The Persistence of Memories - A Novel of the Mendaihu Universe (63 page)

Her father was willing to put millions of
people — no,
billions
of people, all around the globe — in
that exact situation, all for power over the Mendaihu.

She very nearly vomited right there in the
van from those vile thoughts.

Strength,
she heard within. Kryssyna,
her arm still curled around her shoulder, had pulled her closer to
her, rocking silently back and forth.
Strength,
she said
again, and kissed her on the cheek.

By the time the white van reached the mansion
at the cove below Lorenson Peak, most of the unmarked patrol cars
had pulled away. Only two cars, an ARU cruiser and Councillor
James' limousine, remained in front to lead the way. The cruiser
stopped momentarily in front of the mansion, then pulled away,
turning around at the cul-de-sac at the end of the street and
leaving them alone. The limousine dropped the Councillor off at the
front door, while Colin maneuvered the van into its usual parking
spot in the three-car garage. Without a word he killed the engine,
hopped out and went straight for the breezeway to open up the doors
and deactivate the security systems. This left Matthew in charge of
unloading the van. Each person grabbed the nearest piece of
hardware and started bringing in the various remains of the Grieves
Street headquarters.

Saone was taken in by their home base and all
its grandeur. The breezeway off the garage led into the kitchen
area, where Vigil's precious secrets were now piling up. Matthew
instructed everyone to merely put things down on the kitchen table
and floor, and he would rework everything back to normal once
they'd gotten settled in.

“Your lodgings,” Matthew said with a bright
smile, leading Saone and Kryssyna away from the collection they'd
amassed in the room. “Come, follow me.” They walked through a
short, cold, and white porcelain-tiled hallway presumably used by
former kitchen staff, which led to the dining room. At the other
end of the spacious and lonely room were large oak doors, stained a
deep shade of burgundy, both slightly ajar. Through these doors
Saone could hear voices; Colin and Councillor Jakes were having a
conversation. She could not make out many words, but without even
trying to sense the two, she could feel Colin's agitation. He was
nervous about someone being here...she wasn't sure who. The
Councillor? Saone herself?

She never found out, for as they came close
to the door, the right one swung open and the two men were walking
into the room, both with amused grins on their faces.

“Oh!” the Councillor gasped, stopping short.
Surprise gave way to happiness just as quickly, as he moved forward
again and offered his hand to Matthew. “Good to see you again, my
friend.” He clasped Matthew's hand tightly, the other hand clasping
over them. “I trust everything is still in order, then?”

“Good to be home again,” Matthew said. There
was a slight hint of melancholy to his voice, but he wasn't about
to admit it. “Are you staying?”

The Councillor bobbed his head. “For the time
being, I suppose. It's only a quick ride across the river if I need
to talk to any of the others.”

“You're always welcome here, Kell,” Matthew
said with a smile. “You know that.”

“Much appreciated.” He momentarily shifted
his gaze to Saone and Kryssyna, nodding courteously.

Curiously, Matthew started introductions with
Kryss. Was he holding the best, or worst, for last? “This is
Kryssyna Piramados,” he said. “She’s currently a rookie agent for
the Alien Relations Unit.”

“Ah! Just like Colin, then?” he said, asking
Matthew but greeting her.

“Oddly enough, we've never met,” Kryssyna
answered for him and offered her hand. “An honor to meet you,
Councillor James.”

He laughed warmly as he rubbed the bridge of
his nose. “Please, we're all friends here. Call me Kell.”

“An honor anyway, Kell,” Kryssyna smirked.
“You can call me Kryss.”

“And this...” Matthew said, waving a hand at
Saone. “...is Saone Lehanna. Currently working for me at KJS.”

For a brief moment, the Councillor froze, the
sudden recognition of her name, her face, and probably even her
spirit signature hit him all at once. He fought bravely with an
instinct to back away, won, and nodded courteously to her.

“A distinct privilege, emha Lehanna,” he
said, his voice wavering only slightly. “Sa’im nyhnd’aladh, emha. I
apologize for my rudeness.”

She swallowed her pride, accepted that he was
doing his best, and held out her hand to shake. “No offense taken,
sir,” she said. “An honor to meet you, Kell.”

He hesitated, but only for a second, before
reaching out a hand and shaking it. She could tell he felt
uncomfortable in touching her, let alone being in the same room
with her, and so she was impressed by his willingness to overlook
such a thing.

“I met your father a few times,” he said.
“Admirable man, very strong in business...though his priorities in
both life and spirit leave much to be desired.”

Somehow that made her feel better. To be
honest, she’d met her share of councillors and politicians, and
rarely had she seen such balance of spirit. Despite his own
nervousness, he remained civil and welcoming. He truly was a
spiritworker, and blessedly strong, and that impressed her more
than anything else. She chose not to respond to his comment about
her father; instead, she sent a small wave of recognition and deep
respect his way. He didn't expect it, wavered slightly in his
stance and stared at her, only to burst out laughing.

Peace, Love and Light to you, emha
Lehanna
, he said under his mirth.
I am always here for you
and emha Piramados.

She nodded slowly, with a slight grin.
Peace, Love and Light to you, edha James. I’m sure we’ll be the
biggest thorns in your side the next few weeks.

“Indeed!” he said. This made him laugh even
harder, so much so that he was using Matthew to lean up against and
catch his breath. Matthew glanced at her, expecting an explanation,
but she decided not to give him one. This was a conversation
between herself and Councillor James.

“
Very
impressive, my dear child,” he
beamed. “Welcome to Vigil, both of you.”

“Sa’im taftika, edha,” Saone smirked. Kryss
answered with a giggle.

“Well!” he said, clasping his hands. “I hate
to be rude, but there is some pressing business in the Control Room
that I must attend to. Good day to you both.” He bowed slightly,
and moved past them, Colin in tow. Without missing a beat, the two
picked up the intense conversation exactly where they had left off,
exiting through the double doors on the opposite side of the room
and into the main foyer.

Matthew watched them for a few moments,
curious but not exactly concerned. A moment he shrugged it off and
turned back to them with a smile. “Let me show you your rooms.
They're side by side with a shared bath and overlooking the river,
if that's fine with either of you. We have too many rooms and not
enough people here, so you can change whenever you like.”

They both agreed and followed him past the
oak doors and into the main foyer. They headed upstairs and she
quickly lost her way as they took odd and unexpected turns through
a few halls and side rooms, until they finally arrived at the far
east end of the house. It took Saone a moment to realize they’d
just walked the entire second floor without Matthew telling them
where they were. She could certainly make her way back, maybe even
remember how to get to some of these parlors if need be, but if she
and Kryss were going to be living here, they were going to have to
learn the layout of this house quickly. At the end of the hall,
they stopped between two doors, and Matthew unlocked both, letting
the doors swing open. “There you are,” he said with the tone of a
pleased hotelier. “I'll leave it to the two of you to choose who
gets which.”

Saone, in a burst of gratitude, laid her hand
on his shoulder and squeezed.

“Thank you, Matthew. I really appreciate it.
We both do.”

A slight blush came to his face and he
laughed off a stupid grin. He nervously scratched at his jaw to
hide it. “You're welcome,” he said quietly. “You're both welcome
here for as long as you like. Please, make yourselves at home.”

“We just might,” she nodded.

They both let go, and he started to back
away, face still light crimson. “Page me if you need anything.
There are wall comms installed in every room, just tap it twice to
turn it on. I'll leave you two to settle in. I've got to clean
house downstairs, so I'll be down there if you need me.”

“We can help,” Kryss offered.

“No, no...” he grinned. “We're fine.” And
with that, he turned and left, leaving the two of them standing
between the two doorways, staring at each other in confusion.

Slowly, a smile crossed Kryss' face. “Flirt,”
she said.

Saone burst out laughing. “Shut up!”

Kryss laughed and tweaked her in the ribs,
playfully nudging her away. “Move it, you're blocking my
doorway.”

“Hey!” she shrieked. “Watch it, you!” She
reached out and grabbed her in the sides. Kryss let out a gale of
laughter as she crashed through her own door and slammed it shut
before Saone could do anything else. Smiling, she entered her own
room, but kept the door open. It was small but still spacious,
completely furnished with a full-size bed, a large desk with her
own workstation, and even a small refrigerator. On the east wall
was a sunken shelf with a large vidmat tacked within it, a
multimedia system, and a large array of music disks.

The only things that weren't here were her
own belongings, somewhere in her old room at the old mansion in
Pullock Street Heights. She wondered if they were still there, or
if her family had gotten rid of them. At this point, she didn't
care. It was all material. She was happy here, accepted by Vigil,
accepted by others like herself.

She was where she needed to be.

Saone stared out her new bedroom window,
slowly rocking the swivel chair left and right. Dusk was falling
over Bridgetown, a muddled gray-blue hanging over the city, a poor
imitation of the cool dusk of summer. The autumn's colors were
muted, guarded. Yet the lights of the Sprawl still shone
brilliantly across the water, beckoning those who saw it from a
distance. In some respects, she thought, this view was even more
beautiful than the view from the Crest at the other end of the
city.

She heard a tapping at the door and twitched,
startled by the noise. Someone was outside and it wasn't Kryss. She
was working a late shift at the ARU right now, and wasn't due back
for a few more hours. After a moment and a quick scan, she realized
it was Matthew.

“Oh, uh...” she said, calming herself down.
“Come in. It's unlocked.”

Matthew opened the door with a smirk. “Brave
woman,” he said. He was carrying a bottle of wine and two glasses.
For a brief second she remembered Kryss' remark and nearly blurted
out something inappropriate, but caught herself just in time when
she saw the seriousness in his eyes.

“Thought we'd talk,” he said, and placed the
bottle down on the desk. He sat on the edge of the bed, bouncing on
it once or twice. “Everything to your liking?”

“Oh...uh, fine,” she said, hiding a blush.
“The clothes delivery this afternoon was a nice touch. I won't even
ask how you managed to get my measurements.”

He laughed at that. “Oh, that! That was
Jenn’s doing. Just some creative jacking into your most recent
clothes purchases, tweaked the fashion a bit so you’re more Island
and less Tower. She's the one you should thank.”

“I will,” she said, rolling her chair away
from the window and pushing it back towards the desk. She glanced
at the wine. “Duvalier,” she smiled, reading the label. “The good
stuff, I see. What
don't
you have in this place?”

“A nullport,” he said.

“Ha! Well, knowing you, I'm sure you’ll wing
it at some point in the future.”

“Heh...true...” He looked away, his face
slowly growing sullen. “Saone, listen. I want to warn you
now
that things are going to be picking up rather quickly
within the next few hours. It's going to start getting hectic, so I
thought I'd give you a heads up. That, and to give you the chance
to back off if you want to. We're not holding you against your
will, you know. You and Kryss are free to come and go whenever you
like.” He paused and let out a long breath of frustration. “I’m not
sure how else I can say this without sounding coarse. We need you
here, Saone. Both you and Kryss. Colin can't handle the ARU branch
all by himself. He needs another set of eyes over there. And, well,
I need —”

“You need me for leverage,” she said flatly.
“You need a Shenaihu on your team.”

Matthew looked crestfallen. “Saone, that's
not how it works.”

“Oh?” she bristled. “Then how does it? I'm a
failure as a spy, my father proved that. Jacking is definitely not
one of my strong points. What use could I possibly have? I’m pretty
good with spiritsensing, that's about it. You've got Garry for
that. He's stronger than anyone here.”

“He's security only,” he interjected.
“Putting him anywhere else in Vigil would be a serious threat to
his life as well as ours. He's part of an elite psicurity firm, he
doesn’t ask questions, doesn’t take part. I’ve only hired him for
the next few months. Do I trust him? Of course. Does he trust me?
Well, that's up to question, but that’s not the point. What I'm
trying to say is that each member here is important in his or her
own facet. Sure, you and Kryss being Shenaihu is a plus, but you're
here —
you
, Saone — because of your ties within the
Warehouse. I know what happened there, when you tried to stop the
One. You became intertwined with the rest of the ascension. I know
your father stopped it, and the fact that Denysia still managed to
connect with all those spirits out there is too important to
ignore. She's a part of you now, Saone. You're a part of her. You
share her heart, her memories, her thoughts, whether you know it or
not. I bet you could tell me where she is at this very moment.”