Fatal flaws gate ghosts.., p.18
Fatal Flaws (Gate Ghosts Book 13), page 18
“I thought you said I wasn’t ready for the likes of a security chief,” Shemla reminded Vextra.
“You aren’t,” Vextra replied sternly. Then flicking her tongue, she added, “But you make a lovely distraction.”
Shemla responded with her own tongue. She knew her coloring made her attractive to male Freiots, and they could scent that she was unmated.
“How distracting am I supposed to act?” Shemla inquired.
“That’s the thing, Shemla. I don’t want you to make contact,” Vextra replied.
“I don’t understand,” Shemla said.
“I need to set trackers on Bangrath,” Vextra explained. “You’re to catch his attention long enough for me to do the job.”
“Where and when?” Shemla asked.
“Bangrath frequents a club in the evening,” Vextra replied. “You and I will work in the club this evening.”
“What club?” Shemla inquired. When she heard the name, she hissed delightedly. The club had a reputation for hosting the well-connected underworld.
Vextra arrived earlier than Shemla to work the floor, caring for the patrons’ various needs — food, drink, or stimulants.
When Shemla did show, Vextra was careful not to hiss in appreciation. What she wore would draw heads and hisses. Combined with Shemla’s beauty, the young female had every male requesting her service.
Shemla made a show of artfully dodging the hands that reached for her, while she fulfilled their orders.
Vextra appreciated that Shemla fulfilled the orders of the most notorious patrons first. It demonstrated that she was there for the credits that those patrons lavished on her.
When the demand lulled, Shemla turned to the other tables, booths, and private rooms.
At one point, the pair of agents met at the service center.
Shemla tapped code with her smallest digit on the countertop. She queried, “Where is he?”
“Not here yet,” Vextra tapped back.
The pair worked the entire shift without seeing the security chief.
Commiserating over a small meal in an all-night eatery, Shemla remarked, “The night wasn’t a total loss. I raked in a pile of credits.”
“Bad news, Shemla. The credits are shared. You nicely enhanced everyone’s income tonight,” Vextra said, hissing her laughter.
“In my entire life, I never had to spend so much time dodging busy hands,” Shemla lamented. “And I did all that maneuvering to help others get ahead.”
The pair worked the next three evenings without spotting Bangrath.
At the diner on the last evening after leaving the club, Vextra mused, “I wonder if the security chief has changed venues for his entertainment.”
“How old is your information?” Shemla inquired.
“Less than a quarter annual,” Vextra replied. “But he’s been a regular at this spot during the three annuals in which I’ve had assignments to cover him.”
“Then he meets some of the club’s patrons there,” Shemla surmised.
“He does, and, when he meets someone, they never sit at a table. It’s either a booth or a private room,” Vextra added.
“How long do we keep at it?” Shemla queried.
“That’s not the question to ask,” Vextra replied, which caused Shemla to pause in mid-bite. “Bangrath is a regular at the club. The better question is where has he gone?”
“Doesn’t he have to log his downtime?” Shemla inquired.
“He should have done that, but, in the annuals that I’ve surveilled him, he’s never done it,” Vextra noted.
“If this is such a change in his routine, maybe it relates to the reason for this assignment,” Shemla volunteered.
“Now your thoughts are headed in the right direction,” Vextra commented.
“If Bangrath hasn’t registered his absence, who would know where he’s gone?” Shemla inquired.
Vextra hefted her device, thought for a moment, and sent a coded message to Soiter. As it was early morning, she didn’t expect a response. Yet, that’s exactly what she received. Then she sent a second message that said, “Target absent.”
Soiter, who was accustomed to Vextra’s terse coded messages, regarded this newest one. He translated the two words as she couldn’t locate Bangrath in his common haunts.
Rising from his bed, Soiter connected his device to his display. The image opened in the air, and Soiter used a white-clawed finger to make selections on the menu. When he entered the domain of Freiot Security Command, he entered his access code. Then he navigated through the personnel files. Locating Bangrath, he checked his status. It showed active.
Musing about the fact that Bangrath was active, but Vextra couldn’t locate him, made Soiter suspicious. He formulated a couple of innocuous questions to pose to the security chief. Then, instead of contacting Bangrath, he requested a call from Security Command.
Before Soiter could relax in his chair, his device indicated a call.
“Agent on duty at Security Command, Defense Minister Soiter. How may I assist you?”
“It’s nothing planet shattering, Agent,” Soiter replied. “I wanted to request Security Chief Bangrath meet with me briefly. Is he active?”
“Let me check,” the agent replied. “Yes, he’s active, Minister. Shall I send him a message or connect you?”
“It’s early, and I don’t want to disturb his sleep. Is he in the capital?” Soiter inquired innocently.
“Allow me a moment to check his device,” the agent replied. “Uh ... Minister, his device isn’t active.”
“Maybe he’s been in an accident,” Soiter suggested.
“There’s no report of a security agent of any level having been in an accident that incapacitated them, Minister,” the agent replied nervously.
“You’d better refer this conversation to your superiors, Agent,” Soiter said, shifting to an authoritative tone.
“Immediately,” the agent replied.
“I’ll need a follow-up,” Soiter directed. “It’s important to know if this has been a dereliction of protocol.”
“Yes, Minister,” the agent replied.
When Soiter ended the call, the agent wasn’t looking forward to the next step. His name would be logged on a report as having had the conversation, and he would be bringing command’s attention to one of the most feared security chiefs. Releasing a sigh that he was about to imperil his new career, he made out the requisite form and sent it.
Vextra’s device hummed. Seeing a coded message, she opened it and ran her app. “Client says that Bangrath is offline. Trace is underway,” she said.
As Vextra hadn’t mentioned the client’s name, Shemla eyed her.
Vextra issued a soft hiss, as her tongue flicked. “Did I give something away?” she queried, lightheartedly.
“We’re cautiously trying to set surveillance on a security chief,” Shemla replied. “He’s breaking his routine. You reach out to a contact, and that contact can tell you that the chief is offline. Furthermore, he has the power to direct that Bangrath be located.”
“What can you surmise from that?” Vextra asked her protégé.
“My first thought was that your client was in Security Command, but they don’t need the likes of us to investigate Bangrath,” Shemla replied. “Your client is someone who is elite and is suspicious of Bangrath’s actions. However, your client only has suspicions, which means your client doesn’t have any evidence for a judicial order.”
“Excellent reasoning,” Vextra complimented. “Who’s our client?”
“A minister,” Shemla immediately volunteered. “A minister who is operating with the palladon’s permission.”
“Why do you say that?” Vextra asked. She was curious what Shemla had divined that she hadn’t.
“Think about it,” Shemla encouraged. “We’re talking about a highly placed security chief who usually accompanies ministers and, sometimes, the palladon. You’re asked to surveil him, and he happens to have momentarily disappeared. Bangrath is suspected of something extremely illegal. Don’t you think a minister would have brought that to the palladon’s attention?”
“You could be right about that,” Vextra mused. “So, what’s the crime?” she prodded.
“Plotting against the government?” Shemla offered. Then she quickly shook her head. “No, that’s not Bangrath’s style. He’s too self-absorbed.”
“What is his style?” Vextra encouraged.
“Bangrath is after credits and power, mostly credits though,” Shemla replied. “That’s why he likes places like the club, where he can foster contacts.”
When Vextra fell quiet, Shemla waited for her to think through their conversation. A soft hiss and a short flick of the tongue told Shemla that Vextra had made a mental leap.
“What?” Shemla urged.
“We’re surveilling a collaborator,” Vextra said.
Shemla almost asked, “Collaborating with whom?” Then the limited options occurred to her. “It can only be either the Utilimats or the conclave.”
“No,” Vextra replied. “Bangrath doesn’t have the opportunity to communicate with the conclave. The security chief is assisting the Utilimats with information about our government.”
Shemla’s hiss was sharp, which caught the notice of two diner staff.
Vextra cocked her head, and Shemla held up her hands in apology.
“Time to go,” Vextra said. “We’ve just become memorable to staff.”
As the pair exited the eatery, Shemla chastised herself for revealing her emotional response to Vextra’s reasoning.
In midmorning, Soiter received a call from Security Command.
“You requested feedback on your conversation earlier this cycle, Defense Minister Soiter,” a commanding voice said. “Could I ask why you originated that contact with Security Command?”
Alarm bells went off in Soiter’s head, and he reacted in an authoritative manner. “Identify yourself,” he demanded.
When Soiter received the name and security ID number, he quickly looked up the individual. Smothering his desire to hiss, he said, “You report to Security Chief Bangrath. How is it my query is referred to you?”
“As there seemed to be an inability to connect with Chief Bangrath, I was simply requesting how I could be of service in his stead,” the agent replied.
“That’s an insufficient answer, Agent,” Soiter answered. “Report your unauthorized contact of me to Bangrath’s superior. I expect to hear from that individual shortly.”
“Yes, Minister,” the agent replied obsequiously.
Soiter waited impatiently for a callback. He was about to message Security Command when Fetler tapped at his doorframe. “Come in,” he said, motioning to Fetler urgently. Then he signaled the door closed behind him.
“What’s going on?’ Fetler inquired.
“Our pursuit of Bangrath has taken some odd turns,” Soiter replied. “First, the agent I hired can’t find him after four cycles. Bangrath isn’t showing up at his regular haunts. I contacted Security Command with an innocent request about Bangrath. The agent who took the call couldn’t locate him, and I requested he notify his superiors. Then I get a call from an agent who wants to know why I’m asking about Bangrath.”
Not command?” Fetler queried.
“No,” Soiter replied. “In fact, this agent works for Bangrath. When I saw that on my display, I told him to report his unauthorized contact to his superiors.”
Fetler rubbed his chin. “Maybe we got it wrong?” he offered.
“Got what wrong?” Soiter asked.
“You proffered the idea that the agents would be kept separate,” Fetler reminded his friend. “What if the Utilimats turned a senior officer at Security Command, and this individual has been recruiting others?”
Soiter regarded his device. “I would have expected two calls by now,” he said. “One from my early morning query about Bangrath’s location. The second would be about the agent contacting me without authorization.”
“What are your options?” Fetler inquired.
Soiter held up a finger to delay his reply. Then he hurriedly tapped out a coded message to Vextra. To Fetler, he said, “I’m not sure what I’ve stirred up. So, I don’t know which way to move.”
“Then we should talk to Guelmer,” Fetler said. “Ultimately, this entire operation is his responsibility.”
Soiter nodded, and Fetler made an urgent call to Guelmer’s administrative assistant to make an appointment.
Vextra was deep asleep when her device signaled a client contact. She struggled to wake, decoded Soiter’s message, and read it. Suddenly, she was wide awake. Soiter had sent, “Danger. Protect associates.”
Vextra had two thoughts about Shemla. She discarded the first one and chose the second. It was raining outside. In fact, it was pouring, which suited her. She donned a set of concealing rain clothes, careful to hide any part of her that could offer her identity.
Slipping out the back of her building, Vextra walked until she could get a transport passing by. Her stop was a little way from Shemla’s apartment building. She paid off the transport with a trade card, an untraceable credit transaction.
Walking on the far side of the roadway, Vextra kept her head down from the stinging rain, while she eyed every place that could offer watcher concealment. By the time she reached an intersection, Vextra had spotted not one but two watchers.
Ducking under an overhang, Vextra typed out a message to Shemla.
Like Vextra, Shemla was woken by her device’s urgent sound. However, she became alert much faster when she realized Vextra had contacted her. The uncoded message read, “Exposed. Exit building rear. Eatery,” and then gave her a countdown.
After a quick call to a contact, Vextra put away her device, headed around the corner, and sought the rear of Shemla’s building. A thorough perusal satisfied her that the watchers weren’t eyeing that exit.
Right on time, Vextra heard the distinctive sound of two transports colliding. The chance of that happening for lawful adults was zero. But youths with tech skills loved to override transport safety features and race them.
With four or five youths in fanciful dress jumping out of their transports to yell at one another, Vextra knew the watchers would be engaged for a short time.
Shemla exited her building, glanced around, spotted Vextra, and read her hand signal. Then she turned away from her mentor and worked a back way to reach the eatery. Soon after she’d sat down, Vextra entered the vestibule, where she was dried off.
“What happened?” Shemla inquired anxiously.
“Don’t know. Emergency contact from the client,” Vextra responded.
“It was that trace run by your client,” Shemla swiftly volunteered.
“Undoubtedly, but why?” Vextra queried.
Shemla pondered the question, working to connect the paucity of information they held. She tapped a finger on the table in triumph. “You said something early this morning that intrigued me,” she said. “You thought we might be tailing a collaborator, and I wondered if it might be collaborators who your client is after.”
“My thoughts hadn’t gone there until I received the client’s warning,” Vextra responded. “If the client had triggered a data trap, he wouldn’t have been too concerned. However, if his actions resulted in disconcerting Bangrath’s contacts, then he would have responded as he did.”
“Do you think we’re in danger?” Shemla asked.
“I want to know how and why they’re suspicious of you,” Vextra said. “Are you working another case?”
Shemla adopted an indignant pose. “You told me that I was always to report to you the nature of any business I conducted so as not to end up crossing paths,” she replied. “And I’ve always done just that.”
“Understood,” Vextra said soothingly. “It was a question that I had to ask. This means they’re tailing you because of your nights at the club. Did you step out of character at any time?”
“Yes,” Shemla admitted. “On the third evening, I was talking to another server. She said that the club was slow, and the tips weren’t that great. I said that I was new. So, I didn’t know what was slow or not. Then I asked her if any important clients were missing. She asked me what kind of client I was talking about. I thought I covered myself by burying security agents in the midst of mentioning a few other types.”
Vextra nodded sagely. “That server is a tipster for the club’s clients,” she said. “She’d let every individual she considered important know that you were asking around about them in hopes of making some extra credits.”
Shemla swore softly. “My mistake,” she said demoralized by her indiscretion. “Then these watchers could be sent by Bangrath or from anyone.”
“Correct,” Vextra replied.
“Then I’m in trouble, and I don’t know the source.”
“No, we don’t, but we need to find out fast,” Vextra said. “Come on. We’re going hunting.”
Shemla’s response was a fast twitching of her slender tongue. She lived for the excitement that this new career offered her.
Guelmer had left instructions with his admin assistant that Ministers Soiter and Fetler were to be given priority access to him. As such, it didn’t take long for the trio to meet in Guelmer’s office.
Soiter started the conversation by outlining the steps he’d taken — hiring an agent, the unusual report, his contact with Security Command, and the unauthorized call by an associate of Bangrath. “I’m now waiting for two responses from Security Command.”
Guelmer took a few moments to assimilate the information. While he did, Soiter’s device signaled an incoming call.
Soiter held up his device and said, “Security Command.”
Guelmer touched his tympanum.
In response, Soiter nodded and tapped an icon on his device to accept the call.
“Minister Soiter, I’m Commander Carthal. I’m calling from Security Command in response to your allegations.”
Soiter withheld his desire to hiss angrily at the idea that he made allegations. Remembering where he sat, he said, “Commander Carthal, I have you on speaker with Palladon Guelmer and Race Relations Minister Fetler. Please clarify your statement. What allegations do you believe I’ve made?”
“You aren’t,” Vextra replied sternly. Then flicking her tongue, she added, “But you make a lovely distraction.”
Shemla responded with her own tongue. She knew her coloring made her attractive to male Freiots, and they could scent that she was unmated.
“How distracting am I supposed to act?” Shemla inquired.
“That’s the thing, Shemla. I don’t want you to make contact,” Vextra replied.
“I don’t understand,” Shemla said.
“I need to set trackers on Bangrath,” Vextra explained. “You’re to catch his attention long enough for me to do the job.”
“Where and when?” Shemla asked.
“Bangrath frequents a club in the evening,” Vextra replied. “You and I will work in the club this evening.”
“What club?” Shemla inquired. When she heard the name, she hissed delightedly. The club had a reputation for hosting the well-connected underworld.
Vextra arrived earlier than Shemla to work the floor, caring for the patrons’ various needs — food, drink, or stimulants.
When Shemla did show, Vextra was careful not to hiss in appreciation. What she wore would draw heads and hisses. Combined with Shemla’s beauty, the young female had every male requesting her service.
Shemla made a show of artfully dodging the hands that reached for her, while she fulfilled their orders.
Vextra appreciated that Shemla fulfilled the orders of the most notorious patrons first. It demonstrated that she was there for the credits that those patrons lavished on her.
When the demand lulled, Shemla turned to the other tables, booths, and private rooms.
At one point, the pair of agents met at the service center.
Shemla tapped code with her smallest digit on the countertop. She queried, “Where is he?”
“Not here yet,” Vextra tapped back.
The pair worked the entire shift without seeing the security chief.
Commiserating over a small meal in an all-night eatery, Shemla remarked, “The night wasn’t a total loss. I raked in a pile of credits.”
“Bad news, Shemla. The credits are shared. You nicely enhanced everyone’s income tonight,” Vextra said, hissing her laughter.
“In my entire life, I never had to spend so much time dodging busy hands,” Shemla lamented. “And I did all that maneuvering to help others get ahead.”
The pair worked the next three evenings without spotting Bangrath.
At the diner on the last evening after leaving the club, Vextra mused, “I wonder if the security chief has changed venues for his entertainment.”
“How old is your information?” Shemla inquired.
“Less than a quarter annual,” Vextra replied. “But he’s been a regular at this spot during the three annuals in which I’ve had assignments to cover him.”
“Then he meets some of the club’s patrons there,” Shemla surmised.
“He does, and, when he meets someone, they never sit at a table. It’s either a booth or a private room,” Vextra added.
“How long do we keep at it?” Shemla queried.
“That’s not the question to ask,” Vextra replied, which caused Shemla to pause in mid-bite. “Bangrath is a regular at the club. The better question is where has he gone?”
“Doesn’t he have to log his downtime?” Shemla inquired.
“He should have done that, but, in the annuals that I’ve surveilled him, he’s never done it,” Vextra noted.
“If this is such a change in his routine, maybe it relates to the reason for this assignment,” Shemla volunteered.
“Now your thoughts are headed in the right direction,” Vextra commented.
“If Bangrath hasn’t registered his absence, who would know where he’s gone?” Shemla inquired.
Vextra hefted her device, thought for a moment, and sent a coded message to Soiter. As it was early morning, she didn’t expect a response. Yet, that’s exactly what she received. Then she sent a second message that said, “Target absent.”
Soiter, who was accustomed to Vextra’s terse coded messages, regarded this newest one. He translated the two words as she couldn’t locate Bangrath in his common haunts.
Rising from his bed, Soiter connected his device to his display. The image opened in the air, and Soiter used a white-clawed finger to make selections on the menu. When he entered the domain of Freiot Security Command, he entered his access code. Then he navigated through the personnel files. Locating Bangrath, he checked his status. It showed active.
Musing about the fact that Bangrath was active, but Vextra couldn’t locate him, made Soiter suspicious. He formulated a couple of innocuous questions to pose to the security chief. Then, instead of contacting Bangrath, he requested a call from Security Command.
Before Soiter could relax in his chair, his device indicated a call.
“Agent on duty at Security Command, Defense Minister Soiter. How may I assist you?”
“It’s nothing planet shattering, Agent,” Soiter replied. “I wanted to request Security Chief Bangrath meet with me briefly. Is he active?”
“Let me check,” the agent replied. “Yes, he’s active, Minister. Shall I send him a message or connect you?”
“It’s early, and I don’t want to disturb his sleep. Is he in the capital?” Soiter inquired innocently.
“Allow me a moment to check his device,” the agent replied. “Uh ... Minister, his device isn’t active.”
“Maybe he’s been in an accident,” Soiter suggested.
“There’s no report of a security agent of any level having been in an accident that incapacitated them, Minister,” the agent replied nervously.
“You’d better refer this conversation to your superiors, Agent,” Soiter said, shifting to an authoritative tone.
“Immediately,” the agent replied.
“I’ll need a follow-up,” Soiter directed. “It’s important to know if this has been a dereliction of protocol.”
“Yes, Minister,” the agent replied.
When Soiter ended the call, the agent wasn’t looking forward to the next step. His name would be logged on a report as having had the conversation, and he would be bringing command’s attention to one of the most feared security chiefs. Releasing a sigh that he was about to imperil his new career, he made out the requisite form and sent it.
Vextra’s device hummed. Seeing a coded message, she opened it and ran her app. “Client says that Bangrath is offline. Trace is underway,” she said.
As Vextra hadn’t mentioned the client’s name, Shemla eyed her.
Vextra issued a soft hiss, as her tongue flicked. “Did I give something away?” she queried, lightheartedly.
“We’re cautiously trying to set surveillance on a security chief,” Shemla replied. “He’s breaking his routine. You reach out to a contact, and that contact can tell you that the chief is offline. Furthermore, he has the power to direct that Bangrath be located.”
“What can you surmise from that?” Vextra asked her protégé.
“My first thought was that your client was in Security Command, but they don’t need the likes of us to investigate Bangrath,” Shemla replied. “Your client is someone who is elite and is suspicious of Bangrath’s actions. However, your client only has suspicions, which means your client doesn’t have any evidence for a judicial order.”
“Excellent reasoning,” Vextra complimented. “Who’s our client?”
“A minister,” Shemla immediately volunteered. “A minister who is operating with the palladon’s permission.”
“Why do you say that?” Vextra asked. She was curious what Shemla had divined that she hadn’t.
“Think about it,” Shemla encouraged. “We’re talking about a highly placed security chief who usually accompanies ministers and, sometimes, the palladon. You’re asked to surveil him, and he happens to have momentarily disappeared. Bangrath is suspected of something extremely illegal. Don’t you think a minister would have brought that to the palladon’s attention?”
“You could be right about that,” Vextra mused. “So, what’s the crime?” she prodded.
“Plotting against the government?” Shemla offered. Then she quickly shook her head. “No, that’s not Bangrath’s style. He’s too self-absorbed.”
“What is his style?” Vextra encouraged.
“Bangrath is after credits and power, mostly credits though,” Shemla replied. “That’s why he likes places like the club, where he can foster contacts.”
When Vextra fell quiet, Shemla waited for her to think through their conversation. A soft hiss and a short flick of the tongue told Shemla that Vextra had made a mental leap.
“What?” Shemla urged.
“We’re surveilling a collaborator,” Vextra said.
Shemla almost asked, “Collaborating with whom?” Then the limited options occurred to her. “It can only be either the Utilimats or the conclave.”
“No,” Vextra replied. “Bangrath doesn’t have the opportunity to communicate with the conclave. The security chief is assisting the Utilimats with information about our government.”
Shemla’s hiss was sharp, which caught the notice of two diner staff.
Vextra cocked her head, and Shemla held up her hands in apology.
“Time to go,” Vextra said. “We’ve just become memorable to staff.”
As the pair exited the eatery, Shemla chastised herself for revealing her emotional response to Vextra’s reasoning.
In midmorning, Soiter received a call from Security Command.
“You requested feedback on your conversation earlier this cycle, Defense Minister Soiter,” a commanding voice said. “Could I ask why you originated that contact with Security Command?”
Alarm bells went off in Soiter’s head, and he reacted in an authoritative manner. “Identify yourself,” he demanded.
When Soiter received the name and security ID number, he quickly looked up the individual. Smothering his desire to hiss, he said, “You report to Security Chief Bangrath. How is it my query is referred to you?”
“As there seemed to be an inability to connect with Chief Bangrath, I was simply requesting how I could be of service in his stead,” the agent replied.
“That’s an insufficient answer, Agent,” Soiter answered. “Report your unauthorized contact of me to Bangrath’s superior. I expect to hear from that individual shortly.”
“Yes, Minister,” the agent replied obsequiously.
Soiter waited impatiently for a callback. He was about to message Security Command when Fetler tapped at his doorframe. “Come in,” he said, motioning to Fetler urgently. Then he signaled the door closed behind him.
“What’s going on?’ Fetler inquired.
“Our pursuit of Bangrath has taken some odd turns,” Soiter replied. “First, the agent I hired can’t find him after four cycles. Bangrath isn’t showing up at his regular haunts. I contacted Security Command with an innocent request about Bangrath. The agent who took the call couldn’t locate him, and I requested he notify his superiors. Then I get a call from an agent who wants to know why I’m asking about Bangrath.”
Not command?” Fetler queried.
“No,” Soiter replied. “In fact, this agent works for Bangrath. When I saw that on my display, I told him to report his unauthorized contact to his superiors.”
Fetler rubbed his chin. “Maybe we got it wrong?” he offered.
“Got what wrong?” Soiter asked.
“You proffered the idea that the agents would be kept separate,” Fetler reminded his friend. “What if the Utilimats turned a senior officer at Security Command, and this individual has been recruiting others?”
Soiter regarded his device. “I would have expected two calls by now,” he said. “One from my early morning query about Bangrath’s location. The second would be about the agent contacting me without authorization.”
“What are your options?” Fetler inquired.
Soiter held up a finger to delay his reply. Then he hurriedly tapped out a coded message to Vextra. To Fetler, he said, “I’m not sure what I’ve stirred up. So, I don’t know which way to move.”
“Then we should talk to Guelmer,” Fetler said. “Ultimately, this entire operation is his responsibility.”
Soiter nodded, and Fetler made an urgent call to Guelmer’s administrative assistant to make an appointment.
Vextra was deep asleep when her device signaled a client contact. She struggled to wake, decoded Soiter’s message, and read it. Suddenly, she was wide awake. Soiter had sent, “Danger. Protect associates.”
Vextra had two thoughts about Shemla. She discarded the first one and chose the second. It was raining outside. In fact, it was pouring, which suited her. She donned a set of concealing rain clothes, careful to hide any part of her that could offer her identity.
Slipping out the back of her building, Vextra walked until she could get a transport passing by. Her stop was a little way from Shemla’s apartment building. She paid off the transport with a trade card, an untraceable credit transaction.
Walking on the far side of the roadway, Vextra kept her head down from the stinging rain, while she eyed every place that could offer watcher concealment. By the time she reached an intersection, Vextra had spotted not one but two watchers.
Ducking under an overhang, Vextra typed out a message to Shemla.
Like Vextra, Shemla was woken by her device’s urgent sound. However, she became alert much faster when she realized Vextra had contacted her. The uncoded message read, “Exposed. Exit building rear. Eatery,” and then gave her a countdown.
After a quick call to a contact, Vextra put away her device, headed around the corner, and sought the rear of Shemla’s building. A thorough perusal satisfied her that the watchers weren’t eyeing that exit.
Right on time, Vextra heard the distinctive sound of two transports colliding. The chance of that happening for lawful adults was zero. But youths with tech skills loved to override transport safety features and race them.
With four or five youths in fanciful dress jumping out of their transports to yell at one another, Vextra knew the watchers would be engaged for a short time.
Shemla exited her building, glanced around, spotted Vextra, and read her hand signal. Then she turned away from her mentor and worked a back way to reach the eatery. Soon after she’d sat down, Vextra entered the vestibule, where she was dried off.
“What happened?” Shemla inquired anxiously.
“Don’t know. Emergency contact from the client,” Vextra responded.
“It was that trace run by your client,” Shemla swiftly volunteered.
“Undoubtedly, but why?” Vextra queried.
Shemla pondered the question, working to connect the paucity of information they held. She tapped a finger on the table in triumph. “You said something early this morning that intrigued me,” she said. “You thought we might be tailing a collaborator, and I wondered if it might be collaborators who your client is after.”
“My thoughts hadn’t gone there until I received the client’s warning,” Vextra responded. “If the client had triggered a data trap, he wouldn’t have been too concerned. However, if his actions resulted in disconcerting Bangrath’s contacts, then he would have responded as he did.”
“Do you think we’re in danger?” Shemla asked.
“I want to know how and why they’re suspicious of you,” Vextra said. “Are you working another case?”
Shemla adopted an indignant pose. “You told me that I was always to report to you the nature of any business I conducted so as not to end up crossing paths,” she replied. “And I’ve always done just that.”
“Understood,” Vextra said soothingly. “It was a question that I had to ask. This means they’re tailing you because of your nights at the club. Did you step out of character at any time?”
“Yes,” Shemla admitted. “On the third evening, I was talking to another server. She said that the club was slow, and the tips weren’t that great. I said that I was new. So, I didn’t know what was slow or not. Then I asked her if any important clients were missing. She asked me what kind of client I was talking about. I thought I covered myself by burying security agents in the midst of mentioning a few other types.”
Vextra nodded sagely. “That server is a tipster for the club’s clients,” she said. “She’d let every individual she considered important know that you were asking around about them in hopes of making some extra credits.”
Shemla swore softly. “My mistake,” she said demoralized by her indiscretion. “Then these watchers could be sent by Bangrath or from anyone.”
“Correct,” Vextra replied.
“Then I’m in trouble, and I don’t know the source.”
“No, we don’t, but we need to find out fast,” Vextra said. “Come on. We’re going hunting.”
Shemla’s response was a fast twitching of her slender tongue. She lived for the excitement that this new career offered her.
Guelmer had left instructions with his admin assistant that Ministers Soiter and Fetler were to be given priority access to him. As such, it didn’t take long for the trio to meet in Guelmer’s office.
Soiter started the conversation by outlining the steps he’d taken — hiring an agent, the unusual report, his contact with Security Command, and the unauthorized call by an associate of Bangrath. “I’m now waiting for two responses from Security Command.”
Guelmer took a few moments to assimilate the information. While he did, Soiter’s device signaled an incoming call.
Soiter held up his device and said, “Security Command.”
Guelmer touched his tympanum.
In response, Soiter nodded and tapped an icon on his device to accept the call.
“Minister Soiter, I’m Commander Carthal. I’m calling from Security Command in response to your allegations.”
Soiter withheld his desire to hiss angrily at the idea that he made allegations. Remembering where he sat, he said, “Commander Carthal, I have you on speaker with Palladon Guelmer and Race Relations Minister Fetler. Please clarify your statement. What allegations do you believe I’ve made?”
