned to me and Rebecca. “Fine, you two come with me and Dasona. Kamuek, you and Mister Kohl take shelter.”

  “Of course,” said Kamuek.

  Rebecca, Dasona, and I went with Cannwald out of the conference room and followed the hallway to an empty air dock. Cannwald called in a squad of soldiers in heavy armor, wielding aeon-killer rifles.

  Sudhatho did not keep us waiting. Dasona’s eyes clouded as we reached the air dock.

  “Dad agrees. He’s on his way,” she said.

  Cannwald wiped sweat from his brow, then nodded to me.

  Sudhatho arrived in a covered light flier, smaller even than Kamuek’s ship. He was accompanied by a dozen of his private killers, all heavily armed and armored.

  He marched down the docking ramp, his shoulder bandaged where Damien had shot him. All of his aeon wounds were covered by white gauze as well. He was shirtless but still wore his torn suit coat.

  His bodyguards fanned out slightly, but most of them stayed close to him.

  “Cannwald,” said Sudhatho, “I never expected you to become brave.”

  “It’s not bravery that brought me here.” Cannwald set his jaw. “It’s opportunity.”

  Sudhatho smirked. “You mean you see your chance to dethrone me?” His gaze moved by me but hovered on Dasona. “I see you’ve met my daughter. A shame, Cannwald, that now your whole family must be destroyed just as we agreed upon all those years ago.”

  “Don’t be so sure,” Cannwald said, “because now that I’ve met your daughter, I know everything. I know about your dealings across the Atlantic. I know the old world is still there. We’re not alone.”

  Sudhatho sneered. “Brilliant but without consequence, Colonel. You see, I can destroy this entire building with a single order. There goes you, and your proof of wrongdoing.”

  “But you won’t. Not while you’re here,” I said.

  Cannwald glanced at me, looking nervous.

  Sudhatho’s gaze flicked to me. “Mister Gall, we meet again. This is the second time, I suspect. It was you who helped Celsa escape.”

  “That’s the truth,” I said. “And the truth is, you’ve ordered more killings than I’ll ever know. But we can prove enough of them to make you fall.”

  “What makes you think I’ll give you that chance?”

  I licked my lips. “The fact that you’re here talking.”

  “Ah, but for how long? Rebecca can’t protect you now, Mister Gall. And you don’t have Celsa to hide behind either. Last time I checked, you were all at my mercy, even you Miranda.”

  He turned sharply and grinned at
one of Cannwald’s soldiers. “Take off that mask.”

  Miranda pulled down a black balaclava, then raised her rifle and aimed at Sudhatho. “Stop talking. Time to finish this.” Behind Cannwald, all of the soldiers he had brought with him raised their weapons.

  Sudhatho’s troops followed suit.

  Sudhatho held up his hands. “This need not end in bloodshed. Give me my daughter, and I will swear you all to secrecy, just like before, Colonel. Things can go back to normal.”

  A tingle of fear crept up my spine. He was lying, I felt certain. The moment he and Dasona were clear, he would order the building destroyed.

  “Too bad you’re lying,” said Miranda.

  She opened fire.

  Sudhatho ducked behind his armored troopers. One of them fell to Miranda’s shots. The others retaliated in her direction. Cannwald’s men shot back. The room filled with roaring gunfire and the screams of wounded men and women.

  Cannwald retreated from the front. Once the initial exchange broke off into separate firefights, Sudhatho sprinted toward me and Dasona.

  “Stay behind me,” I told the little aeon.

  She nodded.

  “Don’t stand in my way, Gall!”

  Sudhatho’s hand darted forward but stopped just inches from my face. I held my expression, though I doubt I looked calm.

  “I could kill you,” he said.

  “You won’t,” I said through clenched teeth. “You’re not mad enough.”

  We both knew what I meant. He shoved me to the side instead of tearing off my head. I hit the ground hard, bruising my arm and side. I looked up at Sudhatho as he towered over Dasona.

  Rebecca’s shot struck him squarely in the throat.

  Sudhatho’s eyes rolled back. Dasona screamed. Sudhatho, corrupt mentor aeon to countless governors, sprawled onto his back, breathing harshly. Golden ichor flowed from his head and coated his chin and chest.

  Rebecca lowered the revolver.

  Dasona looked up at her, tears in her eyes.

  “Don’t be scared,” said Rebecca. “I don’t think he’ll die from that.”

  I got to my feet painfully and limped to Dasona. The gunfire in the rest of the room died away as the last few of Sudhatho’s people retreated to the light skiff.

  They couldn’t escape without an aeon to fly the machine, though.

  Miranda lay in a sprawl, blood spreading from three separate wounds in the far corner of the room.

  Cannwald had been wounded in the shootout and sat slumped against a wall with two of his soldiers attending to his shoulder. He nodded to me dizzily as Rebecca and I turned toward him.

  “I didn’t want things to go this way,” he said.

  “It’s over now,” I said softly.

  “Yeah,” said Rebecca, “but he’s right. Things won’t be going back to how they were, not now. Not ever.”

  Cold chills ran down my spine.

  Medical personnel rushed into the room and swarmed the fallen men and women, even Miranda and Sudhatho.

  “He’ll live,” said Dasona behind me, sounding numb. “He has to live.” She began to cry. I returned to her side, but she pushed me away. “I thought you didn’t want to hurt him.”

  “I didn’t want to,” said Rebecca, standing at my side. “I had to.” She holstered the revolver. “I’m sorry.”

  Dasona glared up at her. “What happens now?”

  “I don’t know,” said Rebecca. “That’s the truth.”

  Unregistered Memory, Thomas Fenstein, Harper Hall, Two Weeks Later

  Thomas and Celsanoggi made their way up the ramp to Harper Hall. The official opening gala celebrating BrightNet waited inside, and Thomas was glad to be alive to see it, even if he felt a bit out of place.

  Celsa squeezed his shoulder gently.

  “It’s a party, and they’re your friends.”

  “Hey, I’m just thinking I may need a drink.” He smiled at her.

  They stepped out of the chill December air and into the warmth of the hall. The place was already crawling with guests, from the new team at BrightNet to wealthy business people invited by Sarah Harper.

  “Jeez, I hope all this doesn’t go to Jeth’s head,” Thomas said.

  “Well, he and Elizabeth are behind one of the biggest stories in the entire city, and I mean our whole history,” said Celsa.

  “That they are,” he said, “though you and I had plenty to do with it, too.”

  She smiled and nodded. “Don’t let it go your head, Thomas.”

  They approached Elizabeth, who stood by the open bar at the head of the room. She wore a pale yellow gown with enough see-through parts to surprise Thomas. She usually preferred to be more low-key.

  “You made it!” Elizabeth said.

  Thomas hugged her with one arm. “Wouldn’t miss it.”

  Through the crowd appeared Sarah Harper, dressed in a gown as black as her hair. “Mister Fenstein,” she said, “it’s good to finally meet you. Celsanoggi, a pleasure as always.”

  Celsa and Sarah exchanged smiles.

  Sarah turned to Elizabeth. “The woman of the hour.”

  “Thanks to your help,” said Elizabeth.

  “Perhaps,” said Sarah. She motioned to a small round table by the windows nearby. “But wouldn’t you say this is a perfect time for a game of chess?”

  “I’ll catch up with you later, Thomas, Celsanoggi.” Sarah led Elizabeth away toward the table.

  “What was that about?” Thomas asked aloud.

  “I’m not certain,” said Celsa.

  “We should find Jeth and Rebecca, see how they’re doing.”

  Celsa pointed the way.

  Verified Memory, Elizabeth Ashwood, Harper Hall

  The lights were bright overhead, but Elizabeth had not been drinking during the party for a reason. Sarah placed a simple, worn-looking chess-set on the table between them. The network heiress smiled at Elizabeth.

  “You remember, I always like a good game,” Sarah said.

  Elizabeth looked at the board, following a series of dents and irregularities along its stony surface. “I remember. I bet you could afford a better board than this.”

  “This is the set I learned to play on,” said Sarah, “I can be sentimental.”

  “I have trouble believing that,” said Elizabeth.

  “You shouldn’t. After all, a chess game is a little unorthodox, but I find it’s a good way to get to know people.”

  “Shall we begin?” Elizabeth asked.

  Sarah started setting up the pieces. “I have a feeling you’re good at this.”

  “You trust your feelings, don’t you?”

  “Better than the alternative,” said Sarah.

  Elizabeth laughed. “You know when you’re right, too. That’s encouraging.”

  Sarah nodded. “Of course.” She placed the kings on the board last. “You have the white pieces so you go first.”

  “You want to see what my opening is like? I warn you, I’m pretty rusty.”

  “Show me how rusty.”

  Elizabeth picked up her first piece and they started the game.

  I left the BrightNet launch gala late in the night, long after the regular trains stopped running. One of the Harper cars and its driver waited outside the hall, ready to take me and Rebecca home. Lotdel Tower was further north, so I would be dropped off first.

  Even with a little liquor in my system, I worried too much to raise the questions I carried for her. Are there any other memories you need to tell me about? Do you think Sudhatho will be indicted? What will you do next?

  All these questions seemed foolish when I looked at her.

  I didn’t need alcohol to acknowledge how beautiful she was, but I’d drunk enough to notice acutely how the dress hugged her curves, how the stockings followed the firm lines of her legs. Yet, despite the liquid confidence, I could not muster my voice until we drew close to Lotdel Tower and I felt the urgency of a coming goodbye.

  “Is there anything else to say
?”

  She looked at me. A bemused smile played on her lips. “Jeth, what do you mean?”

  “I mean…” I leaned closer to her, though I was pretty sure the driver could not hear us, I lowered my voice just the same, “it’s been a while since you came back. Since we met each other again, I mean.”

  She giggled, just like we were teenagers in the Green Valley. “You’re not very good at asking questions after a few drinks. Some interviewer, you are.”

  I put a hand to my chest and put on a tone of feigned outrage. “A poor interviewer? Me?”

  “Yes, you.” She laughed and rocked against my side.

  “Oh, come on. I wasn’t being that silly.”

  She shoved me gently, one hand pressed to my shoulder, the other to my chest. Both reminded me of the warmth of her touch. I mocked myself falling back, then grasped the hand still touching my shirt between the pockets of my suit coat. She looked down at our interlocked hands, breath quickening in her chest.

  The car stopped before the doors of Lotdel Tower, and the locks clicked open.

  I stared at Rebecca in a panic. “Rebecca, my friend. I suppose this is goodnight.” After everything we’d been through lately, a good night’s sleep would be nice, but I couldn’t help the regret tugging at my heart. “Unless…”

  She raised her eyebrows. “Jeth?”

  “Want to come inside?”

  “Then how am I going to get home?” Rebecca asked.

  “Sorry. Have a good night.” I opened the door and stepped out into the harsh glow of lights from the light veins in the lobby of the building. The driver rolled down the front window. I tipped him with a credit slip, then stepped back.

  The car pulled away. I watched it drive southward into the night. Tears threatened my eyes. I don’t drink often, but there is a bit of wisdom I’ve often heard from those who do. The drink gets you worst when you drink alone. Apparently, the rule still applied, even if you drank with others and ended up alone.

  I wiped my eyes to clear the unreasoned tears. When I looked up, Rebecca stood less than a meter from me, a look of concern replacing the playful smiles from the car.

  “Why are you crying?” she asked.