Starfire

24

On her previous meetings with Seth Parsigian, Maddy had found him totally focused. This evening he was morose and distracted. Although he was the one who had insisted on the get-together, he acted like a man who had other things on his mind.

Well, so had she. With every hour that passed, the value of her prized position as Vice President of the Argos Group faded in importance. Gordy Rolfe seemed less the inspired electronics designer and organizing genius behind a huge international corporation, and more the eccentric and unkempt taskmaster who expected work from his minions twenty-four hours a day.

Those minions apparently included Seth Parsigian. As Sky City wound its slow way out toward its new position, Maddy had made a dozen visits to the engineering information center. She was looking for John Hyslop, but he was never there. Maddy learned that he spent most of his time out at Cusp Station, where the new particle defense system was under construction. The person who was always there, night or day, was Seth. He could usually be found studying a screen displaying scheduled meetings of personnel, timetables for equipment procurement, and recent use of facilities in Sky City and on the shield. If he hoped to pull out of those bald statistics useful information relating to the Sky City murderer, then good luck to him. Maddy felt sure that over the past six months the records had been dissected infinitely finely by scores of investigators.

When Seth arrived in her room he had a strange expression on his face. Was he still mad because their Sky City wanderings had produced no useful result? He should know, as well as anyone, the golden rule of the Argos Group when it came to cooperation: Your own assignment came first. Someone else’s success would not balance your failure. If he couldn’t find what he wanted, that was his problem.

He said abruptly, “I think I’m gonna do you a favor. You say you were sent up here to keep an eye on John Hyslop, right?”

“That’s correct.” Maddy added to herself, And a lousy job I’m making of it.

“If that isn’t why you’re here, then you better watch it. You’re leavin’ tracks big enough to fall over.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“That’s what you would say, no matter what. Listen hard, ’cause I’m only gonna say this once. When we got nowhere a-walkin’ the halls up here, I had to find me a different tack. I set up shop in the information center. I looked at what people in Sky City was doin’ at the time of each of the murders.”

“I don’t think you’ll find the killer that way. Other people must have attempted the same thing.”

“Yeah, I’m sure they did. But you see, now I have me an advantage. I know the name of the murderer.” Seth watched Maddy’s reaction. “I guess that’s news to you.”

“It certainly is. Who is it?”

“Mebbe I’ll tell you who — in good time. But first you gotta help me some more. An’ I’ll help you. Tit for tat.”

“Forget it. I’ve done enough for you.”

He went on as though she had not spoken, “See, it’s not enough to know a name. You still have to catch ’em.”

“Seth, I’m going. I don’t need to listen to nonsense.”

“Me neither. So when your buddy John Hyslop came over to talk to me last week, I didn’t much listen at first. Then me an’ him got to talkin’. Want to know what we said?”

He was goading her, luring her with Hyslop’s name. “Go on.”

“He’d been catchin’ up on things that happened while he was away, records and actions and materials, that sort of crap. An’ I’d been skimmin’ the data banks. He told me he’d noticed somethin’ peculiar. I told him that I had, too. We compared notes. He told me he didn’t have time to follow up on it, the new defense system was takin’ every minute he had. But what he’d noticed involved the Argos Group, and I was with the Argos Group. So he said, maybe I could take a closer look at it.”

Why didn’t John ask me? Maddy said, “You’re here for the murders. Argos Group activities seem more like my line of experience than yours.”

“That’s what I thought, too. Why not you? Me, I’m not a chart-and-figures type. But I doubt Hyslop’s hopin’ to get into my pants, so that could make a difference.”

“If he wants to get into mine, he’s certainly taking his own sweet time.”

“As a friend of mine who you’ll never meet an’ would never want to keeps tellin’ me, you have to be patient. Fact is, Hyslop asked me because I was already there an’ already diggin’. So I look at the stuff he’s pulled out, compare it with mine, an’ guess what? Some of the Argos Group records are awful strange. If I had to guess, I’d say there’s fiddlin’ going on that don’t sound like violins.”

“Cheating?”

“Records of deliveries that were never made. Double entries for shipments. Differences between stated quantities delivered and shop counts. I’d call that cheatin’.”

“I have nothing to do with shipments.”

“I hear you. But again, that’s what you’d say if you did. And there’s more: defective materials in vital places. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear that some Argos Group actions were designed to slow shield development, ’stead of speedin’ it up.”

“What do you propose to do about this?”

“Me? I’ll do nothin’. Like you said, it’s not my job. I don’t care if old Gordy is robbin’ Bruno Colombo and his boys blind.”

“So why are you telling me?”

“To let you know that if you are playin’ games, you better stop. And why am I doin’ that? Well, I said I was gonna do you a favor, an’ you’re wonderin’ why. So I’ll tell you. You can do me a favor, too. I got a job to do, an’ I don’t want it screwed up by a bunch of morons in green eyeshades countin’ the spoons an’ clutterin’ up every room on Sky City. So, a word to the wise: If you’re the one doin’ it, stop right now. ’Til I’m done, that is. After that, it’s all yours, I don’t care what you do.”

A decision sitting at the back of Maddy’s brain jumped to the foreground. “I never had anything to do with shortchanging Sky City on deliveries, or ruining schedules. But even if I had, it’s irrelevant. I’m leaving the Argos Group.”

His attention had been wandering, as though the meeting had served its purpose and was now ending. He jerked back to face Maddy. “You’re gonna quit?”

“You’ve got ears. Yes.”

Brown eyes bored into hers. “You serious? Yeah, I can see you are. Bet you don’t do it, though. What’s your problem? You think Gordy’s ready to be taken to the funny farm?”

“He is, but it’s more than that.” And what was it? Maddy needed time to think. Seth’s words had started a whole new chain of logic running in her head: about John Hyslop and his changing assignments, about her own role and the timing of events. Aware of her long silence, she added, “I’m not even sure I’ll go back to Earth. Not for a while.”

“Ah. So that’s what it’s about.” Seth sniffed. “Well, good huntin’, that’s all I can say. If you want my advice, tone it down an’ go slow. You’re a bit of a high-powered sexpot for someone like him.”

“For Gordy?”

“Don’t play dumb with me, Maddy Wheatstone. I mean John Hyslop. Act dumb an’ flutter your eyelashes if you like, but don’t rush it.” Seth stood up. “Leaving Argos, eh? Well, I think about doin’ that myself now an’ again. But I bet you back off when it comes right down to it. I’ve seen Gordy when people tell him they’re leavin’.”

Maddy grimaced. “So have I. Maybe I won’t get up the nerve. But I’m going to find out. Unless you have something else to say, I’d like you to leave.”

“You want to sleep?”

“No. I’m going to call Gordy and resign.”

“Says you. I bet you don’t go through with it. But if you do quit, I’d like to know what he says.”

Maddy paused, the telcom unit in her hand. “Tell me the name of the murderer. Then maybe I’ll let you know what Gordy says.”

Seth Parsigian didn’t know the name of the Sky City murderer, Maddy felt sure of that. He had spoken with total confidence, but anyone with such hot information would be knocking on the door of Sky City security within a minute.

She had spoken with total confidence, too, announcing that she was about to present her resignation to Gordy Rolfe. But with that call ready to go through, she was suddenly not so sure.

Was she seeing a pattern to events where there was none?

When John Hyslop was assigned to the Aten asteroid project, shield development had been behind schedule but catching up rapidly. Maddy felt certain that John deserved credit for that. With him gone, there would be new delays. Then the news came in that the particle storm would arrive much earlier than expected. John was instantly reassigned to work on the shield. And Gordy told Maddy to stick with him and watch what he did, even though there was no logical reason for her presence.

John was being used to control the pace of shield development; and Maddy, without her knowledge, was being used to control John. If all that were true, there was no doubt who was pulling the strings.

That was even more reason to quit her job. And yet …

The Argos Group had a high turnover. Gordy Rolfe must be used to it, but he behaved as if each loss was an act of personal betrayal. She had been with Gordy in The Flaunt six months ago and seen him stamping and cursing and throwing things. That was when a midlevel project manager who couldn’t take the pressure stepped into thin air out of a fortieth-floor window. That was the one sure way out of the Argos Group unless Gordy fired you.

Maddy was in a far more senior position, and the last thing she wanted was to explain to Gordy Rolfe her reasons for leaving. He would tell her — perhaps rightly — that she had gone mad.

Maybe she had. But now, when all her confidence was gone, it was too late to back out. The call had gone through and Gordy was frowning at her from the screen. He was in the underground habitat. From the look of him he was wearing the same clothes as ten days ago. He also looked like a man who had not washed in the same period.

“What do you want?” Gordy didn’t bother with social pleasantries. “Couldn’t someone else handle this, whatever it is?”

Do it at once; delay will make it harder. “No, Gordy. No one else could handle this, because I work directly for you. I called to tell you that I’m resigning.”

His expression changed from anger to cynical amusement. “Oh, yeah? The old squeeze. I’ll buy it, just this once. Ten percent increase in salary, double your old bonus at the end of the year if you don’t screw up, and I’ll see what I can do about an interest in profit sharing. But that’s it, Maddy — I don’t want you back in six months, pushing for more.”

“You don’t understand. I’m not pushing for more money and benefits. I’m leaving the Argos Group.”

“You’re what?” His face showed genuine incomprehension.

Oh God. Don’t make me say it again. “I’m leaving, Gordy. I quit. I’m resigning from the Argos Group.”

There. Now he had the message. His face twisted with surprise and rage.

“Leaving? You can’t leave.”

“I can. I’ll wrap up any unfinished work, and then I’m gone.”

“You ungrateful bitch! I made you. When you joined Argos you were a snotty-nosed child. You were nothing until I shaped you.”

“I resign. I’ll put it in writing if you want it that way.”

“You were nothing, and you’ll be nothing again. I’ll see to that. You faithless fucker, when I’m done you’ll never work again. Anywhere! Let me tell you what you are, you worthless whore.”

Maddy knew Gordy Rolfe; his rants were famous, and he was just getting started. He went on and she sat, frozen-faced, until she could take no more.

“I’ve listened to enough, Gordy. Now you listen to me.”

He stopped in midsentence and stared at her in astonishment.

“I’ve given you nine good years, Gordy Rolfe. I’ve been a hardworking and faithful employee who put you and the Argos Group above everything else in existence. Everything. Nothing mattered as much as impressing you. But that’s over now. I want life and friendship. I want love.”

“Aha.” His eyes glowed behind the big glasses. “I get it. You’ve found a man. That’s all right. But sex don’t last, Maddy. Take a long weekend. Fuck him until your eyeballs drop out on the pillow. Then get over him and go back to work.”

“It’s not about sex.”

“You mean you’re not fucking him yet. You’ve got it worse than I thought.”

“It’s about a lot more than sex. Gordy, I don’t wish you harm — that’s more than you can say about yourself. And I’ll prove it.” Fear of what Gordy might do made her suddenly cautious. She would not tell him all her suspicions. “I know the Argos Group has been cheating on some of the Sky City contracts. I’ll not give anyone else that information, but I don’t want to get caught in the middle. And you had better stop what you’re doing and straighten the record. Otherwise, you’re sure to be caught.”

He had been twitching and fidgeting while they spoke. Now he became perfectly still. “Can you prove that? Have you been digging into Sky City shipping records?”

“No.”

“Then how do you know anything?”

“I know what I was told.”

“So you don’t really know anything at all. It’s just hearsay. Who was it who gave you the information?”

Maddy was ready to say Seth Parsigian’s name. Why not? Seth also was an Argos Group employee, reporting, like her, to Gordy. But she saw the expression in Rolfe’s eyes. She had said far too much already.

“I can’t tell you that.”

“The man you’ve got the hots for. Did he tell you?”

“No! He has nothing to do with this.”

“I think I believe you. But who told you, Maddy? I have to know. Who was it?”

For close to ten years she had complied with every order from Gordy Rolfe. She had even tried to anticipate his unspoken wishes. The urge to obey was strong. Rolfe’s eyes seemed to grow, glaring at her from the screen.

Maddy closed her own eyes. “I’m not going to tell you. And I’m not going to talk about this anymore. I’ll send you my official resignation. I appreciate what I’ve learned from you and everything you’ve done for me over the years. But it’s goodbye.”

She pressed the disconnect key. She did not want to look at that malevolent countenance, those hot, disturbing eyes. Gordy hadn’t always been this way. For the past few months he had been approaching the edge, sliding away from the rational. If he were not so far away and so reclusive, he would be a perfect candidate for the Sky City killer.

The real question was, would Gordy accept her resignation? And if he did, would he try to harm her? Kill her?

Maddy comforted herself with the thought that she was a long way from Earth. Gordy Rolfe was king of The Flaunt and of his strange underworld habitat, but that was all. Surely, although the arm of Gordy Rolfe was long, it could not stretch as far as Sky City.

There was only one problem. If Gordy was interfering with shield development, that had to stop. At once. Maddy could not make that happen, but she knew a person who could. Someone who could also turn Maddy’s vague suspicions into established fact.

Slowly, reluctantly, feeling like a traitor to the man who had for nine years been at the center of her life, Maddy placed the call to Celine Tanaka.

The beep of the telcom unit went on and on. Nick Lopez did not want to answer. It was the dedicated line, and the only person who could possibly be at the other end was Gordy Rolfe.

“Aren’t you going to answer that?”

Nick sighed. The representative from the Maldives was young and beautiful and oh so innocent-looking. But not perhaps so innocent. The discussion of trade agreements between the islands and the World Protection Federation was proceeding smoothly, and the transcript would show only official business. But underneath, at the submerged level that made the beginning of any affair so delightful, ran a current of physical awareness and mutual attraction.

“Martin, I don’t want to answer the call. It’s a private, dedicated line, and if I pick it up I’ll have to ask you to leave.”

“That would be all right.” A sideways glance from blue eyes with long, dark lashes. A tiny smile. The husky voice saying, “We have more to discuss, but we could do it later. Couldn’t we?”

The opening gambit. Nick’s move. “I have meetings all the rest of the afternoon. It would have to be this evening. Are you free?”

“I am not free.” A knowing smile, a hint of even white teeth. “But perhaps I can make myself available.”

“Then may I suggest dinner? And afterward, a walk on the new Ipanema beach? That will give us ample opportunities … to talk.”

A grave nod. “I suspect that we will find much to discuss.”

“Undoubtedly. At seven, then? My limousine will pick you up.”

“I will be waiting.”

The farewell, a thin hand grasping Nick’s great brown paw for one split second longer than necessary. And Martin Oliveira was gone.

Nick raised his hand and sniffed the faint perfume that Martin’s touch had left behind. Exciting. At the same time proper, subtle, and wholly civilized. If only all the world were so. Nick picked up the telcom unit.

“What the fuck are you playing at?” Gordy’s voice rasped at once out of the set. “I knew you were in your goddamn office, your secretary told me. Why didn’t you pick up?”

“Gordy, I was in my office because I had a meeting here. I had to get rid of the other person. This is supposed to be a private, dedicated line for the two of us. Do you want others listening?”

“I want action. When you hear what I have to say, so will you. Get ready to crap in your pants.”

Nick listened to the rapid-fire summary of Gordy’s conversation with Maddy Wheatstone. At the end of it he said, “I agree, it sounds bad. Will Wheatstone talk?”

“No. She’s no dummy, and I’ve been grooming her for a top Argos Group position for nine years. Right now she has the hots for Hyslop, but deep down she knows that once she gets over him she’ll want her old job back.”

“You have more faith in that than I do.”

“Because I’m smarter than you. Even if Maddy did talk, all she has is hearsay. Right now we have to worry about the source, the one who dug into the records.”

“She refused to tell you who that was?”

“Of course she did. You fucking half-wit, why do you think I’m calling you?”

Improper. Unsubtle. Wholly uncivilized. But accurate, since only a half-wit would ever have become involved with Gordy Rolfe.

“I have no idea who Maddy Wheatstone was referring to.”

“But you can find out.”

“How?”

“Call your stooge, Bozo Colombo. The person we need must have been digging into the data bases that deal with Argos Group transactions. Unless Sky City is screwed up beyond belief, the retrieval systems will hold a record of every inquiry. Tell Colombo we need names, everybody who’s been into the records in the past few weeks. Have his technical staff make a list.”

“And do what with it? I’ve told you before, Bruno Colombo has his limits. So do I.”

“You’re spineless, Lopez. You’re just as bad as your stooge.” Rolfe’s voice changed to become a broad imitation of Nick’s deeper one. ” ’Bruno Colombo has his limits. So do I.’ ” Rolfe’s raspy tone became flat and expressionless. “Well, I don’t. You get me the list. I’ll take it from there.”

“And do what?”

“Never you mind. All you have to do is sit on your ass in New Rio and keep your mouth closed. I assume you’re at least capable of that.”

“Suppose it’s one of my people, Gordy?”

“Suppose it is?”

“I could buy them off. That would be easier than anything else.”

“And be sure they stayed bought? We’ve had this conversation before. I say, let’s go for a permanent solution. Remember, I told you it would have been easier to get rid of Hyslop, and you wouldn’t let me?”

“But I was right. I said we might need Hyslop, and we did.”

“No. You did. I didn’t. I don’t give a flying fuck if the space shield works, or if it turns out to be a space sieve and everybody on the surface of Earth fries. And I’m not interested in a discussion; I want action. Tell Bruno Colombo to get his ass in gear and send you that list. Soon.”

“You’re not thinking—” Nick found he was speaking into a dead line. He replaced the telcom set, more upset than he wanted to admit.

And more perplexed. You went through life in public office, laying claim to high morality when you knew quite well that at heart you were totally immoral. You were well acquainted with the majority of the seven deadly sins. Certainly pride, anger, and greed had their place in your life. You could claim a lifelong familiarity with and affection for lust.

And then, at an age when a man ought to know himself, you discovered that your immorality had its limits.

Gordy Rolfe was right. Compared with the overlord of the Argos Group, Nick Lopez was a spineless stooge unwilling to follow through on the consequences of his own actions. If it came to a shoot-out with Gordy, Nick had the terrible conviction that he would lose.

Well, you did your best. A man was only as wicked as a man could stand to be. Nick turned his thoughts to the coming evening with Martin Oliveira, and felt comforted.