Страница 34 из 170
“Tried?” Grant asked.
“He’s bitter,” Justin said. “I can’t blame him for that part of his attitude. Twenty years in exile…”
“Against whom should he be bitter?” Grant asked. Judging CIT emotions was not what he was born to do. “You? Does he blame you because you work with young Ari? Is it Ya
“No. You didn’t miss it. He blames me for coming out of it on her side. That’s one thing.”
“They’re all dead, all the ones actually responsible for his situation. Ya
“He didn’t, exactly. Or he actually may have, but the deal probably saved Jordan’s life. But the fact those responsible are dead now is only one more frustration for him. A slice of his life is gone in those two decades. He could live a hundred years more, on rejuv. But all he sees is the twenty years he lost. And the fact he’s been robbed of a fight about it. And what he really wants–what he really wants, between you and me, is no Reseune.”
Several more paces in silence. “What would take its place?” Grant asked. “Does he know that?”
“I didn’t say it was a reasonable attitude.”
“He’s as intelligent as either of us.”
“That’s no guarantee of rationality.”
“I’ve observed that occasionally,” Grant said dryly. It was worth a dry laugh, even under the circumstances.
“What I’ve said still holds,” Justin said. “You’re not to go anywhere near him without me, and you’re not to occupy a room with him or Paul without me, and you’re not to take seriously anything he tells you privately, not even if he tells you I’m dying. Just–no matter how finely you dice it–stay away from him.”
“He Created me. Reseune forever holds my Contract and you’re my Supervisor. I know what’s right.”
“Contract, hell. Protect yourself.”
“Protecting myself, I protect you. That’s logical, isn’t it?”
“Very. I’m glad you see it that way.”
“Someone is by the pond,” Grant remarked. And it was true. A shadow stood near the small fishpond ahead of them, where quadrangle walks crossed. Four benches offered seating there, to anybody who wanted to contemplate the water–a pleasant place to sit and think, on a su
The shadow watched the water. It might be a despondent lover, someone wanting solitude. It might have nothing to do with them.
But fear had been a constant, in the Nye years. Fear of arrest. Fear of being tampered with, of having Grant tampered with–Ari was their only protection. And Ari wasn’t going out of her Wing lately.
The figure had been intent on the water. Now the head turned. The whole body turned to stand confronting them.
“Ser,” the shadow said politely as they met, and recognition revised the shadowed vision into familiar detail, the black elite Security uniform, dark curly hair, light build.
Florian. Ari’s personal bodyguard. A youth no older than Ari herself, with absolute power–to arrest. To kill, without a second’s warning. And he had that damned card in his pocket.
“Jordan proposes to share your office,” Florian said.
“I told him no.” Surely Ari’s security knew he had. He’d bet his life they’d heard every word of it. And it was better than other alternatives.
“Let him have it. Your materials will go to another office.” Florian held out a keycard, offering it.
He took it. He had no choice but take it, in a hand growing chill through. “But our perso
“Sorry, ser, they’ll have to find other employment. They aren’t cleared for Wing One.”
“They’re our people.”
“No longer.”
“And the computers, our files…we have notes, handwritten notes–the order they’re in–in delicate position. Stacks that can’t be disrupted without losing information–we’re not that neat. Things we can’t have just anybody rifling through, for God’s sake. It’s a mess, but we know where things are. Things in the safe. Look, if we have to do this, we can go over there tonight. We need to do this ourselves…we’re willingto do it ourselves.”
“We’re aware of the state of your office,” Florian said–dark humor at his expense, he had no idea. “And qualified perso
“We need to go over there.”
“Best you don’t, ser, so the persons moving it can do so with the greatest attention to detail. All the items will be there in the morning, in their original order, and new equipment will be in place in your former office by 0500.”
“For him. Buggedequipment.”
“Absolutely.”
“He’ll think I arranged this. No matter how you explain it, he’ll think I had something to do with this.”
“Unfortunate if so, ser, but your notes will be safe, and your staff will be safe, in other employ, at a priority. They’ll be given employment, no problem. Just not Wing One.”
At least they wouldn’t miss a paycheck, Em, and the others. They’d be all right. But they were the ones that knew his work. They’d been his people.
“No wipe.”
“No wipe, ser. Nothing of the sort.” This with a slight shift of the shadowed gaze toward Grant, and back. “We ask you to accept this arrangement and not attempt to circumvent it in any fashion. Grant, you’re not to go there, either.”
“My father won’t take this well at all,” Justin said. “I’m afraid he’ll be in Ya
“We’ll advise the Director. It’s not your problem, ser.”
“I appreciate your concern.” The cold of the night had penetrated his di
“Sera has retired for the evening. We’re operating on our own discretion, on sera’s general instruction. We’ll inform sera in the morning. You won’t need to.”
“And where is this new office?”
“Downstairs, ground level, and a right turn from your apartment. More convenient, and a better office, I believe. There’s room for staff. But it will be Wing One‑approved staff.”
Ya
“Do go on, ser,” Florian said. “You’re chilled. Good night to you.”
“Thank you,” he said, and started on his way, Grant attending without a word.
Then he thought of Jordan’s card in his pocket, wondered, all in a rush, what sort of trouble he could bring down on Jordan’s head; and considered the fact that Florian hadn’t asked him for it.
Florian didn’t know? Something had slipped past Ari’s staff? It had been a surreptitious handoff.
But Reseune Security surely knew. Florian might let him go his way. But someone inside Ari’s wing might confront him yet.
Maybe Catlin. Maybe, worse thought, someone he didn’t know, out of ReseuneSec, and that was more trouble than he wanted. He’d been fluxed by the office matter. He had an excuse for having forgotten.
But an azi of Florian’s bent didn’t flux. Not for two seconds ru
He stopped, turned, reached into his pocket. Pulled out the thin card. “Florian.”
Florian had walked the other direction–was a diminished figure in the dark. But he heard, and stopped.
“I’ll take it to him,” Grant said.
He surrendered it without a word. Grant knew. Grant had seen Jordan’s action. Grant knew his reasoning the way Grant knew their situation from the inside out.