Leonard left shortly after, only staying to flesh out a couple finer details and exchange contact information.
He was told his new identity would be ready tomorrow. Usually it took much longer, but Leonard figured they would just add his identity to the Condor Kingdoms data banks directly, letting them skip trying to hack into various systems to create something out of nothing.
It was a bit of a worry that the Condor Kingdom would know of his false name, however beggars can't be choosers. He would figure something more secure out later.
Although the business side of his meeting with the Bloodhounds went surprisingly well, the more clandestine purpose of his visit didn't offer much in the way of substantial proof as to their backing.
Though his suspicions had deepend, it may just very well be confirmation bias, so he didn't put much thought into it yet. In time he would find out, such things couldn't be revealed in a day. Or else they wouldn't have evaded Bulwark and the ISD for so long.
Nonetheless, the next item of business was to visit the university, confirming a person matching the name and description in his mind and book would be enough to confirm its validity for Leonard. He had neither seen nor heard of such a man before, this William Solace was a complete stranger to him.
He hailed a cab and it arrived fairly quickly, the automated vehicles having enough spare stationed throughout the city to respond swiftly. Its interior was fairly spacious. Without a driver the four seats claimed the entire interior space, two seats on the front and back facing into each other.
Without having to share with anyone else, Leonard could stretch out and watch the city going by underneath him. The abandoned industrial district was a ways out from the main city, the towering skyscrapers being visible in the far distance.
Their peaks shoot up through the clouds, the largest even containing an elevator that went all the way up to a space station in low orbit. The vast downtown bustled with activity as Leonards automated air taxi merged into one of the many aerial highways cutting between the towering buildings.
It took around 30 minutes for Leonard to reach the university. Its low rise buildings looked out of place surrounded by towering skyscrapers. Taking up an entire city block, the university was a mixture of various smaller buildings dotted around green parks and fountains. Although smaller was relative to the towering structures surrounding it on all sides, the university still being home to over one hundred thousand students, without factoring in staff and professors.
The luxurious university was the best in the whole nation, hopeful pupils from all across Bastion's hundreds of star systems fighting to be admitted into its hallowed halls. Even some smaller states on Bastion's borders had students travelling for such a chance.
Leonards air taxi landed in a busy terminal at one of the university's entrances, the air space above being a complete no fly zone. As Leonard exitted the taxi four students quickly filled in, large crowds waiting their turns.
Leonard could enter the university complex with no issues, its various parks being open to the public, however he would be restricted from entering most of the buildings, being reserved for students only.
That didn't stop him from making his way over to the large building holding the Citadel National University’s Business and Economics departments. He didn't have much of a plan other than to ask around, his memories didn't tell him what subjects he took exactly, however Leonard made an educated guess.
The crowds thinned out as he came before the building, the many members of the public simply enjoying the parks having split off, only leaving the university students who were still fairly numerous.
Leonard got straight to it, not having much of a plan, and walked up to the first group of students he saw. The group of five were similarly aged to him, seemingly having completed their first few years. The group of two men and three women were all dressed in identical dark blue smart looking uniforms, the scroll like symbol for the university imprinted on their chests.
“Hello, I was wondering if you could help me.” The group all turned away from their conversation towards Leonard. “I'm looking for a William Solace, you wouldn't happen to know him would you?”
“Umm, I don't think so.” One of the women answered, before turning back to the group to see their opinions. It didn’t seem Leonard got lucky on his first try as they all shook their heads.
“No worries, thanks for your time.”
Leonard excused himself and repeated the same again. This time he approached a pair of younger looking boys sitting lazily on a patch of grass. They echoed the same response as the last group leaving him with no progress. No matter, he had plenty of time.
He spent the next few hours asking around with little to show for it, only having a name without a picture to go with it made it difficult for those that vaguely remembered the name but nothing more. The responses were almost all the same.
“Never heard of him.”
“Nah sorry, don't know the guy.”
“Hmm that sounds familiar…. Nope, nevermind I was thinking of someone else.”
It certainly seemed like this wasn't leading anywhere Leonard sighed as he approached another group. This one was much like the first, two men and three women, however this time it seemed he had a bit more luck.
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
“William Solace huh?” One of the women thought for a moment, “I definitely heard that name before, but I can't remember where from..”
“Yeah I swear I've heard that name before.” Another of the group echoed her recollection before slamming a fist down into her palm. “That's it! Wasn't he the brother of that doll from the cafe we visit?”
“Yeah you're right. He used to be in our classes last year. “The first women finally remembered. “But I haven't seen him around lately.”
This seemed promising, it wasn't his target himself but at least it was some direction to go in, and if it was his sister it could be a great lead. However in a pragmatic sense his mission was already complete, having confirmed that there was someone that attends, or attended if these girls said they hadn't seen him anymore, the university with the name William Solace.
However for some reason he wanted to meet the man in person. Maybe to confirm with his own eyes, or maybe because the presence in his head was pushing him forward towards it. Either way he still thought it best to see for himself.
“Could you tell me where this cafe is?”
“Yeah, it's across the road from the eastern entrance, the building directly in front of you when you leave” The woman said, pointing with her fingers to one of the large skyscrapers always visible outside the university grounds. “It's called Anna’s, on the 47th floor. Has a great view out over the university grounds.”
Leonard thanked them before making his way out of the university. The crowds picked back up the closer he got to the exit gate, multiple paths converging into one of the four pedestrian entrances of the university.
Walking around Leonard could see why the place was so popular to visit. Compared to the sea of metal boxes rising into the sky, the university was one of the few places with greenery in the city available to the public.
The large hedge lined wall that circled the university grounds opened up as the eastern entrance came into view. Not the same gate that Leonard had arrived at, but similar in most aspects. A large parking lot ferried hundreds of people in and out, either in more rare private cars or the much more numerous variety of taxi services.
Leonard walked past this and out through a large archway onto a wide sidewalk. Traditional streets still persisted, larger vehicles and those without means of flight still had very large amounts of demand. Flight systems were by no metrics cheap, even though they have become more prevalent.
Leonard had to take a large pedestrian bridge to cross over the ten lanes of constant traffic that led him straight into the towering building he was pointed towards. Due to its direct connection with the university, the building was almost entirely commercial. A large atrium spanning thirty floors greeted Leonard, large shop fronts and numerous advertisements covered the space.
He ignored all of it, not here to shop around and instead approached one of the many elevators connecting the various floors. It took a little time travelling all the way up to the 47th floor, many times having to stop for other passengers as they got on or reached their floors.
Compared to the bustling ground floor, the 47th floor saw few people, most of the potential customers being taken by the larger chain stores in the floors beneath.
Anna’s was tucked into a small corner of the floor, only a single sign above its door to guide potential customers. It made it fairly difficult for Leonard to find it, if he wasn't told about it in the first place he would have never came across the cafe.
The interior was nice however, large floor to ceiling windows giving a great view out over the university grounds below. It was empty inside, nobody seated at any of the tables, only a single woman behind the counter trying to make herself busy.
“Welcome,” she said to Leonard as he sat down at the bar. “What can I get for you?”
She looked remarkably familiar, though Leo couldn't place it. He could only chalk it up to having known her in the future, or more likely knowing her brother and then her by connection. Her long blonde hair was tied back into a ponytail, while she dressed in a large apron over her clothes with Anna’s written on the front, a small name badge with the same slight to the side.
“Just a small coffee.”
“Sure thing,” she quickly went to work right away, not having any other customers to worry about. “What brings you here?”
“I got recommended this place by a couple girls from the university,” he freely admitted, sipping on his freshly made drink. “They said you might be able to help me find someone.”
“You mean Sarah and her lot?” Anna looked at him a little confused, though instantly guessing the group as they were some of her few regulars. “Who are you looking for?”
“Well, your brother in fact.” She looked alarmed at the mention of her brother, someone she had never seen before coming in looking for him. Not being dressed in a university uniform either made it more worrying for her. “A William Solace, I heard you were his sister. You wouldn’t know where to find him would you?”
“What's it to you?” She said defensively, her purple eyes staring at him with suspicion. “I don’t mean any offence, but I don't know you. Why should I tell you where my brother is?”
Leonard raised his hands in peace, not wanting to carry the impression that he wished William any harm.
“I don't want any troubl-”
Leonard was cut off before he could finish, a loud bang sounding as a boot kicked the door to the cafe wide open. A trio of rough looking thugs waltzed in as if they owned the place, one of them sitting down at the bar next to Leonard.
They were dressed in black leather jackets, their heavily tattooed chests underneath completely exposed. Leonard thought nothing of them until he caught a glimpse of a gun tucked into the pants of the thug at his side.”
Anna for her part looked down right terrified, backing away from the counter with her hands raised.
“Look, I told you I don't know where he is..” she kept stepping back until she hit the wall. “I don't want any trouble.”
One of the thugs snatched a glass from behind the counter, spitting a thick wad of gum inside.
“Look lassy.” He spoke, taking no mind of Leonard sitting to his side. “If your big bro cant pay up then the debt falls to you.”
The other pair of thugs walked about the cafe, pulling out metal bats hidden in their coats.
“This is a nice place you got here.” The man next to Leonard said, and as if rehearsed, one of the other thugs raised his bat and brought it down on a table, shattering the wood into splinters.
“Ahh!” Anna jumped, stammering in response. “I.. I.. don't make much money..”
“Then just make more.” The thug said as if it was a simple thing, reaching his arm around Leonard and trying to pull him in. “You have a customer right here don't you?”