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The story so far: Grim Khonsu is a serialised sci-fi detective noir story, set aboard a vast generation ship. With the Perons all together, Grim has revealed Xavier’s secret — that he’s infected himself with an artificial sentience, and that it’s taking him over. He’s also exposed Xavier and Indrana Cordray’s parts in the murder of Lin Leven-Jacobson. But there’s also the murder of the Damsel to consider — and Grim accuses Aveline Peron of this deed.
I wasn’t sure what was more entertaining — Aveline’s wide-eyed gasp or the look of surprise on the faces of the others.
For a moment there was silence broken only by the sharp in-rush of air. Then Natuche snorted.
“Oh, this is rich,” she said. “Our Aveline’s a killer?”
“Only gave the instruction. Although that still makes the act her responsibility. No, she hired someone to do the deed.”
Aveline found her voice, caught it as she leaned so far forward she slid off the seat, only the table holding her in place. “That’s preposterous!” She slapped a hand on the table. “How would I know where to find a … an assassin?”
I shrugged. “You hired a low-life degenerate to investigate Xavier.”
“That’s different.”
“And I did a bit of digging. For someone who works in financials, you’re messy. Edges of things, people use wallets, not straight transfers. Too many medium-sized withdrawals with no matching receipts, and any half-decent hound’s gonna suspect a wallet somewhere. Sure, those things are encrypted and anonymous, but there are markers. Hard to spot, but my assist’s pretty damned smart.”
“A rare compliment,” Lola whispered in my ear. “Should I be honoured or be concerned for your state of mind?”
It almost sounded like she was enjoying herself. Well, as much as a bunch of algorithms could enjoy themselves.
“All those transfers add up,” I continued. “Into a wallet, and then … then where, Aveline? What could you possibly need to pay for that required so much subterfuge?”
Her mouth flapped a few times before she shook her jaw back into place. “You’re being ridiculous. Besides, why would I want to have this Damouselle person killed?”
“Damsel. And you know her name. Knew she’s been a go-between for Xavier, too. So when I didn’t seem too keen on taking your case, you decided a little blood would pique my interest. Reckoned I only got off on stiffs.” I shook my head. “Don’t know which pisses me off more — the low esteem you hold for me, or the fact that it worked.”
There was a twitch of a smile in her eyes. “So you’re saying I knew this person was working with Xavier. That implies I knew what he was up to, or at least had a good idea. If that’s the case, why would I need to hire someone like you?” The flicker in her eyes became a smug tilt of her head.
“Good question.” I looked around the table, held the gaze of each person for a couple of seconds. Even Colville, who tried looking away. “Anyone got any ideas?”
“I’m sure you’ll tell us your thoughts on the matter,” Xavier said.
“Don’t want to risk saying the wrong thing and making a fool of yourself? Or are you scared that sentience in your system’s going to take control of your mouth, come out with something damning?”
“You won’t goad me like that, Grim.”
“Fun trying, though. So, Aveline knew all about your little scheme. Hardly surprising, when everyone else knew. That’s the way it works, right? The Peron arrangement means you don’t only share a residence and each other’s beds. You share work. Said it before, but it’s worth repeating. Xavier, you’re the figurehead, the one with the contacts in the right place to get stuff done. Colville’s research — brilliant work, but doesn’t have what it takes to take theory into practice, not something dodgy like this. Natuche is legal, independently and with her old partner Nathan. And Aveline deals with finances. Looks after your accounts, pulls funding from sources all over, feeds accounts through accounts, makes things look all prime. So of course she knew what you were up to.”
“Isn’t this old ground?” Indrana asked?”
“Making sure we’re all up to speed. So, one big happy family. Only, Aveline wants out. Doesn’t like the rest of you, and you don’t like her. Not much of a secret, right?”
Xavier lifted a hand and waved it towards Aveline. “The arrangement has generous exit clauses.”
“Sure. Leave and stay mute, and Aveline’s set to get more bonus each year than someone on basic sees in a lifetime. More than enough to live off comfortably. Except that she’s not so hot with her own finances. Made too many dodgy deals that backfired. Your exit pay-off won’t go far enough. So she needs more.”
Aveline opened her mouth to say something, but thought better of it. Wasn’t as stupid as she came across, then.
“Arrangement’s a fancy work, Xavier. Reckon Natuche has gone over it a few times, sprinkled it with a void-ton of ambiguity. But if the arrangement can be nullified, assets and finances get split evenly. Not many causes for that nullification — don’t reckon that’s the legal word, but it’ll do. Someone breaching the arrangement puts the whole thing in jeopardy. As does someone using the arrangement to commit major crimes. Like pushing into practical testing that doesn’t only cross protocols but stomps on them like they don’t exist.”
I sat back in the silence, watched eyes dart accusations around the room, watched gazes seek comfort.
“Aveline gets someone to dig up hard evidence against you, Xavier, and the arrangement collapses. Which means she gets a far larger payout. Almost enough to have some left over after paying off her debts. Only, if she’s guilty of a major crime too, she’s screwed.” I turned to face the woman. “And the hounds don’t look too kindly on people who arrange murders.”
Prodding the beast always has consequences. Aveline grunted as she stood, the chair flying back. She reached into her pocket, and her hand emerged holding a blaster.
It was a Priton, the one she’d bought a few days ago. She pointed it at me and switched to a two-handed stance. Which looked pathetic, with something as small as a Priton.
“You won’t use that thing,” I said. “Hiring a killer’s one thing. Pulling the trigger on an unarmed man’s something else.”
“How do I know you’re unarmed?”
I looked to Xavier. “You want to remind her about security? Scans in the main lobby, but you’ve got further scans in your main door, and your lobby. If I’d been carrying, it would’ve set alarms ringing through your holos.”
“That’s private information, but correct.” Xavier sat back, looked like he was almost enjoying himself. “And the shields also prevent unauthorised connection to Khonsu. So, Aveline my dear, he’s not only unarmed but also in no position to call for help.”
“Xavier Peron’s shields have so far failed to detect my circumvention,” Lola whispered in my ear. “I can summon the appropriate authorities on your command.”
It wasn’t time yet. I still had no hard proof of anything. And the gun in Aveline’s hand made things interesting. I felt a tingle as I began to detach.
“You won’t shoot me, Aveline.”
“You don’t know that.”
She held the weapon steady, aimed at my head. The reading on the side was set to mid-power. A direct hit would hurt. If I were unlucky it might be fatal.
I didn’t fully detach. It’s usually all-or-nothing, but this time I knew I still had control, but my body was primed to take over in the tensing of a trigger finger.
“Put the gun down,” I told Aveline.
“Listen to him,” Colville said, and I struggled to remember if this was the first time he’d spoken during this meeting. “We … we don’t want anyone getting hurt.”
Aveline kept the gun trained on me, but snapped her head around to face Colville. “People are already hurt. I’m hurting. Not that you’d care about that, you insensitive bastard. You’re as bad as him.” A shift in her gaze showed ‘him’ to be Xavier.
Colville raised a hand, palm towards Aveline. “That’s not…”
“Oh, shut it! You only accepted me into the arrangement because Xavier wanted me. And that was only because of my connections.” The gun trembled. “I’m right, aren’t I, Xavier? You were never interested in me, only what I could bring.”
She swung the gun to point at Xavier.
He grinned at her. “You think killing me will solve your problems? Kill Grim by all means — I’ll even help you dispose of the body. But if you kill me, you lose.”
“I’ll be rid of you!”
“Not in the way you want. You kill me, and you get to spend a long time in a cold, lonely cell. Grim’s not the only one with insight into your personal finances, my dear. And I know you don’t have enough to bribe the authorities. You kill me, and you have nothing. Shoot Grim, and we can work something out. He’s been fishing for evidence this whole time, but he has nothing. Once he’s out of the way, our greatest threat is gone. Once he’s dead, we can have another look at the exit clauses, my dear.”
“I’m worth more than a measly pay-off. I brought you those backers, you bastard. Without me, you’d still be floundering with those pathetic deals you’d already made. I’ve given you so much, and in return you treat me like nothing!”
“You should’ve learnt to please him,” Natuche said. She sat with one arm stretched on the table, almost smiled.
Aveline spun the gun to let Natuche see the dangerous end. “That’s your job, you hussy!”
Natuche raised her eyebrows. “Hussy? Is that the best you can do? And I’ll have you know I’m an artist. I’m sure Xavier would agree.” She looked at him and licked her lips in a way that widened his eyes.
“Shut up!” The gun quivered. She had her finger hovering over the trigger, not quite resting on it. Those financial records showed time spent at a range. She hadn’t been socialising.
“And all this is beside the point,” Xavier said. “You’ve got nothing to gain from shooting any of us, dear Aveline. Shoot Grim, put the gun down, and we’ll pretend this never happened.”
Aveline snorted. “You think I can pretend you’ve been treating me like shit all these years?”
Colville stood, arms stretched as if he could physically push Xavier and Aveline to the edges of the room. “Please! We don’t need to argue. We can talk this through.”
Aveline rested her finger on the trigger. “No. Because you never listen. None of you do! You don’t care about me!”
“We do!” Colville pleaded.
The noise that bubbled from Aveline’s throat was deep and cracked, barely human, and it rose into a shriek as the Priton trembled, as her finger twitched.
And she fired.