Deathstalker Return (63 page)

Stuart had a nice apartment in a nice part of town. Finn arrived incognito, with just a handful of guards. He knocked politely on Stuart’s door, and called out his name. There was a long pause. Finn waited patiently. Eventually the door opened a crack, and Stuart looked out. Finn had to admit he was surprised at the changes in Stuart since he’d last seen him. The young Paragon’s face was gaunt and haggard, his eyes were red and puffy, and he hadn’t shaved in days. He was wearing old, unwashed clothes that looked and smelled as though they’d been slept in. Several times. But Stuart’s gaze was steady and his mouth was firm, as he looked coldly out at his old friend Finn.

“Well, Stuart,” Finn said lightly. “Aren’t you going to invite me in? I’ve come a long way, just to see you. Have you no welcome for your new King?”

Stuart let go of the door, and shuffled back into his apartment. Finn pushed the door open, stepped inside, and then carefully closed the door behind him. He looked unhurriedly about him, not letting his opinion show in his face. The room was a mess. Everything was just scattered around, as though Stuart had taken to dropping things where he felt like, and couldn’t be bothered to pick them up. There was a close, fusty atmosphere, and the shades were drawn over the windows. Finn peered into the gloom, letting his eyes adjust. Stuart was sitting slumped in an oversized armchair, not looking at Finn. It was very quiet in the dark room. Finn pulled up a chair and sat down facing Stuart.

“Tell me who your cleaning service is, and I’ll have them shot,” Finn said cheerfully. “Joke, Stuart. You know, you’re looking . . .”

“I know what I look like,” said Stuart. His voice was quiet, flat, almost uninvolved. “I haven’t been sleeping. Haven’t been eating, either. Can’t keep anything down, not after . . .”

“Stu . . .”

“You let them do that to me! They killed a man in front of me, and then made me eat his . . . and you didn’t even punish them!”

“They could still be useful to me,” said Finn. “Once the fuss over Virimonde has died down, and it will . . . I know I can count on their loyalty. What about your loyalty, Stu?”

Stuart smiled slowly. It wasn’t a pleasant sight, and neither was the look that came into his dark, sunken eyes. “That’s why you’re here, isn’t it, Finn? Not because you’re concerned about me. I only matter when it affects you. Bastard.”

Finn sighed. “You were such a pretty boy once, Stuart. And now look what you’ve done to yourself. Why didn’t you come to my Coronation? It was my big day. I wanted you there. I did send you an invitation.”

“Oh come on now, Finn. Someone like me doesn’t belong in your new austere life. Your new Kingly image. I know too much about the real you. I’ve had a lot of time to think, sitting here in the dark. Waiting for you to come and see me. I don’t like the man you made me into. I gave up honor and responsibility and self-respect, all for your love. Only to discover you don’t know the meaning of the word. Look at what’s become of me, Finn. All for you.”

“I never asked you to do this to yourself,” said Finn. “If I’d known you were prone to hysteria and overreaction . . .”

“Get out of here, Finn. I still have some pride left. I won’t be your puppy dog anymore.”

“You’ll be whatever I want you to be,” said Finn, and then stopped, because Stuart was laughing soundlessly at him.

“Or what, Finn? You’ll make me eat human flesh again? You’ll kill me and put me out of my misery? There’s nothing left you can threaten me with.”

“Oh, I’m sure I could find something, Stuart. If I put my mind to it. I have a job for you, Stuart Lennox, and I am your King. You took an oath when you became a Paragon: to be faithful unto death to the throne of Logres. Are you an oath breaker now?”

Stuart sat very still in his chair, his face unreadable. “What do you want of me . . . Your Majesty?”

“The other Paragons are trapped in the Sangreal bar. It seems they can’t take a step outside without being stoned, or even openly attacked. And I can’t let them defend themselves, because then we’ll have even more bodies on our hands. I need them to stay put and keep their heads down, until I can take steps to repair their reputations. But, just like you, it seems they’re too preoccupied with their own problems to answer the comm. So I want you to take my message to them. They know you speak for me . . .”

And he stopped again, because Stuart had lurched up out of his chair, and was standing swaying before Finn.

“You bastard! I can’t believe you’d ask that of me!”

“Someone has to do it. And I’m not asking you, Stuart. I am your King, and I’m giving you an order.”

“Take your order and shove it, Your Majesty. Now get the hell out of my home. I can’t stand to look at you anymore.”

Finn rose unhurriedly to his feet. “Ah, Stu; and we were so close, once. I really am sorry about what happened. But I have to see the bigger picture.”

“There is no bigger picture, Finn. There’s only people, and how you treat them. Just . . . go. And if you ever really felt anything for me, don’t come back.”

Finn left the apartment. He stood outside the closed door for a while, remembering, and considering. And then he nodded to the small group of armed guards he’d left waiting outside Stuart’s apartment, and they smashed the door open and rushed into the apartment. Finn sighed quietly. It was a pity, but if Stuart couldn’t be trusted to carry out orders anymore, then he couldn’t be trusted at all. He’d made himself into a liability.

It didn’t take the guards long to overpower Stuart and drag him out into the corridor. He was kicking and struggling, but he didn’t have much strength left after his extended fast. He saw Finn watching, and started to curse him. The guards shut him up with brutal efficiency. Finn waited until he was sure Stuart was listening and paying attention, and then he addressed the officer in charge.

“Take him to the nearest lockup, and hold him there until I send word. No one’s to know he’s there. And remember to search him very thoroughly for concealed weapons. He was a Paragon once, after all.”

“Du Bois won’t stand for this,” said Stuart, spitting blood out of his broken mouth.

“The honorable member for Virimonde is no longer gracing us with his company,” said Finn. “He left Logres yesterday, under an assumed identity. It seems he was rather upset over what happened to the late Clan Deathstalker. Who would have thought it? Either way, he’s gone home and gone to ground, on Virimonde. The planetary council there was uncommonly rude to me the last time I spoke to them. Actually threatened to go rogue, like Mistworld. But of course it won’t come to that. Either they agree to roll over and play dead, like a good little puppy dog, or I’ll have the transmutation engines turn their whole world and everything on it into something more useful.”

Stuart tried to lunge at Finn, but the guards held him firmly.

“The people, bless their black vindictive little hearts, need to see a Paragon brought to trial,” Finn said cheerfully. “So I think we’ll give them you.” He looked again at the officer in charge. “Better see that he’s kept well-drugged. We don’t want him hurting himself before he comes to trial. And by the time you do come to trial, Stuart, the drugs will have wiped your mind of anything unpleasant you might have said against me. Trust me; you’ll feel so much better. Good-bye, Stuart. I’ll probably be too busy to attend your trial; but I promise I’ll do my best to be there for your execution.”

He nodded to the guards, and they dragged Stuart Lennox away. Finn was already thinking about something else.

The Paragon Emma Steel decided she couldn’t afford to wait any longer to put the boot into Finn bloody Durandal. He was King now, which meant there was no one but her left to oppose him. She could already see the signs of a major clamp-down against all dissenting voices moving into place. There was nothing and no one left to stop Finn from moving against anyone he saw as an enemy. Or even a potential enemy. He had to be shut down now, before he could consolidate his power. Emma said as much to Nina Malapert, while striding up and down the young reporter’s living room like a caged animal.

“We can’t just go public, even with all the evidence we’ve amassed,” said Emma, scowling fiercely. “The King’s never been more popular, mostly because the people don’t know the real him, and the reputation of the other Paragons has affected the way people look at me. Like I’m guilty until proven innocent. We need someone the public still trusts, to back us up. Someone people will believe when they vouch for the authenticity of our evidence. If we can just get enough people listening and talking, Finn’s own supporters will turn against him, to save their own necks.”

“But there’s no one left!” said Nina, sitting curled up in a big chair with her knees hugged to her chest. Her eyes were very large. “The public doesn’t trust anyone, lovey; not after what happened with Lewis and Jesamine, and now Douglas. Wasn’t that awful? Do you really think he murdered his own brother?”

“Not without a good reason. Look, there might be one person left we can trust.” Emma stopped herself in mid stride, and looked earnestly at Nina. “I think I’ve come up with one person who might still be interested in the truth, and be in a position to do something about it. But just in case I’m wrong . . . I’ve written it all out for you. On paper, so no one can find it in your files. Read it after I’m gone, and if I don’t come back . . . you’ll have to decide what to do next.”

Nina uncurled in a moment and launched herself up out of her chair, and glared at Emma. “Oh, no, you don’t, Emma Steel! Where you go, I go! We’re partners. You just wait here a minute, and I’ll get my most inconspicuous camera and my biggest gun, and we’ll . . .”

“No, we won’t,” Emma said firmly, and Nina stopped in her tracks. Emma had used her Paragon’s voice, and Nina recognized its resolution, if not its authority. Nina pouted fiercely, and flung herself back into her chair. Emma had to smile at her. “Look, if I’m right I’ll call you in, and you’ll have an exclusive that will beat anything else you’ve done so far. The beginning of the end for the King. But if I’m wrong . . . someone has to be here, to carry on.”

“I don’t want you to go,” said Nina, in a small voice. “With you, I could be strong and fearless, because you were. If you’re not here, I’m afraid . . . I might go back to who I used to be.”

“Butterflies don’t turn back into caterpillars,” said Emma. “I’ve enjoyed our partnership, Nina. If it does all go wrong, don’t let me down by doing anything stupid. Bringing down Finn is what matters. Revenge can wait.”

“Don’t talk like that!” said Nina, almost tearfully. “Of course you’re coming back! You’re a Paragon. You’re Emma Steel.”

“Lewis was a Deathstalker and Douglas was King; and where are they now? Don’t underestimate Finn. But I promise I’ll be very careful, and not turn my back on anyone. I’ll see you later, Nina.”

“Promise?” said Nina.

Emma smiled at her, and left.

 

 

No one paid much attention to Emma Steel as she strode through the House of Parliament. They were used to seeing the Logres Paragon going back and forth, on various business of her own. Some even smiled and bowed to her as she passed, perhaps the last respected Paragon in the Empire. Emma made her way confidently through the warren of corridors and offices at the back of the House. She knew where she was going, even though she’d never had cause to go there before. Everyone in the House knew where this particular office was. Emma stopped before the right door, mentally rehearsed her arguments one last time, and then knocked loudly. There was a long pause, and then the door opened.

“We need to talk,” Emma said bluntly. “You’re the last one left who isn’t affiliated with any group or belief. There are things I need to tell you about Finn Durandal. Things no one else knows.”

“Then you’d better come in,” said Anne Barclay.

Emma strode into Anne’s office, and nodded her approval at the bank of monitor screens covering everything that happened in the House. Emma believed in good security. Anne shut and locked the door, so they wouldn’t be interrupted, and gestured for Emma to sit down. The Paragon did so, and Anne turned off the sound on the monitors so they could talk. Emma ran through everything she knew, and detailed the major evidence she had. She didn’t mention Nina by name, speaking only of an investigative reporter who’d assisted her. Anne nodded here and there, paying careful attention. When Emma finally finished, Anne sat back in her chair, and thought for a long moment.

“I’m glad you came to me with this, Emma. I can’t think of anyone else here who wouldn’t have turned you in immediately. Finn’s people are everywhere these days, even in places you wouldn’t suspect. I was one of them, once. But he’s changed. Now he’s King, he thinks he’s untouchable. Well, we’ll see about that. I think I know what we need to do next, but it’s going to take some thought. Why don’t I make us a nice cup of tea? And there’s some chocolate biscuits in the barrel, if you like.”