Chapter Six
Aiden
Benjamin’s incessant whistling finally stopped at the sight of Maura and Roderick strutting toward us.
I breathed a sigh of relief. According to my watch, we had been waiting outside of her office for nearly three hours. Benjamin had protested a few times while we’d waited, and I was afraid that he would’ve run out of patience sooner rather than later.
But we didn’t have a choice.
“What’s this?” Maura asked as they reached her office.
“Maura, these are Wyatt’s friends,” Roderick said as he shot us a welcoming smile. “He was with them at the ceremony yesterday. And at breakfast this morning.”
Captain Maura eyed us both with a cocktail of annoyance and suspicion. “Roderick and I have important matters to discuss.”
“So do we,” Benjy said. “With you, I mean.”
“Wait out here,” Maura said. “If I have time, I’ll bring you in after I speak with Roderick.”
“It can’t really wait,” Benjy retorted, dancing on the edge between polite and assertive.
“Is this about Wyatt?” Roderick asked.
“Yeah. Aiden found a mistake in the claim against Wyatt.”
“Who is Aiden?” Maura asked. “And who are you?”
“Benjamin, Captain. And this is Aiden.”
I bowed my head respectfully. “Not a mistake,” I added carefully. “But I think he didn’t violate the Law he’s been accused of violating.”
“Captain,” Roderick said as he turned to Maura, “it might be better if we all talk.”
The tall woman crossed her arms and stood silently for a few moments. Then she opened her door, and the three of us shuffled in behind her.
Maura’s office smelled like black coffee and wood. The stone walls were mostly bare, save for a typical Delivery Node in the upper right corner. The interior of the room was marked only by an undecorated roundtable and a desk swamped with Letters by the far window.
I followed Roderick’s lead and took a seat at the table, while Maura went to her main desk. She clasped her hands and turned to Roderick, silently and expectedly.
“Wyatt told me that he saw a hooded figure at No Rules,” Roderick began. “After I dropped him off, I went there to ask around. He wasn’t lying.”
Maybe Roderick had expected Maura to respond, but she just sat there, intent and frozen.
I tapped my foot in nervous anticipation.
“No one saw his face, but he left the bar about five minutes after Wyatt and Kara did,” Roderick continued. “I don’t know where he headed, but he had a Silver Ring on.”
“A silver ring,” Maura said, “or a Silver Ring?”
Roderick nodded. “The kind that counts. That’s what the bartender told me, anyway.”
I swallowed. Silver Rings were a big deal–not only because of how difficult they were to earn, but also because only those who did were allowed to ever run for the office of the Ruler.
“Many dozens of people wear Silver Rings,” Maura said. “You wish to track down all of them?”
“I’m thinking I start with the ones who were at Bogg’s welcome ceremony,” Roderick said. “With your permission, of course.”
“And what do you hope to accomplish?”
Roderick paused before answering. A flash of frustration crossed his face, but it quickly fell back behind a more charming expression. “Captain, with respect…surely you’re curious about this, too. No?”
“There are a number of explanations that do not exculpate your Soldier. But yes, I admit that the circumstances are suspicious. You have my permission. I need someone to officially lead the investigation, anyway.”
Roderick nodded. “I’ll head to the Capital Library tonight, after dinner. The Records have the names of everyone in Polygon who owns a Silver Ring. And…I should be able to check that against everyone who attended Bogg’s ceremony.”
“I’m not sure the Philosophers work that quickly,” Maura responded. “There may not be a Record of who was in attendance yesterday.”
“I was paying attention,” Roderick said. “It’s a start. I’ve got five days before my Soldier gets the ax. Until then, I’m going to do everything in my power to get him out of this.”
Maura lowered her head very slightly towards her subordinate. A vote of confidence. Which, from the little I’d seen of this woman, counted for a lot.
The Captain turned her eyes toward Benjy. “Now. Apparently the two of you have something to say. Go on, then.”
“Uh,” Benjy muttered. “She does.”
I looked slightly above Maura’s head as I began to speak. “Wyatt didn’t break Law number eight-hundred-and-sixty-two of the Second Book. If you read the Law carefully—”
“You think Kara wasn’t an official guest of the Assembly,” Maura interjected.
I blinked. “What? Yes, that’s right.”
“I was not the one who consigned Wyatt,” Maura said. “Such tasks are outside my scope of responsibility. But I was told which Laws he had violated before I took him this morning. I read them and deduced all of the loopholes. It appears you’ve found one.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t…” I bit my lip.
“Why haven’t you said anything?” Benjy asked with heat.
Maura cocked her head as her silver-specked, hawkish eyes landed on my friend. “For one thing, I have many responsibilities. For another, consider the short time that has passed since Kara’s headless body was found in the early morning. News of the murders reached the relevant Assemblymen still hours after that. I was not privy to their deliberation. When I was informed, I was commanded to act immediately. Only after I had Wyatt arrested did I have time to read the Laws in their full detail. Do not presume my intentions, Soldier. I have not acquired my status by acting with the whims of the heart. When chaos strikes, one must act judiciously.”
“Well, you could act now!” Benjy cried. “Look, I’m sorry if I sound disrespectful. But Wyatt’s gonna die, Captain.”
“I allowed you into my office,” Maura said. “I am acting. Question me again, and you can see yourself out.”
“I’m sorry,” Benjy muttered. “Please, just listen to what Aiden has to say.”
Maura turned back at me without another word.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
I had a feeling that if I so much as stuttered, she’d kick us both out. I tried not to think about the stakes, but a faint image of Wyatt in a jail cell weighed in the back of my mind.
“Right,” I began. “I’m guessing there’s some formal Letter that was sent to Bogg that invited him to the Capital as an official guest. Is that true?”
“Continue,” Maura said.
I took that as an affirmative. “Okay. The Assemblage takes place on the fifteenth and thirtieth of every month to discuss as many legal controversies they get can through in the sixteen hours they have. I mean, I know they do other things in these meetings, but that doesn’t matter now. If Wyatt’s case could be heard, the Assemblymen of the River Party would surely vote to retract his condemnation.”
“Which Law will he stand accused of violating instead?” Maura asked. “I gather you’ve already checked.”
“Law number three-hundred-and-fifty-two of the Second Book.”
Maura put up a finger before reaching under her desk. I kept quiet as she placed a well-kempt copy of Principles down. She flipped through the pages for a few seconds until she stabbed an unadorned fingernail on the words she’d been looking for.
“‘For life to end thrice or more with death in mind, suffer the same fate as one who died. First blood of the dead to speak, first will upon the killer to wreak.’”
I rushed to say something, worried that I’d miss my chance. “It means—”
“He may not have to die,” Maura finished. “Aiden. That’s your name, yes?”
“Yes, Captain.”
“Three Humans and the daughter of a Wolf business mogul are all dead. Even if the Assembly chose to overturn the initial ruling, the victims’ family members would surely choose death for your friend. In any case, the Assembly already has a queue of cases to review. Wyatt’s would not make it to the floor in time for the upcoming Assemblage.”
I took a breath before responding. “Have Letters gone out yet about what happened?”
Maura shook her head very slightly.
“Okay, good. And Law number three-hundred-and-fifty-two says nothing about how the victims’ relatives come to know that the murderer violated this particular Law. So we…we could make sure Bogg knows first. That way he’s the one who chooses Wyatt’s punishment.”
I stopped there, expecting Maura to say something in protest. When nothing came, I carried on. “Colonel Sideon said that the Assembly’s deal with Bogg isn’t official yet, right? Maybe if Bogg could choose Wyatt’s punishment, he’d take it as an olive branch. And I don’t think he’d consign Wyatt to death, at least not directly. Wolves—the civilized ones, I mean—defer to their religious leadership for this kind of thing. At least, that’s what I read.”
“Your reading is accurate,” Maura said flatly. “Their leader is called the Mind of the Builder, and his inner circle the Arms of the Builder. They would judge Wyatt. I don’t think they’d find him innocent.”
“But it buys us time,” I responded. “Lieutenant Roderick said it himself. He’s going to look into who was at the bar the night of the murders.”
“How do you know it would buy Wyatt time?” Maura asked. “Right now, he has five days. Perhaps Roderick would find incriminating evidence of someone else in the meantime. Someone who also had a hammer.”
I ignored what might have been dubious sarcasm. “I’ve run the numbers. The next Assemblage is in two days. Whatever decisions they make usually take at least another few days to be made public and go into effect. But in the meantime, they wouldn’t have Wyatt executed. And then, if Bogg has Wyatt sent to the Wolves’ territory, surely he wouldn’t be put on trial the day he arrives.”
“Surely?”
“Um, yeah. I kinda guessed on that part.”
“I see.” Maura paused, and I could practically hear her brain churning. “There are gaps. You haven’t told me everything yet.”
I nodded. “Right. Sorry, I missed something.”
“Do not apologize, Soldier. Carry on.”
I forced myself not to nod obsequiously again and instead followed her command. “There’s still the issue of getting Wyatt’s case into the Assembly’s queue so that it’s heard in the mid-month Assemblage. I know that they tend to be deliberated over in the order of when the Assembly received notice of the issues, but that’s informal. Principles doesn’t make any declarations on that point.
“Your husband, Patrick, is head of the Granite Party, which also holds the majority of seats in the Assembly. What is it, eighteen to twelve? Anyway, he holds enough political influence to bring Wyatt’s case forward. And, as I’d said, I’m sure all twelve River Party members would vote in favor of recognizing that Wyatt should be accused of violating Law three-hundred-and-fifty-two, rather than Law number eight-hundred-and-sixty-two.”
“You want Patrick to not only bring Wyatt’s case to the front of the line, but you want him to convince his fellow Granites to vote along with the Rivers, who will, as you say, invariably vote to overturn the current ruling?”
I kept my eyes on her forehead like Wyatt’s life depended on it. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Tell me why he would do this.”
“Patrick barely won his last election in Vector City, right? Uh, I just mean that reelection might be tough. But what if Bogg’s metal detectors were given out in Vector City first, before anywhere else? The deal’s not set in stone yet. Patrick would get credit for handing Wyatt’s fate into Bogg’s hands, and in return, Bogg would promise to send the first batch of his metal detectors to Vector City. His constituents would be grateful that they’re receiving the technology first, and they’d know who to thank. Bogg would be relieved that the fate of the supposed killer of his daughter is in his hands. Wyatt would be sent to the Wolves, which I think buys us time to prove his innocence. Everyone wins.”
Maura’s right eyebrow rose very slightly. “You underestimate the forces of politics to spoil even the most elegant of plans.”
“I…I know,” I said quietly. “But it’s Wyatt’s only chance.”
“Letters were going to be sent to all citizens tomorrow morning, explaining what has transpired. But…I can see to it that that is delayed.”
I couldn’t hold my smile back. “So you’ll talk to Patrick?”
“I may. The Granites will not want to overturn the initial ruling about Wyatt. The Law’s initial reading should be its final reading, as they say.”
“This wouldn’t be the first time a Party voted against its own philosophy,” I said quickly.
“No, but the other Granites will have to explain to their constituents why they would ever vote for a reinterpretation of a Law. This is not the Granite way. I agree that if Bogg granted first-user privilege of his metal detectors to my husband’s City, then he’d benefit, but other Granites’ reputations would suffer from casting the vote. Unless…ah. They’d justify the vote as a vote for peace.”
“That’s it,” Roderick said, and I could hear his smile. “It’ll look like the Granites are willing to compromise their principles for the sake of peace with the Wolves. Their constituents would be satisfied with that. No one wants war.”
“This plan is imperfect,” Maura said, “but it could succeed. I will be transparent: my husband would favor it. Of all of his qualities worthy of admiration, his ambition is rivaled only by his intelligence. I will speak with him tonight.”
“And before that, you’ll make sure there won’t be any announcement about Wyatt throughout Polygon?” I asked quickly.
“Yes, Aiden.”
“Thank you, Captain. Thank you so much.”
“I assume you’ll be staying in the Soldier’s quarters of the Fortress until this ordeal has been resolved.”
“We’re gonna tell our Lieutenants as soon as we can,” Benjy said.
“Don’t wait,” Maura said sternly. “I’ll send you a Letter tonight after I speak with my husband. Now, if you will please leave me. I have much to do.”
With a final respectful head bow, I left Maura’s office.
I felt like I was walking on clouds.
“Holy shit!” Benjy cried once the door closed. “Aiden, that was incredible.”
“You did well, kid,” Roderick added. “I’m impressed. So was she, by the way.”
I turned to Wyatt’s Lieutenant. “She was?”
“Oh, yeah. I could tell.”
“She’s scary.”
Roderick let out a hearty laugh. “Yeah, well. She has to be, I think. So you two are sticking around?”
“Yeah,” Benjy said. “We’re gonna find out who really killed those people.”
“You’re convinced Wyatt’s innocent,” Roderick muttered.
“Aren’t you?” I asked him.
He bowed his head. “I don’t know what to think. I know that Wyatt’s been a good kid since he joined my team. He’s the most dedicated Soldier I’ve ever had under my wing. But he did grab Kara at the bar, and that’s completely out of line.”
“Out of character, too,” I said. “Wyatt doesn’t hurt people who don’t deserve it.”
“I just want some answers,” Roderick said. “I can’t let my Soldier take the fall for something he didn’t do, if he’s innocent. Won’t let it happen.”
“I wish I knew more about the Wolves and their leadership,” I said regretfully. “I didn’t want to say anything in front of the Captain, but what if they refuse to let Wyatt go, even if we find out who really killed Kara?”
“Or worse,” Roderick replied. “We do figure it out, but we don’t tell them in time. Lots of ways this could play out, Aiden. But I don’t think we do Wyatt any good by worrying about ‘if’s’ that are so far away. We don’t even know if your plan for the Assembly’s meeting will work.”
I nodded anxiously. “I know. You’re right.”
“The hood from the bar,” Benjy said. “We gotta find him.”
Roderick shot us both an infectious grin. “‘We’?”
“If you’re willing to let us join,” I added sheepishly.
Roderick put a fist out. Benjy tapped it with his knuckles, and I followed suit. “I could use the company. Come on, I’m hungry. Let’s get dinner first. On me.”
I shared an optimistic look with Benjy.
We weren’t alone.
I thought of Wyatt, sitting in the darkness of his prison cell.
Don’t worry, Wyatt. We’re coming for you.