Earlier when he had tried the door of the building Cami had disappeared into, the Gray had found to his surprise that it was both locked and alarmed. Checking the address, he had discovered that it was a combined office and storage warehouse. Staring at the locked and alarmed door, he wondered, How did she get in here? The answer seemed obvious, someone who works there must have helped her.

Getting an employee authorised to open the building had delayed the search so the Gray co-opted several members of the patrol who had responded to the emergency call. The senior patrolman, a sergeant sat down in the main security office with the firm’s security officer, and together they reviewed the surveillance comm’s.

After several reviews of the recording the patrolman became seriously alarmed and called Dark gen Wattar.

“Okay, I’m here what do you see that is so important?” He asked on arrival.

“Sir, the implant was automatically recorded as the girl came through the door, see?” the security officer answered as he replayed the recording. On the holo it was clear, Cami came through the door and her name along with her identification number appeared on the screen.

“I see that,” the Sessi replied, “it’s quite clear.”

“I’ll go back and freeze it,” the security officer replied.

“I didn’t see it at first either sir,” the sergeant commented.

“Look,” the security officer said, pointing.

“Look at what?” Sessi Dark gen Wattar leaned forward, starring into the holo.

“See, here and here,” The man used a laser pointer to highlight two areas.

The gray rocked back on his heels, now he could see it, two disembodied arms, faintly outlined, a woman’s on Camis right and a mans on Camis left, but nothing more of them could be seen.

“Do they have some sort of cloaking device sir?” The patrolman asked in wonder.

“I have never heard of a portable one small enough that it could be carried by a person without armor.” The gray answered then turned to the security officer. “Did you pick up any identification codes for the man or the woman?” He pointed to the screen.

“No sir, nothing.”

“What about the girl, did you pick her up anywhere else in the building?”

“No sir, no trace.”

“And you have implant readers throughout the building, including the basement levels?”

“Of course sir, and all the basement levels are secure. All means of entrance are secured and can be monitored from here.” The security chief was clearly offended at the perceived lack of confidence in his capabilities.

“Thank you, send a copy of your recording to my comm.” That was quickly done and Wattar put his comm away. “One last question, does your program show the opening and shutting of any doors in the basement area?” The Gray asked.

There was a period of silence while the security officer checked the history of various access doors. Finally he turned around. “Just one door, sir, this one.”

“Where does that door lead to?’

“The lowest levels sir, where the service tunnels are. If you have the access keys and codes, you could go anywhere.”

“Thank you,” Wattar said, “we don’t need you anymore.” The Gray turned to the patrol officer. “Get all the men together and we’ll let the security officer tidy his building up while you all go back to your normal duties unless you are needed here still.”

“Yes sir.” The sergeant clearly didn’t understand, he obviously thought that they should start searching the service conduits, however he followed orders and left the room, pulling his comm out as he went. He was followed by the Gray. I must discuss this with Minister de Markus, Wattar thought.

*********

Elsewhere in the city events were proceeding to the satisfaction of Councillor Leja Leves. His agents had been meeting with some of the other councillors and ministers. With the murderous attack over, Leves had finally gained what he wanted, enough support to be appointed Chief Minister. At last, he gloated silently.

“Where’s my secretary?” he demanded, looking around.

“I don’t know,” his senior assistant answered. The Under Minister looked on without comment until Leves asked him if Li Glwen had been called.

“A comm message was sent to all your staff, Councillor.”

Leves head came up at the omission of ‘Chief,’ but he let it pass, for now he thought.

“Call her,” he commanded, a chill coming over him as he remember the warning that she had passed onto him Lorena is to come to no harm. It was a traditional warning he knew, with a solemn Vow of Unbreakable Resolve to Avenge backing it up.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

And he knew that the warning had been given to Li Glwen by her older sister, Ardine Makapet.

*********

Councillor Trem de Markus, Minister for Trade, was sitting with his wife in their apartment when the news flashed on his holograph viewer. Shocked he immediately went to his office where he received the devastating news that it was the Dressilers and Lorena Makapet. Grimly he thrust his own pain down and silently swore vengeance. A third shock came when he received the comm from Dark gen Wattar.

“You are sure?” the Councillor almost whispered into his comm. He had viewed the footage that Wattar had sent him but still, Him, here?

“As certain as I can be,” the Gray replied, ‘it’s Him or someone he sent, I can’t think of anyone else who can do that. But I have never met Him and I don’t know what he can do.”

De Markus replied after a fractions silence, “Neither do I and …,” Markus stopped then continued after a fraction, “Go keep looking for the girl, I think that you have to find her and He will let you when it is the right time.”

“Yes Minister,” the Gray cut the comm feed thinking over the happenings of the last few periods. When the Dark Lord gets involved, thing get both more complicated and simpler, someone had told him once, as a joke he was certain. Well it’s not a joke now, he thought as he wondered what his patron will do about Ardine Makapet’s strange reaction to the news of her daughter’s murder.

*********

When he heard of Lorena’s death as well as her mother’s reaction, Trem de Markus thought that his heart would stop beating. Disconnected from Dark gen Wattar, he immediately commed Chief Inspector Nic ra Ptocto.

“Get some officers to both apartments and check them,” he said to the police officer. “You know what this means.” Putting down his comm, he sat back. What he hadn’t told the Chief Inspector was that he had just received a package from Ardine, who he had known for many years. It was sealed with a personal code that only de Markus could unlock and had arrived just after he had spoken to the Gray. Such a package was unusual, so unusual that he had hesitated to open it, fearing what the contents would reveal. Finally, he took a breath and used the code that only he and Ardine knew. The first item he looked at opened his eyes wide, the proof of what he and others had suspected now lay before him. Leves was the leader of the agitation that had been plaguing the planet. He immediately called the outgoing Chief Councillor, the head of the patrol, the head of the secret police and lastly, the commanding officer of the military. All agreed to meet that afternoon.

*********

I do Ptocto thought, as he waved to Detective Jan ot Reppa. The detective gasped when he got the message.

“I’ll get dispatch to send squads to each address immediately sir.” Getting the addresses was quickly done and patrols were dispatched. Ptocto soon had the news he dreaded.

“They are both dead, sir.”

“How did they die?” De Markus asked, as he covered his face with his hand.

“I haven’t got a full report sir, but it appears that Ardine Makapet stabbed Li Grew with a traditional blade then took her own life with poison of some kind. I should have full details within a day, sir,” the Chief Inspector spoke quietly. “It appears to have been an instance of a Vow of Unbreakable Resolve.”

“I see, who is in charge?”

“Detective Reppa is handling it sir and I suggest that the investigation be left in his hands.”

*********

Councillor de Markus sat up in his chair and leaned forward, looking intensely into the holo.

“Do that, in the meantime, hand the investigation of the attack at the festival to your deputy, Inspector Evit ra Docci isn’t it, and get here for the fifteenth period. Believe it or not I have something of greater importance for you to handle,” de Markus waited with whatever amusement he could muster for the chief inspectors response.

“Sir?” Ptocto spoke slowly, caught off guard.

“Just be here by the fifteenth period, Ptocto,” the minister shut his comm off.

Sitting back in his chair, he looked at the faces of his staff, most of whom had been with him for a long time. They all showed shock at his sudden smile.

“No I haven’t forgotten the murder of my old friend but we have the means to revenge him in our hands. At last we have sufficient proof of Leves involvement and we will avenge all the deaths, even the one of that hapless writer who was set up to die!”

“Are you sure, Minister?” one asked carefully.

“Very,” de Markus confounded his staff by smiling again, this time it was one of anticipation!

*********

In an adjacent building, Councillor Leves was receiving the news that his secretary was dead and that the death was the result of a Vow of Unbreakable Resolve.

“You are sure?” he whispered.

“I spoke to the detective myself, sir,” the Under Minister responded, he hesitated.

“Yes?” Leves snapped, recovering from his shock.

“Did you want a more senior officer assigned to this?”

After a brief reflection, Leves shook his head, “No, that would just cause comment, I won’t interfere with a police investigation and I doubt that de Markus will either, Ardine had been his mistress many years ago.” He glanced up at his deputy. “Is there anything on the girl, the one that ran away?”

“I have not heard anything, do you want me to enquire, sir?”

“No, it’s not important.” My agents in the underclass will take care of her, he thought. He stood up from behind his desk. “Give me a few fractions without interruptions please.” The Under Minister gave a bow and left, his face expressionless. He did not tell Leves that he heard that there was a meeting being held that afternoon at the office of de Markus.

Leves looked out the window. It’s a pity about Li Glwen, he thought, I will never find another like her. Damn that sister of hers and her daughter. A flush of anger rose in him and he pushed it down. At least she left nothing behind, she always assured me she was careful, not even on her comm or at her apartment. She always covered her tracks well, so there is nothing but the list of contacts in my own personal safe and if the police can get into that then they already have enough to arrest me. Leves smiled, the smile of a man who smells victory. And they haven’t, so I am safe!

He stood, enjoying the view, one similar to the one that had entranced Cami earlier.