Fist vanished in a puff of swearing. Jack sighed. The past was so much simpler than the present. Perhaps even now his mother was asleep again, his father lying awake and puzzled. He wondered if she’d told him whose presence she’d perceived. Perhaps she’d just explain the moment away as a glitch that caught at sleeping fetches. He took one last look out at Docklands. Without the weave there were only buildings, streets and empty spaces to see, rolling up and away until the glare of morning’s spinelight hid them. The living city had covered its face and hidden itself again.
Chapter 30
‘I’d forgotten how efficient the cageware is,’ said Ifor. ‘You’ve got no weavetrace at all. If I couldn’t see you sat in front of me, I wouldn’t believe you were here.’
They were in the back room of a café in the Labokra Food Market. Outside, a thousand shoppers bustled, rooting around for the day’s bargains. Inside, a credit transfer to the café’s owner ensured absolute privacy. He’d grumbled about squishies until Ifor told him how much he’d pay to talk in secret.
‘People won’t accept InSec credits,’ explained Jack. ‘And we can’t travel beyond Docklands. It’s frustrating.’
‘I can imagine. Your society—’
‘Not my society any more.’
‘This society, then. It makes such extensive use of the virtual. They have crippled you by holding you away from it.’
‘I thought I was coming home. But so much of my home was the weave.’
‘And even without that, so much of Station is closed off to you. The Wart, Homelands …’
‘I never really spent much time in the Wart. But I’d love to go back to Homelands. There are gardens there I’d like to walk in, one more time. Malls I’d like to visit.’
[Shitholes,] muttered Fist.
‘Old friends?’
‘None that would acknowledge me.’
‘Your parents?’
‘I visited my father.’ The silence between them stretched out. ‘We didn’t have too much to say to each other.’
‘And your mother?’
‘She’s dead. I haven’t seen her.’
‘I’m sorry, Jack. For her, too. We feel a certain kinship with your poor crippled fetches. They are so close to being pure minds like us. Letting those who claimed to love them treat them so badly is an obscenity. It denies your dead their true potential.’
‘People don’t always like to let the past go.’ Jack thought of Harry and Andrea, of his father’s refusal to roll back his mother. ‘Very few of them are brave enough.’
‘They fear change. It always involves at the very least a little death, an acceptance of limitations. But our time here is limited. We have our own change to discuss. You wish to accept our offer?’
‘I would be honoured to commit to the Totality’s service.’
‘I’m surprised. You seemed so determined to remain independent.’
[ The squishy’s got a point,] Fist advised. [ Better bluff him well!]
Jack picked up his teacup. It was uncomfortably hot to the touch. He blew gently on the surface of the steaming liquid, waking tiny ripples, and took a sip. Heat nipped his tongue.
‘I don’t think anyone’s really independent, Ifor. There are people we’re each connected to, obligations we all have.’
‘You’re referring to Corazon.’
‘You heard about that?’
‘We were saddened by her death. She helped us in our mission here. Her open-mindedness was impressive.’
‘She was a very sharp woman. A sad loss.’
‘We paid our respects to her family and to East.’ Ifor paused. ‘Who let us know that you had been granted certain … special privileges.’ He placed heavy emphasis on the last two words. Another silence fell between them. The café owner was whistling in the room next door; cutlery clinked and rattled as he cleaned it. A poorly tuned buggy snarled past outside.
‘OK,’ said Jack. ‘Fist – manifest.’
Fist appeared, standing on the table. He was dressed in full white tie, a monocle and a top hat.
‘I thought I’d smarten up for our second meeting. How do you do?’
He stuck a little hand out. Ifor reached out and pretended to shake it. ‘The firewall,’ he said, ‘it’s your work?’
‘Yes. We need to pretend that the cage is still fully active.’
‘Most impressive. And now, let us talk openly. You have come to take up our offer of employment, and you intend to use the diplomatic immunity we offer to pursue Corazon’s killers.’
[ He’s very direct, Jack!]
‘Yes,’ admitted Jack. ‘I’m sorry I hid that.’
‘An unfortunate human habit. Is there anything else we should know?’
[Play your cards close to your chest, Jack.]
‘Aud Yamata has had Pantheon-level backing for at least seven years. She killed Corazon, and probably also Harry Devlin, his wife Andrea Hui and Bjorn Penderville. Fetches of those involved were either corrupted or caged. I was sent away to fight because I was too close to exposing her and her patron. They’re still active, still dangerous and they want Fist. Gods know what they’ll do with him. I can’t let it happen. I intend to find out who’s supporting Yamata and expose both of them.’
[Oh, for gods’ sake.]
‘A very personal quest.’
‘They broke my life. I’ve lost people I love. And I don’t want to see Fist and his powers abused by those bastards. They’ve done enough damage already.’
‘Excellent points. If your little friend fell into the wrong hands it could be dangerous for us too. But I worry that emotion has clouded your judgement; that supporting you would hurt us. We are in very delicate negotiations with your Pantheon just now, Jack.’
‘Fist and I are very discreet. We were built to work in secret. And I’m sure you’d rather be confident you’re negotiating with the Pantheon’s more trustworthy elements.’
‘East has made it known that she would be grateful if we were to support you.’
‘Such gratitude would, I’m sure, translate into support for some of your key requests.’
‘Indeed. Her image management capabilities would also be very useful to us as we grow our presence on Station. You are sure of Pantheon corruption?’
‘There’s no doubt about it.’
‘Proof of that, shared appropriately, would also help us build a future we could both approve of.’
‘I hope you won’t expect me to hide anything from Station’s authorities.’
‘We might perhaps ask you to ensure that it reaches us before it reaches them.’
‘I’ve said before I won’t play favourites.’
‘And you have no love for the Pantheon. We at least proceed on the basis of rational thought and a commitment to the general good, rather than naked self-interest.’
‘I’ll think about that, Ifor.’
‘That is generous of you. Oh, and one more thing …’
‘Yes?’
‘I cannot overemphasise the importance of discretion. I’ll send you a search brief. You must be seen to stick to it. More personal investigations must be well hidden.’
‘We’ve had a lot of practice at that.’
‘Oh, we know,’ countered Ifor. ‘To our cost.’
At that, Jack felt ashamed. Fist just tittered.
There was little more to be said. Outside, the light was dimming. Ifor stopped Jack at the door.
‘The Totality is very grateful for your help.’
Ifor put his hand out to shake. His nanogel was surprisingly soft and cold to the touch. Jack’s grip bent his fingers slightly out of shape.
[Keep squeezing,] whispered Fist. [See if you can pop him!]
[ Forget your programming for once.]
Ifor pulled his collar up and his hat down, and lost himself in the bustle of the marketplace. Half an hour later, the Totality confirmed Jack’s diplomatic status. He packed his little suitcase, said an apologetic goodbye to Charlie, found the best hotel he could and booked himself in.
Within twenty minutes, InSec were banging at his door. Jack flashed his diplomatic tags and told them to fuck off. Fist cackled. Half an hour later, he was asleep. Next morning, there were messages from Lestak and Harry, and a file from Ifor. Jack skipped over Lestak’s rage to Harry’s message. ‘Fist was right. It’s her. Get over here.’ Ifor’s file included a search plan for streets in Chuigushou Vale and Violin Gardens and access codes for mind detection software.