The Last City (14 page)

‘Anything?’ Copernicus finally asked.

‘In short,’ Eli said, ‘Christy Shawe is trying to get the gangs together for the first ever combined uprising. Only Shawe’s losing it, because his brother, Stacy, is missing. The ring we found – it belongs to Stacy. Please never ask me to do that again.’

‘Stacy?’ Copernicus said. ‘He was so young when I left the Gangland, I didn’t even think of him. So he gave the actual ring, or at least a replica, to Stacy – that’s why there are two?’

Eli nodded. ‘Must have, but Shawe is blaming you for Stacy. He’s seriously crazy-angry and he’s coming after you.’

Copernicus gave no sign of concern. ‘Any mention of dark sects?’

Eli shook his head. ‘Honestly, I don’t think Shawe is involved in the crimes. I think his brother may have even become a victim of whatever’s going on.’

The commander considered this in silence.

‘Who were you talking to back there?’ Eli asked.

Copernicus glanced at him. ‘An old friend.’ He said no more.

E
li hurried along the white corridors of Headquarters, his boots squeaking on the shiny surface of the floor. He saw a group of colleagues turn the corner up ahead and darted through one of the many hidden shortcuts he’d discovered in the walls. At the present moment, he didn’t have time to be the centre of entertainment or be embroiled in a long and pointless conversation about someone’s boyfriend. Right now he needed to talk to Jude. He was worried that the commander was in real danger from Christy Shawe and that he wasn’t taking the threat seriously. Eli wasn’t sure what could be more serious than someone wanting to rip off your head and piss in your skull, but the commander was disturbingly unaffected by the notion.

Racing up the flights of stairs, Eli bypassed several floors and came out on the residential level where Jude’s apartment was situated. He found Jude’s door unlocked and slightly ajar and remembered the Ar Antarian saying his apartment security needed to be fixed. He was in the part of the building still functioning on the old system, which Eli hadn’t designed. Eli opened the door and padded in.

Jude’s apartment was neat but functional. He liked neutral tones and had very expensive tastes in everything. His training equipment took up the bulk of the main living area. A can of Androt fuel stood beside the equipment; Eli guessed it was to grease up the working parts of the training gear or for SevenM to drink. Eli headed towards Jude’s study, where his friend could often be found, but slowed at the sound of voices. He came to the end of the corridor and saw a light on in Jude’s bedroom. The door stood open just enough for him to see in. Jude and Diega were in there together. She got out of bed, naked, and started to gather her clothes. They had obviously been making up for a night of arguments and tension. Eli froze, stuck in the moment, not knowing whether to try to leave quietly and maybe get caught, or announce himself and have the embarrassment of explanations of what he had and hadn’t seen.

Jude sat up in the bed, staring at the bedside table where his tinted glasses lay. His eyes were distant in thought. He spoke, his upper-level accent stronger now that he was off duty and in his own place. ‘I’m not saying he should be given a medal of honour or anything, I’m just saying that Christy Shawe is far more intelligent than people give him credit for. If he is orchestrating these murders and abductions, I’m sure he’ll have no loose ends for us to follow back to him.’

‘What are you talking about?’ Diega laughed, pulling up her trousers. ‘What about him leaving his ring at the crime scene? Shawe is as dumb as an iron pole. He’s just got a lot of protection around him. But it’s only a matter of time before he slips up bad and then we’ll have him. Why are you always trying to see more in people than there actually is?’

‘I’m trying to see the truth. Not everything in this life is as black and white as it seems. Sometimes people have no choice but to act in a certain way – do you understand what I mean?’

‘Jude, there aren’t different shades to Christy Shawe, just facts. He’s a gangster and a criminal and he’s Copernicus’ enemy, so he’s my enemy as well, nothing further needed.’

‘That’s a simplistic view of things,’ Jude said.

‘Well I’m sorry we can’t all be educated geniuses like you, with a perfect balance of logic and reason,’ Diega retorted, dragging on her shirt.

Jude leaned out of the bed and caught Diega around the waist. He pulled her down onto his lap and said, ‘And we can’t all be beautiful like you, but somehow we survive.’

Diega smiled and the frustration melted from her expression. She kissed him and he lifted off her shirt. Eli backed away as metal arms and rainbow skin blurred before him. He made it back to the front door without being detected and stepped out into the corridor. He sighed.

‘Eli,’ Copernicus said, right beside him.

Eli jumped and babbled, ‘Hello. I was just visiting Jude, just to talk about stuff, a few random things, nothing important really. What about you?’

‘Visiting Jude,’ the commander said.

‘Great minds think alike, hey,’ Eli giggled.

Copernicus gave him a look that said he knew exactly why he was there then lifted a hand to the door. It swung open.

Eli swallowed and said, ‘Ah, boss, I’d probably knock first.’

The commander stood in the doorway and called out, ‘Jude, Diega – you’re needed!’

Within seconds Diega emerged from the hallway, clipping on her weapon belt. Her hair was ruffled. She looked at Copernicus and a silent undercurrent of something Eli couldn’t quite place flowed between them.

‘Jude’s on the toilet,’ she said bluntly.

‘There have been more incidents,’ the commander said. ‘Another hollowed-out body in Moris-Isles, and a large-scale attack on the Galleria Majora – at least twelve dead.’

Diega cursed and Copernicus continued, ‘I’ll send Jude to Moris-Isles and we’ll cover the Galleria.’

‘What about Keets?’ Diega asked. ‘What if she gets out of hand here? I don’t trust anyone else to know what to do.’

‘Oh . . . I forgot,’ Eli piped up. ‘I hid a spyer under the table in her cell, so we could keep an eye on her.’ He lifted up his communicator and a small hologram of Ev’r Keets’ cell opened above the machine.

‘I’ve been recording her for several hours now,’ he said, skipping through the stored footage.

‘Stop!’ Copernicus commanded.

Eli stabbed at the pause button and the image scrambled then resettled on a picture of Jude entering the cell. Diega leaned in closer, staring at the hologram. Her forehead creased.

‘Is that Jude?’ she asked.

‘Play it,’ the commander said.

Eli hit play and they watched Jude and Ev’r Keets talking. When the conversation ended, no one said anything. Eli, feeling as though his hands were working without his direction, shut down the hologram image and clipped the communicator back on his belt. He shifted uncomfortably, not daring to look up at the commander or Diega. Keets hadn’t said what she would tell the commander if Jude didn’t cooperate, but it was obviously something significant. The silence stretched on and a bad feeling gurgled inside Eli’s stomach.

Jude appeared at the end of the corridor dressed and belted up. ‘Commander.’ He nodded to Copernicus. ‘Hi, Eli.’

His friend gave him a warm smile and Eli winced. He felt so bad. He wished he could shrink to microscopic size and scuttle away.

‘There have been more attacks,’ Copernicus said, his voice controlled. ‘We’ll have to separate, but first we’re all going to talk to Ev’r Keets. She’s left a message with the guardians watching her that she has something important to tell me. Are you ready, Jude?’

The warmth left Jude’s eyes and he swallowed. He spoke with difficulty.

‘No, Commander, I’m not ready.’ He cleared his throat. ‘There’s something I have to tell you first . . .’

‘So tell us,’ Diega demanded. Her skin was vibrant and her stare hard.

Jude wrung his metal hands together. ‘I think I know what Keets is going to say. You . . . you already know I come from a noble family . . .’

Eli found himself nodding.

‘Well I do, and more . . .’ He paused.

‘Yes?’ the commander prompted, his voice dangerously soft.

‘I come from the royal family,’ Jude confessed. ‘I am . . . I am Crown Prince Isaiah U.’

Eli giggled hysterically before he could stop himself, then slapped a hand over his mouth. He glanced at Diega and Copernicus. The Fen looked confused and angry. The commander’s face was completely blank. Jude swayed where he stood, emotion threatening his composure. Eli pitied him. He wanted to say something, but didn’t trust himself to open his mouth.

‘The Crown Prince is dead,’ the commander finally said.

Jude shook his head. ‘When I was thirteen year-cycles my uncle, the Vice-Standard U, tried to have me assassinated. I escaped, so he knows I’m not dead, but not where I am. I didn’t know who to trust. Please understand that I didn’t mean to lie to you.’

‘You didn’t know who to trust?’ Diega repeated. Eli could feel the angry heat rolling off her skin.

‘Why did the Vice-Standard want you dead?’ Copernicus asked.

Jude looked up at the ceiling. He said, ‘Our views clashed.’

‘What views?’ Copernicus pushed.

‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ Diega demanded.

Jude looked from the commander to the Fen and back. ‘Just . . . views about people . . . about races. I didn’t think the way they wanted me to think. I wanted people to have equality,’ he tried to explain. ‘And I didn’t tell you because I haven’t told anyone. I wanted . . .’

‘What?’ Diega said.

‘I wanted to forget, to leave it behind. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.’ Jude moved forward and held out his hand to her.

She stepped back and kept her arms at her sides.

‘I’ve told you things about myself that I haven’t told anyone,’ Diega said. ‘And you’ve been lying to my face.’

‘I haven’t lied,’ Jude insisted.

‘You’re the Crown Prince!’ Diega yelled. ‘I don’t remember that coming up in any conversations!’

‘Diega, it’s me. I’m the same person,’ Jude implored.

He tried to reach out to her again and she yelled, ‘Stay away!’

Jude stopped. He lowered his head. Tears welled in Eli’s eyes.

The commander took control and said, ‘Jude, you and I will need to discuss this further, but first we need to investigate these attacks. Are you fit for duty?’

After a moment, Jude nodded.

Diega shook her head and mumbled something.

‘Then go to Moris-Isles, 9 Delta Street. Diega, you come with me to the Galleria. Eli, stay here, work on analysis of the data we already have. Find us some leads, and lean on Forensics to release the fluid results from the first scene. We need to know exactly who the victims were and exactly what killed them.’

‘Yes, boss,’ Eli said.

The commander’s communicator jolted on his belt and started whistling again. Copernicus thumped his fist into it and Eli flinched at the thought of the extremely delicate components within.

The whistling stopped.

Diega turned her back on Jude and spoke to Eli, her voice flat. ‘Mine’s not working either. I can’t hear my messages. There’s too much static.’

‘I’ll have to work on them more when you get back,’ Eli said. ‘I’ll fix them.’

Diega muttered, ‘Whatever,’ and stalked out the door. Copernicus gave Jude another look and then followed. Jude watched them leave, sorrow clouding his eyes.

‘Don’t worry,’ Eli managed to say. ‘It’ll be okay.’

The Ar Antarian shook his head.

‘I don’t have to start calling you
Your Majesty,
do I?’ Eli heard himself add and cringed, but it brought a smile to Jude’s face and tears to his eyes.

‘No, Eli. I’d really prefer that you didn’t.’

‘Don’t say that or I won’t be able to help myself,’ Eli said. ‘You know I can’t shut up.’

‘And I can’t talk. We’re a good pair,’ Jude said sadly.

‘Speaking of which, has SevenM returned from the Gangland?’ Eli asked him, searching to change the topic, scrambling back to familiar ground where they could stand and talk as friends as they always had.

Jude blinked to see where his robot was. ‘He’s still making his way out. Taking his time so he doesn’t get any unwanted attention.’ He blinked back. ‘He’ll be fine.’

‘I would have carried him, but I’m not strong enough,’ Eli said.

‘I think you’re stronger than you know,’ Jude said quietly. ‘I’d better get going.’

Eli nodded. They walked out into the corridor in uneasy silence and Jude shut the door behind them. He turned to head away and Eli remembered why he had come to the apartment in the first place.

‘Jude, I wanted to talk to you,’ Eli called him back. ‘I don’t know whether this is the right time —’ he suspected it was most definitely not ‘— but you heard what Shawe said in the Gangland. I don’t think the commander’s taking it seriously.’

‘The way I hear it, they’ve been warring for a long time,’ Jude replied.

‘They have, but this is different. Shawe thinks the commander has taken his brother. Who knows what he’ll do to get the boy back.’

‘I agree, but I don’t think I’m in any position to be advising the commander,’ Jude said. ‘He’ll probably end up discharging me – at the least.’

‘Don’t think like that,’ Eli said. ‘You know the boss makes up his own rules and his own mind. You’re a good person – better than all of us. He can see that.’

Jude gave a small smile. ‘Thank you, Eli.’

He turned and walked away and Eli watched him go. ‘Be careful,’ he called out as the Ar Antarian turned the corner.

Jude didn’t hear. He vanished.

Eli sat hunched in front of his workbench. He blinked, his sights pixelated from staring at holo-images for so long. His stomach growled and gnawed at itself from hunger, and Nelly sat on the hardcopy data file he needed, refusing to budge until due attention was given to her. She was still angry at him for leaving her behind when he went to Greenway.

‘You wouldn’t have wanted to go,’ Eli tried to reason with her. ‘A very scary man lives there.’ He gently slid her aside and she berated him in a high chattering voice, her fuzzy cheeks puffed with outrage.

‘I know, I know, but I need to keep working. We’re in a crisis here. Go have a swim. Or eat some fish – look, nice fishies over there.’ He pointed to her dish.

She gave a final disgruntled huff and slunk away.

Eli rubbed his eyes and stared around at all the holo-screens full of information surrounding him. He had so much to do that he didn’t know where to start. There was everything from the crime scenes, the disturbing possibility of a gang uprising, the unofficial flesh and blood project the commander had asked him to think about for his ‘old friend’, and he was also waiting on a reply from the metal specialist.

Eli turned to one of the holo-screens and flicked through the crime-scene images. The image that he had accidentally opened in Greenway flashed up and he saw the spectral-breed’s face pressing out of the wall. He cursed himself for forgetting about it and not telling the commander. On closer inspection, Eli was pretty sure it was a Skilsy Wraith. Several year-cycles ago he’d conducted a study into the different spectral-breed subtypes to add to the combined knowledge of the trackers, but his findings had been limited by the spectrals’ suspicion of anyone outside of their society. The racial group, made up of Wraiths, Phantoms, Midnight Men, Living Ghosts, Deaths and various others, were an extremely secretive people ruled by their own councils and courts. They very rarely communicated with anyone outside their own kind. Some types of spectrals, like Midnight Men, couldn’t even talk. Skilsy Wraiths could, though, and they were also a unique type of spectral, in that each Wraith was born both male and female in one body and could switch between the sexes until they were separated into two different bodies. Eli hadn’t been able to discover when or how this happened. He considered how easy it would be for the Wraiths. They never had to look for a partner because they were born with their very own soulmate attached.