Mark Tiedemann - Chimera

"It's such a good offer," Towne said.

He came around the small table and an attendant immediately began clearing off the dishes. Another removed the table, and a third took away the chair.

Towne took Coren's upper right arm in a massive hand that nearly encircled his bicep. "Walk with me, Mr. Lanra."

Coren moved without thinking. There was no question of refusing.

Towne guided him deeper into the arboreta. The scents of various flowers mingled, almost too sweet. The colors competed for his eye.

"Do you like it?" Towne asked.

"It's…astonishing."

"Not entirely decorative. Beautiful, yes, but this is a working facility. There are several plots of non-Terran plantlife."

"Isn't that…?"

"Illegal? No, we have permission. Well, for most of them. A few unexpected forms got in with the authorized seeds and have proven useful. We do a substantial business in pharmaceuticals, as well as our industrial divisions. "

Coren glanced back in the direction of the "accident" and shuddered.

"No, that wasn't caused by an alien plant," Towne said. "Not directly, at least. We manage the biospheres here better than that. What you saw was a deliberate attempt to kill me. A very fast-acting substance-something we call a decompiler-was introduced in a standard defoliant. The plants we grew there possessed a method of self-defense that produced a cloud of protein molecules as they tried to rid themselves of the infection-in this instance a hopeless task, but it kept the poor things spewing vapor. I liked to eat there because the molecules so produced have a very pleasant aroma and a side benefit for the palate. Anyway, the moment this compound, which the plants continuously kept in the air, came into contact with flesh, it reacted with the adiposa and began to work faster. Much faster. One of my gardeners wandered in there just before lunch a few day sago. The entire plot was reduced to the state you saw in about ten minutes."

"Um…" Coren worked to keep the image out of his head and failed. "So someone is trying to assassinate you?"

"Absolutely."

"What does this have to do with me?"

"Nothing. That's why I called you. I live within thick layers of security, Mr. Lanra. For someone to get that close…"

Coren nodded, understanding perfectly. "You don't trust your own staff."

"There are a few, of course, but I'm not sure I would secure the results I need if I were to put them to finding the traitor. I think it would be better done by an outsider, someone not overly familiar with the situation or the personnel involved."

"I suppose its pointless to ask if there was surveillance."

"Constant. We have nothing. We've reviewed the record and nothing unusual happened. I have one gardener for that plot-had, I should say-and he was the only one recorded tending the area. I doubt he would have been stupid enough to step into his own trap had he laid it."

"It would be extreme. Any idea who ordered it?"

"Oh, yes, I have a very good idea. I can't prove it. And I'd rather not say just now."

At that point, Towne released Coren's arm and stopped. Coren turned to face him.

"I would rather wait till I hear your answer," Towne said.

Coren shook his head. "Any other time, Mr. Towne, I might consider it. But just now…"

"I'll pay you half a million credits. Half now, half when your investigation is successful."

Coren's breath exploded as if he had been punched.

"Don't be shocked, Mr. Lanra, I'm very serious. This is worth considerably more to me than a half million."

"Forgive me, Mr. Towne…" Coren swallowed. "You must know that I can't accept. I have other responsibilities right now-"

"Looms' election? You can't think he'll win. Besides, I know that you've essentially delegated his security to your subordinate. "

"That's not the only thing, but I do owe some loyalty to Mr. Looms. How would it look if I left his employ now?"

Towne nodded. "It would look bad. I won't try to tell you that his election would be an inconvenience to Imbitek. Seeing him fail would hardly be unwelcome. But I think he will, anyway. So do you. Or you 're not as smart as I thought. "

"Still, I'm engaged in a project that I can't let drop. In a few days I might be able to reconsider-"

"In a few days I could be dead."

"Then let me recommend another-"

"I want you, Mr. Lanra. I'm not interested in second best." Towne cocked his head to one side. "More money? Name your price, we can negotiate."

"This is a personal matter."

"Very much so. "

"For me. I'm afraid I can't. Not right now."

Towne looked about to say more, then closed his mouth. He shrugged. "I'm sorry, then. I'll have my people take you back to your office. Don't fret, Mr. Lanra, I'm not the vindictive sort." He pursed his lips. "This personal issue. Perhaps I could help. I'm not without resources."

Coren hesitated. Towne's offer took on new possibilities. He could not use his own security people to find Nyom's killer, but it would have been good to have the help. He ran through a number of ways he might take advantage of Imbitek's security.

No, it was too complex. He did not have the time to work it out, build the appropriate firewalls, exercise the desired level of control.

"That's very generous," Coren said carefully. Damn, it's tempting…

"I think I can wait one more day," Towne said. "Let me know." He looked to his left then, and gestured. "Thank you for taking the time to talk with me, Mr. Lanra. "

The pair of security that had accompanied Socras appeared then. They escorted Coren back through the lush garden. He paused before the dead foliage on the way out, fascinated in spite of his decision.

Decompilers? he wondered. He instructed his Desk to run a thorough sweep on the office for eyes and ears. When the Desk reported none, Coren was surprised. He hefted his hemisphere, wondering how else they might set up surveillance.

I don't have time for this…

"What about the searches? Report."

"Of the twenty-three names you designated for records searches, partial correlations have been found as far back as twenty-eight years. Eight of them attended the same university together. Sixteen have military service records. Twelve share relatives through marriage."

"Give me the highest factor of commonality."

"Investment."

No surprise there, he thought. Every one of those twenty-three names was moneyed. "Any particular stock?"

"Nova Levis Corporation. All of them were primary shareholders. "

"Nova Levis? The colony or the lab?

"The lab."

"You said 'were: They are no longer investors?"

"The corporation ran for eight years without showing a profit and was consequently closed."

"Sold? To who?"

"Purchased outright by the Kysler Diversified Group. Debt paid out of available funds plus sale of equipment and patents."

Kysler…the same company that owned those shipments diverted to make room for Nyom's baleys…?

"What patents?" he asked.

"Unknown at this time. Do you wish another search?"

"Yes. Who was on the board of directors?"

"Unknown."

"Did any of those twenty-three sell early?"

"Three: Kyas Vol, Tenebra Patis, and Rega Looms."

"How early?"

"Joint sale, three years after purchase of shares."

"Did any other shareholders who are not on this list of twenty-three sell at that time?"

"One. Gale Chassik."

"The Solarian Ambassador?"

"Presently. He was not ambassador at the time."

Coren considered. "I want a complete dossier on Nova Levis Corporation. For the time being, though, how does this figure into Ree Wenithal's career?"

"Ree Wenithal was an operative of EuroSector Bureau of Criminal Investigation. His last case involved research into Nova Levis Corporation as one of several laboratories suspected as collusive entities in a kidnapping ring. Results proved inconclusive, no action taken."