Getting picked up by H-Sec or any of the local authorities was common in my part of the slums. Being driven back, though, would be remembered for years. I asked Clayton to drop me off at the watermark, and thankfully he did.

“I’ll fetch you tomorrow when we get an authorization for the visit,” he told me.

“Better I go to your office.” Having H-Sec visit me twice in a row would get my landlord angsty to the point he might kick me out. “I have a pass now, so it’ll be fine.”

“I’ll pick you up here, then.” He took off his watch and tossed it to me. “I’ll get you a new one tomorrow. Don’t sell this and answer when I call.”

The tech was top of the line. Selling it would let me live like a king for a year, maybe more. That could never happen, though. Not even idiots would touch H-Sec tech, and for my own safety, it was better that I didn’t flash it around.

“Got it.” I quickly put it in my trouser pocket. “See you tomorrow, Clay. Detective.” I nodded to the woman, my glance lingering longer than she should. The way she looked, I didn’t have much of a choice. “Safe trip home.”

The glance I received in return was anything but flattering. It was going to be interesting working the case with her. With luck, it might even be fun.

I waited to make sure the rune carriage was out of sight when I headed into the slums. I didn’t go to my neighborhood. With Clay dragging me out of bed, I could use some food. More importantly, there was someone I needed to see.

There were many joints that offered food in places like this. The really good ones always had short names—that way, people didn’t have to waste time setting up a meeting. More important for me right now, they also had regulars.

After twenty minutes on the streets, I found myself in front of C’s. The owner—an old water spirit that was three times older than the city itself—had adapted quite well. The dinar was one of the landmarks of the slums, serving food to all kinds. One had just as much chance to come across a petty gangster as a media celebrity slumming it out with her bodyguards. Every now and again, they’d even let me in.

The door opened with a ring. Supposedly the bell attached to it had been a gift to old Mars from the first colony commander to come from Earth, long before the city was even a thought on paper. Two rows of tables greeted me, half full as always. Taking one good look at the customers of the moment, I made my way to the bar.

“Waters, you’re still banned here.” Big Sky pointed at me. The pictures on the walls depicted her as a glamorous beauty. All that was long before my time, but I still had a soft spot for her, even if she was one mean old lady. “Get your dripping ass out of here!”

“I’m here on business, Sky.” I tossed a few coins on the counter. In most parts of the city, anything other than electronic currency would be forbidden. Not here, though. “I promise not to cause a mess.”

“You said that last time.” The woman grumbled. She still took my coins, though, and also poured me a glass of beer. When I say poured, I meant she filled a shot glass with it. “What you got?”

“Difficult to explain,” I replied, looking at the minuscule glass. Even up close, it seemed like a thimble. “It pays more than enough. Where’s Summer?” I downed the glass in one go, then slammed it back on the counter.

“After last time, she won’t be happy to see you.”

“Business is business, Sky. Tell her I want to talk.”

“Oh, no.” The large woman crossed her arms. “I’m not getting involved with you two. You want to talk to her? Go talk to her. Keep me out of it.” She filled up my shot glass, slipping in a charm crystal under the glass. “Find a table.” She tilted her head in the direction of one near the window. “I’ll see what I can do. Need any food?”

“You know I can’t refuse your cooking.” I snatched the charm, then downed the glass again. “And a proper beer.” I placed some more coins on the counter and headed to my table.

Several of the patrons gave me angry looks as I passed by. I didn’t recognize them personally, but knew they were part of the Blue Dock Syndicate. I owed someone there money. Luckily, we were related, so I had a bit of leeway.

My food arrived a few minutes after I sat down—algae and fries. Since the arrival of the humans, we’d started copying them in many ways. In some cases that was done out of necessity, others of convenience, others still were just good ideas.

Outside the window, a rune junky was being hassled by some minor thug—a reminder of the scar that still hadn’t fully healed yet.

“Makes you think of the old days,” a woman said out of nowhere, taking a seat across me.

She was as elegant as the slums allowed: loose blue shirt, whitish dress, and enough cheap jewelry to fill a cargo container. The rumor was that half the gems she was wearing were hidden charms. That was wrong. I knew firsthand that all of them were.

“Back then, you could go fifty feet without beating someone up.” She took a fry from my dish. “Or getting beat up.”

“Yep. The good old days,” I whispered.

It was said that when the humans initially arrived, things weren’t that bad. When the initial colony was constructed, every effort was made to keep us locals happy. It was a time of plenty. Water spirits got fancy new things such as clothes, homes, and tech, and all we had to do was follow a few rules. There was no way to tell for certain. I was too young to remember. What I did remember was the chaos that followed.

Sky came, leaving two large beers on the table. Somehow, I knew that Summer’s bear was put on my tab. Since I was asking the favor, I dropped her a few more coins, then activated the silence charm she had handed me back at the bar. A membrane of water surrounded us, enveloping the table like a bubble.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

“You’ve changed your hair,” I said, waiting for Sky to leave the silence bubble. “You used to like it long.”

“And you’re in your tourist suit.” She took the drink and downed it in one gulp. Even back when I knew her, she was a heavy drinker. After the Midnight Ten incident, she’d kicked it up a notch. I wouldn’t be surprised if half of her body was made of alcohol.

“It’s for a job.” I pushed my drink to her side of the table. “It’ll pay well. I just need some info.”

“Oh? What’s the going rate for joining H-Sec?” Summer took the second drink and gulped it down.

Of course she’d know that. She had a knack for obtaining information and, more importantly, storing it. The number of memory crystals within her was scary, probably the reason she needed industrial amounts of alcohol.

“Was that a yes?”

“Seriously? We haven’t seen each other for half a year and that’s what you have to say?”

“I was busy,” I lied.

“Busy my waves! If you had given a damn about me or yourself wouldn’t just come see me when you needed help for a job.”

I remained silent. She was right, of course. Then again, she was the one who had originally kicked me out. Staying together with someone obsessed with the docks’ massacre was a tough sell. She was affected almost as much as me, which had drawn us together initially. My inability to let go had later driven us apart.

“And H-Sec, of all places.”

“Clay came by and asked me to help with a case,” I said.

“Good old Clay. And you couldn’t say no?”

I looked out of the window.

“Didn’t think so. I should just stand up and leave. If you enjoy playing the jester for the humies, that’s your call. It has nothing to do with me or—”

“If I do well, I’ll get access to the Midnight Ten files,” I cut her short.

She paused. It was emotional blackmail, and both of us knew it. Yet, deep inside, Summer still wanted answers as well. The massacre had wrecked many spirit families. I just happened to be the one to have survived in the middle of it.

“What do you want?” she asked, despite her better judgment.

“What can you tell me about this?” A few coin-like charms floated to the surface of my palm.

Summer gave them a suspicious look.

“Illegal charms?” she asked.

“Got them from the bowl of a victim. One of them is modified to drill a hole on a surface when activated. The victim thought it was a pain reliever and pressed it against his temple.”

“Ouch.” She took them from my hand. “Quality stuff. No one here would bother making this. Where was your victim?”

“Beachwater.”

“No shit?” She grinned. “Fancy place. Buying memories from there costs a fortune.”

“Know anything that could help?”

She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them again.

“Not much. I’ve no memories of the buildings. Road deliveries end in front of the door. The area is nice. Lots of security systems and protection wards. You can’t get there unless you’re invited, or very, very well equipped. I’d say someone meddled with the supply. Easier that way.”

“Any known charm distributors?”

“Nep, that’s Beachwater we’re talking about. People there don’t go to street corners to get a fix, they have people to send people to get it for them. My guess, it’s someone human. No risk of anyone selling the memory that way. I’ll ask around, though. Something this high quality is bound to make ripples.”

“I’d appreciate it.” If this were just any case, I’d give her the memory crystal of this morning and ask for details. However, I knew Summer well enough not to. The first thing she’d do was form a copy, which she’d sell to the highest bidder: unions, media, corporate competitors, maybe even a few investigator rivals of mine. “What do you know about Janas Kode?”

“Don’t know him,” she said after a short delay.

“He works for Ellcron.”

“Oh?” The shift in her voice scared me. “As what exactly?”

“Don’t know,” I lied. “They'll probably say on the news.”

“They did. Only all they said was that there was a murder in Beachwater and the authorities were investigating.”

Damn it. She knew even before she sat down. I’d hoped that H-Sec would impose some restrictions on news coverage. Apparently, they hadn’t.

“I could look into it as well, but it’ll cost you. That consulting gig better pay well.”

“I pay my debts.” Most of them, at least.

“You know the rumors. Other than that, there’s nothing more to add.”

“Thanks, Summer. I guess that—”

“I know a thing or two about his kids, though.”

I froze.

“You told me you didn’t know anything about the man.”

“I lied.” She glared at me. “It was an indirect connection. You roam through a million memories in two seconds. Janas I know nothing about. He’s some drone who married to a woman with money and leads a boring life. The kids are a different matter. Marshia Kode has visited a slum or two. She’s part of those “free the spirits” groups that keep popping up. She’s been picked up one or twice by the locals for trespassing here and there, but nothing major. No charges, of course.”

“Of course.”

“Celsius is a different matter. He’s got a temper. Parents sent him to a few places for treatment, but never got to the core. He attacked his old man publicly in a restaurant.” Summer smiled. “I have the memory of a waiter. It was a big deal for a few seconds before someone covered it up. Ellcron, I’d guess. After that, things got worse.”

So that was why the eldest had “left” the house. Interesting that the widow hadn’t mentioned it.

“I’d look out for him. Kid’s dangerous. Having a screw loose and unlimited money is a bad combination.”

“They told me he was at a retreat learning how to paradraw.”

“If it’s definitely in a retreat,” Summer snorted. “Saint Julian health resort. Twenty-four hours of calm and therapy, with no access to anything off the island. The thing is, he got released two days ago. My guess is that he made a call to mommy and she agreed to end his vacation early.”

That was one angle. Celsius would have free access to the apartment and the means to find and buy the modified charms in question. It also might explain why the widow and her daughter were being so loose with the truth. Family was family, after all, and I had the impression Janas wasn’t particularly liked by anyone else in the family. Cold treatment from the mother, rebellious son and daughter… Maybe the widow was blaming him for dragging her down the social ladder and had festered that hatred in the children as well.

“Anything else?”

“Not enough for you?” She took another of my fries. “That’s all I got. I’ll let you know when I get more.”

“Okay.” I stood up, leaving my food behind. “Take care, Summer.”

“You too. Good luck with your new job. Just…” There was a pause. “Don’t get consumed like last time.”

“I won’t,” I lied. “I thought you knew me better by now.”