| Moonshine, Chapter 4 |
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Moonshine concludes this month. Klavel, junior partner in one of Mal Nassrin's illicit pitfighting rackets, is trying to find out why his former business associate met a violent end. Missed the earlier chapters, or our earlier serial On the Fly? See our complete list of serials here. Moonshine "I thought I'd find you here." I look up and see Roye leaning two doorways down on the opposite side of the street. "Good for you, Roye. Keep earning that Watch stipend," I say. The rain has slowed to something like a mist. It beads on my hair and face, feeling unpleasantly like somebody else's sweat. He laughs. "I came to tell you that you had a tail trailing after you, my friend. But I guess a smart man like you doesn't need someone like me to tell him that." He sounds genuine. But who knows? I don't trust a smiling man any more than I do a crying woman. "I hadn't noticed," I admit. "I can handle myself just fine, but thanks for looking out for the cripple." I hate the defensiveness I can hear in my voice. "In your line of work you should be more careful, my friend," he says. "Gods, Roye, my own ma didn't scold like you do," I tell him and make my way down the street. "I don't make any man fight that doesn't want to." Roye crosses the street, falls into step beside me. "You hold life cheap." "I don't think life is cheap. I think sometimes life is cheap." "And what about you?" "Mine will cost you, if that's what you're asking." "So touchy," Roye reminds me. "What keeps yours from being cheap?" "I rely on my winning personality." "So. Dead by dawn then." "Yeah." I chuckle. I glance around, too, but don't see any shadow other than Roye. "And Larius?" he asks. "Dead already." The direct answer felt right. It stops him in his tracks and I stop too, waiting. "Did you kill him?" His face stilled so suddenly that there might never have been a smile on it at all. "No." "You think someone around here did?" "I don't know and that's the truth," I say. "He's at the White Hind, last I saw him." Roye doesn't say anything for a long time. "You take care, Klavel," he says and though he almost sounds sincere, I don't know what it might mean. He turns neatly on his heel, and I watch him square his shoulders as he marches away, off to deal with the trouble I set him on. I almost feel bad about that, but mostly I feel relief. That takes care of the rest of Larius and I know what I have to do. Back at the hall, I ignore the lads and go to where Larius and I keep our offices. Office is perhaps too generous a term. It's a room where we keep some gear and where we can meet with a fighter, usually to tell him that we can't afford to keep him. The door shuts all the way, so that's office enough for us. I sit down in Larius' chair and open the chest that I keep there. I never stow my good gear here--or what was left of it, rather. I'd sold it in bits and pieces over the years. Held onto a few things though. It would be stupid to go fully and obviously kitted out, but I couldn't help but feel the need. I'd never gone to talk to our employers alone. Dealing with them had always been Larius' prerogative. There's a thump at the door and Knock barges in. "Did you find the boss?" "I have to go see some people," I tell him. "I'll be back later." "Later? Where is the boss?" Kid's got focus, I'll give him that. "Larius won't be in today," I say. He stands and fidgets at me, apparently trying to think again. "Where are you going?" he asks. "Do you want me to come with you?" "No." I stand, as sitting here isn't getting anything done. I leave the hall, annoyed to find Knock trailing after me like my very own gosling. "Back to the hall, Knock, that's a good lad." "I just wanted to know about the boss," he insists, from several paces behind. "And Vijay never came back so I…." "I sent him on an errand," I tell him. "Look, I have business, so hurry up if you're coming. Otherwise, head on back." "I'll go with you," he says and I glance back, he's once more staring up the street toward the big villas on the hill. The sun shines through the rain and storm clouds sending down shafts of life on the wide walls and stone shingles of the estates setting them to glittering and looking far better than they have any right to. It's a long slow slog up to those hills, the street is starting to catch puddles in its edges and soon enough the foot traffic will wear it muddy all up and down this road. But for now it just tamps down the dust and the air is clear and fresh for the first time in days. At long last, I find the house I'm looking for, the one with the hedges that need trimming and the front wall with the unmended crack. I put a hand on the gate and rattled it lightly in its frame. I can't see much beyond it, all tall walls and narrow gates. A tall man, broader than Knock, comes from the right. His bulk blocks the whole of the entryway and he blinks down at me blank-faced. "I work for Philokales," I say, which is mostly the truth. "I have some information he might be interested in." "What?" I could stand here and refuse I guess, insist on talking only to the big man himself. I didn't walk up here to argue with a brick wall. "Tell him, Larius is dead and Klavel is here to ask what he wants to do about it." "Wait." The butler sidesteps out of my vision again and I wait. "Bet he wants him buried," Knock says and laughs. I turn my head so I can see his face. "You trying to be funny?" I ask him. He stops laughing, but shrugs. "What else you do with a dead man? Think you're gonna need a new partner, Klavel?" And that was the first time he'd ever called me Klavel. I study him, he looks happy and unconcerned. I'm about to remark on that when the man returns. He looks me over, then studies Knock. He nods, then unlocks and pulls open the gate. It squeaks softly and the man backs up, then points to the large door on the house proper. Inside the front hall, the room is spare. On the wall a stone head of a lioness gapes dry-mouthed over an empty fountain. "Wait here, Knock," I say. In response, I feel a meaty hand slam down on my right shoulder. "I've always wanted to meet Philokales," Knock says. "Get your goddamned hand off me," I say. He's still on my right, but when I look he's moving more fully behind me. "Is there a problem, Klavel?" The voice is low and carefully modulated. I step forward and Knock's hand falls away. There are two men walking toward us: Alexios Philokales and another man, a horse trader name of Leo Sgouros. "No sir, no problem." "Ah, good," Alexios says, his face bemused. I can't say I like Alexios. His manners are a bit too showy. Every word and gesture has a pause on the end of it for the admiration of the masses. "Alonzo and I were just going to see the new mare," Alexios says. "I trust your man can wait here." "Of course." I don't bother to check on Knock's opinion. I do what's expected and follow them. I hear him shuffling around behind me and I've just about decided that he's going to make a fuss when he falls silent. Alexios smiles tightly, as he and Leo continue on. Turning right down a wide hall to my right, the hall is open on one side to a small inner yard. I'm mildly amused to note that the spartan squalor of the outer courtyard is absent in here. The garden is lush and neatly sectioned into well-defined beds, in the center of which a tall multi-tiered fountain splashes onto colorful tiles. The stable is well appointed, if mostly empty, and a groom stands holding the lead line of a small bay mare. The two men say little and when Alexios turns to regard me, Leo quietly takes himself off to confer with the man and horse. "When did this happen?" Alexios asks. "This morning." "I see. And yet sundown is nigh upon us. I'm hurt, Klavel, that you would wait so long to inform us of this situation." "I had a few things I wanted to deal with first," I say, wincing as I do. "Indeed. An associate who informed me that you spent a great deal of time in consultation with a member of the city garrison. About Larius, I presume." he says. He doesn't wait for me to comment. "The current Prefect is not as friendly toward us as others have been. I would have hoped that you would come to us first." "Had you?" "Of course. Larius was, how to put this," Alexios waves a hand graceful, indicating reluctance I suppose. "He was also often incautious when he spoke. He was perhaps unwise. It was hoped you would not follow his examples." "He was all right," The words sound weak even to my own ears. I think I am meant to respond with angry denial, but Alexios was right. "Yes, he was. It was simply in his nature to be a bit of a showman," Alexios turns and meets my eye. "But he was never indiscreet. Never disloyal. He never turned with his woes to those who were not our friends. He never went behind our back." "I…" I start, but I can't find any words. If they had killed Larius, I didn't really want to know. Or rather, I didn't want to be told to my face by Alexios Philokales himself. He's waiting and I have to speak soon. "I am sorry if my actions have been disrespectful." "Hm, I wonder perhaps, if you do not quite understand my point," he says. He's watching me avidly, and it occurs to me that he was warning me off for a different reason. "I didn't kill him," I say for the second time that day, shaking my head. "I don't know why everyone keeps asking me that." "Why, indeed." he says archly, though he smiles. "This matter with Larius will be dealt with. If there are further decisions to be made, you will be informed. Until then I trust you will carry on in the manner to which are accustomed." I have no idea what that is supposed to mean, but I nod anyway. "Of course. I'll do my best." "That's all I ask," Alexios says with his serious face on. "Was that all, Klavel?" "Yes, sir. Thank you for seeing me," I say, resisting the odd and sudden compulsion to bow or salute or otherwise acknowledge my obvious dismissal with the formality that he seems to enjoy. "I'll just show myself out." He nods and I leave wondering exactly how I'm supposed to keep things running without Larius. The air has cooled quite a bit more. The rain and shorter days make the autumn evening darker than I'd expected when I get outside. The moon's up already. It's a pretty night, if chilly, and I feel better now than I had when I arrived. Maybe Gillian knows more, and maybe Larius hadn't offended the bosses enough for it to be worth killing him. I'd be a damned fool if I believe Philokales though. At least he would be off my back for a time. I find Knock waiting for me, pacing irritably in the outer courtyard. He looks up sharply when he hears me. "Did you ask him about me?" "Ask him what?" I say. "Come on, kid. We've got work to do." The stone-faced doorman lets us out onto the rainy street, nodding distantly when I wish him good evening. Knock is almost bouncing beside me, walking on the balls of his feet all riled up for no reason I can see. "What did he say?" He asks like it's any of his damned business. When I say we have work to do, I don't mean to open a discussion about it. "Not much," I tell him. I need to track down the lads, get them paid, go through the rosters and see who we need to cut loose. "What did he say about Larius?" Knock asks. "Why does it matter?" I ask, irritated that he's bothering me when I need to be thinking. He puts that heavy hand on my shoulder again. "I bring a lot of money to the hall. Don't you think?" "Yeah, I guess," I allow, annoyed at his hand-on-shoulder familiarity again. "Vijay's been coming along though, and he doesn't fight dirty. You really need to watch that, Knock." The fingers on my shoulder tighten. "That's bullshit! You never take my side! I do what I have to do to win!" "I never take your side?" I splutter, snorting laughter. "Grow up. I'm not your father and I don't have obligations to you." "You bastard!" Now that grip is shoving me forward, throwing me onto my right. I've dealt with the hip for too long not to know how to deal with it. I shift my weight automatically, stumbling a little. But that's not important yet. He's moving behind me again, and my blind side is wider than most. "Look, Knock, you can yell all you want," I say turning around to keep my eye on him, "but I don't need a partner, not yet. You couldn't replace Larius anyway. He had a knack for finding-" The pain is sudden and fills up my head. I've felt its like before though and I know what it is. I can't believe that son of a bitch just stabbed me. "And Larius said I couldn't replace you," Knock hisses. He moves closer, the weight of his body pushing me down. The ground comes up fast. I know better than this. Taken down is bad. I turn my head. "I just wanted my chance. Why couldn't you give me that?" Knock says. He backs away, far enough that I see the knife in his hand. He shakes his head. "You dumb son of a bitch." I twist my body, trying to get my hands up under me. I can't quite seem to. "I'm not going to die here." My breath fogs up the sky in front of my eyes. I watch the rising moon go blurry. It's colder out than I had first thought. My hip is going to lock up something fierce. I can smell wet earth and something like rust. I hadn't thought… The misting rain looks like fog in the streets. The ground is cold. There is a pebble under my temple, it hurts for a moment. Then it stops. My ma used to say that the mists hold the souls of the unquiet dead and... |
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