Mark Del Franco - Skin Deep

“You didn’t find that odd?” she asked.

Foyle shrugged. “Not until this moment. I was at a meeting with the senator when the call came in. Alfrey was there. He offered to help.”

“Why the secrecy?”

Foyle frowned. “I needed help I couldn’t get. He had security clearance through the senator. I made the call.”

“And you didn’t find it odd that Janice Crawford and Jonathan Sinclair almost died in an explosion?” she asked.

Foyle ran his hand over his head. “Alfrey said the place was clear. Afterward, he told me Crawford must have created the explosion.”

“Has Alfrey been involved with anything related to the upcoming Archives ceremony?” she asked.

He shook his head. “Not that I know. He used to work with Blume, but not anymore.”

Relief swept over Laura. The Archives ceremony security, at least, wasn’t compromised. She decided to muddy the water for Foyle. “What about Sinclair? We know he acts as your driver. Have you ever seen him with Alfrey or Gianni?”

“Obviously, he works with Gianni here. They do detail work together at Blume’s club. Sinclair didn’t show up for roll call today either.”

“We know where he is,” said Laura. She stood. “You’ve been played for a fool, Captain. Count yourself lucky that that is my belief at the moment. Simon Alfrey is now considered a terrorist. If Gianni or Alfrey contacts you in any way, I want to know ten seconds later.”

Foyle glared at her. “You know I’ll be on the phone as soon as you leave here.”

Laura opened the door. “I said ten seconds later, Foyle. Do not make me come back,” she said without turning.

She stalked back through the station house, with the Dananns in her wake. Officers lined the hallways or took position behind desks and cabinets. Most had their guns drawn. When she reached the lobby, over a dozen more officers blocked the door, guns trained on her.

Shields only, unless they fire, she sent to her escorts.

She didn’t break her stride as she approached. “My name is Mariel Tate of InterSec. My appointment with Captain Foyle is over. I’m leaving.”

She heard clicks as a few officers cocked their weapons. Like a ship breaking through waves, the hardened body shields pressed them back in confusion until the way to the exit was clear. No one fired.

In the bright sunlight outside, squad cars and police vans blocked the street and sidewalk. Laura stopped. “Danu’s blood,” she muttered. More officers scrambled into view at the end of the block. She cocked her head at the Dananns. “Looks like someone blocked my car in. Would you guys mind giving me a lift?”

She heard the distinctly hollow sound of someone chuckling inside a metal helmet. “Anytime, Agent Tate.”

Her security escort grasped the reinforced straps on her jumpsuit sewn in over her shoulder blades. They leaned forward, shifted the position of their wings, and drew essence from the air. With no effort, they shot into the sky.

Despite the enormous rush, Laura kept the grin off her face. It had been ages since anyone had taken her for a flight. The Anacostia neighborhood fell away. The seemingly fragile Danann’s wings hummed with energy as they shifted on currents of essence, not so high as to trigger government defense measures but high enough to give a glorious view of the seat of government. With the wide vista below her, she remembered why she had come to the city.

As they approached the Guildhouse, they swooped in lower, and the downside to staying in the city so long became visible. Too many cars and too many people. Lost hopes and dreams were evident in the surrounding neighborhoods that clustered around the Capitol like desperate moths to an indifferent flame. The Dananns set her gently on the sidewalk in front of the Guildhouse. No one paid attention. Fairies landing passengers in front of the Guildhouse were hardly a unique sight. She entered the building, hoping Terryn had had better luck finding Gianni.

TERRYN GLARED ATLaura from behind his desk. The voice on the other end of his phone was audible.

“I thought Mariel Tate was supposed to be a diplomat,” Sinclair whispered loud enough for Terryn to hear.

Laura gazed at him from under her brow. “Not helping, Jono.”

“I understand,” Terryn said for the fourth or fifth time. “I’ll talk to her… yes, thank you.”

He hung up. “What got into you?”

Laura tried to look contrite. “I’m sorry, Terryn. I walked in with my black suit and two Dananns and… got a little carried away.”

“Carried away? They mobilized practically an entire battalion,” said Terryn.

“I had to know that the Archives ceremony wasn’t compromised.”

“Foyle says you threatened him,” he said.

She shrugged dismissively. “Oh, please. It was a veiled threat at best.”

Sinclair twisted his lips to keep from smiling. A series of emotions crossed Terryn’s face-uncertainty and frustration. Laura couldn’t blame him. She liked to exert authority as Mariel once in a while to get results. It worked. It was nice to have an ID that let her stomp her feet anywhere she wanted sometimes. Admittedly, though, she didn’t usually cause a police response. Waking up angry hadn’t helped.

By the expression on his face, Terryn knew he wasn’t going to get anywhere berating her. “We’ll deal with this later. Gianni was not at home or at the Vault,” he said.

While she went to Anacostia, an auxiliary team had hit Gianni’s apartment and another had gone with Terryn to the Vault. “Did you talk to Blume?” she asked.

Terryn nodded. “We had no problems. Once he learned that Alfrey had been in the building, he let us search the premises.”

“The entire place?” Sinclair said. “I practically couldn’t go to the bathroom without an escort.”

“Just a few offices and public areas,” said Terryn. “His cooperation did not extend to risking his offices being searched unattended.”

“What did Alfrey want with him the other day?” Laura asked.

“He wasn’t specific. They were partners in various business ventures but had a falling-out,” Terryn said.

“Can we confirm that?” asked Laura.

Terryn nodded. “Already in motion. Preliminary results confirm they went their separate ways two years ago. Alfrey had decided to take his politics in a more radical direction.”

“Are you comfortable taking Blume off the table?” asked Laura.

Terryn spread his hands. “No, but he’s cooperated. We’re not finding any connections that are unusual for someone of his level of influence. And he broke off connections with a partner when the guy went radical. I don’t see anything to pin on him.”

Laura paced around the side of the office. “I don’t like Blume. He was afraid of something last night. There’s a connection.”

“When we find it, we will deal with it,” Terryn said.

Laura sat again and leaned forward. “We have another problem. InterSec has a leak. Gianni knew Janice Crawford was a plant, and so did Hornbeck.”

Terryn nodded. “Nothing is one hundred percent secure, not even the Guild.”

She looked away from Terryn. “Do you think it was Liam?”

“Who’s Liam?” asked Sinclair.

Laura ignored him. Terryn paused, his eyes shifting to Sinclair. “It’s possible. Other possibilities exist.”

Sinclair jutted his jaw out in annoyance. “It wasn’t me. I’ve had more than one opportunity to put her down, flut terboy.”

“Jono!” Laura said.

He glared at her. “He can imply that I’m trying to kill you, and you get mad I called him a name?”

“It’s not that, it’s…” She fumbled for words. “It’s not very nice.”