The van did not follow him.
12
"Kyle Teller," said Daniel Truman, "this is Captain Anne Ravenheart of Knight Errant. She's a personal security expert sent in to help with the situation."
Kyle stepped forward and took the offered hand of his former classmate and accidental lover of a decade ago. She hadn't changed that much, but some differences were noticeable. The long black hair that he remembered so well had become a ragged, ear-length military cut. Gone, too, were the dangling earrings she'd favored, replaced by a pair of chrome datajacks below each ear. Her eyes were still green, but they glistened differently, oddly. Kyle didn't think they were real. But when she smiled, that was exactly as he remembered it.
"Hello, Kyle," she said, squeezing his hand.
"How've you been, Anne?" He tried to keep his tone utterly casual. "This is quite a surprise."
She shrugged and widened her smile. "For me too."
Anne Ravenheart's arrival signaled some other changes that Kyle had noticed even before entering the building. Changes mainly to do with beefed-up security and a much more visible presence for Knight Errant. It had been a Knight Errant officer rather than the usual doorman who met his car. Kyle had also noticed a perimeter drone about half the size of a man sitting under a gray tarp in a niche near the doorway. At the elevator bank the guards were obviously armed and cybered, their body armor equally evident. Then the elevator had asked for re-verification of Kyle's vocal pattern by repeating the random words it said to him. There was even an armed guard in the hall outside the Truman apartment.
Anne Ravenheart and two other Knight Errant officers were with the Trumans on the patio near the pool, Mr. Truman looking tense and Mrs. Truman tired and distracted. Melissa and Madeleine were there too, both showing visible relief at Kyle's arrival. Hanna Uljaken looked just as relieved. The other assistant, Devress, who had hired Kyle, was also present. He gave Kyle a slight smile when their eyes met. No other staff members were present. Nor was Lieutenant Facile, who Kyle had not seen anywhere on the way up either.
The three Knight Errant officers were garbed in what he took to be casual field dress. One-piece gray and white urban camouflage jumpsuits and darker bulky jackets bearing their rank insignia and red and black corporate logos. Each carried a heavy sidearm, and Kyle guessed that the tall, thin, hawk-faced man with thin brown hair peeking out from under his black beret was, like Anne Ravenheart, also a magician.
"You know each other?" Daniel Truman asked, glancing from Kyle to Anne and back.
"Yes, sir," Anne said. "Kyle and I went to school together longer ago than I'd care to admit."
Truman laughed. "Well, Mr. Teller is probably wondering how he comes to meet you again here. Why don't you tell him?"
Ravenheart turned to Kyle. "As you know, Mr. Truman is a good friend of Damien Knight, CEO of Ares Macro-technology. When Mr. Knight heard about the disappearance of Mitchell Truman, he ordered Knight Errant's assets placed at Mr. Truman's disposal.
"And I've been sent in to handle Knight Errant's investigation of who's responsible and what we might do to restore the boy to health."
Kyle hazarded a glance at Hanna Uljaken, whose eyes showed concern.
"Well, your assistance is certainly appreciated," Kyle said. "With Knight Errant helping out I'm sure we can-"
"They want to take over," Melissa said suddenly, her gaze darting between Kyle and the frown her father was giving her.
Ravenheart was also frowning. "As Mr. Truman and I were discussing when you arrived, Knight Errant would prefer to handle the investigation and security exclusively. To do otherwise might slow down critical communication and hinder the operation-regardless of the other talent involved." She gave Kyle a slight smile. "Nothing personal."'
He shrugged. "None taken. I agree it would be a good idea to combine forces, but I'd argue for your people to assist us." He let his gaze travel briefly around the assembled group. Things are already happening. I'd be reluctant to lose any time transferring command and information.”
"And, truthfully, I've been exploring some avenues that I'd rather not reveal due to the confidentiality of the sources. Knight Errant's assistance is certainly appreciated, but it seems to make more sense for them to support the existing structure than trying to rebuild it."
Ravenheart was about to protest, when Daniel Truman cut in. "I tend to agree with Mr. Teller. Ms. Uljaken tells me that the two of them have been making progress toward identifying the people responsible."
"People?" asked Ravenheart, turning back to Kyle. She seemed about to continue her line of thought, but a flick of her eyes at Mrs. Truman apparently decided her otherwise. Instead, she said, "That's good news. Whatever your decision, Mr. Truman, Knight Errant is at your disposal."
"Excellent," he said. "Mr. Teller is still looking into this for me and my family, and your prior acquaintance should make it all the easier for him to get what he needs from your team."
"I'm sure it will."
"For anything else," Truman told her, "please liaise through my assistant Ms. Uljaken, who is also working with Mr. Teller."
"I'll do that, sir. In the meantime would it be possible for Mr. Teller to brief us on his progress?"
"Now's as good a time as any." Daniel Truman motioned his family toward the doors leading back inside. They obediently followed his lead, though Melissa gave Kyle another strained look as she disappeared from view. This time Hanna saw it too, but he didn't react to the questioning on her face. Devress also stayed behind, but melted farther back from the discussion.
"First I'd like to apologize for not introducing the other two members of my team," Ravenheart said immediately. She gestured to the burly man, who Kyle was fairly certain was not a mage. "This is Sergeant Keith Vathoss," she said.
Vathoss nodded, and Kyle could almost hear the flat-motors and microhydraulics of his cyberware rev up as he did. His hair was buzz-cut and bright red, his chin square and neck bulky from the chemicals he was taking to boost whatever natural muscles his body still had. His eyes were dark and translucent, a protective shield grafted over what Kyle was sure were equally artificial vision and related sensory systems.
Vathoss smiled. "Sir," he said.
"And this is Lieutenant Paul Gersten." Ravenheart gestured to the other man. "My second in command."
Gersten stuck out his hand and Kyle shook it. “Pleased to meet you," he said, noting that Gersten's grip was strong, but cold.
Ravenheart turned back to Kyle. Her posture was formal and her eyes set while she spoke. "We've got a somewhat awkward situation here because we know each other." He nodded agreement. "But we're going to have to ignore that, even if it means things might ultimately get more awkward."
Kyle could see Hanna watching the exchange with intense interest.
"Now don't take this wrong," Ravenheart went on, "because I have the greatest respect for you and your talent, but you're way out of your league this time."
“Thank you for pointing that out," Kyle said.
She sighed. "I'm sorry to be so blunt, but you probably didn't know that Knight Errant has been conducting its own investigation concurrently with your own."
Kyle glanced at Hanna, who seemed surprised. Beyond her, Devress was expressionless.
"And we've turned up a few interesting things.” She turned to Gersten. "Lieutenant?"
Gersten cleared his throat and took a small step closer to them. "We know that we're dealing with a covert group of anima spirits operating in the guise of five women, Dierdre Reinmann, Karyn Moffit, Mary Hauser, Gwen Pitvorec, and Linda Hayward. They're a conspiratorial group whose motivations are unclear except that they are apparently directed toward the gain and advancement of the group."