Age of X01 - Gameboard of the Gods Read online

  “So she has no connection to the case,” said Justin flatly.

  “Not from what I can tell. Don’t sound so sad. She’s still a badass prætorian and all that.”

  “I know.” Justin smiled fleetingly. “Did I ever tell you about this Apollo temple we were at? You would’ve loved it. This guy had subcutaneous microfilaments delivering ecstatic drugs. You should have seen his face when I sent Mae as a volunteer. She didn’t even twitch.”

  Even Leo was amused at that. “She must’ve twitched a little.”

  “No, the implant protected her.”

  “Yeah, but it’d take a moment for it to identify and metabolize the drug.”

  Justin was obstinate. “Well, I know what I saw.”

  “And I know prætorians.”

  “Well, do you know anything yet about mysteriously altered videos?” Justin shot back, not liking the contradiction.

  Leo’s good mood dimmed. “No. But I got a good lead on an experiment for the video. I’ll keep you posted.” He disconnected.

  Justin stared at the screen in silence for several moments before saying, “You can come in.”

  Feeling foolish, Tessa entered the office. “Sorry. I was coming to talk to you.”

  He waved it off as he sat in his chair and put his feet up on the desk. “Tell me this, prodigy. Six patricians born within a year of each other, all with high scores, all showing signs of genetic manipulation done by the same person—except one. Why would that be?”

  Tessa leaned against the wall. “Because the sixth one wasn’t done by the same person.”

  Justin didn’t look appreciative. “Thanks for that. So it’s a coincidence?”

  “I don’t know enough about it,” she said with a shrug. “Do numbers lie?”

  “Not when Leo runs them.”

  “Then it is a coincidence.”

  He nodded, though his face still showed skepticism. “How about this. A bunch of plebeians die the same year some perfect patricians are conceived. Is that a coincidence?”

  She shook her head. “I don’t know any of the context here either. Is this your case?”

  “Yes. And don’t tell anyone we’re having this conversation.”

  It didn’t sound like it had much to do with religion. “I guess you have to ask why that would happen. Why would plebeians die when patricians were conceived? If there’s a reason, then it’s not a coincidence. Sorry,” she added, realizing it wasn’t much of an answer. “Guess I’m not much of a prodigy tonight.”

  “You’re good enough.” He straightened up in his chair. “So. What did you want to talk about?”

  “I went to a church service today. Church of Humanity,” she clarified. “I thought it would be like a guide for moral living and human principles. But mostly it seemed like a way to enforce loyalty to the country’s policies.”

  “They’re the same. That’s what religions do—a higher power tells people how to live. Only, this message comes from a reasonable set of humans, not a capricious made-up entity.”

  “Religions give you a sense of purpose. They connect you with something bigger in the universe and help you understand why you’re here,” she argued.

  He gave her a teasing smile. “Isn’t that what I just said?”

  “No. I don’t think so.” She frowned. “If I find a church—a real one, like the one I went to back home—will you arrest me? Or will it get you in trouble?”

  “Only if you attempt treason. There are two here in the city that are pretty good matches. Licensed and harmless. You can go if you want.”

  She didn’t say anything, but she wondered just how much the RUNA’s idea of “licensed and harmless” would truly match the faith she’d been raised in. Instead, she told him, “Oh. I kind of have a date.”

  That snapped him to attention. “What? With who?”

  “The guy I went to church with.” Tessa shifted uncomfortably. “Cynthia said it was okay when I asked earlier.”

  “That’s because she was never a teenage boy,” he said. “Two weeks here, and you’re already giving me gray hairs. Give me his name so I can run a check and then make sure he comes by to meet me.”

  Tessa couldn’t help but be a little surprised. Thus far, Justin hadn’t really seemed all that interested in her activities.

  “I’m just going to a concert,” Tessa said, trying to reassure him. “I’m hoping it’ll give me some footage for my class.”

  “Footage?”

  “I’m in a media class now. Part of our project is to do a documentary, and I’m doing mine on Gemman culture from an outsider’s perspective.” Tessa was excited about the prospect, and not just because it freed her from inane Spanish lessons.

  “Huh,” he said. “Budding reporter. I never saw that coming. Don’t record anything around here without asking me.”

  “I know.”

  He stared off thoughtfully. “There’s a lot of power with cameras and editing, you know. It lets you define the truth.”

  “Isn’t that what you do?” she asked. “Servitor veritatis. ‘Servant of the truth.’ Don’t you define the truth too?”

  That got her another laugh and a rueful head-shake. “Go to bed, prodigy. You’re too smart for your own good. And mine.”

  CHAPTER 19

  GRATEFUL TO BE IN THE FOLDS OF CIVILIZATION

  Mae wasn’t thrilled that she and Justin were down to their last land-grant investigation: the Nordics. She had no desire to visit her homeland and secretly hoped he’d cancel the trip altogether since he was now caught up in the idea of a vengeful geneticist being behind the murders. He had inquiries out to the various castes, requesting records of any other “genetic indiscretions,” as they were officially called. Although he believed in the geneticist theory, she knew he wasn’t optimistic about getting results. Most patricians were conceived in vitro, meaning there was a wealth of fertility clinics out there that were always coming and going.

  He’d also requested information from the various families about the victims’ conceptions but had received muddled answers. Some swore they hadn’t used in vitro. Others provided the names of doctors who didn’t seem to exist. Confusing things further was that many castals resented the RUNA’s prohibitions against genetic research, some of whom worked at high levels of castal government and could help cover up illegal clinics.

  In the meantime, Justin still doggedly pursued his religious leads, though Mae suspected it was out of desperation. He kept up his overconfident persona, but she knew he was getting anxious about time. They were more than halfway through the month now, and each day that passed meant they were closer to another murder and his potential return to exile. He claimed he’d gotten a lead from Geraki’s tirade, which surprised her since little of that madman’s ramblings had made sense. She was even more surprised when Justin said they’d be going to the RUNA’s borderlands.

  The RUNA had spent a number of decades establishing itself and building its power. Once it felt secure, it had begun to slowly expand its territory on the continent. Some regions—such as the lands southwest of the RUNA—had transitioned more easily. They had formed a loose configuration of city-states after the Decline and eventually welcomed being annexed by their powerful neighbor.

  Other regions weren’t so thrilled. The RUNA’s other neighbor, Arcadia, had formed when the southeastern region of the former United States had chosen not to band with the rest of the country and Canada because they opposed the harsh mandates. Mae was familiar enough with Arcadian culture to know that “chosen” wasn’t the word they used in their history. Arcadia claimed it had been abandoned because the early RUNA couldn’t maintain that much territory. The truth lay in the middle of those theories, and despite ravages by Mephistopheles and Cain, Arcadia had managed to pull itself up into a relatively stable country, due largely to an iron-fisted and religion-driven government.

  Relations between the countries had been tense, especially because the RUNA had its eye on some of its neighbor’s resour
ce-rich land. Gemman energy favored renewable resources, but oil and natural gas were still in demand. As a result, Arcadia’s western border was constantly in dispute as each country tried to stake its claim. The RUNA possessed superior technology and weapons, but the Arcadian military was vast and had been building up weapons that, while less sophisticated, were still problematic.

  Justin’s destination wasn’t in an Arcadian borderland but was instead in a region that had been annexed only within the last five years. Although the Gemman government worked very quickly to bring its new territories into the uniform cultural fold of the rest of the nation, these new territories still had a reputation for recklessness and dissent—nuisances combatted by a very strong military presence.

  Mae got the call from Leo about her test results on the way to Justin’s house. She wasn’t surprised to hear she wasn’t a match to the victims. She’d expected that, no matter how much Justin advocated his conspiracy theory.

  It was the other results Mae was interested in, the ones she hadn’t told Justin about. When Justin had left to answer a call during their Nipponese lunch, she’d taken a leap of faith and asked Leo for a favor. Their relationship had warmed up enough that it was worth the gamble. She’d handed over the lock of hair that Emil had given her, feeling both terrified and excited over what Leo might uncover. He’d promised discretion and hadn’t asked many questions.

  “It’s a hit,” he told her when he called. “Definitely a relative of yours.”

  Mae sat on the train, her ego pressed to her ear in voice-only mode. “How close?”

  “Twenty-five percent match to you. That’s a grandparent, half sibling, niece or nephew, aunt or uncle.” He paused. “Double first cousins too.”

  “I see.” She took a deep breath. “Can you tell which?”

  “No, all I can go by is the number of genes that match. Send me some of your immediate family’s stats, and I could get a closer hit.”

  Good luck with that. Mae entertained a brief fantasy of stealthily cutting off a lock of her sister’s hair. “I don’t think that’ll be possible.”

  “Does it help you at all?”

  Did it? Mae didn’t know. The only thing it proved for sure was that Emil had obtained some relative’s hair. Of course, there was still that picture, but that wasn’t hard evidence, no matter the family resemblance. Someone like him could’ve combed through archives of children’s pictures to find a Koskinen likeness.

  “It helps,” she told Leo. If nothing else, it showed her the extent to which the Brödern was willing to go for a prætorian asset. “Thank you. I appreciate it.”

  She could sense his discomfort. Their relationship still wasn’t entirely firmed up. “Glad to help.”

  “And thanks for not telling Justin…you didn’t, right?”

  That brought on a snort of laughter. “If I had, he probably would’ve been at your door this morning demanding answers. This is the kind of mystery he lives for.”

  Mae had to concur as they disconnected. She might have been just a conquest, but that didn’t mean he didn’t still try to wheedle information out of her—or anyone else he encountered. Maybe he couldn’t help it, as he’d claimed, but she wasn’t going to take any chances.

  Unsurprisingly, the borderlands didn’t have many direct flights, and it took them the better part of the day to reach their destination. When they stepped off their plane, Mae caught her breath. Spring had come to Vancouver, but it was nothing compared to the evening warmth of Mazatlán. The ocean had glowed in the setting sun as their flight had descended, and now, with darkness falling, the twinkling lights of buildings could be seen in the distance, where the bulk of the city sat on a hill.

  “This could be a vacation,” Justin mused.

  “I’m surprised it doesn’t bring back traumatic flashbacks of Panama.”

  “Not as humid. That, and it’s safer.”

  “You sure about that?” she asked. She’d been in enough borderlands to know that unsavory elements lurked beneath the surface, those who weren’t quite on board with their new government’s policies.

  “There are dissidents,” Justin said in agreement. “In fact, we may run into a few when we go out tomorrow, but it won’t be anything major. Once they have more time to adjust, they’ll be grateful to be in the folds of civilization.”

  Near the airport, state-funded light-rail tracks were under construction, promising the efficiency the rest of the country enjoyed. Driverless cars had spread to this region, however, and it was easy enough to catch one into the city. There, she found Justin’s vacation comparison might have been more accurate than she’d realized, seeing as they were staying in a beachside resort.

  “SCI’s paying for this?” she asked in disbelief. Mazatlán’s buildings were a mix of new and pre-Decline, and this one was one of the new ones, beautiful and filled with modern luxuries. Yet, as they approached the entrance, she couldn’t help but notice the large number of police and regular military patrolling the streets. That certainly wasn’t something you’d see in a posh resort elsewhere in the RUNA.

  “Our tax dollars at work,” Justin told her. “Enjoy it, because tomorrow we’re going to see the dredges of this town.”

  They spent the night outside in one of the resort’s many restaurants, enjoying dinner and drinks as a local band strummed guitars. Beyond them stretched an expansive beach that gave way to the darkness of the ocean. Mae could just barely make out the sound of the surf.

  Justin, naturally, drank heavily the whole time, but at least he didn’t take anything else, hopefully reducing his odds of an overdose. She didn’t want to find out firsthand if Mazatlán’s medical resources were up to normal Gemman standards. He’d said very little about Windsor, but she’d noticed that aside from his morning stimulant, he hadn’t strayed to anything harder than alcohol.

  All this time spent together…the hotels, the meals. Sometimes it felt like a parody of dating. Except no date would constantly be checking out other women. His gaze in particular kept going back to a young, red-haired bartender.

  “Go tell her you’re an EA diplomat,” Mae said. “I bet that’ll go over well.”

  He snapped his attention back to her. “For someone who claims that’s in the past, you sure can’t seem to let it go. You never let me explain.”

  “Is there more to it than you using it to get me into bed?”

  “Was that what did it?” he retorted.

  “No,” she admitted. It had been his wit, his sexiness. The sense that he was interested in what was within her, rather than just the natural-blond exterior that dazzled so many men. It had even been a little of that bravado, something she apparently couldn’t stay away from. Most of all, it had been a sense of connection. She would never give him the satisfaction of telling him, but sometimes, in the rare moments when they weren’t sparring, she still felt it.

  “The jacket was my friend’s,” said Justin. “He’d lent it to me, and when you thought I was him…I just went with it. Less depressing to be a diplomat than an exile. I didn’t expect things to pan out like they did.” He laughed softly to himself. “I wonder where Huan is now. He wouldn’t believe this change of fortunes. Aside from Tessa’s dad, he was my only real friend there.”

  “Not Cristobal and all those admirers of Gemmans?”

  “No. Definitely not.” His eyes were piercing as he studied her. “Nordic Nine, you must have been a diamond among ashes growing up. I don’t know how or why you got out, but I know you must’ve been paraded around and put on display. Your family could do nothing less.”

  Mae didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of letting him know he was right, but it wasn’t exactly that difficult a conclusion to reach. “Yes.”

  “Did you like it?”

  “Sometimes,” she answered honestly.

  “Did it get tiring? Always having to smile and say polite things? Knowing people were watching and speculating? Knowing they were flocking to what you were and not who you were?”<
br />
  His ability to so perfectly capture something like that was both amazing and disturbing. But again, she answered with truth. “Yes.”

  He spread his hands out. “Then there you go. Welcome to being a Gemman in Panama.”

  His words drew her up short. She had never once thought they might have any sort of shared experience like that. With a jolt, she realized that his difficulties in Panama might have extended beyond just being surrounded by provincial primitiveness. There was a social aspect she’d never considered. And with that conclusion, she suddenly drew an even more startling one. The sadness and loneliness she’d sensed from him might not have been faked. That didn’t mean he still hadn’t had ulterior motives—especially if his “second date” speech was any indication. Nonetheless, it cast him in a new light. She couldn’t fully articulate her thoughts and simply stayed silent. She didn’t know what expression she wore, but after several moments of studying her, Justin looked away and downed his drink.

  “Well,” he said, getting to his feet. “The night’s not getting any younger, and her shift’ll probably be over soon. I can take it from here, noble defender. Charge anything else to my room.” He gave her a mock salute and sauntered over toward the bartender, wearing an expression very similar to the one he’d used on Mae in their first meeting. The young woman looked interested, but then, who wouldn’t be in the face of those good looks and charm? Angry about her moment of sentimentality, Mae left as well—for her room, alone.

  He was in good spirits the next morning but said nothing about what had happened. She certainly wasn’t going to ask. They took another car, this time out to the edges of the city, which became significantly less affluent the farther they went. The military presence also diminished. There were a few new construction projects, but many buildings were pre-Decline or had been hastily thrown up immediately after in an attempt at safety when chaos roamed the streets. The people they saw here were obviously working-class, and even if they now had the same health and education access, it was clear these new citizens were a long ways from their more fashionable counterparts. Signs in Spanish showed many hadn’t yet learned their new national language.