‘You’re not defenceless, that’s for sure,’ she snickered. ‘But still … an ogre? The king of them, no less? That’s going to complicate your professional life.’
‘Which neatly brings me to the reason for my call. Talking of complicating professional lives, I’m about to screw yours … Theodore Marlow is dead.’
‘Well shit,’ she murmured. I could imagine her now, rubbing her brow as she frowned.
Though her voice held a note of consternation, I didn’t detect any great upset. ‘Were you friends?’ I asked, though I was all but certain the answer to that was no. If they had been, she would have broken down into tears. Kass was tough, but she loved with her whole heart.
‘No, I’m still the new kid on the block, trying to work out which way is up,’ she admitted. ‘He’s halfway through his term and knows what he’s doing, which palms to grease.’
‘Has he had to grease palms recently?’
Kass snorted. ‘When didn’t he? But yeah, he just got a bill passed through the initial stages. He seemed passionate about it.’
‘Which bill?’
‘A law to bring in licenses for private atmospheric manipulation.’
A headache started in my temples, and I wasn’t in the mood for political mumbo jumbo. ‘Spell it out for me, Kass.’
‘It’s a bill focused on the elementals. Right now, anyone who can afford an elemental’s fee can buy water, fire, earth, or wind work on the open market. It’s an informal arrangement – contracts carried out by freelance elementals are negotiated privately, paid in cash or in favours. That means fast service for those who can pay, but wildly inconsistent standards and zero legal oversight. The Connection wants to bring in some rules, some accountability. Stop damned cowboys from making it storm in August for fun or profit.’
‘And Marlow was against it?’
‘No, Teddy was all for it, and we all knew why. He had a half share in an aerometric firm that would be in a damned good position to snag any government-sanctioned contracts.’
I kept my expression neutral ‘Surely most air elementals would be against such a move?’
‘Oh absolutely. The licensing will reduce their profits, increase their taxes and overheads, and subject them to additional scrutiny.’
I pinched the bridge of my nose. ‘So by voting the way he did, he essentially screwed over his own people?’
‘Yeah. It wasn’t a popular move – the elementals don’t want additional oversight – but I guess the call of his own pocket was too tempting. He betrayed his constituents and voted in line with his personal interests.’
‘I hate politicians,’ I groused.
‘Hey!’
‘Current company excluded,’ I added hastily.
‘All right, I’d better go and do some damage control, speak to Jamie Trowbridge.’
‘Who’s that?’
‘Teddy’s second on the Symposium. He’ll be stepping into the breach. He’s a good guy though. I suspect he’ll try to reverse Teddy’s vote.’
‘Can he do that?’
‘In politics, anyone can do anything with enough capital.’
It was a depressing sentiment.
‘Talk to me about Jamie Trowbridge.’
She baulked. ‘You can’t think he’s got anything to do with this!’
‘I have no idea. You know as well as I do the lengths people will go to for power. Murder is the least of it.’
‘Jamie wouldn’t do that. He’s one of the good guys.’ She sounded short, affronted. I’d upset her.
