by Kim, Penny
Kanon nodded in the affirmative, sitting down across from him.
“We expect the budget deadlock to be over soon,” Julius said. “That means inspectors will be heading our way. We need Central Computer to track their moments, it’s important to time the main event perfectly.”
“And what is the main event?” Kanon asked, hoping Julius was bold enough to answer.
He smiled at her, relaxing in his chair.
“You’ll have to wait and see. After I’m through with Salem, your precious Directorate will be history.”
Not knowing what to say at this startling pronouncement, Kanon remained silent. She wished Vin were there. Maybe then they could hatch a plan to get out of this mess.
Looking at Chief Smiley, she realized this would be difficult. He was watching her like a hawk. She would have to think of a distraction.
As if keen to her reflections, Chief Smiley straightened, studying the reading pane on his web intently. Color drained from his face as he swallowed heavily.
“I have to go back,” he said, his odd tone drawing their attention.
“What for?” Julius asked, as Chief Smiley began walking quickly toward the door.
“There has been a jump in Standard D.”
Chief Smiley exited the room, with Julius turning to Kanon with a frown.
“If Standard D changes, there goes your whole entire theory, poof!” she said sweetly.
“You stay here,” Julius snapped.
His dark eyes flashing, he drew himself to his full, forbidding height. Kanon recognized the man who had sent her to the guillotine as he followed Smiley out of the house.
As he exited, Kanon heard him call out to a guard situated outside.
“There goes my exit strategy,” she said ruefully, looking around her makeshift prison.
Julius must have concocted some illustrious position for himself to have such manpower. She must tread carefully.
Kanon rose, searching the room to see if she could discover anything of use. Finding nothing, she sat down at the table, tapping her fingers on the wooden surface.
She had never seen Chief Smiley so flustered. With Standard D impacted, it would make it very difficult to convince Congress, the world even, that vice-driven time travel represented a new world order. Julius Arnold was now under pressure. Kanon wondered what his next wicked act would be—hopefully, she could get out of there before it occurred.
They convened for the afternoon meal in Julius’ residence. It was the largest house in the village, much more elaborate than the one-room house that had become Kanon’s prison. The house itself was a veritable compound—its fine workmanship done at considerable expense. From what Kanon could piece together, Julius had installed himself as a town magistrate. From the way the servants fussed and fretted over him, he had clearly strong-armed the village into accommodating his every whim.
Kanon looked across the table at Inspector Habit—who was staring intently back at her. She pointedly eyed the loose fabric hanging below his left arm.
Julius gestured to him.
“Inspector Hay, you remember Inspector Habit?”
“How is the arm?” Kanon quipped.
“I wouldn’t say such things if I were you,” Habit barked back.
“None of that, Kanon is one of us now. We don’t have time for these silly games,” Julius responded, smiling at the two of them before tapping his glass for a refill.
Julius was acting as if Kanon accepted his proposal to join them. Though she wasn’t sure what this meant to her current predicament, Kanon decided to go along with it—for the time being.
Shifting his attention, Julius gave Chief Smiley a fierce look.
“Are you going to tell us what’s going on with Standard D? Or are you going to sit there brooding?”
“I can’t tell yet,” Chief Smiley replied, looking down at his food with disgust.
It was some kind of meat and a brown mash of oats. Though it tasted awful, Kanon forced it down—committed to maintaining her strength.
“Central Computer is reporting a change to Standard D,” Smiley continued, “but I haven’t seen the models behind the figures yet.”
“Why not?” Julius asked.
“Director Hay has been finalizing the budget agreement and I’m having problems accessing Central Computer. I find it impossible that Standard D has been compromised. With all the things we’ve done in history, it doesn’t make sense.”
“We’ll put it to the test tomorrow,” Julius said mysteriously.
“Are you going to fill me on your plans?” Kanon asked, her heart beating rapidly.
“We’re hanging some witches,” Habit responded. “Or drowning them, whatever Julius decides.”
“Pulled them together from various towns and municipalities, an odd assortment, I’ll grant you,” Julius indicated, burping loudly before taking more bread for himself. “I’ve invited some press sympathetic to our cause to witness it. Should be on everyone’s reading panes tomorrow morning.”
“You are bringing in travelers?” Kanon asked, incredulous.
“How else are they going to write me a first-hand account?” Julius responded. “Once Smiley here fixes the anomaly in Standard D, that is.”
“That would seem to be the most important part of your scheme. If Standard D continues to spiral out of control . . . ” Kanon paused for effect, watching as Julius whipped around to address Smiley.
“You told me there could be no change in Standard D, and now you’re telling me there is, but you don’t have access to the computer to prove it?”
“I . . . ” Chief Smiley stammered, his face reddening.
“You better have a handle on this by tomorrow. I’m not going to be embarrassed because of you. That’s the entire reason you’re involved, to control it from the inside. If you aren’t capable of that, what good are you?”
As he delivered this speech, Julius transformed from a genial dinner companion to a forbidding presence. His face darkened as he spat out the words, bits of foam forming at the sides of his mouth.
Inspector Habit smiled at the exchange. No one, it seemed, like Chief Smiley.
“I’ll fix it,” he uttered.
“See that you do,” Julius snapped, shoving another piece of bread in his mouth and chewing methodically.
He turned to Kanon.
“As for you, be on your toes tomorrow.”
Kanon nodded, stealing a glance at Inspector Habit, who stared boldly back at her—his features a portrait of dislike.
“What do you want me to do?” Kanon asked quietly.
“You seem to have an inflated sense of purpose,” Julius said. “Your value is bloodlines. You are Director Hay’s daughter. Any inspector who threatens me has to get through you first. Are they likely to do that? You’ll be the first one to find out.”
“Ah,” Kanon said.
It was clear she was nothing more than cannon fodder for Julius, in the event that inspectors came looking for them.
“Anyone that comes near Julius must be eliminated,” Inspector Habit added. “And if you don’t live up to your end of the bargain, I have a wonderful list of ancestors of yours to torment.”
Kanon let the threat wash over her, careful not to respond. She was no fool—they didn’t trust her any more than she trusted them. Chief Smiley had made no mention of whether or not the budget talks were over. There could be inspectors arriving at any moment. And when they did, Julius would surely escape. The only fugitive left to capture would be her—offered up to the Directorate on a silver platter.
She felt like the Duchess at the guillotine. Though Kanon had done nothing wrong, she was subject to the will of the mob.
“Leave us,” Julius barked, waving his hand at both her and Chief Smiley.
Watching his erratic movements, Kanon realized he was drunk. He must have consumed several hard ciders and ales throughout the day.
Chief Smiley was the first to exit, slinking out of the room like a Si
amese cat.
“What did I tell you about him?” Habit said, toying with his glass.
“He’s been forced out,” Julius admitted. “He’s just not telling us. But we have her now.”
Julius looked at Kanon and gave her a wide grin.
She rose from her chair, unsure if this was the moment. Julius was drunk, vulnerable. If she could only get him alone, she might have her opportunity. Thinking quickly, she sat back down. Inspector Habit moved forward, preparing to remove her forcefully.
“No, let her stay,” Julius said. “It seems that Inspector Hay has something to tell me.”
Kanon took an even breath.
“I do,” she heard herself say, improvising on the spot as the plan formed in her mind. She watched as he stifled a burp. “I have some information about the Directorate,” Kanon said in a low, measured voice.
Julius clapped his hands together and chuckled.
“Inspector Habit, a quill, if you please.”
Begrudgingly, Inspector Habit rose, placing writing implements in front of Julius.
“Leave us—we are overdue for an honest discussion,” he directed, taking the quill in his hand and bringing it to life with a small pot of ink.
Kanon watched as his hand glided over the paper, feeling her heart beating at a rapid pace. Inspector Habit took his time leaving the room, obviously displeased with the situation. Kanon watched him exit before turning back to Julius.
“You are really going through with this?” she asked, giving him one last opportunity to see reason before executing her deadly plan.
He looked up under dark brows and nodded.
“This will take us to the dawn of the new age. I need willing partners who believe this as intently as I do. We all know how important legacy is to law enforcement. What if you, Kanon Hay, brought about a new world order?”
“I wonder if you promised Chief Smiley the same thing,” Kanon replied, feeling strongly that he had.
Julius shrugged, doodling on his paper with the quill.
“Smiley lacks vision, too focused on process, details. It was always clear he would never be able to take us to the next level,” Julius said.
“Why should I help you?” Kanon asked.
She could feel the blood rushing through her ears as she weighed her course of action. If she murdered Julius in this very kitchen, it would surely alert his guards, who would kill her on sight. They could both be moments from death.
Obvious to her reflections, Julius continued.
“After tomorrow, the whole world will know that Standard D is a made up thing—a figment to keep the masses under control,” Julius took a sip of beer. “It is an opiate, a way for us to inflict rules that have no place being there. Time travel is a panacea for the darkness of mankind—allowing us to fulfill our deepest desires. It is only in this way that we will obtain world peace—the goal that no leader has been able to obtain,” he said, his eyes taking on a faint, wondering glow.
Kanon shook her head firmly.
“You can’t obtain peace with violence. Your argument sounds very similar to totalitarians throughout history.”
“A lot of them are misunderstood, I grant you,” Julius admitted, and Kanon’s heart skipped a beat.
To be so close to such evil was palpable. Her energy felt zapped. It was if just being around his toxic thoughts drew the positivity from her.
Kanon placed her hands casually on the table, eyes resting on the knife situated in front of Julius.
“I guess tomorrow we will see who is right?” she said.
Julius shrugged.
“I’ve invited several prominent journalists. They see the beauty in the scheme. I think they will understand how travel can create a peaceful present.”
Kanon instead pictured their horrified faces when they witnessed Julius’ violent acts. She thought of the Duchess, crying as she walked to the guillotine.
“I have done nothing wrong,” she repeated, her anguish cries dueling with the excitement of the mob.
Two emotions over the same event—one filled with despair and the other with enjoyment. Was Julius right? Was humanity nothing more than a brutal mob?
Kanon looked across the table at Julius, feeling her thoughts drift away—focusing fully on the opportunity before her.
Julius picked up the knife, eager to get at a piece of food stuck between his teeth. He shoved it between his two back molars, talking as he did.
“Now, let us discuss the information you have for me.”
“Oh yes,” Kanon began, watching the knife as it moved between his teeth. “Several inspectors have discovered Chief Smiley is working with you.”
She watched as he placed the knife down on the table. She reached out with her finger and touched the tip of the handle.
“Hmm, what are their names? Come now,” Julius encouraged.
“Let’s see, Inspector Damato, Inspector Hayward . . . ” Kanon said, listing whatever name popped into her head.
Julius took up the quill, writing down the names she had mentioned.
“I’ll have them brought here, tomorrow,” he said, looking up at her. “I’ll hang them all.”
The words echoed in Kanon’s ears as she felt something within her snap. Grasping the knife, she stood, bringing it down with all her force into his chest.
Julius grunted, falling backward to the floor, the knife buried to the hilt. Kanon leapt over him, pulling the knife out—blood spewing forth.
He made a gurgling sound, looking up at her in astonishment. Kanon watched as his eyes glazed over, his flailing hands pawing at his chest. An anatomy student could not have aimed better—Kanon knew the amount of blood and location of the fatal blow meant his life would slip away in seconds.
Standing over him, she locked eyes with his.
“That was for the Duchess,” she said.
After a few moments, he stopped moving—his blue eyes dull and waxen.
Julius Arnold was dead, her mission complete. The next order of business was to get the hell out of there. Working quickly, Kanon searched his person—her spirits falling when she failed to locate a web.
“Dammit!” she cried, sitting on her heels—hands shaking.
Where had Julius placed his web? He surely didn’t travel far without one. It must be hidden in his quarters. Kanon could hardly go searching for it now—not with Julius’s dead body laid out on the parlor floor.
Kanon looked anxiously around the room. Her eyes fell on a pair of chests positioned near the hearth. Moving quickly, she removed woolen blankets from one.
Turning back to Julius, she dragged his heavy frame to the empty chest. Filled with adrenaline, she lifted his torso, folding his legs over in a fetal position. Closing the lid, she steadied her breathing as she stared at the bloody trail that streaked across the floor. Taking one of the blankets, she mopped it up as best she could, pulling a rug that had been placed near the threshold to cover what she could not conceal. Studying her hands, she was surprised to find them clean.
Moving to exit the room before anyone found her, she walked directly into Inspector Habit.
“Oh, you startled me,” Kanon said, her stomach flying into her chest.
“Where is Julius?” Inspector Habit pushed past her, walking back into the kitchen.
He took a turn around the room as Kanon rubbed her palms on her skirts, trying to remain calm.
“Back in his room,” she said, hoping to distract him.
“Oh well, plenty of time to discuss it tomorrow. Now, get back in your quarters.”
Inspector Habit moved towards her, and Kanon quickly turned to leave.
“Stop!” Inspector Habit cried.
Kanon obeyed, turning slowly to look at him.
“You’ll come directly to the square tomorrow morning, at sunrise. We’ll be setting up the gallows there. I want to keep an eye on you when the press arrives.”
“Very well,” Kanon replied, turning with disbelief at how easily her plan was e
xecuted.
She did not sleep at all that night, tossing and turning for what felt like days. With the house so heavily guarded, Kanon assumed Julius’ guards would find him dead—killing her instantly. Yet, here she was, lying in the same cot as she had yesterday, breathing in the confining scent of a dying fire.
Inspector Habit roused Kanon the next morning by kicking her off the bed.
“Still upset about the arm?” Kanon asked, pulling herself together.
“Oh, you’ll get yours, I’m sure of it,” Habit snapped back, kicking her clothes at her.
“Where is Julius?” Kanon asked, heart thumping as she remembered the events of the previous evening.
“He wasn’t at breakfast this morning.”
“He’s disappeared?” Kanon asked, keeping her voice level.
“I didn’t say that,” Inspector Habit scoffed, “and since he’s not around, what I say goes.”
“I thought Chief Smiley was in charge?” Kanon asked, quickly putting on her dress.
“Chief Smiley is a traitor,” Inspector Habit said nonchalantly.
“He wasn’t last night, what’s changed?” Kanon asked nervously.
“Let me worry about that. He did reveal some interesting information about daddy dearest though,” Habit explained. “We have lots of ways to get information out of people. Do you want to hear . . . ”
“No, I don’t,” Kanon snapped back. “I need a weapon.”
He pushed her towards the door.
“Look around in the main house. Now get a move on,” he growled.
He took her by the arm, walking her to Julius’ house before turning to head in the other direction. Though the hour was early, several laborers were out walking the streets. No one looked at Kanon. It was as if the entire town was under a spell.
Once inside, Kanon avoided the kitchen entirely. She found a short hunting knife in one of the sculleries, tucking it into a belt she had fastened from a bit of leather.
Anxious for where Julius might have stashed his web, Kanon searched the rest of the rooms—finding nothing. Without a web, she was a sitting duck. Realizing there would be no point in running, she left the house for the town square.
Turning in the direction Habit went, she followed the dirt road as it opened up to a wide expanse of farmland. She heard banging sounds as she proceeded further down the path. As the lane opened up, she saw the gallows looming before her in grisly simplicity.