Calvinia had rarely seen Laermont this furious. Even without any visible facial features, he gave off a powerful aura of anger. He fairly glowered from his eye plates as they sat together in his office. “Not only did the bastards get the tablet back, but they prevented us from bringing a terrorist to justice!”
The towering demvir paced in long strides across the main room of the Quaestorium, not even bothering to disguise his rage. The display had the entire force silent and staring, seeing the normally preternaturally calm detective in a full blown rant. He stopped, every fibre of his body trembling. “Right from under my bloody nose, they took him right from under my nose and we’ve got nothing. We’re left like idiots!”
As he took a pause, Calvinia swiftly intervened. “I know you’re angry, boss, but you couldn’t possibly have predicted what happened. We’ve all been blindsided by the assassination, but we’ll solve it. It’ll just take time to regroup. Don’t you always tell me that calm, methodical investigation is the key to solving cases?”
Laermont stood absolutely still and ramrod straight for a moment. Silence fell across the room while the huge metallic man stood like a monumental statue. His voice returned, heavy and tired. “Of course, Quaestor Calvinia. I had forgotten myself. We’re all tired and this case has been a blow to all of us. Of course we must persevere. Perhaps the fact that the Solaviskar wish to target demvir has especially affected me.”
His second-in-command gave him a reassuring smile and patted his gigantic arm. “We all understand that this case has put a great deal of strain on you especially. We all feel the need to catch these bastards, but for you they’ve gone and made it personal.”
In spite of the sapped state in which Laermont found himself, he patted Calvinia’s shoulder in return and seemed to grow a little more upright. “You are correct. It is now deeply personal and I have taken the blow in the same way. I shall endeavour to use the anger as impetus to press on and solve this case. I will not allow myself to be defeated by these cowards!”
After the situation had calmed, the team of detectives began poring over the information they had gleaned with regard to the attack. It had been brazen and was evidently well planned. This was not the act of a desperate group, but one that sought to limit the damage that might be done to them by silencing the one who could do the damage.
The Solaviskar now had to be the subject of more intense focus. They were proving themselves to be more dangerous than anticipated. The post mortem on both the enlil’s body and the shattered steam dray had shown the bomb to be sophisticated and powerful, manufactured from parts that shouldn’t have been available to the group. Someone was supplying them with material and expertise that was increasing their deadliness.
Calvinia glanced around at her colleagues, noting what everyone was working at. Her eyes were drawn to one of the dossiers that was open on the table and she inquired of the tall, slender enlil if she might take a look. The dossier was a detailed breakdown of the financial information that was available for the Solaviskar.
It outlined how a series of “shell companies” seemed to link to a mysterious entity from which large amounts of money were coming into the organization. It was that funding that was responsible for whatever the Solaviskar were up to.
The quaestor queried her companion who replied in an easy-going drawl. “We’re having no luck at all with tracing that entity. I’ve been at this for a week and nothin’s giving us much info. I got a hunch, but if I can’t back it up, it’ll just stay a Vis-damned hunch!”
Calvinia leaned in and gave him an encouraging smile. “Tell me what you’re thinking anyhow, Silvius. Any ideas are fine with me.”
The lanky, laconic man nodded slowly. “We know there’s a link between TorBru Corporation and the Solaviskar. It makes sense to me that the entity’s somehow connected to ‘em but I’ll be damned if I can see how. They ain’t gonna make it easy on us.”
Laermont had wandered over from the window where he’d been staring out pensively to listen to their conversation and he stepped in. “I’m sure you’re onto something Silvius. Leave it with me and I might be able to turn up a decent lead.”
His enlil companion nodded with relief and as the huge metallic form strode away, Calvina followed him. “What’re you thinking, boss?”
The demvir turned to face her. “I have a particular informant that I’ll go talk to. You know her quite well, but in some circles she still isn’t a person about whom we ought to talk too much.”
The younger enlil flashed a bright smile. “Oh her! Alright. Understood. I’ll go through the surveillance logs to see what kind of activity’s happening with the Solaviskar.”
As the two detectives parted, Calvinia took a glance back at Laermont, her expression hard to read. Once again, she shrugged and moved off down the hallway.
Winding through the circuitous route that led to the ancient, unused segment of sewer that Laermont knew well sent the demvir detective’s mind wandering back to earlier times. When he’d first traveled this route, he wasn’t sure if he’d come out the other side alive.
In spite of the change in fortunes for everyone concerned, this was still nostalgic for him. His informant no longer needed to live in the shadows, but her organization still did. She didn’t need to have any direction association with it, but she still spent a good deal of her time there.
Normally he wouldn’t involve her in this sort of investigation, but it had taken on larger dimensions and she had the reach and ability to assist him. The guards that stood outside the passage snapped to attention as he passed, recognizing him as someone who fit right in with the scenery. The space he found himself in was warm, clean and well-furnished. Diamantus had come up in the world.
Soon he was seated across from the muscled, broad in the beam velen woman with her scarred face and gigantic hands which rested on the table. She gave him a lopsided smile and a tilt of the head by way of greeting. “I haven’t seen ye for a while, copper. I hope ye’ve been keepin’ well. What brings ye down this way?”
Laermont laid out the events of recent weeks and Diamantus let out a low whistle. “Now that sounds like a bit of a fix ye’ve gotten yerself inta! Now what exactly d’ye need from me and my people?”
The detective leaned forward. “I need any information you can get me on TorBru’s connections to the Solaviskar. I am especially interested in their financial dealings, specifically their use of shell companies. I am aware of the highly placed sources that you can bring to bear in that regard.”
The musclebound velen nodded. “I’ll see what I can do for ye! I c’n think of a few people who might be able ta help ye out with that info. Gimme a couple days and I should have some initial information that ye c’n dig into.
Her massive companion gave the impression of an acknowledging smile. “I appreciate your willingness to put effort into this, Dia. You haven’t ever failed me. Your constancy is greatly appreciated."
Diamantus sighed. “I am gonna do the best I can for ye, Laermont. I don’t want them bastards active any more ’n ye do. They represent everythin’ I ever wanted ta fight against. For ye, it’s gotta be especially bitter given that they keep targetin’ the demvir.”
An ugly expression touched her scarred face. “I know some velen who have truck with them crazy fuckers and I c’n tell ye if I ever get my mitts on one of ‘em, I ain’t gotta stop till I snap their rotten spine.”
The statue-like form of the demvir shifted. “First we have to catch them, then we can mete out justice. Put those feelers out for me and let me know what you get. I want to make tracks soon and get the mission to another level.”
Diamantus laid a thick hand on his heavy metallic arm. “Remember, if’n ye need anything, ye don’t have to hesitate. I got fighters ’n resources that ye can take advantage of. Ye ain’t alone in all of this.”
Laermont rose slowly. “I know. Again all of your assistance is most appreciated.”
Back above ground, the quaestor began to scan his surroundings again. In his sweep, his eyeplates stopped and focused on a slight laicar man who was hovering in a doorway. There was a certain furtive and secret quality in his posture and mannerisms that drew the demvir’s attention. The demvir didn’t focus on him for too much longer, but began to move on again. He opted for a quick pace, using his long legs to eat the distance and force his potential tail to keep up.
They were in a part of Terminus rife with alleyways and other dark corners. Laermont took a casual glance back and saw his pursuer rushing to keep up. Rapidly he pivoted and quickly stepped into a shadowed passage, the small laicar man began moving past and the quaestor shot out a huge hand and grabbed him by the collar, yanking him into the alley. With ease, he clamped the man’s arms in his powerful grasp and lifted him halfway up the wall, showing no more exertion than picking up a doll. “I am in no mood for this today. Who the Vis-damn hell are you and why am I being followed?”
He punctuated the questioning with shakes that rattled the man’s teeth in his jaw. The small, wiry laicar struggled but he wasn’t any match for the crushing power in Laermont’s huge hands. “AH! Ahhh! Please…please stop. Look I was just contacted by a guy. He told me ta follow ya around and tell him where ya went. I swear I dunno who he was. I just work for one’a the guilds, I’m a finder and a follower.”
The hulking detective didn’t let up the pressure of his grasp but he stopped shaking the man and simply held him helplessly pinned against the wall. “Tell me more about this man who hired you. What did he look like, where did he meet you and what precisely did he say?”
“He…was a huge bastard like you. I mean huge for a laicar, ya know. He wore all black and had this ugly fuckin’ scar on his neck, like someone tried to cut his throat at some point. He met me in some shitty dive in Lupanar, called The Seafarer’s Ease. More like the Seafarer’s Arse if ya ask me! All he did was say to follow ya, that you’er a quaestor. He described ya and had me wait outside the Quaestorium. I tailed ya until you vanished and picked you up again where I saw you go into that Vis-damn maze back there.”
Laermont let himself relax as he lowered the man to the ground, keeping him close. The laicar stood still, not moving away. His gaze was distinctly worried. “I swear that’s all I know, Quaestor. I really have no idea who that guy works for or anything else! In this business, we don’t ask too many questions.”
The detective stood extremely still for a moment before turning his flashing eye plates on the weaselly little man. “Maybe you ought to ask a few more. I guarantee you that if you don’t vanish and I do mean vanish, he’ll come back and finish you off. The people for whom he works don’t waste any money on the likes of you. Run now because they’ll want to catch you before you spend any of your pay.”
The compact laicar’s face blanched and he nodded wordlessly and quickly ran down the alleyway, blending back into the crowd. The detective watched him running and sighed before moving off in the opposite direction.
When the quaestor arrived at the station, Calvinia immediately caught his attention and flagged him over to her. There was a flushed excitement about her manner that was impossible to ignore. “I believe we may have a breakthrough, sir! If you’ll follow me…”
The energetic young detective brought her superior over to the desk at which Silvius sat. Reams of paper lay in front of him, covered in red marks and calculations along with a web of lines connecting various shell companies and other organizations. Laermont seemed to raise a non-existent eyebrow. “My you’ve all been busy, So what is the breakthrough of which you spoke?”
There was a moment as Silvius collected his thoughts and got over the fact that Laermont hadn’t directly spoken to him before in his job. He tapped his finger on one particular company name. “This. This company here has a bank account at the main treasury bank. It seems to be some sort of trading company, but they don’t have much presence.”
The huge quaestor prompted Silvius to continue and the young researcher plunged on. “After I traced through some of the contacts, I discovered a link between one of the known TorBru affiliates and this company. There are an awful lot of funds flowing from the shell company to another shell that appears to have connections to a Solaviskar group of some sort.”
A hint of frustration crept into Laermont’s voice. “I take it that we have no actual physical person connected to that shell company? It would be good to get our hands on a real material witness.”
Silvius looked skeptical. “The whole point of shell companies is to avoid detection, but we’ll keep on digging. Anything’s worth a try at this point.”
Laying a finger alongside where his nose would have been, Laermont conveyed a sly smile. “I have a potential asset in play too. Let’s keep at this. Meanwhile I believe that Calvinia and I need to pay a visit to TorBru. I want an audience with their head of security!”
As the steam dray carried the detective and his youthful partner toward the brooding black building that housed TorBru’s main offices, Calvinia glanced over at her towering superior. “So we’re just going to march in there and confront him? Is that the plan?”
Laermont shook his head slowly. “Oh nothing so unsubtle. I want to have a chat, gauge his reaction and see if we can’t rattle him a little. Of course, he’s canny enough to make it hard for us. St this point, however, I know him well enough to know what buttons to push.”
The dray pulled up outside and the pair of detectives walked through the vast, darkness shrouded portal that was the main entrance to the building. Calvinia furrowed her brows. “Do they want to make everyone think that they’re evil or what? This place looks like a villain’s castle out of a storybook.”
Her companion laughed softly. “I believe that’s precisely what they want to do.”
They made their way to the front desk, if the colossal granite slab that rose upward as if moulded from shadow could be properly referred to as a desk. An only chirpy receptionist at the front desk seemed nonplussed at the fact that there were two senior detectives facing her. “What may I assist you with, officers?”
Laermont announced their desire to see the head of security and the disconcertingly chipper woman smiled at him. “Allow me to check if he’s available, sir. One moment!”
She lifted a speaking tube from a cradle and spoke quickly into it. A muffled voice replied and she glanced down at the pair of quaestors.”Your names please?”
They both replied, she conveyed their response and waited for a moment. Nodding she gave them another smile. “He has time to see you. Take the elevator up and it’s the only office on that floor.”
After Laermont and Calvinia had stepped off the elevator, they found themselves in a small vestibule outside of two sizeable metal doors that were heavily filigreed in oddly intertwining forms. Calvinia leaned in to look at the sculpted surface and recoiled. “What in the….? What ARE those things?”
Laermont chuckled. “Let’s just say that the man has some…unconventional tastes in art and many other things. Let me take the lead with him, at least at first. I know him well enough. If you think you have the measure of him after we’ve talked a while, feel free to contribute.”
The towering metallic man banged his huge fist on the sculpted door and a cool voice bade them enter. The laicar sitting behind the excessively large desk, carved to resemble a variety of bones, was almost impossibly large for one of his kind. He was nearly as broad in the shoulders as the demvir quaestor and as he stood to greet them, he towered over Calvinia’s slight frame and almost matched Laermont for height. “Well, well…Quaestor Laermont…it’s been a while. Now what could bring an illustrious personage like you to speak to the lowly security chief of TorBru?”
The quaestor’s impassive faceplate and glowing eye plates lingered on the heavily bearded man’s craggy, lined face for a moment. “We just have a few questions for you about some…irregularities we’ve found with your staff and connections to several other organizations. This line of inquiry has come up in relation to the assassination of a suspect by person or persons unknown.”
Grattius nodded curtly and indicated the two heavily padded, leather armchairs across from where he stood. With a silky ease that contrasted with his massive, muscle-bound appearance the security chief also sat. “I am always eager to cooperate with the authorities, but I really haven’t got the faintest idea of what you are talking about. However, we shall see, please proceed with your questions!”
Laermont settled back in the chair, looking relaxed. “In the course of the investigation, some information has come to light about TorBru’s linkages with some so-called ‘shell companies’ that appear to lead us to the Solaviskar church. Are you aware of these links?”
The powerfully built man seemed to consider the question for a few moments before shaking his head slowly. “No. No I can’t say I am. There are two potential options as far as I can see. The first is that one of our employees is illegally conducting business and the second is that someone is trying to implicate us in a plot of some kind. Either way, those eventualities are well within the scope of what our company is capable of dealing with on our own.”
The demvir held up a hand to forestall any more commentary. “There is a third option, Grattius. The third option is that you are well aware of the activity and have a reason for it. If so, it is very much a matter for the police.”
Grattius flashed a sardonic grin at him. “Now you know that I wouldn’t admit to that, even if I were involved in such activity. I emphatically am not and such an accusation is below you, Laermont. As it is, I believe that you should turn over your evidence to me and allow me to make an internal investigation.”
The detective now shook his head. “We both know that I can’t do that. If you were to cooperate, I might make some allowances for you to investigate internally. Supervision by one of my officers would be a part of any agreement of course.”’
‘
There was a sharp bark of laughter from the gigantic man facing him. “I will not agree to any such terms. What sort of a fool do you take me for?”
Laermont sighed and shook his head. “I am the one who must ask that question. Would you expect a serving officer of the Quaestorium to give you any information without qualification? This remains a matter for the police force and we will investigate to the full extent of our abilities.”
A sly gleam came into Grattius’ eye. “I could make that very difficult for you, Laermont. There is no reason for me to do otherwise. This is my jurisdiction.”
The detective regarded the security chief. “If you obstruct my investigation, I will arrest you. Isn’t it much easier if you just cooperate? I am only asking for any information you might have when it comes to the affiliates of TorBru.”
His muscle-bound opponent gazed into the impassive demvir face. “I am in a dilemma, Quaestor. I have as fine a sense of self-preservation as any man might expect to have. On the one hand, I wish to be a good citizen and assist you. On the other, I must be a good employee and do my job. Where ought my responsibility to lie? This is now a matter for philosophers. I am a practical man and therefore, I am weighing my options in favour of keeping my job.”
Calvinia spoke now. “How about this question, Grattius. What happens when your employer is kept from functioning? What happens if we tie them up in red tape and endless searches? If we make it clear that your lack of cooperation is what’s causing all of the business disruption, how do you think they’ll feel then?”
The mountainous man’s attention turned suddenly, as though he hadn’t realized that Calvinia was even in the room. His face was set in a hard scowl. “Your lot wouldn’t dare. You fear us and your political masters would stop you.”
The young enlil quirked a fine eyebrow at him. “Are you willing to take that risk? The wheels turn slowly and by the time your Chairman finally manages to bring about an end to our investigation, the inconvenience will have cost them. All we need is a simple yes or no answer.”
Laermont took the opportunity to chime in. “My colleague raises a good point. We will allow you to consider this idea and if you wish to reply, you know where we can be found.”
Grattius sat still, lost in thought for a moment. “I will not give you an answer now, but I will take your offer to think about it. I will let you know soon enough about what course you’ll be permitted to take.”
The two detectives concluded their interview of the scarred hulk and waited until they were clear of the building before speaking again. Laermont’s voice was full of warmth as he spoke to Calvinia. “Well done, quaestor. Your question was well timed and well placed. I think it may light a fire under the feet of TorBru and push them to make another move.”
In a dingy warehouse in Lupanar, another conversation was taking place. A hollow eyed, gaunt laicar was leaning over a team of workers who were construction an elaborate geared mechanism and speaking to the foreman of the team. “It seems that this mechanism is within the tolerances specified. We are pleased with your progress. You must keep up the pace of the work. We only have one more week before the operation must take place.”
There was a strangely disembodied quality to the man’s voice, as though it wasn’t emanating from his vocal chords despite the fact that it was coming out of his mouth. It had a quality to it that was not fully human and by the look on the foreman’s face, he felt the same way. He nodded curtly. “In service to the church, we’ll do what it takes. We’re all sick of those filthy demvir bastards and we want to fix ‘em good.”
The vaulting warehouse space was crammed full of a wide assortment of mechanical devices and stacks of different forms of dahlithium. The expansive room was also a fair hive of activity but a sharp eye would note that the towering doors were heavily guarded inside. The outside of the building was patrolled by forbidding laicar, velen and enlil guards whose looks were enough to stop most of the locals from getting too close.
In the far corner of the room, a gargantuan metal cube was taking shape. Wires filled it and connected to switches, glass phials and other equipment. It had a tall antenna sprouting from it which appeared to be linked to parts of the machine that resembled a transmitter. The whole construct was attended by a number of different races of worker, along with a floating creature that trailed long tentacles below a bulbous body. It appeared to be watching over the workers as they constructed the device.
The creature commanded the attention in the centre of the room. It floated steadily with its tendril-like limbs twitching and writhing as if they were grasping invisible objects in the air. The workers labouring on the object had a blank, empty gaze and seemed to be unusually well co-ordinated as they went about their tasks. They also worked with a terrible speed and accuracy, beyond what might be considered normal.
A massive shadow fell into the warehouse as the outside guards heaved the doors open. Grattius strode into the room with a clouded expression on his face. He made his way toward the creature that hovered in the air and faced it. “How long will it be before this device is complete? We face an external threat.”
The disturbing sensation of the creature speaking in his mind made him grimace.
It is proceeding as fast as these human bodies will allow. It will be completed on time. Do you require our assistance with the threat?
TorBru’s security chief scowled at the alien being. He knew that he could simply think his response but something in him bridled at it. “No. Your assistance will only draw attention to us. I will inform you if I need help.”
Very well. Do not allow anything to disrupt this process. We require it to continue. It is crucial to our goals.
There seemed to be nothing left to say, so Grattius settled in to observe the work and keep the guards in line.
Laermont, Calvinia and Silvius huddled around the papers on the table. The young researcher who’d been looking into the shell company was grinning. “Thanks to further investigation into the shell company, we can now conclusively say that it is channeling money to the Solaviskar group operating in the Lupanar district who own the warehouse I spoke of the other day. It took me all morning, but I can now definitely follow the trail. Whatever they are planning, it involves this money that’s being fed in.”
Laermont carefully clapped Slviius on the back. “Excellent work, quaestor. This now means that we can set up surveillance, gather data and then move in on this location and disrupt their activities.”
Calvinia glanced over at her superior officer. “Are you sure that we ought to move without more established facts on the link to TorBru that we were seeking?”
The metal-skinned detective swept his glowing blue eye plates over her, but the gaze didn’t feel critical. “Normally I might be inclined to agree with you, but I do not believe that we can conclusively prove that TorBru is directly involved at the moment. However nothing prevents us from making a move against the Solaviskar. We will continue to look into TorBru’s actions. I am still convinced they are behind all of this, at base.”
A number of surveillance teams would be dispatched to scout out the area and establish the routines of those within the building. Once they were sure of their ground, the assault team would sweep the building and neutralize any threats and the evidence teams would move in to gather what intelligence they could from the site.
Laermont called a conference of the wider department, also inviting the tactical squadron into the meeting. The hard-eyed men and women sat still and listened intently to everything the detective told them. His own team was equally rapt in their attention. “We have established a location that corresponds with our data about TorBru’s activities. We will set up surveillance for the next week or so to gain information about this site.
His gaze traveled around the room and he spoke again. “After that, we will
seize evidence and arrest the collaborators in the terrorist plot that has been unfolding in this city. These people are members of the most radical wing of the Solaviskar and must be treated with utmost caution. They will do nearly anything in the service of their religion.”
His glowing blue eye plates swept the gathered detectives and operatives. “We will therefore go in with the full weight of force behind us when we strike. The tactical squadron will lead the way. You will all be issued with firearms and carry your swords as well. Although we’ll go in forcefully, we shall also be methodical. Also bear in mind that if no resistance is offered, no violence will be used. Arrest anyone who surrenders.”
There was an undercurrent of thrumming excitement in the room as the adrenalin levels began to spike in anticipation of what was to happen in week’s time. Laermont offered one more comment. “I cannot stress this enough - if anyone leaks anything about what is about to occur, I will find out about it and you will be dealt with harshly.”
Laermont also dispatched a messenger to Diamantus, requesting that the tough velen lend some covert support and her own presence to the raid. The doughty woman was a skilled fighter and commanded similarly skilled individuals. There was no use in taking any chances when dealing with the Solaviskar fanatics. Besides he trusted the velen to have his back under any circumstances, after the battles they’d fought together.
After a week had passed, the activities at the warehouse were well documented. Laermont and his team had established what the routine of the warehouse entailed. They had also seen TorBru’s security chief come and go several times which was heartening for the observers. Something major was undoubtedly happening in the warehouse, something that bore disrupting.
Now the final meeting before the assault was in progress. Laermont stood at the head of the room, in which all of the people who’d take part in the raid were locked. In the week leading up to the raid, Calvinia and Laermont had conducted a thorough investigation of their department and no concrete evidence of a leak had been found. Even still, they restricted this meeting to as few people as possible.
The towering, metallic quaestor ran through their plans carefully. They had chosen a day on which Grattius was likely to be in the warehouse, hoping to capture him as part of the raid. There was a feeling of danger about the place, so the planning had been meticulous and detailed. Now they were at the sharp end of things.
Within less than an hour, a series of official steam drays carried the raid team toward Lupanar. Diamantus and her rebels had already moved into place in covert locations around the warehouse. The assault teams divided up once they reached the dilapidated district and all traveled different routes. They were clad in civilian clothing, trying to avoid drawing attention and alerting their targets.
Warned against moving with too much purpose, the teams moved at a leisurely pace. Lupanar was a place full of prying eyes and listening ears. Laermont and Calvinia were walking together. The lines of the young enlil’s slim body were tense and she seemed to have to resist reaching for the hidden sword that rested under the long duster that she wore.
Laermont spoke in reassuring, low tones. “I know you’re keyed up, but try to relax. Don’t draw attention to yourself here. Trust me, you will respond properly under the stress. You’re well-trained and have a good head on your shoulders.”
His younger partner shot him a wry smile. “You can sure read me like a book. I know that I’ll do fine, it’s just that I haven’t ever done anything this big or this dangerous before.”
As the teams all converged on the warehouse, the hulking demvir glanced up and saw the barest hint of a long rifle poking from the top of a building across the street. Diamantus’ people were in place. They had arranged for a signal given by one quick whistle blast and that blast rang out. The noose of police, tactical team and the rebel fighters closed in around the warehouse.
From inside, there were clamouring noises as the people in the warehouse realized what was happening. The massive doors began to open and a swarm of black-clad guards rushed out. Immediately the man leading the charge tumbled backward, his head blossoming like a scarlet flower as one of Diamantus’ snipers shot him in the head.
Laermont raised his pistol and fired, dropping another and Calvinia shot a third charging Solaviskar guard in the chest. Diamantus had come to stand beside the towering metal detective and his slender companion. Her thick bladed cutlass was drawn and as the guards rushed them, now drawing their own swords she gave a roar and leapt at the first attacker in sight. He was a heavy-set laicar with wild eyes and a thick black beard. As he came upon her, the scarred velen fighter’s powerful arm muscles flexed, her heavy blade parrying his strike.
He feinted, but telegraphed his move too easily. A cold smile crossed Diamantus’ features and she easily stepped around him and cleaved her blade into his body. She sliced him open diagonally from shoulder to navel and he dropped. With a shout, she charged into the next fighter in line. Beside her, Laermont’s sword was cutting a swathe through the attacking guards while Calvinia smoothly dispatched another defender.
From the rooftop, the sniper was methodically dropping other guards. The initial assault had now carried the police and their allies to the huge doors to the warehouse. Inside they saw something that stopped them dead. All of the workers stood in a line, their eyes blank white. They advanced with heavy tools clutched in their hands and Laermont immediately barked an order to his forces. “There’s an Other in here somewhere, we need to find it NOW! Try to engage the workers with as little force as is possible, they aren’t in control of themselves.”
Calvinia caught her boss’ eye. “I’ll go find the alien. You concentrate on controlling things here.”
The metal-skinned quaestor gave her a nod and turned towards the nearing crowd of tool-wielding, mind-controlled workers. He raised a colossal fist and brought it slamming into the face of a nearby assailant, dropping him with the crunch of a broken noise. Next to him, Diamantus smashed one of her own huge, scaled fists into another worker’s face, blocking the clumsy wrench blow.
Brawling was something many of the rebels that had joined the fray were especially good at and they began laying out the shambling attackers. Diamantus whooped and threw an elbow at the next fighter in line and smiled over at Laermont. “Now this is what I’m talkin’ about!”
On quick, quiet feet Calvinia began circling around behind the workers. She had her long, razor-sharp blade drawn and was scanning carefully. She wasn’t sure if the Other was able to sense her, but kept herself poised and alert to any strange thoughts or other mental aberrations. There was a hint of sinuous movement in the corner of her eye and as she slowly turned to face it, she saw the writhing tentacles of an Other as it directed the mind-controlled workers.
It appeared absorbed in its task, so she kept creeping up on it. She drew nearer and nearer, still apparently unnoticed. As she raised her blade, her arm froze. Eyes wide, she tried to move it but was unable to do so. The Other kept facing forward but now Calvinia was starting to twist the blade toward herself. There was an inevitable force to the creature’s will, pushing her arm into a position that would precipitate her being impaled on her own sword.
The enlil clenched her teeth and resisted the mental onslaught. The progress of her arm began to slow, but it did not stop. She fought with every bit of concentration to resist the alien intelligence that had control of her, the cords of her neck standing out as she began to push the sword away. It began to return to the position in which the creature wanted it, ready for her to fall on it and impale herself. She felt her knees start to buckle as it forced her to begin kneeling.
All at once the force slackened. The crack of a sniper’s bullet rang out. The Other had smoothly dodged out of the way, but in doing so it had broken its mental hold on her. It simply couldn’t do three things at once. Calvinia didn’t waste any more time as she leapt up, drove the razor-edged sword forward and into the bulbous head of the evil being. There was a blood-curdling shrieking sound as its brain was pierced and all at once, the workers who had been advancing on the police stopped, glancing around in a bewildered state of shock.
However that still left the quaestors and their allies with a problem. Laermont had been engaging the attackers who were now confused. However more fighters were pouring out of hidden niches in the warehouse. They were lead by Grattius, TorBru’s imposing security chief. He held a gigantic two-bladed axe aloft and anger filled his dark eyes as he made a rush at Laermont. All eight feet of the powerful demvir met his blow, raising his heavy sword to easily parry the axe blow. Next to him, Diamantus was fiercely engaged in a rapid-fire duel with another velen. He was built like a steam boiler and he wielded the traditional velen trident with ferocious skill.
The powerfully built velen woman was used to fighting trident warriors and was cautious in her approach, ensuring that her opponent couldn’t lever her sword away from her in the tines of his spear. Her goal was to get inside his guard, nullifying the range advantage of his weapon. She also had a trick up her sleeve, one for which she’d trained for many years.
Her attacker thrust in rapid succession, a blurring attack that saw three separate jabs made so quickly that she could barely see it. The attack pushed her backward and she barely avoided being nicked by the tines of the weapon. Diamantus was tired of dealing with this assailant and she gathered herself and leapt at him with terrifying force. The speed of her attack shocked him and she watched him fling his trident out at her, but she dodged and hit him with massive force. The sheer raging anger of her attack tossed him backwards, flinging him away in the way for which she had trained.
His muscled body was like a rag doll against the force that flung him across the room. With a horrible crunching sound, his head met a steel post and his neck lolled at an unnatural angle. Without stopping ,Diamantus spun and waded into the next attacker with ferocity.
In the centre of the room, Laermont and Grattius were circling one another. This was a slow, concentrated and deadly dance. Laermont’s sharp cutlass glinted in the dull light and Grattius’ flat black, serrated sword was held in an easy, fluid grasp. At 6’8” the TorBru security chief was a gargantuan laicar but he was dwarfed by all eight feet of his opponent. Any laicar that large would have lumbered but a demvir of Laermont’s size could still move with speed. Seeing his moment, the metallic skinned detective made a rapid slashing attack, his blade whistling through the air.
Grattius caught the attack, dissipating the force and lunged with his keenly sharp, long blade. The demvir’s impressive cutlass knocked it away and the detective swung a ham-sized fist at the thickset laicar’s head. The shorter man dodged, but the speed of Laermont meant that his metallic knuckles grazed Grattius’ face. The two opponents circled each other, looking for an opening to strike.
With rapid motion, the TorBru security chief drove in with a slash that aimed to slice through the detective’s body from left shoulder down to his right side. Laermont parried and again Grattius’ attack skittered away without making much of an impact. All eight feet of the quaestor stepped in and he took his opponent’s sword arm in his crushing grasp. The metal hand easily encircled even the muscled security chief’s forearm and Laermont began to squeeze.
At first, the security chief’s face was a stoic mask, but it began to crumble as the inexorable pressure drove the bones in his arm together. Eventually he let out a howl of pain and began sagging to the floor. The detective let up on his grasp enough to stop breaking his arm. With his other hand, he removed the intimidating axe and tossed it down. He stamped one heavy foot and shouted, loudly enough to be heard over the din. “Tell them to drop their weapons! Tell your guards to drop their weapons.”
As he spoke, he increased the pressure on Grattius’ arm. The gigantic man let out a grunt of rage and frustration but ultimately called out and ordered all of the armed fighters to drop their weapons. They were quickly surrounded by the police forces and disarmed.
Laermont removed the handcuffs that he kept at his belt and clamped them around Grattius’ thick wrists and hauled him to his feet. Two powerfully built members of the tactical team braced him on either side and kept a firm grasp on him. After he was under control, the others quickly stopped any resistance. The quaestors cuffed them and secured them, sitting on the floor under guard.
Calvinia limped up to stand next to Laermont. “We need to search this place eh? I am pretty sure we’ll find all kinds of goodies here.”
She and her commanding officer moved toward the bulky piece of machinery that sat in the centre of the room. It was half-built with protruding wires and intermeshing gears on display. There was also something that had been put into a receptacle on the side of the machine. Laermont took a step forward and the shock was evident in his voice. “The tablet! The Vis-damned tablet is in the side of this machine!”
Calvinia rushed up and stood staring. “So that’s what they did with it! That means this is…oh….”
Her companion slowly nodded his metallic head. “It is a truly huge version of the machine, the weapon they were to use at the Spinning Cog. This would have…this would have rendered many of the demvir in Terminus useless. Their plans are clearly to completely incapacitate all of…us.”
For a while, he stood, staring up at the device in silence. Eventually his voice echoed out into the cavernous warehouse interior. “We have won a significant victory but this is only the start for us. This operation cannot have been singular. This is part of a larger plot against Terminus and I feel that, while the demvir are a target of this part, others will also face the threat from the Solaviskar.”
Reaching up, he took the tablet out of the device and handed it to his deputy. Calvinia held it as though she were holding a venomous creature. His eye plates met her gaze and held it. “Take this and ensure that it gets put in my personal evidence safe. Let no one else touch it.”
After they had secured the device, the detectives scoured the building, gathering evidence and bagging it up. The site was clearly one of many. There was little evidence of TorBru’s involvement but as the items came in, Laermont looked as satisfied as possible for someone with no moving features. It was important and had brought their current troubles to an end. However he was under no illusions about what the future held. They’d struck a blow but it was in no way the final step in this terrible series of events. Sighing he took one more look around the warehouse and turned, his back striding toward the door.
The towering demvir paced in long strides across the main room of the Quaestorium, not even bothering to disguise his rage. The display had the entire force silent and staring, seeing the normally preternaturally calm detective in a full blown rant. He stopped, every fibre of his body trembling. “Right from under my bloody nose, they took him right from under my nose and we’ve got nothing. We’re left like idiots!”
As he took a pause, Calvinia swiftly intervened. “I know you’re angry, boss, but you couldn’t possibly have predicted what happened. We’ve all been blindsided by the assassination, but we’ll solve it. It’ll just take time to regroup. Don’t you always tell me that calm, methodical investigation is the key to solving cases?”
Laermont stood absolutely still and ramrod straight for a moment. Silence fell across the room while the huge metallic man stood like a monumental statue. His voice returned, heavy and tired. “Of course, Quaestor Calvinia. I had forgotten myself. We’re all tired and this case has been a blow to all of us. Of course we must persevere. Perhaps the fact that the Solaviskar wish to target demvir has especially affected me.”
His second-in-command gave him a reassuring smile and patted his gigantic arm. “We all understand that this case has put a great deal of strain on you especially. We all feel the need to catch these bastards, but for you they’ve gone and made it personal.”
In spite of the sapped state in which Laermont found himself, he patted Calvinia’s shoulder in return and seemed to grow a little more upright. “You are correct. It is now deeply personal and I have taken the blow in the same way. I shall endeavour to use the anger as impetus to press on and solve this case. I will not allow myself to be defeated by these cowards!”
After the situation had calmed, the team of detectives began poring over the information they had gleaned with regard to the attack. It had been brazen and was evidently well planned. This was not the act of a desperate group, but one that sought to limit the damage that might be done to them by silencing the one who could do the damage.
The Solaviskar now had to be the subject of more intense focus. They were proving themselves to be more dangerous than anticipated. The post mortem on both the enlil’s body and the shattered steam dray had shown the bomb to be sophisticated and powerful, manufactured from parts that shouldn’t have been available to the group. Someone was supplying them with material and expertise that was increasing their deadliness.
Calvinia glanced around at her colleagues, noting what everyone was working at. Her eyes were drawn to one of the dossiers that was open on the table and she inquired of the tall, slender enlil if she might take a look. The dossier was a detailed breakdown of the financial information that was available for the Solaviskar.
It outlined how a series of “shell companies” seemed to link to a mysterious entity from which large amounts of money were coming into the organization. It was that funding that was responsible for whatever the Solaviskar were up to.
The quaestor queried her companion who replied in an easy-going drawl. “We’re having no luck at all with tracing that entity. I’ve been at this for a week and nothin’s giving us much info. I got a hunch, but if I can’t back it up, it’ll just stay a Vis-damned hunch!”
Calvinia leaned in and gave him an encouraging smile. “Tell me what you’re thinking anyhow, Silvius. Any ideas are fine with me.”
The lanky, laconic man nodded slowly. “We know there’s a link between TorBru Corporation and the Solaviskar. It makes sense to me that the entity’s somehow connected to ‘em but I’ll be damned if I can see how. They ain’t gonna make it easy on us.”
Laermont had wandered over from the window where he’d been staring out pensively to listen to their conversation and he stepped in. “I’m sure you’re onto something Silvius. Leave it with me and I might be able to turn up a decent lead.”
His enlil companion nodded with relief and as the huge metallic form strode away, Calvina followed him. “What’re you thinking, boss?”
The demvir turned to face her. “I have a particular informant that I’ll go talk to. You know her quite well, but in some circles she still isn’t a person about whom we ought to talk too much.”
The younger enlil flashed a bright smile. “Oh her! Alright. Understood. I’ll go through the surveillance logs to see what kind of activity’s happening with the Solaviskar.”
As the two detectives parted, Calvinia took a glance back at Laermont, her expression hard to read. Once again, she shrugged and moved off down the hallway.
Winding through the circuitous route that led to the ancient, unused segment of sewer that Laermont knew well sent the demvir detective’s mind wandering back to earlier times. When he’d first traveled this route, he wasn’t sure if he’d come out the other side alive.
In spite of the change in fortunes for everyone concerned, this was still nostalgic for him. His informant no longer needed to live in the shadows, but her organization still did. She didn’t need to have any direction association with it, but she still spent a good deal of her time there.
Normally he wouldn’t involve her in this sort of investigation, but it had taken on larger dimensions and she had the reach and ability to assist him. The guards that stood outside the passage snapped to attention as he passed, recognizing him as someone who fit right in with the scenery. The space he found himself in was warm, clean and well-furnished. Diamantus had come up in the world.
Soon he was seated across from the muscled, broad in the beam velen woman with her scarred face and gigantic hands which rested on the table. She gave him a lopsided smile and a tilt of the head by way of greeting. “I haven’t seen ye for a while, copper. I hope ye’ve been keepin’ well. What brings ye down this way?”
Laermont laid out the events of recent weeks and Diamantus let out a low whistle. “Now that sounds like a bit of a fix ye’ve gotten yerself inta! Now what exactly d’ye need from me and my people?”
The detective leaned forward. “I need any information you can get me on TorBru’s connections to the Solaviskar. I am especially interested in their financial dealings, specifically their use of shell companies. I am aware of the highly placed sources that you can bring to bear in that regard.”
The musclebound velen nodded. “I’ll see what I can do for ye! I c’n think of a few people who might be able ta help ye out with that info. Gimme a couple days and I should have some initial information that ye c’n dig into.
Her massive companion gave the impression of an acknowledging smile. “I appreciate your willingness to put effort into this, Dia. You haven’t ever failed me. Your constancy is greatly appreciated."
Diamantus sighed. “I am gonna do the best I can for ye, Laermont. I don’t want them bastards active any more ’n ye do. They represent everythin’ I ever wanted ta fight against. For ye, it’s gotta be especially bitter given that they keep targetin’ the demvir.”
An ugly expression touched her scarred face. “I know some velen who have truck with them crazy fuckers and I c’n tell ye if I ever get my mitts on one of ‘em, I ain’t gotta stop till I snap their rotten spine.”
The statue-like form of the demvir shifted. “First we have to catch them, then we can mete out justice. Put those feelers out for me and let me know what you get. I want to make tracks soon and get the mission to another level.”
Diamantus laid a thick hand on his heavy metallic arm. “Remember, if’n ye need anything, ye don’t have to hesitate. I got fighters ’n resources that ye can take advantage of. Ye ain’t alone in all of this.”
Laermont rose slowly. “I know. Again all of your assistance is most appreciated.”
Back above ground, the quaestor began to scan his surroundings again. In his sweep, his eyeplates stopped and focused on a slight laicar man who was hovering in a doorway. There was a certain furtive and secret quality in his posture and mannerisms that drew the demvir’s attention. The demvir didn’t focus on him for too much longer, but began to move on again. He opted for a quick pace, using his long legs to eat the distance and force his potential tail to keep up.
They were in a part of Terminus rife with alleyways and other dark corners. Laermont took a casual glance back and saw his pursuer rushing to keep up. Rapidly he pivoted and quickly stepped into a shadowed passage, the small laicar man began moving past and the quaestor shot out a huge hand and grabbed him by the collar, yanking him into the alley. With ease, he clamped the man’s arms in his powerful grasp and lifted him halfway up the wall, showing no more exertion than picking up a doll. “I am in no mood for this today. Who the Vis-damn hell are you and why am I being followed?”
He punctuated the questioning with shakes that rattled the man’s teeth in his jaw. The small, wiry laicar struggled but he wasn’t any match for the crushing power in Laermont’s huge hands. “AH! Ahhh! Please…please stop. Look I was just contacted by a guy. He told me ta follow ya around and tell him where ya went. I swear I dunno who he was. I just work for one’a the guilds, I’m a finder and a follower.”
The hulking detective didn’t let up the pressure of his grasp but he stopped shaking the man and simply held him helplessly pinned against the wall. “Tell me more about this man who hired you. What did he look like, where did he meet you and what precisely did he say?”
“He…was a huge bastard like you. I mean huge for a laicar, ya know. He wore all black and had this ugly fuckin’ scar on his neck, like someone tried to cut his throat at some point. He met me in some shitty dive in Lupanar, called The Seafarer’s Ease. More like the Seafarer’s Arse if ya ask me! All he did was say to follow ya, that you’er a quaestor. He described ya and had me wait outside the Quaestorium. I tailed ya until you vanished and picked you up again where I saw you go into that Vis-damn maze back there.”
Laermont let himself relax as he lowered the man to the ground, keeping him close. The laicar stood still, not moving away. His gaze was distinctly worried. “I swear that’s all I know, Quaestor. I really have no idea who that guy works for or anything else! In this business, we don’t ask too many questions.”
The detective stood extremely still for a moment before turning his flashing eye plates on the weaselly little man. “Maybe you ought to ask a few more. I guarantee you that if you don’t vanish and I do mean vanish, he’ll come back and finish you off. The people for whom he works don’t waste any money on the likes of you. Run now because they’ll want to catch you before you spend any of your pay.”
The compact laicar’s face blanched and he nodded wordlessly and quickly ran down the alleyway, blending back into the crowd. The detective watched him running and sighed before moving off in the opposite direction.
When the quaestor arrived at the station, Calvinia immediately caught his attention and flagged him over to her. There was a flushed excitement about her manner that was impossible to ignore. “I believe we may have a breakthrough, sir! If you’ll follow me…”
The energetic young detective brought her superior over to the desk at which Silvius sat. Reams of paper lay in front of him, covered in red marks and calculations along with a web of lines connecting various shell companies and other organizations. Laermont seemed to raise a non-existent eyebrow. “My you’ve all been busy, So what is the breakthrough of which you spoke?”
There was a moment as Silvius collected his thoughts and got over the fact that Laermont hadn’t directly spoken to him before in his job. He tapped his finger on one particular company name. “This. This company here has a bank account at the main treasury bank. It seems to be some sort of trading company, but they don’t have much presence.”
The huge quaestor prompted Silvius to continue and the young researcher plunged on. “After I traced through some of the contacts, I discovered a link between one of the known TorBru affiliates and this company. There are an awful lot of funds flowing from the shell company to another shell that appears to have connections to a Solaviskar group of some sort.”
A hint of frustration crept into Laermont’s voice. “I take it that we have no actual physical person connected to that shell company? It would be good to get our hands on a real material witness.”
Silvius looked skeptical. “The whole point of shell companies is to avoid detection, but we’ll keep on digging. Anything’s worth a try at this point.”
Laying a finger alongside where his nose would have been, Laermont conveyed a sly smile. “I have a potential asset in play too. Let’s keep at this. Meanwhile I believe that Calvinia and I need to pay a visit to TorBru. I want an audience with their head of security!”
As the steam dray carried the detective and his youthful partner toward the brooding black building that housed TorBru’s main offices, Calvinia glanced over at her towering superior. “So we’re just going to march in there and confront him? Is that the plan?”
Laermont shook his head slowly. “Oh nothing so unsubtle. I want to have a chat, gauge his reaction and see if we can’t rattle him a little. Of course, he’s canny enough to make it hard for us. St this point, however, I know him well enough to know what buttons to push.”
The dray pulled up outside and the pair of detectives walked through the vast, darkness shrouded portal that was the main entrance to the building. Calvinia furrowed her brows. “Do they want to make everyone think that they’re evil or what? This place looks like a villain’s castle out of a storybook.”
Her companion laughed softly. “I believe that’s precisely what they want to do.”
They made their way to the front desk, if the colossal granite slab that rose upward as if moulded from shadow could be properly referred to as a desk. An only chirpy receptionist at the front desk seemed nonplussed at the fact that there were two senior detectives facing her. “What may I assist you with, officers?”
Laermont announced their desire to see the head of security and the disconcertingly chipper woman smiled at him. “Allow me to check if he’s available, sir. One moment!”
She lifted a speaking tube from a cradle and spoke quickly into it. A muffled voice replied and she glanced down at the pair of quaestors.”Your names please?”
They both replied, she conveyed their response and waited for a moment. Nodding she gave them another smile. “He has time to see you. Take the elevator up and it’s the only office on that floor.”
After Laermont and Calvinia had stepped off the elevator, they found themselves in a small vestibule outside of two sizeable metal doors that were heavily filigreed in oddly intertwining forms. Calvinia leaned in to look at the sculpted surface and recoiled. “What in the….? What ARE those things?”
Laermont chuckled. “Let’s just say that the man has some…unconventional tastes in art and many other things. Let me take the lead with him, at least at first. I know him well enough. If you think you have the measure of him after we’ve talked a while, feel free to contribute.”
The towering metallic man banged his huge fist on the sculpted door and a cool voice bade them enter. The laicar sitting behind the excessively large desk, carved to resemble a variety of bones, was almost impossibly large for one of his kind. He was nearly as broad in the shoulders as the demvir quaestor and as he stood to greet them, he towered over Calvinia’s slight frame and almost matched Laermont for height. “Well, well…Quaestor Laermont…it’s been a while. Now what could bring an illustrious personage like you to speak to the lowly security chief of TorBru?”
The quaestor’s impassive faceplate and glowing eye plates lingered on the heavily bearded man’s craggy, lined face for a moment. “We just have a few questions for you about some…irregularities we’ve found with your staff and connections to several other organizations. This line of inquiry has come up in relation to the assassination of a suspect by person or persons unknown.”
Grattius nodded curtly and indicated the two heavily padded, leather armchairs across from where he stood. With a silky ease that contrasted with his massive, muscle-bound appearance the security chief also sat. “I am always eager to cooperate with the authorities, but I really haven’t got the faintest idea of what you are talking about. However, we shall see, please proceed with your questions!”
Laermont settled back in the chair, looking relaxed. “In the course of the investigation, some information has come to light about TorBru’s linkages with some so-called ‘shell companies’ that appear to lead us to the Solaviskar church. Are you aware of these links?”
The powerfully built man seemed to consider the question for a few moments before shaking his head slowly. “No. No I can’t say I am. There are two potential options as far as I can see. The first is that one of our employees is illegally conducting business and the second is that someone is trying to implicate us in a plot of some kind. Either way, those eventualities are well within the scope of what our company is capable of dealing with on our own.”
The demvir held up a hand to forestall any more commentary. “There is a third option, Grattius. The third option is that you are well aware of the activity and have a reason for it. If so, it is very much a matter for the police.”
Grattius flashed a sardonic grin at him. “Now you know that I wouldn’t admit to that, even if I were involved in such activity. I emphatically am not and such an accusation is below you, Laermont. As it is, I believe that you should turn over your evidence to me and allow me to make an internal investigation.”
The detective now shook his head. “We both know that I can’t do that. If you were to cooperate, I might make some allowances for you to investigate internally. Supervision by one of my officers would be a part of any agreement of course.”’
‘
There was a sharp bark of laughter from the gigantic man facing him. “I will not agree to any such terms. What sort of a fool do you take me for?”
Laermont sighed and shook his head. “I am the one who must ask that question. Would you expect a serving officer of the Quaestorium to give you any information without qualification? This remains a matter for the police force and we will investigate to the full extent of our abilities.”
A sly gleam came into Grattius’ eye. “I could make that very difficult for you, Laermont. There is no reason for me to do otherwise. This is my jurisdiction.”
The detective regarded the security chief. “If you obstruct my investigation, I will arrest you. Isn’t it much easier if you just cooperate? I am only asking for any information you might have when it comes to the affiliates of TorBru.”
His muscle-bound opponent gazed into the impassive demvir face. “I am in a dilemma, Quaestor. I have as fine a sense of self-preservation as any man might expect to have. On the one hand, I wish to be a good citizen and assist you. On the other, I must be a good employee and do my job. Where ought my responsibility to lie? This is now a matter for philosophers. I am a practical man and therefore, I am weighing my options in favour of keeping my job.”
Calvinia spoke now. “How about this question, Grattius. What happens when your employer is kept from functioning? What happens if we tie them up in red tape and endless searches? If we make it clear that your lack of cooperation is what’s causing all of the business disruption, how do you think they’ll feel then?”
The mountainous man’s attention turned suddenly, as though he hadn’t realized that Calvinia was even in the room. His face was set in a hard scowl. “Your lot wouldn’t dare. You fear us and your political masters would stop you.”
The young enlil quirked a fine eyebrow at him. “Are you willing to take that risk? The wheels turn slowly and by the time your Chairman finally manages to bring about an end to our investigation, the inconvenience will have cost them. All we need is a simple yes or no answer.”
Laermont took the opportunity to chime in. “My colleague raises a good point. We will allow you to consider this idea and if you wish to reply, you know where we can be found.”
Grattius sat still, lost in thought for a moment. “I will not give you an answer now, but I will take your offer to think about it. I will let you know soon enough about what course you’ll be permitted to take.”
The two detectives concluded their interview of the scarred hulk and waited until they were clear of the building before speaking again. Laermont’s voice was full of warmth as he spoke to Calvinia. “Well done, quaestor. Your question was well timed and well placed. I think it may light a fire under the feet of TorBru and push them to make another move.”
In a dingy warehouse in Lupanar, another conversation was taking place. A hollow eyed, gaunt laicar was leaning over a team of workers who were construction an elaborate geared mechanism and speaking to the foreman of the team. “It seems that this mechanism is within the tolerances specified. We are pleased with your progress. You must keep up the pace of the work. We only have one more week before the operation must take place.”
There was a strangely disembodied quality to the man’s voice, as though it wasn’t emanating from his vocal chords despite the fact that it was coming out of his mouth. It had a quality to it that was not fully human and by the look on the foreman’s face, he felt the same way. He nodded curtly. “In service to the church, we’ll do what it takes. We’re all sick of those filthy demvir bastards and we want to fix ‘em good.”
The vaulting warehouse space was crammed full of a wide assortment of mechanical devices and stacks of different forms of dahlithium. The expansive room was also a fair hive of activity but a sharp eye would note that the towering doors were heavily guarded inside. The outside of the building was patrolled by forbidding laicar, velen and enlil guards whose looks were enough to stop most of the locals from getting too close.
In the far corner of the room, a gargantuan metal cube was taking shape. Wires filled it and connected to switches, glass phials and other equipment. It had a tall antenna sprouting from it which appeared to be linked to parts of the machine that resembled a transmitter. The whole construct was attended by a number of different races of worker, along with a floating creature that trailed long tentacles below a bulbous body. It appeared to be watching over the workers as they constructed the device.
The creature commanded the attention in the centre of the room. It floated steadily with its tendril-like limbs twitching and writhing as if they were grasping invisible objects in the air. The workers labouring on the object had a blank, empty gaze and seemed to be unusually well co-ordinated as they went about their tasks. They also worked with a terrible speed and accuracy, beyond what might be considered normal.
A massive shadow fell into the warehouse as the outside guards heaved the doors open. Grattius strode into the room with a clouded expression on his face. He made his way toward the creature that hovered in the air and faced it. “How long will it be before this device is complete? We face an external threat.”
The disturbing sensation of the creature speaking in his mind made him grimace.
It is proceeding as fast as these human bodies will allow. It will be completed on time. Do you require our assistance with the threat?
TorBru’s security chief scowled at the alien being. He knew that he could simply think his response but something in him bridled at it. “No. Your assistance will only draw attention to us. I will inform you if I need help.”
Very well. Do not allow anything to disrupt this process. We require it to continue. It is crucial to our goals.
There seemed to be nothing left to say, so Grattius settled in to observe the work and keep the guards in line.
Laermont, Calvinia and Silvius huddled around the papers on the table. The young researcher who’d been looking into the shell company was grinning. “Thanks to further investigation into the shell company, we can now conclusively say that it is channeling money to the Solaviskar group operating in the Lupanar district who own the warehouse I spoke of the other day. It took me all morning, but I can now definitely follow the trail. Whatever they are planning, it involves this money that’s being fed in.”
Laermont carefully clapped Slviius on the back. “Excellent work, quaestor. This now means that we can set up surveillance, gather data and then move in on this location and disrupt their activities.”
Calvinia glanced over at her superior officer. “Are you sure that we ought to move without more established facts on the link to TorBru that we were seeking?”
The metal-skinned detective swept his glowing blue eye plates over her, but the gaze didn’t feel critical. “Normally I might be inclined to agree with you, but I do not believe that we can conclusively prove that TorBru is directly involved at the moment. However nothing prevents us from making a move against the Solaviskar. We will continue to look into TorBru’s actions. I am still convinced they are behind all of this, at base.”
A number of surveillance teams would be dispatched to scout out the area and establish the routines of those within the building. Once they were sure of their ground, the assault team would sweep the building and neutralize any threats and the evidence teams would move in to gather what intelligence they could from the site.
Laermont called a conference of the wider department, also inviting the tactical squadron into the meeting. The hard-eyed men and women sat still and listened intently to everything the detective told them. His own team was equally rapt in their attention. “We have established a location that corresponds with our data about TorBru’s activities. We will set up surveillance for the next week or so to gain information about this site.
His gaze traveled around the room and he spoke again. “After that, we will
seize evidence and arrest the collaborators in the terrorist plot that has been unfolding in this city. These people are members of the most radical wing of the Solaviskar and must be treated with utmost caution. They will do nearly anything in the service of their religion.”
His glowing blue eye plates swept the gathered detectives and operatives. “We will therefore go in with the full weight of force behind us when we strike. The tactical squadron will lead the way. You will all be issued with firearms and carry your swords as well. Although we’ll go in forcefully, we shall also be methodical. Also bear in mind that if no resistance is offered, no violence will be used. Arrest anyone who surrenders.”
There was an undercurrent of thrumming excitement in the room as the adrenalin levels began to spike in anticipation of what was to happen in week’s time. Laermont offered one more comment. “I cannot stress this enough - if anyone leaks anything about what is about to occur, I will find out about it and you will be dealt with harshly.”
Laermont also dispatched a messenger to Diamantus, requesting that the tough velen lend some covert support and her own presence to the raid. The doughty woman was a skilled fighter and commanded similarly skilled individuals. There was no use in taking any chances when dealing with the Solaviskar fanatics. Besides he trusted the velen to have his back under any circumstances, after the battles they’d fought together.
After a week had passed, the activities at the warehouse were well documented. Laermont and his team had established what the routine of the warehouse entailed. They had also seen TorBru’s security chief come and go several times which was heartening for the observers. Something major was undoubtedly happening in the warehouse, something that bore disrupting.
Now the final meeting before the assault was in progress. Laermont stood at the head of the room, in which all of the people who’d take part in the raid were locked. In the week leading up to the raid, Calvinia and Laermont had conducted a thorough investigation of their department and no concrete evidence of a leak had been found. Even still, they restricted this meeting to as few people as possible.
The towering, metallic quaestor ran through their plans carefully. They had chosen a day on which Grattius was likely to be in the warehouse, hoping to capture him as part of the raid. There was a feeling of danger about the place, so the planning had been meticulous and detailed. Now they were at the sharp end of things.
Within less than an hour, a series of official steam drays carried the raid team toward Lupanar. Diamantus and her rebels had already moved into place in covert locations around the warehouse. The assault teams divided up once they reached the dilapidated district and all traveled different routes. They were clad in civilian clothing, trying to avoid drawing attention and alerting their targets.
Warned against moving with too much purpose, the teams moved at a leisurely pace. Lupanar was a place full of prying eyes and listening ears. Laermont and Calvinia were walking together. The lines of the young enlil’s slim body were tense and she seemed to have to resist reaching for the hidden sword that rested under the long duster that she wore.
Laermont spoke in reassuring, low tones. “I know you’re keyed up, but try to relax. Don’t draw attention to yourself here. Trust me, you will respond properly under the stress. You’re well-trained and have a good head on your shoulders.”
His younger partner shot him a wry smile. “You can sure read me like a book. I know that I’ll do fine, it’s just that I haven’t ever done anything this big or this dangerous before.”
As the teams all converged on the warehouse, the hulking demvir glanced up and saw the barest hint of a long rifle poking from the top of a building across the street. Diamantus’ people were in place. They had arranged for a signal given by one quick whistle blast and that blast rang out. The noose of police, tactical team and the rebel fighters closed in around the warehouse.
From inside, there were clamouring noises as the people in the warehouse realized what was happening. The massive doors began to open and a swarm of black-clad guards rushed out. Immediately the man leading the charge tumbled backward, his head blossoming like a scarlet flower as one of Diamantus’ snipers shot him in the head.
Laermont raised his pistol and fired, dropping another and Calvinia shot a third charging Solaviskar guard in the chest. Diamantus had come to stand beside the towering metal detective and his slender companion. Her thick bladed cutlass was drawn and as the guards rushed them, now drawing their own swords she gave a roar and leapt at the first attacker in sight. He was a heavy-set laicar with wild eyes and a thick black beard. As he came upon her, the scarred velen fighter’s powerful arm muscles flexed, her heavy blade parrying his strike.
He feinted, but telegraphed his move too easily. A cold smile crossed Diamantus’ features and she easily stepped around him and cleaved her blade into his body. She sliced him open diagonally from shoulder to navel and he dropped. With a shout, she charged into the next fighter in line. Beside her, Laermont’s sword was cutting a swathe through the attacking guards while Calvinia smoothly dispatched another defender.
From the rooftop, the sniper was methodically dropping other guards. The initial assault had now carried the police and their allies to the huge doors to the warehouse. Inside they saw something that stopped them dead. All of the workers stood in a line, their eyes blank white. They advanced with heavy tools clutched in their hands and Laermont immediately barked an order to his forces. “There’s an Other in here somewhere, we need to find it NOW! Try to engage the workers with as little force as is possible, they aren’t in control of themselves.”
Calvinia caught her boss’ eye. “I’ll go find the alien. You concentrate on controlling things here.”
The metal-skinned quaestor gave her a nod and turned towards the nearing crowd of tool-wielding, mind-controlled workers. He raised a colossal fist and brought it slamming into the face of a nearby assailant, dropping him with the crunch of a broken noise. Next to him, Diamantus smashed one of her own huge, scaled fists into another worker’s face, blocking the clumsy wrench blow.
Brawling was something many of the rebels that had joined the fray were especially good at and they began laying out the shambling attackers. Diamantus whooped and threw an elbow at the next fighter in line and smiled over at Laermont. “Now this is what I’m talkin’ about!”
On quick, quiet feet Calvinia began circling around behind the workers. She had her long, razor-sharp blade drawn and was scanning carefully. She wasn’t sure if the Other was able to sense her, but kept herself poised and alert to any strange thoughts or other mental aberrations. There was a hint of sinuous movement in the corner of her eye and as she slowly turned to face it, she saw the writhing tentacles of an Other as it directed the mind-controlled workers.
It appeared absorbed in its task, so she kept creeping up on it. She drew nearer and nearer, still apparently unnoticed. As she raised her blade, her arm froze. Eyes wide, she tried to move it but was unable to do so. The Other kept facing forward but now Calvinia was starting to twist the blade toward herself. There was an inevitable force to the creature’s will, pushing her arm into a position that would precipitate her being impaled on her own sword.
The enlil clenched her teeth and resisted the mental onslaught. The progress of her arm began to slow, but it did not stop. She fought with every bit of concentration to resist the alien intelligence that had control of her, the cords of her neck standing out as she began to push the sword away. It began to return to the position in which the creature wanted it, ready for her to fall on it and impale herself. She felt her knees start to buckle as it forced her to begin kneeling.
All at once the force slackened. The crack of a sniper’s bullet rang out. The Other had smoothly dodged out of the way, but in doing so it had broken its mental hold on her. It simply couldn’t do three things at once. Calvinia didn’t waste any more time as she leapt up, drove the razor-edged sword forward and into the bulbous head of the evil being. There was a blood-curdling shrieking sound as its brain was pierced and all at once, the workers who had been advancing on the police stopped, glancing around in a bewildered state of shock.
However that still left the quaestors and their allies with a problem. Laermont had been engaging the attackers who were now confused. However more fighters were pouring out of hidden niches in the warehouse. They were lead by Grattius, TorBru’s imposing security chief. He held a gigantic two-bladed axe aloft and anger filled his dark eyes as he made a rush at Laermont. All eight feet of the powerful demvir met his blow, raising his heavy sword to easily parry the axe blow. Next to him, Diamantus was fiercely engaged in a rapid-fire duel with another velen. He was built like a steam boiler and he wielded the traditional velen trident with ferocious skill.
The powerfully built velen woman was used to fighting trident warriors and was cautious in her approach, ensuring that her opponent couldn’t lever her sword away from her in the tines of his spear. Her goal was to get inside his guard, nullifying the range advantage of his weapon. She also had a trick up her sleeve, one for which she’d trained for many years.
Her attacker thrust in rapid succession, a blurring attack that saw three separate jabs made so quickly that she could barely see it. The attack pushed her backward and she barely avoided being nicked by the tines of the weapon. Diamantus was tired of dealing with this assailant and she gathered herself and leapt at him with terrifying force. The speed of her attack shocked him and she watched him fling his trident out at her, but she dodged and hit him with massive force. The sheer raging anger of her attack tossed him backwards, flinging him away in the way for which she had trained.
His muscled body was like a rag doll against the force that flung him across the room. With a horrible crunching sound, his head met a steel post and his neck lolled at an unnatural angle. Without stopping ,Diamantus spun and waded into the next attacker with ferocity.
In the centre of the room, Laermont and Grattius were circling one another. This was a slow, concentrated and deadly dance. Laermont’s sharp cutlass glinted in the dull light and Grattius’ flat black, serrated sword was held in an easy, fluid grasp. At 6’8” the TorBru security chief was a gargantuan laicar but he was dwarfed by all eight feet of his opponent. Any laicar that large would have lumbered but a demvir of Laermont’s size could still move with speed. Seeing his moment, the metallic skinned detective made a rapid slashing attack, his blade whistling through the air.
Grattius caught the attack, dissipating the force and lunged with his keenly sharp, long blade. The demvir’s impressive cutlass knocked it away and the detective swung a ham-sized fist at the thickset laicar’s head. The shorter man dodged, but the speed of Laermont meant that his metallic knuckles grazed Grattius’ face. The two opponents circled each other, looking for an opening to strike.
With rapid motion, the TorBru security chief drove in with a slash that aimed to slice through the detective’s body from left shoulder down to his right side. Laermont parried and again Grattius’ attack skittered away without making much of an impact. All eight feet of the quaestor stepped in and he took his opponent’s sword arm in his crushing grasp. The metal hand easily encircled even the muscled security chief’s forearm and Laermont began to squeeze.
At first, the security chief’s face was a stoic mask, but it began to crumble as the inexorable pressure drove the bones in his arm together. Eventually he let out a howl of pain and began sagging to the floor. The detective let up on his grasp enough to stop breaking his arm. With his other hand, he removed the intimidating axe and tossed it down. He stamped one heavy foot and shouted, loudly enough to be heard over the din. “Tell them to drop their weapons! Tell your guards to drop their weapons.”
As he spoke, he increased the pressure on Grattius’ arm. The gigantic man let out a grunt of rage and frustration but ultimately called out and ordered all of the armed fighters to drop their weapons. They were quickly surrounded by the police forces and disarmed.
Laermont removed the handcuffs that he kept at his belt and clamped them around Grattius’ thick wrists and hauled him to his feet. Two powerfully built members of the tactical team braced him on either side and kept a firm grasp on him. After he was under control, the others quickly stopped any resistance. The quaestors cuffed them and secured them, sitting on the floor under guard.
Calvinia limped up to stand next to Laermont. “We need to search this place eh? I am pretty sure we’ll find all kinds of goodies here.”
She and her commanding officer moved toward the bulky piece of machinery that sat in the centre of the room. It was half-built with protruding wires and intermeshing gears on display. There was also something that had been put into a receptacle on the side of the machine. Laermont took a step forward and the shock was evident in his voice. “The tablet! The Vis-damned tablet is in the side of this machine!”
Calvinia rushed up and stood staring. “So that’s what they did with it! That means this is…oh….”
Her companion slowly nodded his metallic head. “It is a truly huge version of the machine, the weapon they were to use at the Spinning Cog. This would have…this would have rendered many of the demvir in Terminus useless. Their plans are clearly to completely incapacitate all of…us.”
For a while, he stood, staring up at the device in silence. Eventually his voice echoed out into the cavernous warehouse interior. “We have won a significant victory but this is only the start for us. This operation cannot have been singular. This is part of a larger plot against Terminus and I feel that, while the demvir are a target of this part, others will also face the threat from the Solaviskar.”
Reaching up, he took the tablet out of the device and handed it to his deputy. Calvinia held it as though she were holding a venomous creature. His eye plates met her gaze and held it. “Take this and ensure that it gets put in my personal evidence safe. Let no one else touch it.”
After they had secured the device, the detectives scoured the building, gathering evidence and bagging it up. The site was clearly one of many. There was little evidence of TorBru’s involvement but as the items came in, Laermont looked as satisfied as possible for someone with no moving features. It was important and had brought their current troubles to an end. However he was under no illusions about what the future held. They’d struck a blow but it was in no way the final step in this terrible series of events. Sighing he took one more look around the warehouse and turned, his back striding toward the door.