Black Bottle

managed to extend his hand and drop a gooey black nut into Caliph’s palm. “I think they got an override hidden down here.”

“Was Alani or anyone else here with you?”

“Ah … he fucked off somewhere. Just you, me and Jimmy over there,” he jerked a thumb at the man still rummaging in the cabinet, “and your two goons, of course.”

The man whose name was certainly not Jimmy returned with a glass cylinder connected to two feet of looped rubber tubing and a pump-ball. Inside the cylinder rolled three small spheres, one pink, one green and one yellow. “Here you go,” said Jimmy.

Sigmund waved him away. “I don’t need that anymore.”

The man looked dejected. He took the tool back to the cabinet.

“So how’s Sena? Did I already ask you that?”

“Yeah, I said she’s good. Why do you ask?”

Sigmund glanced over at him, a momentary connection of the eyes. Then he was scowling at the machinery again, chewing on the thatch of hair under his lip and working at something with his powerful arms. “Got some home troubles?”

Caliph felt taken by surprise. “I guess you hear stories from the staff?”

“I guess I do.”

“What are they saying?”

“Nuthin’ much. Heard you couldn’t find her the night she came home.”

While Caliph thought back on the embarrassing incident, he nudged the lumpy black mess Sig had given him. “I don’t know what’s going on with her.”

“Yeah? You think she’s painting clouds?”

Caliph deliberated a moment whether this was the sort of friendship that could provide useful perspective. “I don’t know. Is that what you think she’s doing?”

“Ha! You could have me carted away.”

“Did I have you carted away over the Glossok cats?”

“No, but … I was fucking coerced. I should have—”

Caliph took back the reins. “I don’t want to talk about that. I was kidding. I don’t give a shit about that anymore.”

Sigmund winced. “I’m just saying—maybe she is, maybe she isn’t.”

“Yeah, but you know her. You know me. I just want to know if you think I’m an idiot.”

“No, you’re not a fucking idiot.” Sigmund groaned. He pressed his body back against the wall and shook his arms as if loosening up for a workout. “Listen, I said my piece back in college—”

“Yeah?”

“Well, my opinion hasn’t changed. She’s fifty thousand volts. Pheromones at however many feet and then you get a look. I don’t think I have to explain it. But there’s somethin’ shifty.” He shook his head. “I mean … if you can’t even find her the night she comes back from a—how long was she gone? Anyway … then what good’s her perfect little ass?”

Caliph wasn’t upset. But Sigmund seemed to feel obligated to follow up his assessment with a softer explanation.

“Caph—the thing is—you pretty much could have had your pick. I mean you had your pick. But you know there was this little gal, Y’ahc. Remember her?”

“I remember.” It surprised Caliph that Sigmund remembered the girl’s Pandragonian name.

“Complete crush on you. She was sweet too … shy but—anyway. I always thought it was a shame she never had a chance. But … I can’t blame you in the least. Sena Iilool!”

“Which makes me a shallow son of a bitch,” Caliph muttered.

“Fuuuuhk that! I’d have done the same. Probably. It’s not like Sena was a … well, she has—had a sense of humor. In a weird way, she was more like one of the guys when it came down to it. Maybe that’s why I never trusted her. But she was, y’know? I mean you could already kinda see it comin’ on. A little out there if you know what I mean. Hey, where’s Jimmy? Can you tell him to get me an adjustable ratchet?”

Caliph looked around for the man but didn’t see him. “Thanks, Sig.” Caliph didn’t feel like thanking him. “How long until we can get the Odalisque some fresh juice?”

“Now.”

“You fixed it?”

“Isn’t that what you called me up here for? I just need to tighten this panel back on.”

“Leave it. I don’t think anyone will care.”

“Good point.”

Caliph watched Sigmund wriggle out of the crevice. When he was free, the two of them headed back toward the vault’s door accompanied by the silent bodyguards, one of which had just stopped and turned his head.

“What is it?” asked Caliph.

The man raised a finger. The other man pulled a chemiostatic sword. Everyone waited.

All Caliph heard were drips and a faint humming from the transformer.

Finally the bodyguard looked back toward the door. “Let’s go. Go-go. It’s nothing.”

Caliph’s heart thawed but beat irregularly. The bodyguards, despite tight plastic smiles, urged Caliph and Sigmund along quickly. They exited the utility vault and were ushered quickly up out of the pit.

One of the bodyguards lingered. He pulled a padlock out and snapped it shut with what seemed to Caliph overeager haste.

“Are you sure that other guy got out of there?” asked Caliph.

If the bodyguards blinked, their chrome goggles hid it. “Yes, he’s out. Don’t worry. Let’s get back topside.”

Caliph scowled.

*   *   *

THE Odalisque’s two-ton batteries were hooked up to thigh-thick hoses and sucked dry. From the vault below the ciryte mooring deck, the pumps Sigmund had freed vented glowing green fluid back into the solution tanks.

The entire process would take a full hour and entail acrid fumes and the deafening sound of liquid under pressure. Caliph went back to the palace while Sigmund searched for food.

Alani was inside, glancing at the books Caliph had left on the divan. “Interesting reading?”

“Sort of,” said Caliph. “Have you seen Sena?”

Alani handed him the books. “No. I was going to ask you.”

“Should we be worried?”

“I’m adequately worried.” Alani pinched his goatee. “But no. I’m sure she’ll turn up. Just focus on the conference.”

Caliph sat down and turned his attention about as far from the conference as he could imagine. He’d used a small adhesive bandage from the hospital tent as a bookmark.

13Date suspect.

14Impossible. Date is certainly fabricated.

CHAPTER

18

Sena had left the Odalisque shortly after Caliph went down to the hospital. The glow of the tents was far behind her. She went south, dragging the shade of Nathaniel Howl beneath a film of porphyrous clouds.

He demanded to know what she was doing.

What am I doing? she thought. How can you not know?