Laldasa (42 page)

“Oh, he doesn't know!” exclaimed Ana in a breathless voice. “That's what makes it fun! Why, he thinks the young man we bought last week is my cousin, can you believe it?” She laughed again.

“I see. Well, then I will look forward to greeting you personally tomorrow morning. Will there be others in your party?”

“Oh, no. Just me, I think.”

“Very well, then. Until tomorrow, Rani.”

“Thank you, Devaki-sa,” said Ana and cut the connection.

Hadas gripped her arm. “Take me with you, Ana. Please.”

“You could, if I was going, but I'm not.”

“I don't understand. You said-“

Ana shook her head. “It didn't feel right, Hadas. That's why I called. I wanted to talk to one of them—to hear a voice. She didn't even ask how I knew about this private auction, but she did make sure I wouldn't be bringing anyone with me—especially Jaya.”
 

Now Hadas's eyes were mere slits. “You think it's a trap?”

“Well, think of it, Hadas—how did I get a reputation at the Badan-Devaki as a redeemer of lost Avasans? As far as anyone knew, Jivinta Mina bought you for me as a toy. The same kind of toy Vanam Sanoh would be for this ‘client.'”

“Perhaps some rumor of what happened at the Mesha Fest ... ?”

Ana shook her head. “It feels like a trap.”

“What if you're wrong? What if Vanam Sanoh really is in the dalali? If we don't do something-“

“I didn't say I wasn't going to do something. I said I wasn't going to the auction. That place is a business, not a fortress. I'm sure there are ways to get in. Especially since they're expecting me to walk in through the front door, not sneak in the back unannounced.”

Hadas came to his feet, his face flushed with excitement. “You know Jaya Rai would never permit you to do this.”

“Jaya Rai can't prevent what he doesn't know about. And you are not going to tell him, are you?”

“I wouldn't think of it ... because I'm going with you.”

“No. It will only take one person to slip in and check their files.”

“Check their files?”

“Even if Vamam Sanoh is no longer there, I can still get into their database and see if their ‘inventory' matches our list. I want to know where the Lost Ones have gone.”

He perched close to her, on the arm of her chair. “How? How can you access their files? They could have a whole different system.”

“I've seen the terminals. They're just like these.” She patted the top of the vicom. “Paran 50's. We use the same model at home. Chances are they use a commercial database for their inventory. I know a fair amount about databases, having been responsible for tracking the equipment for a mining compound for the last five years. Even if the software is unfamiliar, I can set the terminal for audio input. Then I won't even have to use entrance codes, I can make plain verbal requests.”

“But what if someone hears you?”

“I'll whisper.”

She got up and tucked the note into the waistband of her pantalons. “Now, I just need to talk to Govi.”

Hadas was nothing if not persistent. “What if the terminal is voice imprinted and doesn't acknowledge you? It could set off an alarm.”

“Hadas! In the name of Tara-ji, don't be so paranoid. Voice imprinting would be highly unlikely in files that have to be open to the Census. Alarms! That's something out of fiction.”

“You're being naïve. They're running an illegal business-“

“I'm sure the files that track their payments to the thieves are coded up as tight as a sunburn. But it's legal for them to buy and sell yevetha—Avasan or otherwise. They'd have no reason to put a lock-out on their inventory files. As a matter of fact, if they did, it would probably arouse suspicions somewhere in the Census Ministry. Now, calm down and go talk Ari or Dana into getting beaten senseless at Pariyati.”

She started to leave, but found his hand on her arm.

“Take me with you, Ana. You need someone to back you up. Please. I can't let you do this alone.”

She shook her head. “I can't ask anyone else to jeopardize themselves, Hadas. This is my crusade.”

“No, it's our crusade. I'm Avasan too. And you're not asking—I am. I may have led a softer life than you have, but I'm a good athlete. I can climb, run, swim.”

“Thank you, Hadas. But I don't think I'll be doing any swimming. Now, come on. Let me go see Govi.”

“Then at least let me in on the plan,” Hadas begged. “Just in case something goes wrong. I could tell the Nathu Rai.”

She hesitated, then gave a reluctant nod, acknowledging the wisdom of that. “All right. But you tell no one what I'm doing.”

He nodded in solemn agreement, then followed her in search of Govi.

oOo

The Rani met Jaya in the salon of her suite, dressed impeccably in pale amber silks that set her tawny complexion off to great advantage.

“Going out?” he asked coolly.

“I have a dinner engagement in Kasi.” She checked the timepiece on her wrist. “How long will this take?”

“That depends on you.”

“Oh dear. I recognize that voice. Well ... ”

She moved to a low couch and made herself comfortable on it. “There, I'm ready. What are we going to snarl at each other about today?”

“Ana.”

The Rani nodded exaggeratedly. “Oh, yes. Ana.”

“I'll get right to the point. You know Ana is Rokh Nadim's daughter. You know she's been made dasa. Now, what do you intend to do with that information?”

The Rani studied her presently golden fingernails. “You mean, will I tell Duran Prakash?”

“Will you?”

She looked up at him. He was standing in an almost defensive position; rod-straight and tense, as if facing a physical threat.

He must have stood like that outside the gates the day they attacked him—whoever “they” really were. Faceless, cowardly— how dare they touch him, the Sarojin Prince—her son? She nearly cried out aloud at a sudden intense desire to hold him; to gather him into her arms as if he were still her little boy—as if he were not a tall, threatening stranger.

She tried to make her voice sound cold and distant, but didn't manage it well. It came out hushed and strained. “I'm afraid that's rather academic at this juncture, Jaya. He already knows.”

Jaya's face drained of color. “How?”

She shrugged, still struggling for composure. “I have no idea. He wanted me to get her out of the Palace. He said she was an agent of AGIM or some such nonsense. I told him I didn't appreciate being lied to and threw him out.”

“Lied to? I don't understand. You know she's Anala Nadim, why not believe she's an AGIM agent?”

“She told me everything; how you met, how she got the dascree.”

“You believed her?”

“She's Rohin. Her story made sense. His didn't.” She shrugged again. “He admitted he was lying.”

Jaya shook his head bemusedly. “So you threw him out. For good?”

“Permanent exile. That will no doubt bring tears of joy to your eyes.”

“I'm celebrating already.”

“Hmmm. Well, the fact remains—he knows who your ‘cousin' really is. He stated, quite bluntly, that her presence here is endangering your life.”

Jaya lowered himself to the arm of a chair opposite his mother's couch. “He knows who she is, yet he hasn't told the Inner Circle. He suggested to the Deva Radha that I might be prejudiced by my relationship with her, but that was all. Why, I wonder?” He glanced at the Rani. “And you—you didn't help him remove her. Why?”

“I can't really say. Pride, I suppose—the wounded variety. Or maybe ... the vestiges of self-respect. Or maybe because I knew if I did help him, my son would never forgive me. You couldn't forgive me for that, could you?”

“No. No, I don't think I could.”

“She's important to you, this Avasan?”

He nodded.

“Well, then, it seems I've done something right, after all.”

Jaya exhaled sharply and stared at the carpet between his feet. “Thank you, mother.”

“You're welcome. Is there anything else?”

He glanced up at her. “Yes. You told Ana someone warned you I was getting involved in an investigation of some Avasan kidnappings. Who was it—Prakash?”

“No, not Prakash. It was Bel Adivaram.
 
... What? What's wrong?”

Jaya had risen slowly to his feet, his face eloquent with astonishment.

“Is that so surprising? He's been close to the family since your Father-“

“What did he say to you? Tell me everything, Mata. Everything you can remember.”

“He said you were—how did he put it—‘championing the cause of Avasan yevetha,' and that you were putting your life in danger by doing so. I swear, Jaya, if one more person tells me your life is in danger, I'll scream.”

“Mother, please-“

She waved him down. “All right, I'll attempt to stay to the point. Bel said he was investigating these kidnappings, as you call them, as a matter of Zone security. He said a ring of thieves were stealing Avasan id to benefit one of the local dalalis. He said he suspected some of the involved parties were highly placed politically and that you were putting yourself at odds with them. He said his officers had tried to warn you off, but that you wouldn't listen. He asked me to try to influence you to ... ” She stopped, staring at her son's nearly gray face. “I thought ... I thought he was just being ... a friend.”

“All lies,” said Jaya, his voice barely above a whisper. “Or at least, most of it. Yes, there are kidnappings; yes, there are probably highly-placed people involved—but I know of no investigation except ... mine, and no one warned me about anything. If Bel Adivaram knew about my concern over the Avasans, he kept it to himself when I was around.”

“You never discussed it with him?”

“Never.”

The Rani nodded. “He said something else, too. He said—or rather, he implied—that those so-called Worker's Coalitionists who attacked you were nothing of the kind. That they were sent to dissuade you from prying into this kidnapping business because you were a threat to the people behind it.”

Jaya shook his head. “The first time I even mentioned the kidnappings to Adivaram's Sarngin was the morning of the attack. In fact, we were on our way back from the Port Zone Headquarters when it happened. There was barely enough time for anyone to decide I was a threat and send out those thugs. No, Mata. That attack was staged on behalf of the Consortium—either directly or indirectly—I'm not sure which. Someone thought they could frighten me into voting pro-KNC. All they did was induce the Deva Radha to throw the case out of the Vrinda Varma and place it before the Circle.”

“Bel knew that?”

“Of course, he knew that. He was in Chambers.”

“But he wanted me to think otherwise ... for some reason.”

“Yes. For some reason.”

The Rani knew a desperation born of fear. “Jaya, what is happening here? What is Bel doing? What is he part of? Is he—is he a friend or an enemy?”

“I don't know.”

“My God, Jaya, who can we trust?”

His eyes met hers—huge and brilliant in his ashen face.

“Apparently, no one,” he said.

They sat in silence for a moment, each trying to absorb meanings and ramifications. Trying to remember who had said this or that. Trying to sort friend from foe.

At length, the Rani had had enough of the silence. “What will you do?”

“I'll make sure our security is tight. I'll have everyone who tries to enter searched twice and I'll take an armed guard to the Asra Complex tomorrow. When we testify, we'll tell the Circle everything we know.”

“That ... could ruin a few people.”

“I'm beginning to hope so.”

“One of them could be your Uncle Namun. If the Consortium is ruined, it will be very hard on Vedda Technologies.”

“Uncle Namun once observed to me that he feared that to deal with the KNC was to deal with demons. If the KNC is a Consortium of demons, then they deserve ruin.”

The Rani grimaced, shaking her head. “Ji, it must run in the family.”

“What?”

She shrugged away a wave of fondness. “You're just like your father. You remember how it was with him—he was always in the forefront of some crusade. Sometimes I teased him about believing he was the God-defender of the Down-trodden—the Guardian of Every Right.” She smiled wryly. “The Consortium was no great friend of his, either.”

Jaya nodded. “I seem to recall that. I didn't really understand that—how he could be so close to Namun and yet throw himself into a pitched battle with the institution that was the source of so much of Uncle Namun's working capital. I don't recall that there was ever a bit of strain between them over it.”