Who Hunts the Hunter (24 page)
He comes forward, bows, and says, “Please excuse me for disturbing you at this late hour, Enoshi
-sama
.”
“
Yosh,
” Enoshi replies."I am sure you are doing as your duty requires. Please sit down. What do you wish to report?” Usami bows again and sits."Two significant events have occurred recently,” he says."I decided that you should be informed, now that certain information has been tentatively confirmed.”
Enoshi nods."Please proceed.”
“This concerns our monitoring of Ms. Amy Berman."
"Yes, or course.”
As Enoshi is well aware, the audit process is a twofold path, involving the close examination of a subsidiary’s financial records and the selective monitoring of executive activity. The examination of records sometimes pressures disloyal executives into committing acts which reveal illicit activity. In this way, the two features of the audit process work in tandem to root out any elements of the corporation that may have grown corrupt.
“Go on.”
Usami says, “Earlier this evening, a telecom surveillance team intercepted a call to Ms. Amy Berman’s earphone. This call originated with a man who appears to be employed by a local arm of Mitsuhama Computer Technologies, though we are still working on identifying him. He informed Ms. Amy Berman that you visited Ms. Bobinek of Mitsuhama UCAS and were in conference for several hours with her and Mr. El-Gabri and an MCT attorney.”
A surprising turn of events. Enoshi wonders what conclusions Ms. Amy Berman might draw based on this information. It can be difficult at times to guess what any woman might think, much less one with whom he has very little personal experience."Did this unidentified man make any other comments regarding my visit to MCT?”
“He identified Mr. El-Gabri as executive vice president of MCT’s local biotechnology division. He also said that he believed Ms. Amy Berman would want to know about the visit. He said it seemed of possible significance.”
“Did he give any indication as to why he found this significant?”
“Yes, he made reference to events at Ms. Amy Berman’s corporation, events she had previously described. He said that is why he felt your visit to MCT might be significant."
"Did he mention what events Ms. Berman had described?”
“No, he did not.”
Fortunately, for Ms. Berman, such disclosures as she may have made are not necessarily grounds for punitive action. Ms. Berman might be guilty of nothing more than a trivial lack of discretion. The board of KFK, including Torakido
-sama,
has a fairly liberal attitude toward the behavior of its executives. That of course does not mean that executives should not be monitored, nor that an executive may do anything he or she wishes without fear of punishment."Was there any indication as to the nature of Ms. Berman’s relationship with this man?”
“Yes,” Usami replies."The man used the word ‘darling’ in referring to Ms. Amy Berman.”
That would seem to be highly indicative."This word ‘darling’ was used in a romantic sense?”
“Yes,” Usami replies."A member of the telecom surveillance team confirms it. This particular operative is native to New York and learned English as a primary language.” That would seem to clear up any doubt regarding the word’s implications. Not a good sign. A close personal relationship between an executive of any KFK subsidiary and an executive of a corp like Mitsuhama would be a matter for great concern. It could also be quite useful, given the proper circumstances."Inform me as soon as you have a tentative identification on this man who called Ms. Berman.”
“Yes, Enoshi-sawa,” Usami replies."It should not take long.”
“Good.” Enoshi sips his coffee and takes a drag on his cigarette, then says, “You wished to speak of a second incident?”
“Yes, Enoshi
-sama
. This incident also involves Ms. Amy Berman. Shortly after her conversation with the unidentified man, she returned home and met with a man who awaited her inside her condoplex.”
“The same man she met with last night?”
“Yes, Enoshi
-sama
. We have tentatively identified this man as Ms. Amy Berman’s brother, Mr. Scott Berman. In their conversation last night, Mr. Scott Berman spoke of using an alias, the name of Bandit. We have tentatively identified this Bandit as a wanted felon, a shadowrunner, active until recently in the nearby city named Newark.”
“A shadowrunner?”
“Yes, Enoshi
Remarkable. Enoshi is fairly astounded. To think that a vice president of a KFK subsidiary should be so closely related to a known shadowrunner. Enoshi is unsure what to make of it. Nothing quite like this has ever come up before. Prospective executives of all KFK subsidiaries are all thoroughly investigated to ensure that nothing in their backgrounds could give rise to trouble."It is very difficult for me to understand how this could be so. Is it possible that your sources are less than accurate?”
“Certainly, Enoshi
-sama,
that is possible. There could be many ‘Bandits.’ The connection we have drawn between Mr. Scott Berman and the shadowrunner named Bandit is very tentative, based primarily on photo-comparison technology, which is not absolutely reliable. However, I would be derelict in my duty if I did not bring certain other details to your attention which relate to this matter.”
“Please continue.”
“We have ascertained that Mr. Scott Berman has been living without use of a System Identification Number for approximately fifteen years. His official record simply ends. He apparently disappeared. The police conducted an investigation of his disappearance at the request of his parents, but learned nothing. The case was eventually closed. Mr. Scott Berman’s SIN was classified as inactive. He was presumed dead.”
Of course. The only possible explanation. Or the only one that immediately comes to mind. Ms. Berman’s brother was presumed dead, his official record ended; therefore, any checks run on Ms. Berman when she joined Hurley-Cooper would have turned up no connections with anyone, much less a shadowrunner or felon.
Enoshi closes his eyes and rubs at his forehead. His headache is gaining strength again."Is there any indication that Ms. Berman is personally involved in criminal activity?”
“She spoke of someone stealing from a corporation, but did not identify the parties involved. Surveillance was terminated shortly thereafter.”
“You terminated surveillance?”
“No, Enoshi-
sama
. Our audio surveillance devices abruptly ceased to transmit any sounds. Prior to this, Mr. Scott Berman warned Ms. Amy Berman that telecoms may be tapped. I suspect he made use of some method to defeat the devices planted in Ms. Amy Berman’s residence. Possibly an arcane method. Mr. Scott Berman appears to be a shaman.”
“You’re quite certain?”
“Yes, Enoshi-jama.”
A most disturbing turn of events. Enoshi knows little of shamans, but everything he has ever heard about them suggests that, at best, they are very individualistic persons. The worst are eco-terrorists involved in ferocious anticorporate activity. Enoshi looks to Usami and says, “We know from Ms. Berman’s previous meeting that she has been out of contact with this person, her brother. Was there any indication tonight as to the specific cause that brought them together?”
“Mr. Scott Berman spoke again of attuning himself with people. I do not know what real significance this may have for a shaman. However, I think it is conceivable that this is some form of criminal argot referring to specific persons whom Mr. Scott Berman plans to contact in connection with some illicit activity.”
Enoshi massages his forehead. He reviewed portions of the transcript of last night’s meeting between Ms. Berman and her brother. At face value, it had seemed like a simple reunion. Tonight’s revelations cast the meeting in a new and potentially sinister light. The possibility that Ms. Berman may be involved with some criminal conspiracy, possibly involving agents of Mitsuhama Computer Technologies, or terrorist elements, demands that swift and decisive action be taken. Questions must be answered. The situation must be resolved.
Usami says, “I believe it would be expedient to request hermetic resources to assist in this operation.”
“I agree,” Enoshi replies."I will make the request at once. Meanwhile, you must make every attempt to unveil the mystery surrounding Ms. Berman. It is imperative that we determine what is going on, and if Ms. Berman’s activities represent a threat to our corporate organization.”
“I understand, Enoshi
-sama
.”
Enoshi nods, and rubs at his forehead.
Usami bows and departs.
The tunnel is damp and dripping. Pools of water cover the floor. Strange red-hued stuff like mold clings to the tunnel’s curving walls and adds a peculiar reddish glow to the dim red haze suffusing the dark. The air, though, smells kind of lush. Sweet and spicy. The only sounds are the dripping of water from the tunnel walls and the sloshing of Monk and Minx’s boots through the pools on the floor.
So what are they doing in this tunnel that seems to go on
forever? Monk isn’t sure. He’d ask, except Minx asked him if he trusts her enough to do what she says without asking a lot of questions. Of course he does. He trusts her enough to ask
none
. They went underground somewhere just north of the Newark sprawl. Monk thinks they must be passing under the Hudson River. Where are they going? They’re going to see the Master, but who that is or why they have to go through the underground to meet the slag Monk can only guess.
His first guess is that for some reason they have to meet the Master in private. If the Master is like other of Minx’s friends, he probably knows the underground real well and uses it to get around without being seen. His second guess ...
Abruptly, Minx stops, looking up at the reddish crete of the ceiling."Oh, my god,” she says."Oh, my
god
! OH,
MY
GOD
!"
There’s nothing wrong with the ceiling that Monk can see. He guesses that Minx is getting a call over her implanted headfone. Before the Change, her Change, she was a messenger. Her friends all have her telecom code.
She looks at him and smiles.
“What?”
“Oh, nothing,” Minx says."You’ll never guess what I just heard. Novastar Maria Mercurial is pregnant.”
“Wiz.”
“By a troll.”
“Yeah?”
“And a vampire.”
“Huh?”
Minx nods like she means it.
“Vampires are real?”
“Ever see one?”
“No.”
“Me, neither.”
They walk on, and on and on, and then on a ways more. The pools on the tunnel floor dwindle. The dripping fades into silence. A big jagged hole appears in the tunnel wall, like something as tough as a troll punched a hole through the bricks. The passage on the other side of that hole is narrow and ends at a metal grating. Minx pushes the grating open and they step into another tunnel, big and squarish, with tracks, like tracks for subway trains.
“What’s that rumbling noise?” Monk says.
Minx squeezes his elbow."That’s just a highway,” she says, pointing up."Don’t worry, you booty. Trains don’t come this way anymore.”
The paired rails are kind of rusty red. Monk wonders where this tunnel leads, and where he and Minx are standing right now. He guesses they’re somewhere on the east side of the Hudson. Maybe Manhattan. Probably north of that. He’s never spent much time in Manhattan so he’s not really sure how far north of the island the subway tunnels go. He knows they go way over into Brooklyn and Queens and some cross into Jersey, but north of Manhattan? He’s clueless.
They walk on and on a while. Monk decides to ask a question."Uh ... what am I supposed to do when we meet this Master guy?”
Minx smiles."I’ll show you.”
Well, okay.
They come to another grating in the tunnel wall. Minx pulls it open. The passage beyond it is small and squarish. They have to bend forward to get through it. That leads them into a maze of passages, some large enough for them to stand upright, some so small they have to get down on hands and knees. Monk is in the process of deciding to ask another question when, abruptly, the tunnel they’re in comes to an end and Minx turns to face him.
“Boost me up, you booty.”
Monk makes a cradle of his hands. Minx puts one foot there and half climbs up onto his shoulders. It’s hard to see what she does then, as her groin is right in front of his face, pressing against his nose. The smell that greets his nose, that seems to come seeping out through the crotch of her jeans, is lush and sweet, and ...
Abruptly, she’s got both feet on his shoulders and she’s rising, climbing up through a squarish hole in the tunnel ceiling.
“Come on, booty,” she whispers.
A rope hits him in the face. He gets hold of that and climbs up. That puts him in a dark, dry, dusty space like a basement. The walls look like wood, a reddish sort of wood. The floor’s concrete. Reddish concrete. There are a lot of crates and boxes and shelves standing around, some rising in stacks to the ceiling, and dividing the place into narrow cobwebby aisles.
“
Don’t
move,
” Minx whispers into his ear.
Monk shakes his head.
