Tomorrow, the Killing

19

The wooden platform outside of the Veterans’ Association Headquarters was in use, a decent-sized crowd of onlookers watching a one-legged veteran howl his way through a stock speech. That is to say I assumed he was a veteran, though half the beggars in Low Town claim an honorable wound and a few coin on top of it, liars with bound legs spinning sob stories for fools. He looked the part at least, and he was making a fine go of it, rolling himself up to a good boil despite the heat.

‘When the Throne called, we stood back to back, back to back against the enemies of our nation! When the blood roiled like the tides, when our brothers-in-arms fell like wheat at the harvest, still we kept faith, still we stood strong against the Dren menace!’

Some menace, an ocean and half a world away – you travel a thousand miles to kick a hornets’ nest you ought not moan so over being stung. The rest of the crowd seemed to remember it differently, however, muttering along in agreement.

‘Whatever was required of us, we gave! Gave without asking for compensation, gave till we had nothing left! We didn’t do it for pay, and we didn’t do it for medals! We did it so that our children would know a world without the fear of foreign enslavement. That they might grow up free and strong, proud subjects of the Rigun Empire!’

Oh, the children, the children, always with the children. Real bloodthirsty motherfuckers, our hypothetical progeny. More men have died on behalf of future generations than through disease, famine and drink.

‘And after all our sacrifices, all our struggle – this is how the Crown thanks us! The Private’s Silver is ours, brothers, ours by right of blood!’

Noble sentiments were all well and good, but it was money that drove my ex-comrades into a frenzy. We’d gained numbers since I’d come in, or at least we’d lost space, the beefy veteran behind me climbing my heels for a better view.

‘Roland Montgomery had a dream – that those men who fought to save the country might have a hand in running it. Though he was taken from us—’

A voice yelled, ‘Murdered by Black House!’

‘Though he was taken from us,’ the speaker continued smoothly, sharp enough not to slander the government outright though happy enough to inspire it, ‘still we hold the faith! As we held it at Beneharnum, and at Sarlaut! As we held it at Aunis, and Darlaux, and Sulmne! As we hold it to this very day, firm in the face of any man who seeks to strip us of our rights and honors! Next week, brothers, I hope you’ll join us on our march to the palace – to remind the Queen of what her people have done for her, and to demand just recompense for our efforts!’

The crowd erupted. I slipped away, running the gauntlet of back-slapping buffoons and teary-eyed nostalgics.

I found Hroudland standing stiff-necked near the entrance, his face beatific though he must have heard the sermon before. He was a true believer, it seemed, though I wouldn’t have credited him as such. I filed the information away happily – zealots are easy to play.

Something of the speech had stayed with him, because he greeted me with a friendly smile despite my history of disrespect. ‘Lieutenant,’ he said.

‘Hroudland. I need to see the commander.’

It took a moment for that to sink in. Hroudland was one of those rarest of military men, an individual whose rank had not outdistanced his talents and, as the main requirement of the middle ranks is attention to detail and a lack of imagination, he was having trouble dealing with this new development. ‘The commander’s busy.’

‘I’m not here to waste his time.’

A longer moment still, then he nodded and walked me inside. I took a seat against the wall and watched him disappear through the back.

The entrance hall wasn’t packed, but it was damn full for a weekday afternoon, dozens of men preparing for the march. The whole place was animated with an energy that hadn’t been there the last time I’d come through, that probably hadn’t been there for years, since before the Association had legitimized itself. The Crown’s ill-considered attempt to decrease their rapidly expanding debt was bearing sour fruit, turning the apolitical into fanatics, reminding an untapped army of long-standing grievances. Still, they weren’t sharpening knives or threatening to murder city officials, which I took to mean the news of Rhaine’s murder was as yet unknown to them. Except, of course, for those members of the assemblage who had been detailed to kill her.

I sat mostly unnoticed in the corner, one more unkempt, middle-aged man in a small sea of them. One of my compatriots, a thuggish-looking sort with a head of white hair, kept staring over at me through crossed eyes, but he blinked away when I fixed my attention towards him. Instead I turned it on the portrait of Roland that stood above the fireplace. I didn’t like it, I decided. The stern line of his face didn’t match my memory of his upbeat grin, solid in the heat of battle or a crowded taproom.

Three-quarters of an hour sauntered past until an orderly waved me through the public area and into the hallway beyond. Inside I waited silently while a pair of guards removed my dagger and gave me a thorough once over. They’d upped security since yesterday, or else they just wanted to fuck with me. Afterward one of them escorted me to Pretories, knocking on the door and waiting for an affirmation before allowing me entry.

Joachim sat behind his desk, a thick bundle of papers evenly separated in front of him. ‘I’m sorry to have kept you waiting, Lieutenant,’ he said. ‘As you can see, we’ve got a lot going on at the moment.’ He pointed at the seat across from him, but I remained standing.

‘Rhaine’s dead.’ I kept my voice flat, and low. It could have been accusing, or despondent.

‘What?’

‘Rhaine Montgomery is a corpse in the Low Town muck.’

Pretories gave a credible impression of being shocked: he slumped back into his chair, squeezed his forehead with one hand, and allowed an appropriate interval to pass without speaking. ‘You’re certain?’

‘I saw her body.’

‘By the Firstborn,’ he said. ‘I’ve failed him again.’

I took the seat he’d offered. ‘I think we both know where the blame lies, Commander.’

If you were watching close enough, you could have seen a break in the façade, an angry crack in his false surface of regret. But then in fairness, I knew what I was looking for.

‘Sons of bitches at Black House,’ I spat out this last with sudden and honest venom, the first display of emotion I’d allowed myself. ‘How long are we gonna let them do it? Roland wasn’t enough – they had to send someone after his little sister too?’ I slammed my fist down on Pretories’ table, sending sheets of paper floating to the ground.

‘Black House,’ Pretories agreed after a moment. ‘Sons of bitches.’

‘It wasn’t your fault, Commander,’ I said, adopting his mournful pose. ‘It was mine. I was too slow in getting to her, and too slow in coming to you.’

‘As you said, Lieutenant. We both know where the blame lies.’

‘I’ve been no friend to the Association these last years, I know that, and I’m sorry. I was . . . I was afraid,’ I said slowly, drawing it out. ‘I have people to protect. You know I used to wear the gray. I’m in their books, a loose end they’d be happy to tie shut. I’ve got to be careful – I can’t stretch my neck out.’

‘And now?’

‘Seeing Rhaine’s body . . .’ I shook my head bitterly. ‘Same as her brother. Twelve years and nothing’s changed – we’re still nothing to them. They take everything we got and step on us if we make a noise. Someone needs to answer for her, for her and for Roland.’ Strictly speaking, that last wasn’t even a lie. ‘I’m with you from now on, wherever it takes me.’

I wasn’t sure how far Pretories was swallowing my sudden shift in allegiance. It didn’t exactly fit with my reputation as a man whose sole concern was his own back. But of course, the less he trusted me the wiser he would be to fake it. Better to have me close, where he could keep an eye on me. ‘With the Throne threatening our future, we need the support of every veteran we can muster. The march isn’t for a couple of days, but of course there are ways to get involved before then. Check with one of the men at the front desk, they’ll direct you as needed.’

That was the end of the conversation, but I stayed where I was.

After a moment, Joachim clarified his dismissal. ‘If there’s nothing else then, Lieutenant . . .’

‘I’m afraid there is something else, Commander.’ I swallowed hard and looked at my lap. If I had a cap I’d have taken it off my head and worried it between my hands. As it was I just tried to give that impression. ‘There’s something I should have told you the last time I was here. I should have told you, and I didn’t, and I’m sorry.’

‘Go on.’

‘I’ve had to do things I’m not proud of since I left the service. I don’t suppose that’s a surprise for you to hear.’

‘I’m aware of how you make your living, Lieutenant. And not in any position to judge.’

No, you bloody well aren’t. ‘But doing what I do, it means I hear things that not everyone else does. The word on the street is that the syndicates aren’t happy with some of your recent developments. This march you’ve planned, it’s got people riled. Wasn’t so long ago the veterans marching in the streets meant blood in the gutters for anyone who got in their way.’

‘We aren’t in that line anymore – the Veterans’ Association is one hundred percent legitimate, a duly registered organization advocating for the rights of its members.’

‘Would the Courtland Savages agree?’

He waved that away. ‘The Courtland Savages can do whatever the hell they want, so long as they do it in Courtland. They set up a shop around the block from us – I can’t have them selling in front of the damn headquarters. Hroudland and his boys went over to talk to one of their higher-ups – there weren’t any problems. They told me the issue was settled.’

‘That’s what they told you.’

‘Spit it out, Lieutenant. Equivocation is unbecoming in an officer.’

‘I’m not being coy with you, Commander – I don’t have anything solid. Just whispers. Of course, whispers can turn concrete when you aren’t looking.’ I leaned across the table, like I was offering a secret. ‘You know the Savages work for the Giroies.’

‘What of it?’

‘Memory serves, you and Roland put a fair number of Giroie boys in shallow graves.’

‘Roland was my brother, and the greatest man I’ve ever met.’ It rolled off his tongue smooth as chocolate. ‘But he was misguided. The Association has no business going after the syndicates, however objectionable their activities may be. Our business is our people, making sure the government doesn’t screw us any worse than it already has. Whatever . . . unpleasantness was between us and the Giroies was put aside long ago.’

‘That shot you took at them, it knocked them back from the front ranks. They’ve been scrambling for footing ever since. I imagine that might be the sort of thing they’d remember.’

‘It’s been more than ten years since we were cross. Why start making trouble now?’

‘Yeah, you’re right. They seem like a nice bunch of people. I could send word their way – maybe they could come round for coffee and cake.’

Pretories was not a man for humor. ‘I appreciate the warning,’ he said slowly, ‘and certainly hope you keep me abreast of any further developments. But beyond that . . .’ He built his hands into a pyramid, elbows leaning against the table. ‘Our organization is at the most critical point in its history since the death of Roland Montgomery. I can’t afford to expend resources in ancillary theaters.’

‘Of course. Do what you think is best.’ I propped myself out of the seat. ‘I’ll keep my ears out, let you know what I hear. And if there’s anything else, Commander, anything you need, make sure to contact me.’

He rose quickly and put one hand on my shoulder. ‘It’s good to have you back in the fold, Lieutenant. Remember: what we do, we do not just for us, but for those that have been taken – for Roland, and for Rhaine. The justice of the Firstborn is slow, but certain. Those responsible will get their due, have no fear on that.’

Something fierce brushed across my face. If Pretories had been watching me rather than pontificating, I think the game might have been up right there. ‘You’re damn right they will,’ I said.

When I left the speaker was starting up again, on the dot for his one-thirty performance. I waited around for a few minutes to see if he’d ad-lib something, but it was hot as hell, and he didn’t, and I split.