Noa’s office is in one of the few buildings that spread out and down, rather than up.
He owns the whole thing, but I wouldn’t guess it when he’s the only one who’s there to greet me.
“Mister Shock.” He stands and dips his head in greeting. “What a pleasure to meet with you again.”
“I wish I could say it was simply a social visit.”
“Next time, it should be. I will give you a tour and show you the thing that killed me.”
He smiles as he says it, but there’s a bitterness to the words he can’t hide.
“Next time, I’ll take you up on that.”
He motions for me to go through a bright doorway instead of sitting at his desk. I had assumed that the building was an enormous circle of offices and manufacturing labs… but it’s not. It’s a massive ring around a courtyard and an enormous pool of water sparkling over black tile, broken only by the reflection of the towers that manage to peek at the edges.
“I didn’t know this was here.”
“Too few do.” He smiles at the water. “But you’re here for a reason.”
“I am. I’ve been told you’re recovering the remnants at the crash site soon. I had hoped you could tell me more than you were able to last time.”
“I’m sorry, when it comes to Atker, people tend to do anything to not say his name. It might sound superstitious, but you don’t want to summon him. I did not know your connections before.”
He says the name as if I should know it. Like I should have other information already.
“Atker?”
Noa nods and tosses a stone into the water. “He’s the one who set the brotherhood up in the outposts and funded your supplies… Why don’t you look like you know that name?”
“Because I didn’t.”
Noa’s smile disappears, and he steps close. “Do not look into him. You will only wind up with dead ends or worse, a visit from him.”
“Why would that be so bad?”
“I just told you that everyone who knows him does what they can to avoid being noticed by him and you don’t take that warning?”
“I want answers. Sounds like he’s the only one who’s going to have them.”
“Find another way to get them. When I tell you this man could walk up to you in the CSS building lobby, shoot you in the head, and then have a casual conversation with the guard on duty, I am not exaggerating.”
“No one should have that kind of impunity.”
“Probably not, buthedoes.”
“Why?”
Noa looks me up and down. “You aren’t going to let this go, are you?”
“No.”
“Then my death isn’t the one you need to worry about.Ifyou come back to your senses, let me know and I will give you that tour. If you don’t… I’ll send flowers to your funeral.”
He leaves me standing at the water’s edge and I wait until he’s disappeared inside to leave.
I drive to the library in silence, parking in front of one of its muraled walls.
I sit there and stare at the flower-strewn wall until Risk opens the car and climbs in beside me.
