Tears in Rain by Rosa Montero, Lilit Zekulin Thwaites Page A

discovered something. She told me to come and see her this morning at nine o’clock.”
    Valo stared at her and Bruna ended up lowering her gaze. She noticed the android’s hands: big, bony, trembling. Twitching hands that, remarkably, seemed to be covered with dark, regular freckles. No, they weren’t freckles; they were tiny, half-healed wounds, perhaps burns.
    “But you didn’t make it,” Valo whispered.
    “What?”
    “To the appointment at nine. You didn’t make it.”
    Bruna became embarrassed.
    “True. I...was held up. And then I saw the news.”
    And at this totally inappropriate moment, the little thought that had been eluding her earlier popped up inside the detective’shead. It wasn’t just strange that Hericio would have so much information, it was also odd that Chi would have it. How had the rep leader come to know so much? And how was it that each of them knew that all the individuals concerned had inserted adulterated mems? Who would have provided them with information that only the police knew? When all was said and done, maybe the conspiracy theories were based on something real. Moreover, the victims’ obsession with eyes couldn’t be the result of a chance deterioration in the mems.
    All these thoughts went through Bruna’s mind in an instant as Valo walked around the table and dropped wearily into the chair next to the screen. Then she raised her head and looked fiercely at Bruna.
    “You’re fired.”
    “Fired?”
    “Get out of here. Right now.”
    Damn, I’m going to be stuck with the 3,000 Gs the artificial memory cost me
, Bruna thought initially in a twinge of financial anxiety. And immediately afterward, she thought,
But it can’t be. I don’t want to drop this matter. I’ve got to clear up what’s happened. I have to keep investigating.
    “Fine, I’m going, but before I go, please answer one question. How did Chi find out about—?”
    “There’s nothing more to discuss. You don’t work for us any longer. You’re off the case. Keep the advance. That way we’re even. And now get out of here!”
    No, they weren’t even, because Bruna had been crazy enough to buy a mem on the black market, but this wasn’t the best moment to talk about expenses. Valo seemed to be beside herself. The detective got up and left the room, more irritated by all the questions she hadn’t been able to ask than by the harshness of her sudden dismissal. She was heading quickly down the corridor toward the exit, lost in thought and chewing over her doubts, when she bumped into Habib, the rep leader’s personal assistant.She had met him two days ago. He was the one who had provided her with the information about the first deaths and about how she would be paid. He was a brilliant and charming exploration techno. It would have been easy to flirt with him were it not for the fact that Bruna had no wish to be on close terms with any android again.
    “Well, well, Husky, where are you off to in such a hurry? I was on my way to find you.”
    “I’ve just been fired. If that’s what you were on your way to do, it’s already done.”
    Habib opened his eyes wide in surprise. “What are you saying? Was it Valo? Don’t pay any attention to her. She’s gone mad, and I can understand why. We’re all a bit unhinged. It’s been a terrible blow.”
    His voice shook a little, perhaps on the verge of breaking.
    “Yes, it’s affected me too,” responded Bruna.
    “Don’t go, Bruna. We need you more than ever now. Come on, let’s go to my office.”
    All the RRM rooms were the same austere, monastic, militant cells, as if ornamentations were ideologically forbidden. But at least there was a small spray of mimosa in a vase on Habib’s table.
    “Is it real?”
    The man gave a half-smile.
    “It’s a holograph. Speaking of which, I believe you still have Myriam’s holograph ball, the one with the threat.”
    Bruna remembered that she had left a detailed analysis program of the images running. It should