Pure chocolate, p.31
Pure Chocolate, page 31
part #2 of Chocoverse Series
I appeal straight to Tawny. “If they’re using the same foodieholo Mamá showed me, it’s going to be a choco-stravaganza.”
Brill looks at Tyson’s charts. “We’re going to be cutting it close, but we should still make it.”
A little later, Tawny’s coming back from using the bathroom in Tyson’s loft, and I’m on my way up. We cross paths at the top of the ladder. She’s been quiet, ever since she found out we knew about the Pure Chocolate. She gives me one of those plastic smiles.
I can’t take it any more. “Can we be honest for a minute, muchacha?”
She lets the smile fall away. “Are you sure you want that? Most people think they’re ready for brutal honesty, but once they have it, they want the candy-coated ignorance back.”
I finish climbing the ladder. “You know me. I’ve never been one to leave the veneers alone.”
“I know that, Bo. And that’s the pity. You have to know the truth about everything, even the secrets that are keeping everyone safe. You feel so deeply, want so much – and that’s exactly what’s going to get Brill killed.”
My heart clenches. “Brill? I thought the threat was against me.”
Tawny pulls out her tube of lotion, smoothing on the soothing fragrance. “It’s too late for threats. It’s bad enough that you hold so many secrets in that pretty little head of yours, but to have someone so mercenary as a Krom privy to our weaknesses – how are we supposed to trust where his loyalties lie?”
“He’s loyal to me,” I say fiercely.
“For now,” she shrugs. “But his loyalties haven’t always been consistent in the past.” She tries to put the plastic smile back on, pero it doesn’t quite fit.
It’s hard to tell if she’s supposing what might happen, or if she’s telling me Brill’s execution’s been signed off on. Whichever way, it’s clear she holds me responsible. My heart’s pounding in panic. There has to be a way to change her mind.
“You should have just been happy Kaliel escaped the shave. He was. We put a tracking anklet on him, and practically slid his neck under the blade. And even he knew better than to push to know why.”
So Tawny knew that HGB had baited Kaliel into blowing up that vessel. She’d known he’d been tricked into believing he was under attack by space pirates, and could still smile at him back in Rio, when he was under the same roof at the HGB processing plant, awaiting trial – and execution. She’d been going to just let him die.
How could she do that, when she knew he was innocent? And if she could do that, then there’s no way to convince her to spare Brill now.
I force myself to look her in the eye. “Are you still going to help us save Kaliel?”
For a second, I imagine there’s a glimmer of shift, just around the edges of her irises. Pero, eso es imposible. She’s HGB. She is Earth. Only, now that I’ve found out Kayla’s not, I’m seeing aliens everywhere.
“Kaliel’s still important to preserving peace. I’m going to do what I can to save him, but I won’t deny my own loyalties to do it. HGB has asked we honor the Evevrons’ wishes not to disclose information about the parasite.”
In other words, she’s not going to show the feed of the mindworms because if someone digs deep enough, they’re bound to find out Earth helped the Evevrons with the cover-up. And everything will come out about Serum Green. Which I hope she still doesn’t know I know about.
I move past her, trying to ignore the way she’s watching my hands quiver from the IH shakes. “Maybe you should try being loyal to the truth, mija.”
“Not all secrets are bad, Bo.” The ice blue of Tawny’s eyes is intense. “Look at your friend Kayla. Her secret’s kept her alive these past twenty-odd years. She’s never going to know how much her family sacrificed for her and her twin, even though she’s not theirs by blood. And she doesn’t need to.”
I stop. “What do you know about it?”
She fiddles with the headphones draped around her neck. “Me? I’m not old enough for all that ancient history. But if you ask Frank about ecological disasters involving a planet’s core, he might tell you. Or it might push him far enough to finally shoot you. You’re not going to be happy anyway until it comes to that.”
I blink in confusion. “Frank caused an ecological disaster?”
“No! Why do you assume we’re the bad guys in everything?”
“Because you usually are?”
“You can’t afford to still be that naïve.” Tawny takes my hand in hers. “I know you. You’re going to want to shout out the truth about these parasites to any Zantite who will listen. But if you don’t – if you show a modicum of restraint for once – then just maybe no one has to find out how many of Earth’s secrets Brill knows.”
Chapter Forty-One
When we land, there’s a party of about two dozen Zantites waiting for us. We’re watching enhanced gritcast from inside the ship, and the group includes both Mertex and Fizzax.
Is that the jury? Are they going to execute Kaliel right there on the pavement?
“Kaliel.” I move over to him, take his hand in mine.
Brill stares at me, not even trying to hide the jealousy in his irises. And yet, he walks over to us and puts a hand on Kaliel’s other shoulder. “It’s not too late, su. We can turn this bread loaf around. I have friends that can hide you so long the Zantites get tired of looking.”
“I did not hear tat,” Tyson says.
Brill looks at him. “Don’t tell me you aren’t thinking the same thing. This isn’t justice, and you know it.”
Tyson puts his hands on the big trackball, like he’s actually considering leaving. Then he shakes his cabeza. “Te law is all tat holds society together. And I cannot break te trust put in me to uphold it.”
Brill looks at Kaliel. “I liked it better when I thought he was a hypocrite.”
“It’s OK. I agree with him.” Kaliel takes a deep breath, and I can’t help but wonder how many of those he has left. “It sucks. But I agree.” Then he looks at me. “Don’t give up hope.”
I squeeze his hand. “Lo siento.”
He grips mine back. “I said, don’t give up.”
I stare at him. I thought he’d been taking this all too calmly. “You have a plan.”
“It’s a long shot.” Kaliel stares at the door. He has to be holding onto every moment, trying to freeze time before he steps out there. “You guys know the truth. That may have to be enough. Since I probably won’t be able to, tell Kayla…” His voice breaks. “Tell her I wanted to give her my grandmother’s ring.”
“Suavet ita hanstral,” Brill says. I am so very sorry. “But we’re running out of time to get to Minda’s set before the Mindhugger executes its plan. We have to open the door.”
“Right.” Kaliel straightens his posture, moves closer to the door.
Brill gives him a closed-fisted salute. “Safe journey and true heart, Kaliel.”
Kaliel hesitates. His journey is going to be anything but safe. He can’t know how much that means, for Brill to bid farewell to him not only as an equal, but as a close friend. Kaliel smiles. “Thanks.”
Tyson lets down the ramp, and the group outside bring weapons to bear. It’s not quite dawn, so they’re indistinct outlines against the light coming out of the saucer. The air is cool, the first bit of color smearing the sky. A night insect clicks, rhythmic and alone, somewhere nearby. It promises to be a heartshatteringly beautiful day.
Brill adjusts the body armor under the collar of his tee. He made me put mine on too. Who knows what the Mindhugger has waiting for us? “You do realize if Tyson puts us down as the ones who turned Kaliel in, we’re getting half the reward. It’s about five times what we got for Jack.”
I still haven’t figured out when a Galactacop can or can’t claim a reward. I remember Tyson once saying he wasn’t about to turn bounty hunter.
“I don’t want blood money,” I shudder.
Brill shrugs. “Let’s make sure we use it for something he would have approved of.”
Kaliel holds up his hands as Tyson walks with him down to meet them. Brill and I follow. Tawny’s right on our heels, ready to tackle me if I say anything she doesn’t like.
I told Brill what she said. He’d gotten her alone and flat out asked her if she’d sent another recommendation he be assassinated, and she said she hadn’t. Yet.
Kaliel gets to the bottom of the ramp, and the Zantites form a circle around him.
Police Chief Dghax steps forward. “Mr Johansson, you killed nine people on this planet. For that you are to be executed. Have you any complaints?”
He’s going to say no. And then he’ll die.
Kaliel says, “I do. I dispute the charges, and ask for a civilian trial under the Cadmar Treaty. I am a citizen of a planet protected by the Galactic Court, and therefore eligible. I also request a complete medical and psychological examination, as other medical treatment has uncovered a growth in my brain that may have impaired my judgement.”
Tyson is nodding along. He’s obviously coached Kaliel. Fizzax and Mertex are also nodding along. What’s going on here?
Dghax’s mouth falls open. He looks at Tyson. “Are you going to represent him?”
Tyson shakes his head and points at Tawny. “She is.”
Tawny looks just as shocked as I am.
“This will take some hours to arrange. That type of trial requires the presence of those who have been wronged by the crime in question.” Dghax looks troubled. “Will you waive the right to complain of mental anguish due to the delayed judgement and to being detained under threat of execution?”
“I willingly waive such rights.”
They all nod at each other, and Kaliel walks away with them. He looks back, once, staring at Tyson, and it’s light enough out now to catch the intensity of his gaze. Tyson coils down his spine, back to his resting height. Somehow, he seems even shorter, like the weight of Kaliel’s final request is pressing down on him. I understand how he feels. We have no leads. So how are we supposed to find Kayla?
“Wait up!” Tawny hurries after them. “Apparently I need to talk to my client!”
I look over at Tyson. “So how come I never heard of this treaty, mijo?”
He plays with the angles of his mouth. “Because most of te time, it’s just delaying te inevitable. You have to be able to claim an interplanetary misunderstanding. And it doesn’t apply to cases involving military law, or directly involving te king, so if I had invoked it for you aboard the Layla’s Pride, tey’d have just laughed.” He can’t have forgotten that call from Garfex, asking him personally to find Kaliel. Tyson’s just not mentioning it to the potential executioners, since Garfex didn’t bother to show up for this. Tyson gets the kind of trial he wants, without actually lying to anyone. He so should have been a lawyer.
Brill asks Tyson, “Do you think it will help this time?”
Tyson shrugs. “If not, at least it keeps Tawny from itching our scales, which is hot springs fizzy wine delicious.”
Brill’s scanning the spaceport. “There isn’t easy public transport here.”
We don’t have time to call a cab.
“Mertex!” I call.
Murry stops, waits for me to catch up to him.
“Por favor, can we get a ride to Minda’s set? It’s urgent.”
Mertex’s eyes go wide. “What’s wrong?”
“We can explain on te way,” Tyson says, as we head towards Mertex’s vehicle.
Tyson takes the seat next to Murry, while Brill and I slide into the back. We give him an abbreviated version of what’s been going on – one that doesn’t mention that the people in the process of sabotaging Minda’s show are infected by brain parasites.
I feel guilty. Who knows how far the infection has spread? People really should be warned.
But if I speak the truth, Brill and I probably both wind up on HGB’s hit list.
Mertex looks alarmed enough, as he sucks in air through an open mouth, showing off all six billion pointy teeth. “Why didn’t you call and tell me this?”
“We tried,” I protest. “The phones are down.”
“All of them?” Murry pulls his own phone out of his pocket. “Then how did Dghax know for us to meet your saucer?”
“I spoke to him shortly after we left Evevron.” Tyson’s tilting his mouth in again, pero Mertex doesn’t seem to notice how troubled he is. “I wanted to emphasize tat Kaliel was coming in peacefully. I didn’t want any misunderstandings on te tarmac.” Tyson hesitates. “But I told you tat when I called you, remember?”
Mertex laughs. “Oh, right.” He looks at his phone. I catch a glimpse of the castsignal gauge. It’s topped. Pero, he says, “That’s weird. But it makes me feel better. Because, you see, Minda and I went on a date yesterday – just coffee, nothing serious – and I was starting to freak out that she hadn’t called me back yet.”
You know how when people are lying, they tend to talk real fast and add unnecessary details? Murry’s doing that. We don’t have to see the bruise on his skin to know he’s infected, pero there it is, on the back of his wrist.
The sun’s up now.
We’re going fast down a highway.
Tyson unbuckles his seatbelt.
Brill glances down to make sure my seatbelt’s on. I brace myself, not sure what’s about to happen. Tyson’s armed, pero if he’s concerned about not hurting the victim here, he’ll be careful with Murry, right?
Mertex puts on his blinker. He’s heading away from the set. He puts one hand down on the seat beside him, and it comes up holding a weapon.
Tyson lunges at him.
The tires squeal, the wheel jerks, and my stomach lurches as we angle off the road, bumping our way through a field of haraggaha plants, the purple pulp splattering our windshield as we mow it down. Ay!
Mertex and Tyson are fighting in the front seat, grunting and cursing, as we careen out of control. Mertex flails an arm, and the front driver-side door flies open. Mertex flips Tyson up, like he’s trying to bite the Galactacop in half, pero Tyson turns the momentum into a forward roll that pulls him out of the door. He takes Mertex with him.
I’m frozen, for a shocked second. That’s all it takes for Brill to get his seatbelt and squeeze between the two front seats. Pero, before he can manage to punch the brake in a configuration sized for a Zantite, we burst through the last row of sugar plants and hit a ditch, which jolts us to a stop. My seatbelt engages so hard it takes my breath away. Brill’s cabeza comes close to the windshield, pero doesn’t go through it.
He looks miraculously unhurt when he slides back through the seats. “Babe, you OK?”
“Sí.” I try to unbuckle the seatbelt. The buckle’s jammed.
Brill takes out his pocketknife. He’s still cutting through the strap when Tyson drags Mertex up to us.
The Galactacop blinks, and one of his translucent eyelids looks discolored.
Brill nods downwards, at the busted axle. “This thing’s not going anywhere.”
Tyson hefts Mertex back into the vehicle. “Yeah, well neiter is he.”
I can’t tell if Murry’s breathing.
Tyson pulls out a couple of zipties and starts fastening Mertex’s wrists and ankles, threading the tie-ends through either side’s door frame. Tension melts out of my shoulders. At least the guy’s alive.
The car’s trunk got thrown open in the crash, and there’s a dent where something heavy hit it on the way out. Not far away, in the middle of the sugar plant pulp, there’s a familiar metal lock box.
Eh? It’s the one those Zantites had salvaged from the wrecked Evevronian ship. Why would Mertex have that? Unless… maybe it means something to the mindworms.
The lock broke open on impact. The guys are busy with Mertex, so I take a quick look inside. Amazingly, this box had remained watertight for almost a decade. There’s a locket, engraved in Evevron. I can’t read the inscription, pero inside, there’s a paper picture of Awn on one side – and of an infant Evevron on the other. There’s also a packet wrapped in red paper that looks suspiciously like explosives. And a holo-keychain showing the image of Chevros. And stacks of papers I can’t read. And a gun.
I close the box. This belonged to one of the minds that had made up the first tier of the mindworms. Pero, Awn had never made it onto that ship. What does that mean?
Is Awn part of the mindworm? Or was it in love with her?
“Shouldn’t we just deworm him?” Brill asks.
Tyson pats his jacket pocket. “We need to ask his parasite a few questions. I’ve got a stimulant shot tat should pull him back to consciousness.”
“We’re already running out of time,” I insist. “You talk to him. We’re going to look for another ride.” I hesitate. “Remember, that’s not the parasite’s body, right, mijo?”
Tyson looks at me with distaste. “You know me better tan tat, Bo.” Then he looks at Brill. Brill’s eyes go a confusing tannish-green-gray color. Tyson looks away, embarrassed.
“Come on, Babe.” Brill starts walking, in the opposite direction of the road. “There has to be a farmhouse somewhere back here.”
We’re even farther away now from Mamá and Minda. Frustration burns through me.
And still, mi vida is hurting. I take his hand, doing my best to keep pace with him. “Are you going to be OK?”
“You know what? I think I am.” Brill looks down at me, smiling sadly. “I told Kaliel not to be mad at the parasite. I’m the hypocrite, if I can’t let this go. Darcy’s dead, but so is the su who got him killed. Ven let the dead blame the dead.”
“Te amo, mi vida.” It’s taken a lot to get him to this point. I hope he really can find peace.
“Love you too, Babe.” He squeezes my hand.
Soon, we find a complex that is more full-on sugar-processing plant than farmhouse. There’s a row of tanker trucks off to one side. I guess they process some of this stuff as syrup. Looking at them, Brill’s eyes turn green.
