Читать книгу A Strangled Cry of Fear - B.A. Chepaitis - Страница 4

Chapter 1

What happened next was administrative meltdown. Never in the history of the Planetoids had a Teacher spoken against execution at this point in the proceedings.

Richard Tremont had to consult the codebook to find the proper protocol, while the other Teachers and governors each insisted on saying something about it. As they yipped on, Jaguar made the most discrete exit Alex had ever seen from her.

He was glad of that. If she stayed, there was no telling what she might have said or done. And he should have known there’d be trouble. She was far too relaxed going in to be confirming an execution order. While he was trying to discern what, exactly, made her decide as she had, Richard discovered that in a case where consent wasn’t unanimous, the next step was to thank the committee for its time and dismiss them. He did both, expeditiously. Paul cast a look at Alex and made his own quick exit.

The remaining governors gathered to fulminate around Alex, asking repeatedly what the hell was wrong with Addams this time. He had no answers, but that didn’t stop them from pounding away at the question. When he finally extricated himself he made his way to the holding tank, hoping Francis was still there. He had some questions of his own to ask before he went home.

Francis was in situ, and the conversation Alex had with him took a good deal of time because he wanted to be thorough. It was past nine when he got back to his apartment, but his telecom was buzzing as soon as he walked in.

He hit the answer key and once again saw the perturbed face of Richard Tremont, this time on his viewscreen.

“Alex—did you talk to Addams yet? What the hell is she playing at?”

“In general,” he said, “Dr. Addams only plays when she’s hunting.”

“Then what the hell is she hunting for? Never mind. It doesn’t matter. We’ve called a meeting. Tomorrow afternoon. Four o’clock, in the boardroom.”

“You want her there?”

“Absolutely not,” Richard said. “But you’d better be.”

With that, he signed off.

Of course, Alex thought. Administratium, the heavy element. When in doubt, it called a meeting. He put his telecom on silent mode and took a moment to contact Jaguar empathically.

She was open to him, but her mood was similar to that of a cat poised either to strike or run away. He got right to the point.

You could’ve warned me, he said into her.

I thought you knew, she replied.

Thought I knew, or thought it would be more fun to surprise me?

Thought you knew, came the definite reply. That, however, was followed immediately by an even more definite mischief. But it was fun, wasn’t it?

A smile formed on his face, against his better judgement. She was right on all counts. He should have guessed. And it was fun, in its own way. A Jaguar kind of way.

He let her feel his laughter, and then he filled her in briefly on what she’d missed after she left. He didn’t mention his conversation with Francis, but he did tell her about the upcoming meeting. Her response was brief.

I’m not going, she told him.

They don’t want you there, he replied.

He sensed her surprise, felt her thoughts moving through the possible implications. Her relationship with him had changed, and she herself had changed in some fundamental ways, but she hadn’t lost her suspicion of the bureaucracy. That, he thought, was a good thing.

How bad is it? she asked.

We’ll figure it out. Lay low. We’ll talk tomorrow.

She offered the thought of her hand pressed to his face, and her stubborn insistence that she was right. With that, she left him, and he made his own way to bed. He was asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow, not at all troubled by this. They’d survived much worse, and gone on to see their escapades become nothing more than local legend

* * * *

When Alex entered the boardroom the next afternoon the first face he saw was Regina Hawthorne’s, the Planetoid One governor responsible for Francis Durero’s zone.

“Alex,” she said. “Sit by me.”

Alex raised an index finger to indicate he needed a minute and moved around the table to where his own governor, Paul Dinardo, sat.

Paul gazed up at him, his long, basset hound face looking even glummer than usual. “You gonna say I told you so?”

“I don’t have to, do I?”

Paul ran a hand over his balding pate, then looked at his palm. “Y’know, I had a lot more hair before she started working here.”

“I don’t think you can get her on that one,” Alex noted.

“Yeah. Go see Regina. Maybe you two can work something out.”

Alex patted Paul’s shoulder, then moved around the table and took a seat to Regina’s left.

“Alex,” she said. “How are you?”

“I’ll be better when this is settled. You?”

“Perfectly sanguine,” she said. “This, too, shall pass.”

Alex could see she meant it. Her face expressed only calm. It was, in general, a calm face, her short and curling silver hair framing wide blue eyes in a circle of fair skin with soft lines that seemed as if they’d been etched in at birth. Unlike many governors, Regina always looked as if time was her friend.

She gave the impression that she’d seen all the world and could cope, which might explain why she was the untitled Uber-governor for Planetoid One. She never panicked, and she had a way of sharing her quiet energy that made her popular. She was often in the hot seat, the one called on to give press conferences for controversial cases with home planet interest, the one asked to address legislative funding meetings. And she was responsible for the programming Planetoid One had now, with its emphasis on medical intervention, and its work programs.

Alex didn’t necessarily agree with everything she did, but he admired her personal integrity and valued the peace she could bring to a volatile situation. He hoped it would work at this meeting, attended by many of the same people from the execution committee, with a few additions from Planetoid One. Most were talking quietly to each other or using their cellcoms to make last minute contact with people in their zone regarding other important matters. Alex kept his attention on Regina, whose voice was most important here.

She would moderate, the source of reason and calm. And though she operated on a consensus basis, if she was against any of the suggestions raised they just wouldn’t fly.

She looked around, taking in the moods and agendas of those in attendance and processing them all through her fine mill. Alex, who’d seen her testing run, knew she wasn’t positive for empathic skills, but her social intelligence was unrivaled. He had no doubt she’d long since classified him in her master schemata and decided how to manage him. Now she turned a smile his way. “How’s Jaguar?” she asked.

“Doing well,” he said. “You should go see her. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

“It has,” she said. “We keep in touch, though.”

Regina was the only person from Planetoid One Jaguar still spoke with. Though they were miles apart in their vision for Planetoid work, they had a deep respect for each other. As the first female governor, Regina had claimed power within a very male dominated system, and so she’d been a role model for Jaguar. She was also, like Jaguar, a study in contradictions.

Though she didn’t approve of using the empathic arts with prisoners, she also didn’t believe empaths should be fired. That, for a brief time, made her Alex’s ally. When Jaguar faced dismissal for using psi capacities Regina supported his request to have her transferred to Planetoid Three instead. She was adamant about treating empaths without prejudice, but she was equally adamant about Jaguar leaving One. It wasn’t, she said, a direction they wanted to take.

“I wanted Jaguar to be here,” Regina said now. “The others made such a noise about it I decided it was more of a risk than a benefit.”

“Really? I’d think they’d welcome the chance to pound away at her.”

Regina tilted her head at him. “Don’t you know?

“I don’t even know why I’m here,” he said. “What happens to Francis has nothing to do with us, once the decision not to execute is rendered.”

Governor Richard Tremont approached Regina, touched her shoulder lightly. “Shouldn’t we begin?”

“Yes. Of course.” She turned her attention to the other occupants of the room. “If we could all be seated?”

There was general movement, followed by a general stillness as everyone settled in.

“This meeting,” she said, “will determine the best course of action to take in the matter of Francis Durero. First, we’ll hear suggestions. With any luck, discussion will lead to consensus.”

Alex bit back on a smile, thinking of what Jaguar said about consensus—that it was a way for one person to manipulate many others into their point of view. Regina, she admitted, was very good at it.

“We have no precedent,” Talek Malor from Planetoid Three said. “The codebook doesn’t say what to do if a Teacher speaks against execution. Just that the execution doesn’t take place, and governors should use discretion in determining what happens with the prisoner.”

“All the better,” said Susan Eideler, a Planetoid One Supervisor, and someone Alex knew as the ultimate conservative on a Planetoid of conservative thinkers. “That means we can do exactly as we please.”

Richard turned to her. “But what do we please?” he asked.

“That’s easy,” Susan said. “Send Dr. Addams to Planetoid One and let her figure it out.”

“Interesting,” Richard mused.

“Not a bad start,” Talek agreed.

Murmurs of approval went around the table and Alex suddenly understood why they didn’t want Jaguar here.

“Wait a minute,” he said. “This is about Francis, not Dr. Addams.”

All eyes turned to him, then back to Susan.

“He’s got a point,” Talek said.

“Yes,” Richard agreed. “We can’t let this look like it’s about her.”

“It won’t,” Susan said. “As the dissenting vote, she’ll assist in follow up investigation, conduct interviews, review evidence and so on. If she spends some time with Durero she’ll see what a killer he really is.”

Alex turned a shocked face to Regina, who shook her head lightly. This, too, shall pass, her expression said. All well and good, he thought, but he wouldn’t let Jaguar pass with it. He turned away from her and toward Paul Dinardo, who looked as shocked as he did.

“She’s under no obligation to resolve this,” Alex said. “She volunteered for the committee and rendered her considered opinion. If you want an investigation, hire an investigator.”

“I see your point, Alex,” Regina said softly, “but we really don’t want outside involvement in a matter that’s strictly internal.”

“Absolutely not,” Susan agreed. “You know how that goes. They’re way too ready to think we’re the mutoids and freaks.”

“And empaths,” Governor Karis from Planetoid Two added, looking at Alex.

“Well, I said freaks, didn’t I?” Susan said, and small laughter rolled around the table.

Alex sent a glare to Paul, who grimaced. Then he turned to the others. “Let the investigation come from Planetoid Two,” he said, looking at Karis. “You’re a neutral party.”

“It’s not our problem,” Karis said. “We spoke for execution.”

“Then this isn’t a meeting about procedure,” Alex said. “It’s an opportunity to pressure a dissenting voice into recanting. Is that it?” He surveyed the faces around him. “Is it?”

All eyes avoided his.

“Christ,” he muttered, “Almighty.”

“I would hope not,” Regina said firmly. “It would be an egregious error to do so.”

“I agree,” Paul chimed in. “Absolutely eg—what Regina says. And Alex is right. It’s nothing to do with her. Besides, you don’t really want her running around loose on One, do you?”

There was some uncomfortable shifting. Paul hit the nail on the head with that, Alex thought. But to his surprise, Regina intervened, and not in a good way.

“Alex, it does makes sense to have the dissenting voice investigate,” she said. “Dr. Addams saw something we missed. Perhaps she could clarify the situation.”

Everyone except Paul brightened at her words. Alex felt a sinking in his stomach.

“Not in these conditions,” he countered. “She’d be off her turf, working with people who are upset at her decision and her attitude about policy on your Planetoid.”

Everyone here knew about Jaguar’s disapproval of the work programs. More than once, with her usual preference for honesty over tact, she’d called them sanctified slave labor.

“Her attitude isn’t the problem,” Susan said. “It’s her mouth. She keeps talking when she doesn’t know anything. Maybe if she goes back she’ll learn better.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Alex said crisply. “She doesn’t need to be educated.”

“Dr. Addams isn’t someone to be blinded by personal prejudices,” Regina concurred. “But we all have our feelings in these matters, and hers run high. Alex, do you think that’s an impediment to her investigation?” She turned toward him, held his gaze.

He was in a bind. If he said yes, that would reflect badly on her. And while Jaguar didn’t give a rat’s ass if the gathered governors of all three Planetoids sneered at her, he didn’t want to give them any new excuses to do so.

“I think there’s better solutions,” he said. “For instance, you could have Durero transferred temporarily to Planetoid Three, let her work with him here.”

Take that, he thought. Now you’re in a bind. Unfortunately, one of them found a quick and dirty way out.

“That won’t work,” Richard said, “She can’t investigate without viewing the crime scene.”

“Then I’ll bring her to One, and we’ll take Durero back to Three,” Alex offered.

“You sound like you’re afraid to let her out of your sight,” Susan purred. “Is that a professional concern, or a personal one?”

He brought his gaze to hers and held it. Okay, he thought. Here it is.

People had gossiped about the two of them being lovers for as long as she’d been on Planetoid Three. In the past they’d both simply ignored it, but the gossip had recently become true, and there were rules against such interactions between Teachers and Supervisors. If anyone made a fuss they were up the creek. In the absence of paddles, he’d have to use his hands.

“Both,” he said. “Personally, I’m concerned at the tone I’m hearing about someone whose well-being I value. Professionally, I have prisoner programs to run, and she’s the best Teacher I’ve got, in case you’ve forgotten her success rate.”

“Nobody,” Susan said, “could ever forget what she’s done.” She counted on her fingers. “Blown up a shuttle, destroyed a VR site, helped a prisoner escape. That’s just her public record. Should I name the rumors, too?”

Soft laughter moved around the table. “You left out a few things,” Alex said. “Stopped an Apocalypse on the home planet, kept the Planetoid from being turned into a wasteland, uncovered an illegal moon-mining operation, and—let’s see, saved my life more than once, if that matters.”

The laughter quieted.

“Nobody’s questioning her talent,” Regina said. “We’re just trying to decide what to do with this case.”

Murmurs of assent followed. Alex sat back and drummed his fingers on the table, waiting for what came next.

“I think she should go to One and investigate,” Talek said, “since she’s so talented.”

Governor Karis spoke. “For the record, Talek, you’re suggesting that Dr. Addams engage in follow-up investigation on Planetoid One in the matter of Francis Durero and the murder of Diane Lasher. Is the rest of the group in favor of this?”

All hands raised in the affirmative except for his and Paul Dinardo’s. The others ignored Alex and turned to Paul. He cleared his throat and spoke. “I’m against it,” he said. Alex cast him a glance equally composed of gratitude and surprise.

“Why?” Susan asked, just as surprised.

“Let’s be honest,” he said. “We all know how she is. She’ll be pissed as hell if you send her, and either she won’t get a damn thing done or you won’t like what she comes up with. Believe me,” he added sincerely, “I’ve tried that kind of thing with her. It don’t work.”

“She has to do her job just like everyone else, doesn’t she?” Richard said sharply.

“Refusing would be grounds for dismissal, I’d think,” Karis added, sounding hopeful.

“For anyone else, yes,” Richard said, “but Dr. Addams often gets preferential treatment.” He looked hard at Alex.

“What’s that mean, Dick?” Alex asked, emphasizing the last word.

“My name is Richard,” he replied curtly.

“I’m being friendly. What’s it mean, Dick?”

“Just what I said.”

“Say it again,” Alex suggested. “This time in English.”

Richard puffed up his thin chest and pushed his narrow face toward Alex. “Everyone knows Dr. Addams crosses all lines of protocol, blatantly ignoring code, using methods only her Supervisor countenances, and she gets away with it because…” He paused. “Do you really want me to go on, Alex?”

“Yes,” he said distinctly. “I do. For the record.”

“I don’t,” Paul jumped in. “And neither does anyone else.”

Alex made a fist and hit it against the table. Everyone jumped except Regina.

“Let him talk, Paul,” he said. “I won’t be held hostage by innuendo and supposition.”

How, Alex wondered, would he respond when Richard said something about empaths always covering for each other? Of course they do because no one else will? Or what would he say when Richard asked point blank if he and Jaguar were lovers? Yes we are, and I’m damn proud she wants to be. And then what?

In this moment of white-hot rage, he didn’t care. He’d quit. Go to the home planet with Jaguar and have something like a real life. They’d always be welcome with her people in New Mexico. He stared at Richard, daring him to say what was on his mind.

Richard stayed quiet. Alex had a low-key demeanor which made people forget he was over six feet with a build to match, but those in the room who’d seen his rare displays of anger didn’t want to be on the receiving end. And regardless of how they viewed the empathic arts, everyone there knew he’d gone head to head with a Telekine and won. They didn’t want to mess with someone who could do that. Especially now, when they saw the anger flashing in his dark eyes.

Regina was the first to break the silence.

“This meeting,” she said firmly, “is about Francis Durero, not Supervisor Dzarny or Dr. Addams, both of whom have gone above and beyond their duty, risking their own lives more than once in service to this system. Everyone here knows that. And any question of professional misconduct is a serious matter to be dealt with through official channels, not casual slander. That,” she added, her voice full of reprimand, “is very bad form.”

The others looked down at their folders, away from Alex. Regina turned a reassuring face his way, but it didn’t matter. The main point was already lost.

“At any rate,” Susan said, speaking his thoughts, “she’s going to One. Right?”

“That seems to be the consensus,” Regina said hesitantly.

“What about backup?” Alex asked. “I could release a worker. Two workers. She should have someone there to help out.”

“Kind of you to offer,” Regina said, “but it’s not necessary. We’ll provide what she needs.”

The others nodded. Alex bit at the inside of his mouth to keep from screaming at them. It would obviously do no good.

“There’s still one thing you haven’t considered,” he said.

“What?” Talek asked.

“That she’s right,” Alex said.

There was no response. They didn’t seem to understand his words. He continued. “Look at her record. She’s difficult, she blows things up, but she has a 100 percent average of being right. In fact, I already assume Francis didn’t kill Diane Lasher. And I’ll back her on that.”

A long pause followed as they absorbed his words. Alex turned to Regina. “Even if you don’t believe it, we have to assure her safety in an unresolved murder investigation. You’ve already had one Teacher killed.”

Susan whispered something to Talek and he laughed uncomfortably.

Alex whipped around to them. “Please share,” he said. “I could use a laugh.”

“Oh, Alex,” Susan said. “Stop being so portentous. I just said maybe we could kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. Gotta love a happy ending.”

“Susan,” Karis said, over the general response of shock.

“I was joking,” Susan said. “I mean, it’s a joke, what Alex says. If Durero didn’t do it, that means—well, it’s ridiculous. Jaguar—Dr. Addams—is just being contrary. Give her some time with Durero and she’ll see that.”

“Don’t give her too much time,” Alex suggested mildly. Everyone turned to him, and he smiled. “It took her about ten days to shred the VR site. How long do you think it’ll take her to deconstruct a bubble dome?”

“I hope that isn’t a threat,” Susan said.

“Not at all. But if there’s anything at all to find, Jaguar will find it.”

To his surprise, her face blanched. She turned decidedly away from Alex and to Regina. “I won’t waste any more breath on this. Are we done?”

“We are,” Regina said. “This meeting is dismissed, and I thank you for your time.”

Alex sat in a state of smoldering anger as the others packed up to leave. Regina leaned over and patted the back of his hand. “You’ll tell her, won’t you? It’ll be better coming from you.”

“Sure,” he said. “Throw me to the big cats.”

Regina laughed, looked around. The only person still lingering was Paul Dinardo. She cast him a smile. “Could we have the room for a minute, Paul?” she asked.

He shrugged, got up and left. Regina turned back to Alex. “Alex, just so you know, I hoped this would happen. I want Jaguar on One.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Why, Regina?”

She looked around, as if suspicious of listeners. “There’s been a big push for this execution, but people don’t realize how bad it makes us look. The media’s always right on top of this kind of thing. I’m hoping she’ll find some way to get us out of it. If anyone can . . . ”

She left the sentence unfinished, but Alex knew how it ended. If anyone can, it’s Jaguar. Any impossible task, any difficult, dangerous or unpleasant job went to Jaguar, who would see it done. That was, unfortunately, pretty damn accurate. She’d earned a reputation for taking on the worst of the worst with success. Sometimes he felt pride in her ability to do so. Other times it bugged the hell out of him.

“That’s not exactly fair to her, is it?” he asked. “Make her go back to a place that can only hurt like hell, on a highly vexed job, with as much resistance as possible?”

“But that’s where she’s in her element, Alex. We both know that. And don’t worry about what Susan said. I’m sure she’ll be perfectly safe with us.”

“Will you provide the bodyguard?”

“Would she trust any bodyguard on One?”

He shook his head. Of course she wouldn’t. Rightly so.

“I’ll keep an eye on her,” Regina said, “And if she establishes a presence for a while, they’ll all be satisfied. Frankly, I think they just need some time to get over themselves and do the right thing. Tell her that, will you? It’s just a little tedium, then she’ll be back to you.”

“Back to work, you mean,” Alex amended.

“Yes. Of course,” she agreed, but her smile said something else. She also assumed they were lovers, though she seemed pleased about it.

That was the best he could hope for, he supposed. He continued to sit, collecting his thoughts while she made her exit. He rested his face in his hands, considering his own next moves, until he felt another presence at his back. He knew who it was.

“You gonna stay here all night?” Paul asked.

Alex lowered his hands. “Consider the alternative,” he said. “I have to tell her.”

“Yeah,” Paul said. He took a seat next to Alex. “Look, I didn’t want this to happen. You know that, right?”

“I saw your face. I’d like to know why, though. You never bothered about her before.”

Paul glanced around as if someone might be listening. “What Richard said about you and her—there’s a lot of that talk going around.”

“Always has been.”

“From what I can tell, now it’s true. That makes a difference.”

“It sure does,” Alex agreed. “At least, we like it better this way.”

Paul grimaced. “Jesus, Alex. What the hell are you thinking? There’s rules.”

“I’m familiar with the protocols. There’s also loopholes.”

“They get used or not, depending. And with her….” He blew air out through his lips, sounding like a horse. “You two better keep a low profile.”

“Not our strong point,” he mentioned.

“Don’t I know it. Listen, personally, I don’t care what you do after hours. You’re one of the best supervisors we got and I’ll back you.”

“What about Jaguar?”

Paul waved a hand in the air. “She’s like hornet spray. Nasty stuff, but you’re glad it’s there when you need it. And between you and me, she’s got a few senators in her pocket after that whole moon mining thing, so she’s probably safe until the next election. ’Course, if she changed her vote, she’d be off the hook on this one.”

Alex made a derisive noise.

“That’s what I thought,” Paul agreed. “But maybe it’s a good thing. There’s something I want to know about One, and she’d be doing me a big favor if she found out while she was there. She does kinda owe me about now. Come to think of it, so do you.”

Just a few months ago he and Jaguar had both resigned so they could go after a Greenkeeper on the home planet. Paul had deliberately failed to hand in their letters, so they’d been able to return to their jobs with nothing on their records. Of course he’d cash in on that sooner or later, but why now? Why with this?

“What’s up, Paul?” Alex asked.

“Something you’re not gonna like,” Paul said. “And for once, I’ll agree with you. Let’s go back to your office and I’ll tell you.”

Consensus was clearly against Jaguar today, from all quarters. Alex pressed his hands against the table and pushed himself to stand. “Okay,” he said. “We’ll finish the day like it started. With bad news.”