An Inch of Ashes (9 page)

‘Or that you wouldn’t succeed...’ DeVore said.

Mach looked at him. ‘Maybe...’

The three men had been an advance squad; trained technicians. Their job had been to locate the communications nerve-centres surrounding Bremen. It was a delicate, sensitive job; one upon which the success or failure of the whole attack depended. The idea was for them to place special devices at these
loci
– devices that the regular maintenance crews would think were innocuous parts of the complex of delicate wiring. Those devices would sit there, unused, for months, until the day when the
Ping Tiao
launched their attack. Then they would be triggered and Bremen would suffer a massive communications blackout.

That had been the plan. But now things were in chaos.

Gesell looked down. ‘Do you think they’ve passed on what they knew?’

Mach shrugged, his expression bitter. Even killing them had not appeased his anger. ‘I don’t know. I hoped to keep one of them alive for questioning, but they fought hard. It was as if they’d been ordered not to be taken alive.’

‘That’s so.’ Again DeVore entered the conversation. He moved closer. ‘You should take one of them now, before they hear of it.’

Ascher nodded. ‘I think he’s right. What if they take poison or something?’

Mach shivered, then bowed his head. ‘Okay. We’ll take them now. But if it’s like it was with the others, it won’t be easy.’

DeVore narrowed his eyes, studying Mach. His respect for the man had grown enormously. Matton and Tucker had been two of his best men; not merely good at their task of infiltrating the
Ping Tiao
but good fighters, too. He was sorry to lose them. Sorry, too, to have had his network of spies uncovered, his eye amongst the
Ping Tiao
blinded. Now he would have to depend upon cruder means – on bribery and blackmail. Unsatisfactory means.

‘Concentrate on just one of them,’ he said, meeting Mach’s eyes. ‘Take him yourself. Then bind him tightly, so there’s no chance of him harming himself. After that you should do things slowly. Time, that’s all it needs. Time will break the spirit of any man. Then you’ll find out what you want to know.’

Mach stared back at him steadily. ‘You’ve done this?’

DeVore nodded. ‘Many times.’

‘Then I’ll do as you say.’

DeVore smiled. ‘Good.’ But it would be too late. As soon as Mach had revealed what he had done, DeVore had pressed the tiny panel at his wrist, opening the channel that switched everything he was saying direct into the heads of his three surviving agents. Already his men would have heard his words and taken the appropriate action.

‘And if we discover nothing?’ Gesell asked, looking directly at DeVore.

‘Then we continue. We must assume now that they know about our plan to attack Bremen, but not when or where we will strike. Or
how
precisely. Meanwhile, it would profit us to seem to change our plans. To look for other targets. And let them know...’

Mach looked up again, smiling for the first time since he had entered the room. ‘I like that. A diversion...’

DeVore nodded and smiled back at him. ‘What does Sun Tzu say? “The crux of military operations lies in the pretence of accommodating one’s self to the designs of the enemy.” Well, we shall seem to back off, as if discovered, but in reality we shall continue with our scheme. If they know nothing of your plans then no harm has been done today. And even if they do, they’ll not expect us to pursue it after this, neh?’

Mach studied him thoughtfully a moment, then nodded. ‘Yes. But I must go. Before they hear...’

Haavikko closed the door behind him then gave a small shudder, staring at the tiny slip of plastic in his hand. His senior officer had been only too glad to approve his new posting. From Major Erickson’s viewpoint it must have seemed a blessing to be rid of him. He had been nothing but trouble. But now he was Karr’s man; part of his special services unit. Still a lieutenant, but with a future now. And a friend.

He was meeting Kao Chen in two hours, but first there was one more thing to sort out. His sister, Vesa.

Vesa had been living in a small apartment in the Mids since their aunt had died a year back. Wrapped up in his own debauchery, he had not known of her plight until recently. But now he could do something. The job with Karr brought with it a private living unit in Bremen: four rooms, including the luxury of his own private bathroom. ‘But you’ll not be there that often,’ Karr had warned him. ‘Why not move your sister in?’

Vesa had jumped at the idea. She had held on to his neck and wept. Only then had he realized how lonely she had been, how great his neglect, and he had cried and held her tightly. ‘It’s all right,’ he had whispered, kissing her neck. ‘Everything will be all right.’

He tucked the transfer document into his tunic, then hurried along the corridors, taking a crowded lift down to the living quarters in the heart of the great multi-stack fortress.

She was waiting for him in the apartment. As he came in, she got up from the couch and came across, embracing him, her eyes bright with excitement.

‘This is wonderful, Axel! We’ll be happy here. I know we will.’

He smiled and held her to him, looking about the room. The apartment she had been in had been a single room – like his own, spartanly furnished – and she’d had to share washing and night-soil facilities. He gritted his teeth against the shame that welled up at the thought of what he’d let happen to her, then met her eyes again, smiling.

‘We’ll get a few bits and pieces, neh? Brighten things up a bit. Make it more personal. More
us
.’

She smiled. ‘That would be nice.’

He let her go then stood there, watching her move about the room, disturbed by the thoughts, the memories that insisted on returning to him in her presence. He kept thinking of the girl in Mu Chua’s House of the Ninth Ecstasy; the sing-song girl, White Orchid, who had looked so much like Vesa. He looked down. That was all behind him now.

‘I thought I might cook you something ...’

He went across. ‘Vesa, look... I’m sorry, but there’s something I have to do tonight. Something urgent.’

She turned and looked at him, her disappointment sharp. ‘But I thought...’

‘I know. I’m sorry, I...’

‘Is it your new job?’

He swallowed. ‘Yes...’ He hated lying to her, even over something as innocent as this, but it was important that she didn’t get involved. It would be dangerous pinning Ebert down and he didn’t want to put her at risk. Not for a single moment.

She came across. ‘Never mind. Tomorrow night, neh? I’ll cook something special.’ She hesitated, watching his face, then smiled, her voice softening. ‘You know, Axel, I’m proud of you. I always have been. You were always something more to me than just my big brother. You were like—’

‘
Don’t
...’ he said softly, hurt by her words. Even so, he could not disillusion her; could not tell her the depths to which he had sunk. One day, perhaps, but not now. Maybe when he had nailed Ebert and the truth was out he would tell her everything. But not before.

Her eyes blazed with her fierce sisterly love of him. That look, like purity itself, seared him. He let his eyes fall before it.

‘I must go.’ He kissed her brow, then turned away, picking up the bag he had packed earlier. He went to the small desk in the corner and took a tiny notebook from the drawer.

‘Your new job... is it dangerous?’

‘It might be.’

‘Then you’d best have this.’

She placed something in his left hand. It was a pendant on a chain. A circle of black and white jade, the two areas meeting in a swirling S shape. A
tai chi
, the symbol of the Absolute – of Yin and Yang in balance. He stared at it a moment, then looked up at her.

‘It was Father’s,’ she said to his unspoken question. ‘He left it to me. But now it’s yours. It will protect you.’

He set his bag down and slipped the pendant over his neck, holding the jade circle a moment between his fingers, feeling the cool smoothness of its slightly convex surface, then tucked it away beneath his tunic.

He leaned forward and kissed her. ‘Thank you... I’ll treasure it.’

‘And, Axel?’

He had bent down to lift his bag again. ‘Yes?’

‘Thank you... for all of this.’

He smiled.
Yes
, he thought,
but I should have done it years ago.

Klaus Ebert poured two brandies from the big decanter then turned back, offering one to his son.

‘Here...’

Hans raised his glass. ‘To you, Father.’

Klaus smiled and lifted his glass in acknowledgment. He studied his son a moment, the smile never leaving his face, then nodded.

‘There’s something I wanted to speak to you about, Hans. Something I didn’t want to raise earlier, while Mother was here.’

Hans raised his eyebrows, then took a deep swig of the brandy. ‘The Company’s all right, isn’t it?’

His father laughed. ‘Don’t you read your reports, Hans? Things have never been healthier. We’re twice the size we were five years back. If this continues...’

Hans reached out and touched his father’s arm. ‘I read the reports, Father. But that isn’t what I meant. I’ve heard rumours about trouble in the mining colonies.’

‘Yes...’ Klaus eyed his son with new respect. He had only had the reports himself last night. It was good to see that, with all his other duties, Hans kept himself astride such matters. He smiled. ‘That’s all in hand. But that’s not what I wanted to talk to you about. It’s something more personal.’

Hans laughed, showing his fine, strong teeth. ‘I thought we’d settled that. The Marshal’s daughter seems a fine young woman. I’m proud of the way she handled those assassins. She’ll make me a good wife, don’t you think?’

Klaus nodded, suddenly awkward. ‘Yes... Which is why I felt I had to speak to you, Hans. You see, I’ve been approached by Minister Chuang.’

Hans’s look of puzzlement warmed him, reassured him. He had known at once that it was only vicious rumour. For his son to be involved in such an unsavoury business was unthinkable.

‘I saw the Minister this morning,’ he continued. ‘He insisted on coming to see me personally. He was... most distressed. His wife, you see...’

He hesitated, thinking that maybe he should drop the matter. It was clear from Hans’s face that he knew nothing about the allegations.

Hans was shaking his head. ‘I don’t follow you, Father. Is his wife ill?’

‘Do you know the woman?’

‘Of course. She’s quite a popular figure in social circles. I’ve met her... what?... a dozen, maybe fifteen times.’

‘And what do you make of her?’

Hans laughed. ‘Why?’ Then he frowned, as if suddenly making the connection. He set his glass down, anger flaring in his eyes. ‘What is this? Is the Minister alleging something between me and his wife?’

Klaus gave the slightest nod, grateful to his son for articulating it; gratified by the anger he saw in his son’s face.

‘Well, damn the man!’ Hans continued. ‘And damn his wife! Is this the way they repay my friendship – with slurs and allegations?’

Klaus reached out and held his son’s shoulder. ‘I understand your anger, Hans. I too was angry. I told the Minister that I found his allegations incredible. I said that I would not believe a son of mine could behave as he was alleging you had behaved.’ He shuddered with indignation. ‘Furthermore, I told him either to provide substantive proof of his allegations or be prepared to be sued for defamation of character.’

Hans was staring at his father wide-eyed. ‘And what did the Minister say to that?’

Klaus shivered again, then he gave a small laugh. ‘He was most put out. He said his wife had insisted it was true.’

‘Gods... I wonder why? Do you think...?’

‘Think what?’

Hans let out a long breath. ‘Perhaps I spurned the woman somehow. I mean, without knowing it... She’s always been one to surround herself with young bucks. Perhaps it was simply because I’ve never fawned over or flattered her. Maybe her pride was hurt by that... Did the Minister say how or why she broke this incredible news to him? It seems... most extraordinary.’

Klaus shook his head. ‘I never thought to ask. I was so outraged...’

‘Of course. Perhaps the Minister had a row with his wife and to wound him she used my name. After all, you’d not expect the woman to use the name of one of her real lovers, would you?’

Klaus shrugged, out of his depth. ‘I guess not...’

‘Still... the
nerve
of it! To drag me into her sordid affairs. I’ve a mind to confront her and her husband and have it out with them.’

Klaus’s fingers tightened on his son’s shoulder. ‘No, Hans. I’d prefer it if you didn’t. I think it best if we keep the Minister and his wife at a distance.’

‘But, Father...’

‘No. I felt I had to mention it to you, but let this be the end of it. All right?’

Hans bowed his head. ‘As my father wishes.’

‘Good. Then let us talk of more pleasant matters. I hear young Jelka is being sent home tomorrow. Perhaps you should visit her, Hans. You could take her a small gift...’

Klaus nodded to himself, then drained his glass. Yes, it was probably as Hans said: there had been a row and Chuang’s wife had used Hans’s name to spite her husband. It was not Minister Chuang’s fault. He had reacted as any man would. No, the woman was clearly to blame for everything. In the circumstances it would be inadvisable to allow bad feeling to develop from such shadows. Worse still to make an enemy of the Minister. Tomorrow he would send a gift – one of the new range of creatures, perhaps – to smooth things over.

He looked at his son again and smiled, pleased by what he saw. He could not have made a finer creature in his own vats. Though he said it himself, Hans was a masterpiece of genetics – the end product of two centuries of breeding. Like a god, he was. A king among men.

His smile softened. It was as the Seven said, there were levels among men, and Hans, his son, was at the pinnacle. He watched him drain his glass then smile back at him.

‘I must get back. You know how it is...’ Hans hesitated, then came forward and kissed his father’s cheek. ‘But thank you.’