no doubt a report of everything he said would be quietly delivered to Colonel Kukaida.
He was making notes on the locations people had gone missing from when Jenifa arrived, bursting through the index office door. She was out of breath, sweat beading on her face, blue cord jacket flapping open.
“What—?” began Chaing. For an undercover agent to break cover and turn up at the PSR office went against every operational rule.
“Something’s happening,” she said urgently. “I had to come.”
Chaing glanced at the clerks, who were watching attentively. He took Jenifa’s arm and hustled her out of the office into the echoing cavern of the records hall. Lurvri followed, making sure no one else was within earshot.
“Did anyone see you come here?” Chaing asked.
“I was careful. And I used the Warral Street entrance at the back of the store.”
“Okay, then. What’s happened?”
“There were people in the Cannes Club tonight, a group of them. I marked five of them, maybe more.” Her hand juddered along her sweaty forehead. “They were a team, I could see it. Really professional. They sat at three tables, which gave them full coverage of the club floor, ordered one drink, and didn’t drink it. They just watched the customers.”
“An observer team?”
“Yes, but they’re not PSR. Caden talked to them. It was casual, like he was checking that they were having a good time, but that wasn’t it. He knew them and they knew him.”
Chaing felt his throat muscles tighten. “Fallers?”
“I think so, yes.”
“Uracus! How many of them are in this nest?”
“I don’t know. But I managed to get some photos.”
“That was risky.” But even as he said it, he couldn’t help admiring her.
If only everyone in the PSR had her guts and initiative.
“I only got shots of two of them,” she said regretfully. “They left before I could get them all. I had to be careful they didn’t notice me. But, Chaing, they were following someone. A man. I’ve seen him in the Cannes Club before. He was by himself. Came in early, had a couple of drinks up near the stage, watched the girls for a few routines, then left. They went with him. Just like we’d do it—with two in front and three following. Next thing I know, Caden’s gone, too.”
“Who was the target?”
“I don’t know. He was well dressed, reasonable clothes, but nothing too flashy. No one prominent.”
“You think they were waiting for him?”
“Yes, but it’s weird. If all they need is a human for food or eggsumption, Caden can find them girls that no one cares about, so why risk a man who can fight back? And he must have a job; his office or workplace will notice him missing. It’ll be reported.”
“Yeah, that doesn’t make a lot of sense.” He was unnerved by the idea of Fallers having teams the same way the PSR had. “We need to know who this man was, why he was important to them. I want you to work with the sketch artist, work up a likeness for me. Maybe Colonel Kukaida will recognize him.”
Jenifa grinned wryly and held up a roll of film. “I can do you one better than a sketch. I got a shot of him.”
It was nine o’clock; most of the PSR office had gone home, leaving a small night shift working until breakfast. There was only one technician left in the photographic lab. Chaing took the roll of film there in person, and even went into the darkroom with him to watch it being developed. That way it was done quickly.
He stared at the glossy paper in the chemical tanks as the images slowly formed, willing the shadowy outlines to darken quicker. The dull crimson light from the solitary bulb overhead made the pictures curiously intense.
“I know him,” Chaing exclaimed as he pulled the first sheet from the liquid. “That was the driver from this afternoon, the one who helped Caden take Noriah to Xander Manor.”
Jenifa pulled another sheet out. “What about this one? He’s the other watcher I snapped.”
“No.”
She
He was making notes on the locations people had gone missing from when Jenifa arrived, bursting through the index office door. She was out of breath, sweat beading on her face, blue cord jacket flapping open.
“What—?” began Chaing. For an undercover agent to break cover and turn up at the PSR office went against every operational rule.
“Something’s happening,” she said urgently. “I had to come.”
Chaing glanced at the clerks, who were watching attentively. He took Jenifa’s arm and hustled her out of the office into the echoing cavern of the records hall. Lurvri followed, making sure no one else was within earshot.
“Did anyone see you come here?” Chaing asked.
“I was careful. And I used the Warral Street entrance at the back of the store.”
“Okay, then. What’s happened?”
“There were people in the Cannes Club tonight, a group of them. I marked five of them, maybe more.” Her hand juddered along her sweaty forehead. “They were a team, I could see it. Really professional. They sat at three tables, which gave them full coverage of the club floor, ordered one drink, and didn’t drink it. They just watched the customers.”
“An observer team?”
“Yes, but they’re not PSR. Caden talked to them. It was casual, like he was checking that they were having a good time, but that wasn’t it. He knew them and they knew him.”
Chaing felt his throat muscles tighten. “Fallers?”
“I think so, yes.”
“Uracus! How many of them are in this nest?”
“I don’t know. But I managed to get some photos.”
“That was risky.” But even as he said it, he couldn’t help admiring her.
If only everyone in the PSR had her guts and initiative.
“I only got shots of two of them,” she said regretfully. “They left before I could get them all. I had to be careful they didn’t notice me. But, Chaing, they were following someone. A man. I’ve seen him in the Cannes Club before. He was by himself. Came in early, had a couple of drinks up near the stage, watched the girls for a few routines, then left. They went with him. Just like we’d do it—with two in front and three following. Next thing I know, Caden’s gone, too.”
“Who was the target?”
“I don’t know. He was well dressed, reasonable clothes, but nothing too flashy. No one prominent.”
“You think they were waiting for him?”
“Yes, but it’s weird. If all they need is a human for food or eggsumption, Caden can find them girls that no one cares about, so why risk a man who can fight back? And he must have a job; his office or workplace will notice him missing. It’ll be reported.”
“Yeah, that doesn’t make a lot of sense.” He was unnerved by the idea of Fallers having teams the same way the PSR had. “We need to know who this man was, why he was important to them. I want you to work with the sketch artist, work up a likeness for me. Maybe Colonel Kukaida will recognize him.”
Jenifa grinned wryly and held up a roll of film. “I can do you one better than a sketch. I got a shot of him.”
It was nine o’clock; most of the PSR office had gone home, leaving a small night shift working until breakfast. There was only one technician left in the photographic lab. Chaing took the roll of film there in person, and even went into the darkroom with him to watch it being developed. That way it was done quickly.
He stared at the glossy paper in the chemical tanks as the images slowly formed, willing the shadowy outlines to darken quicker. The dull crimson light from the solitary bulb overhead made the pictures curiously intense.
“I know him,” Chaing exclaimed as he pulled the first sheet from the liquid. “That was the driver from this afternoon, the one who helped Caden take Noriah to Xander Manor.”
Jenifa pulled another sheet out. “What about this one? He’s the other watcher I snapped.”
“No.”
She
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