Chrono Inquisitor (Gods Be Damned) (33 page)

But once again, I’d forgotten about the painting.

I kept a close eye for any hostile movement from Lillian. I wasn’t entirely sure she wouldn’t assault me again as soon as we were out of Sam’s sight. The big question was whether or not Lillian was going to do as she was told.

Turned out, she was. She lead me through a maze of hallways, which was disconcerting, but in the end, delivered me to one Brandin ‘the Cannon’ Delmont, the man normally in charge of resort security when the boss ladies were away.

I’ll be honest. I found his nickname a little misleading. The Cannon. Well, he wasn’t the explosive temper type like I’d expected. Rather, he’d earned it simply because you didn’t want to be in the way of what he had his sights on.

Other than that, he was actually a decent guy.

After some quick introductions we got down to business. I didn’t pick up on any special looks between Brandin and Lillian, which was actually even more disconcerting.

“I’ve discovered something which shines a little more light on these recent breaches,” Brandin said.

“Such as?” Lillian asked.

“Just as we suspected, our systems weren’t disabled. They were simply rerouted. Someone out there knows and has proof of what happened, and it’s probably condemning, which is why they’re keeping it secret.”

“Are you saying that the murderer has the evidence we need?” I asked.

“Exactly,” he said.

“So all we have to do is find Shepard,” Lillian said.

“I thought we weren’t bothering with him,” I said.

“Samsara may think he’s innocent, but I don’t. That man is dangerous. He was a ticking time bomb, waiting to explode at the slightest touch, and there isn’t anyone else who’d want Julius dead.”

She continued her conjecture. “You and Kody had just come from Shep’s suite. He’d been drinking. I bet it made him paranoid. He probably felt you were on to him for killing Julius. I bet as soon as you left his room he rerouted our security again, waiting for you to get on the elevator, and then he made it take the two of you to the basement where the service bots were. He’d probably already messed with their programming. I bet it was a backup plan in case someone got too close. This murder was premeditated. We don’t have footage, but I bet shortly after you and Kody got on that elevator, he hopped on another one. If I hadn’t seen him running across the golf course, it probably would have been hours before we even realized he was gone.”

“Has anyone checked his suite?” I asked.

Brandin answered. “Not thoroughly. The Horsemen had just arrived, so I was attempting to deal with them when Lillian informed me of seeing Mr. Cook fleeing the hotel. On top of that, a minute later Ranger Stevenson came bursting out of the service stairs. It was chaos for a second, but when everyone went to give you a hand, I went and searched Mr. Cook’s room. Most of his clothes are still there, as well as a few other personal belongings. It looked like he was in too much of a hurry to properly pack. I’ve put a quarantine on his room so that the Rangers can have one of their teams go over it. I was told they’d be getting around to it within the hour.”

“Would you mind if I had a look before they get there?” I asked.

“I was told to give you whatever you need. It’s fine by me,” Brandin said.

He looked over at Lillian. She didn’t seem to want to be cooperative, but she nodded her head.

“Do I need an escort, or am I permitted to inspect it on my own?” I asked.

“I’ve got too much shit going on here. I’ll be lucky to leave this room before this case is solved,” Brandin said, and then turned back to what he had been working on when before Lillian and I had arrived.

“I’ve got a few matters to attend to myself,” Lillian said, which surprised me. I was sure she was going to be hovering over me the entire time.

Before she could change her mind I was out the door and climbing the steps back up to the tenth floor. One thing was certain, by the time this case was solved, I would be the fittest I’d been since college.

It was a lot easier running down the stairs than it was going up them. By the time I reached the eighth floor, I couldn’t keep it up. It was late. I should have been sleeping off the events of the day.

Instead, I was still working a case I was no longer officially involved in.

When I reached the door to Cook’s room it opened automatically, having already been programmed to allow me access.

As soon as I entered, something rushed at me from the side. I caught the movement out of the corner of my eye, and dodged the blow just in time. Off guard, I stumbled and hit a candleholder hanging on the wall. It sent a jolt of pain through my shoulder.

I ducked just before a fist punched the wall where my head had been.

I was finally in a position to see my assailant. I recognized the man. Not from meeting him in person, but from various photos.

“What the hell are you doing?” I asked, throwing my hands up to protect my face.

“Taking out a traitor,” Inquisitor Dewhurst said, throwing a kick towards my midsection.

I grabbed his leg and threw him into the wall. I removed my kamas and got in the forward fighting stance, ready for another attack.

“Put your weapons down,” another voice said, one which I knew from personal experience. The man stepped out from behind the corner.

“What the fuck is going on?” I asked, weapons still at the ready.

“Forgive Inquisitor Dewhurst” Inquisitor Noble said. “He’s become rather paranoid as of late.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

“Wynn, here, thinks you’re working with E3.”

I looked to Dewhurst and then back at Noble. “Okay?”

“We’ve seen you, working with those traitors,” Dewhurst said. He practically spat the words while looking like he wanted to strike.

“What the hell are you talking about? Who do you think I’m working with, because I’m not even sure anymore.”

Dewhurst answered, “We know you just came from the resort security office, and before that you had a lengthy private conversation with Ms.
Matsuzaki.”

“Do your homework. She’s my ex-wife. What’s your point?”

Noble came closer, put his hand on Dewhurst’s shoulder, and whispered something in his ear. A second later, after I witnessed some sort of internal struggle show on the man’s face, Dewhurst lowered his fists. I realized then he held knock blockers. I was beyond happy the asshole hadn’t fully connected with one of his punches.

“When was the last time you spoke to Frank?” Noble asked, stepping in between Dewhurst and myself.

I kept my guard up, and my kamas at the ready, just in case. “It’s been awhile. The Horsemen are redirecting his calls. Why?”

Noble looked at me like he wasn’t sure he believed I was telling the truth. “Have they told you what’s going on?”

“Well, I guess that depends. Why don’t you tell me what’s going on, and then I’ll tell you how that compares to their account.”

“Did they tell you about Graff,
Deizel, Gordon, and O’Neal?”

“I didn’t get all the names, but yeah, I heard what happened.”

“You don’t think it’s suspicious that out of the initial five assigned to the case, you’re the only one who managed to get here alive?”

Pissed about what the man was insinuating, I stepped forward, flipping my left
kama into the reverse position, preparing myself for a hook and slash attack if need be. “You wanna just come out and say what you want to say?”

“You’re a traitor. E3 filth,” Dewhurst spat.

I laughed, looked to the ceiling while shaking my head, and in doing so lowered my weapons. “You’re kidding, right?”

“I bet your ex is as well. You spent an awful lot of time alone with her.”

“As you said, she is my ex. We have a lot of, unresolved issues.”

Dewhurst couldn’t contain his lip any longer. “Forget that bitch, it’s that Ranger that’s the problem.”

“Which one?” I said with a smile. “Ranger Stick-up-my-ass, or Ranger Fine-ass? Because I’ve been working with both.” I turned and looked to Noble. “You’re right, he is fucking paranoid. Come on, you know me. We’ve worked together. You can’t seriously think I’m E3. I’m the one who’s been trying to eliminate them.”

“It’s a great cover, pretending to be so against them while at the same time being one of them.” Noble said.

“When was the last time you two had a psy-val, because I’m thinking it’s been a while.”

“Put your weapons down. Turn yourself over to me, and I’ll ask the Horsemen to be lenient with you,” Noble said.

“I’d love to prove you wrong, but this is a waste of time. There’s a murderer on the loose. Unless I’m looking at him.”

“Enough games,” Dewhurst said. “You’re the murderer.”

He turned and headed into what should have been the kitchen, which didn’t put me anymore at ease.

“Now that he’s gone,” I said. “How about we stop playing games? What’s really going on? Why are you two here? Why are you in Cook’s suite?”

“I’ll ask the questions,” Noble said.

I took a few steps back so I could have a better chance of escaping in case Dewhurst came back with a surprise.

“How about we meet in the middle. I’ll answer one of yours, you answer one of mine.”

“Fine, I’m first, what are you doing here?”

What am I doing here?

“I got an assignment to investigate Beit. Satisfied?” I asked.

“Not yet. What did you do to Beit?”

“Hey. It’s my turn to ask a question.”

“You already asked one.”

Fucker.

Fine.

“I didn’t do anything to him,” I said. I dropped the
kamas to my side and stepped forward till I was face to face with Noble. I was slightly taller than him so I looked down into the man’s accusing eyes. “I didn’t fucking touch the man. But now I’m starting to wonder what your deal is, maybe you killed Beit.”

Noble squinted his eyes. “What are
you doing working with the Rangers?”

“You didn’t answer my question?” I said.

“You didn’t ask one. And you’re avoiding mine.”

“Jealous?”

“About what?”

“The way I heard it, you were working with the Rangers before me. Something about you being the
Prez’s cuz. And now I’m thinking you’re jealous, because I got this assignment instead of you.”

He laughed. “It seems you aren’t Frank’s golden boy anymore, because he’s keeping you outta the loop. I’m on a bigger assignment. The real assignment. The task force dedicated to taking out E3, it’s already been formed. And you’re not on it.”

He was lying. Except he wasn’t. I just wanted him to be. The task force
had
been created, and he was right. I wasn’t on it.

“Did Frank tell you the names Cassius spilled before he got washed?” Noble asked.

“Yeah, Julius, and someone named Annabel.”

“Just those two?”

“You saying there was more?”

“I am,” Noble said with a smile which made me feel uneasy. “One more. You.”

“No.” I shook my head. “Now I know you’re crazy. The Horsemen are here, arrived just over an hour ago. If what you’re saying is true, and they thought I was a traitor, do you think they’d let me still be walking around? How about we give them a call. Set you straight.”

Is that why Death and Alvarez had detained me? They let me go though, so they must think I’m innocent. Right?

Noble spread his arms. “Be my guest.”

‹“Kali, tickle Frank, I’m sick of this shit. People thinking I’m a fucking traitor.”› Hopefully the Horsemen still have his link rerouted to them, I thought.

‹I am unable to do so at the moment. There is no connection to the aether. I suspect a jammer is being used.›

Just my luck.

“I heard you were losing your edge,” Noble continued. “I just didn’t think you’d be so stupid as to switch to the other side.”

“Fuck you. I did nothing of the sort. And good job making it seem like you were actually going to allow me to contact Frank.”

“What are you talking about?” Noble asked.

“You’re jamming the
aether,” I said, annoyed, bordering on wanting to act out my aggression.

Dewhurst returned just then armed to the teeth. “Security’s regained control of the feeds and they’ve put an umbrella over the building,” he said, and raised a maelstrom at me. “I say we just kill the traitor now and get it over with.”

Noble, in a move that puzzled me, stepped in between the gun and myself. “Are you insane?” he said to Dewhurst. “Shooting that thing in here would likely kill us all.”

I hadn’t thought of that, but I was glad Noble had.

“Forget stealing the feed,” Noble said. “Can you at least get us a clone?”

I didn’t know what the fuck was going on anymore. “You two have been jacking the security system this whole time?”

A flurry of thoughts and speculations sped through my mind.

Noble and Dewhurst thought I was working with E3, yet they were the ones behind the security breaches. Were they the ones who killed Beit? Were they the ones who’d been trying to kill me? Had they messed with the elevator? Had they made the robots try to kill me and Ranger-son? Maybe they’re the ones working with E3 and they’re trying to pin it on me. Or maybe just one of them is and they’re framing me.

Either way, I wasn’t going to let them get the chance.

While Noble was distracting Dewhurst, I took the opportunity to get the hell of the death trap. I put my
kamas back in their home, reached into compartment 17, made sure I knew exactly where the door was, and then activated the two haze grenades. The room turned into a chimney with the flue closed.

I dropped to the floor, the safest place to be in case bloodlust Dewhurst decided to open fire, and crawled to the door. I heard the two men shout in surprise, followed by a series of crashes and bangs, like they suddenly became a pair of blind rhino’s rampaging through a wedding reception.

“Where the hell is he?” Dewhurst said. “I’m going to kill the bastard.”

“The Horsemen want him alive. We need to bring the whole organization down.”

They have to be crazy. Either that, or Frank is setting them up for something. Or, someone really is trying to frame me.

I reached the door and it opened.

They must have heard the door open, because Noble said, “He’s getting away.”

“Fuck alive,” Dewhurst said.

Noble wanted me alive, which I took as a sign he was being duped. Dewhurst on the other hand wanted me dead, which I took as a sign he was the one who was guilty and wanted to shut me up before I could contradict him.

Gunshots sounded. In such close quarters each bullet fired was like a bomb going off. Even though I was already on the ground, I couldn’t help but cringe with each shot. It took every effort to quickly crawl out the door.

Out in the hallway the smoke hadn’t billowed up enough to inhibit sight. I jumped to my feet and was going to start running when I saw Lillian coming down the hall towards me.

That’s all I needed, one more person who wanted me dead.

“What the hell is going on?” she yelled. She unholstered her gun and started running towards me.

My ears were ringing from all the gunshots so I hadn’t initially understand what she’d said. I didn’t care though. The last place I wanted to be was between Dewhurst, Noble, and Lillian.

I promptly turned the opposite direction, dropped and rolled across the entryway of the door, so I’d hopefully avoid being hit by wandering bullets, leapt back to my feet and started running at full speed. Even though I wasn’t religious in any way, I offered up the closest thing to a prayer.

Source of intuition, don’t shoot me in the back.

Behind me I could hear Noble and Dewhurst enter the hallway. A shot fired. I dodged to my right while still running, hoping whatever was behind intuition was in my corner.

A male voice yelled in agony. I thought it came from Noble, but I wasn’t sure until I heard Noble yell to Dewhurst, “Get Travis, this bitch is mine.”

Had Lillian just helped me?

Weirder and weirder.

Taking any advantage I could get, I reached into compartment 09 and pulled out a small box the size of a deck of playing cards. I wished the floor was tile, rather than carpet, but it would have to do. If I could reach the stairs I’d gain the advantage.

I opened the box and then dumped its contents out behind me. Hundreds of little BBs spread out across the floor. Each one was coated with a special oil. When stepped on they’d get lodged in the traction grooves of a shoe and stay there. It wasn’t very effective on carpeted surfaces or anything that had good traction, but on surfaces such as smooth concrete or tile, the person wouldn’t be able to walk, let alone stay standing.

Another shot sounded and a small portion of the wall in front of, and to the side of me, exploded. I cocked my head behind me for a quick glance. I saw Dewhurst in hot pursuit with a pistol raised. Behind him I saw Lillian and Noble in hand to hand combat. I’d sparred with Noble a couple of times in the past. The man was good, but I’d also sparred with Lillian, who regularly sparred with Sam. Noble didn’t stand a chance.