Zero (18 page)

“
Where are you going?” Hugo halted as Harvey stopped at a cross-section.

“
I got my own points that might know something.”

“
You're safer with us,” Rami said.

“
Not if you're going to see that bitch,” Harvey grunted. “Give her a kick in the teeth from me.” And then Harvey melted away into the crowd.

“
Do you think she'll come back?”

Rami shrugged.
“I don't know. I think she'd like to see an end to the Splinters as much as anyone. Whether she is truly willing to risk her skin though... I suppose time will tell. Come on Captain. Shuttle port's just down here. Evangeline Webb's got a lounge on this line.”

“
You know her?”

Rami shook her head as she lead the way.
“Zeek's had some dealings with her. I've never met her.”

“
Are they related?”

Rami frowned at him.
“No, sir. The name Webb is for Horatio Webb.”

Hugo had to think for a moment.
“Lunar 1's founder?”

She nodded.
“It's the name the youth units give kids that don't have or know their own. Zeek thinks it's the Nova nuns' way of making sure the Orbit never forgets just how Horatio's grand vision turned out.”

They went down some stairs into the underground shuttle station. They passed a man sprawled on the bottom step, naked apart from a wrap of filthy blankets. He clutched a sheet of scrap metal that had words daubed on it in what looked like engine fuel. As Hugo got closer he could read
strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God
.

People rushed past without looking. Hugo could smell him as they moved onto the shuttle platform.

A shuttle was just rattling in and Rami ducked and dodged the crowds and got aboard. Hugo scrambled to follow and got on just as the doors were closing. There were seats free but Rami didn't move to sit so Hugo took a handhold next to her and attempted to glance around without making it obvious. There was a large spacer leant up against the wall further down, scowling at a computer panel and a couple of women in medic tunics sat with their heads bent together, whispering. There was also a child curled up across two of the seats, face turned into the cushion. He peered at her to make out she was, in fact, breathing but then looked away when Rami prodded him in the ribs and shook her head.

“
When we get off, Captain,” she said, voice so low her lips barely moved, “we should put in a call to Commander Webb. See what he can tell us about Evangeline.”

“
Why not now?”

Rami shook her head again.
“Best get somewhere a bit quieter. Or a lot noisier.”

Hugo blinked as the shuttle emerged into the wan light of the colony's day-cycle. The shuttle rattled its way between the tops of megastructures, the bottoms of which were lost in shadow. He watched the shelves of the rim-levels and docks disappear behind them as the shuttle lumbered towards the interior of the colony. Crafts zoomed by on skyways and he couldn't stop himself clutching the handhold tighter as the shuttle rattled over the joints in the rail. It slowed down and coughed itself to a halt at a platform
at the top of one of the spacescrapers. The medics got off and a couple more people got on and then they were off again.

Rami nudged him as they pulled into the next stop and Hugo took the lead and stepped off the shuttle. He was pleased to have solid concrete under his feet again.
He followed Rami into the spacescraper and as she wove her way amongst the crowds to a food court. Most of the plastic tables were empty and Rami picked one near the edge, furthest away from the nearest diners but not too close to the foot-traffic heading through the level.

She hunched over the table and tapped a few commands into her wrist panel.
“
Zero
, this is Rami. Come in,
Zero
.”

“
Webb here,” came the tinny voice. “How's it going?”

“
We might have something,” Rami said. “Harvey said we should check out Evangeline Webb.”

“
She did?”

“
Yeah,” Rami said. “It sounds like she might be on to something. Any suggestions?”

“
Is the captain with you?”

“
I'm here, Commander,” Hugo said. “Tell us what you know about this point.”

He heard Webb sigh.
“She's a typical fence. All business. She sets up contacts, brokers deals, that sort of thing. It wouldn't surprise me if she took the chance to make credit on what the Splinters have got cooking. Just… be careful. She can't know you're out to mess up one of her revenue streams.”

“
Do you think she'll talk to us?”

“
Make her think you're desperate and watch her eyes light up,” Webb replied. “We just better make sure we're done and off this colony before she figures it out.”

“
Very well, Commander,” Hugo said. “We will report back once we're done.”

“
Watch your backs.”

“
We will. Out.” Rami pulled her sleeve back over her wrist panel. “You ready, Captain?”

“
As I'll ever be,” he said. He paused, chewing on the inside of his cheek for a moment. “What should I do, Lieutenant?”

“
I'll do the talking, Captain,” she said with a polite glance away. “Just get in the headspace of someone whose luck's all drawn out and you won't go far wrong.”

“
Shouldn't be hard,” Hugo said as they stood.

Rami made her way back out into the foot traffic and towards a bank of express lifts. Hugo remembered Tranquillity and
Sturm Hafen
and mentally schooled himself to be calm. The lift opened on a much quieter level. There was an open space before the lifts with a fountain in the middle. There was graffiti all over the marble and the benches around it were battered, but a stream of water still glittered from the top. All around the space were bar fronts and cafés, neon signs flashing their names and offers. The chrono display on the wall confirmed that it was before midday, Lunar 1 time, but there was still a few people milling about. Not enough people to hide amongst, however, which made Hugo's skin itch.

He lengthened his stride to keep pace with Rami as she checked the bar and club names until they turned a corner and she paused outside one called
The Seven Sisters
. The doors were open and there was faint music coming from inside.

“
Okay, Captain,” Rami said. “Here we go. Just follow my lead.”

Hugo nodded and followed her as she paced into the club. It was dim and virtually empty with only a few people clustered around a couple of card tables in the corner. There was thick carpet underfoot and all the tables were black marble with white strings of stars lasered around their edges. The man behind the bar wore a white shirt and a black tie. He was polishing glasses and watching them. After a glance around, Rami turned and made for one of the booths. She sat down and Hugo watched as she hunched her shoulders and bent over the table, starting to leaf through the information in the table-top display. Hugo sat beside her, making himself focus on the show and drink listings that Rami was flicking through and attempting to adopt the same sort of nervous posture.

A waitress in a smart white shirt and black tie like the barman appeared with a notepanel. “Are you guys after a drink?”

Rami looked up. She paused, blinking with wide eyes, swallowed then said,
“Is Mistress Webb around?”

The waitress eyed them a moment. “She’s unavailable. I can help you though, I'm sure. What would you like? We are well known for our stock of Old Europe wines. Perhaps you'd like to try one with some lunch? We have some great specials today.”

Rami didn't twitch. “We'd like to speak to Evangeline. We're a crew.”

The waitress's eyes flicked from Rami to Hugo and back again.
“Pretty small crew.”

Rami made a good show of gathering patience.
“We represent a crew.”

“
You the captain?”

“
I am,” Hugo said and the waitress's eyes locked on him. “Evangeline has been... recommended to us. We hoped we might get a minute of her time.”

The girl weighed them up a moment longer.
“Wait here,” she said and then strode across the lounge to a door behind the bar and vanished through it. Rami let out a breath when she was out of sight and exchanged a glance with him. She gave a tiny nod then went back to looking through the table display. The barman kept polishing his glasses and watching them. Hugo watched the door.

The waitress returned after what seemed like a very long time. Hugo's palms had started to sweat.

“Follow me,” she said and turned and strode away without looking back.

Rami and Hugo stood and followed. The waitress led them through the bar door and then they were heading down a long, white corridor to an express lift. The plexiglass doors slid shut and they were humming upwards. The lift halted and the doors slid open on a room crammed with workstations, display screens showing camera feeds, news reels, stock lists and people. Comms were bleeping and people were passing panels back and forth, but no one looked up. An older man in a smart suit stepped onto the lift and turned his back on them, frowning at a panel in his hand. Hugo could make out at least three holsters under his coat that he didn't seem bothered about concealing.

The doors opened again on a wide, carpeted hallway lit by ornamental sconces. The man turned left and paced away without a glance. They followed the waitress in the other direction. The air was still and quiet and had a sweet tang to it. Hugo felt a wash of disorientation coming on, such was the quiet and luxury after the hubbub of the rest of the block. The walls were painted black with a border of stars. The waitress went past closed doors to a large double-leafed set at the end of the hall. She opened one and ushered them in without a word.

The room had a high ceiling and was open and airy. Tall windows looked out on the grey and blinking spread of
the colony. The carpet and furniture were all black and the walls washed white, and a twisting chandelier flooded the room with soft light. Hugo had barely time to take all this in before a man a head taller than him was stepping up to him, vast chest blocking his view.

“
Arms up,” he said. Hugo obeyed and the man patted down his jacket and shirt, pulling his guns from their holsters. He opened his mouth to protest but Rami, being patted down and relieved of weapons by another equally sizeable bodyguard, caught his eye and shook her head. The two men laid all their guns and knives down on a table beside the door in a neat row and then stood back to stand either side of the door.

Beyond a seating area of low, black couches was a large desk. There was nothing on the smooth surface apart from a couple of paused newsfeeds. Behind it sat a woman a little older than himself, Hugo guessed, but with hair so black it couldn't be natural. It set off her space-pale skin in a way that was striking but unsettling. Her eyes were so light he felt like they were looking right through him but the pale, unpainted lips held an easy smile.

She stood up in one smooth motion and Hugo saw a silver cross glint at her neck above the collar of a tailored dress.

“
Do come sit,” she said, voice too smooth to be welcoming. He waited for Rami to move forward towards the straight-backed chairs in front of the desk before he followed. “Is there something I can help you with?”

“
Mistress Webb,” Rami began.

“
Evangeline, please,” the woman said, seating herself back in her chair.

“
Evangeline,” Rami said, with a smile. “My name is Anita Rami. I'm the lieutenant aboard the
Zero
.”

“
Zero
,
Zero
,” Evangeline murmured, tapping a manicured fingernail against her lips. “I know that ship, I'm sure. Though I have not met you before, my dear.”

“
No, Ma'am,” Rami said. “I think you may have had dealings with our commander. Ezekiel Webb?”

“
Ah,” Evangeline said, smile broadening. “Yes, of course. I remember that young heartbreaker. And how is he?” she said, pale gaze sliding from Rami to Hugo. “Still kicking, I hope?”

“
Yes, Ma'am,” Rami continued. “He was the one who suggested you would be worth talking to.”

“
He did, did he?”

“
Yes, Ma'am.”

“
Darling,” Evangeline said, placing her long-finger hands flat on the desk and leaning forward. “Please do not call me Ma'am. It does make me feel ever so old. Now, does either you or Silent Samuel over here want to get to the point? I am sure you appreciate I am a busy woman.”

Hugo kept his face still and was impressed when Rami didn't flinch.
“Of course,” she said, glancing once over her shoulder at the security men by the door. “Can I speak freely?”