City of Ruin - Mark Charan Newton [161]
‘So, anyway, Voland basically admitted that he had a contract with Urtica. The guy is entirely honest about his own participation in the events. And it’s not just that – it seems the portreeve knew about it also, even supplying the names of political enemies he wanted eliminated, to make his life easier.’
The albino seemed to contemplate this information for some time, and Jeryd could have sworn the man’s eyes burned even redder than before.
‘I myself am having trouble contacting the portreeve at the moment,’ Brynd finally said. ‘No one seems to be able to find him. Those close to him suggest he’s already fled the city because of the bombs. It matters little, anyhow – I’ve taken measures ensuring full military control of Villiren. As for following up the allegations of corruption, unfortunately they will have to wait.’
‘So it goes.’
‘And, Nanzi, your aide – the girl who came in here all this time. You really had no idea?’.
‘She’s an utter psychopath. You know the two of them genuinely think they’re doing a good thing, right? They actually think this helps the city. Keeps everyone else alive. She helps the population with her work at the Inquisition, and in her head it’s the same thing as feeding them.’
‘A perverse logic,’ Brynd admitted.
An interruption to their meeting – a messenger entered the room to whisper into his superior’s ear, then left with urgency. Jeryd tried to read the commander’s expression, without success – this man did not give much away.
Brynd gave a sad smile. ‘I believe, investigator, that a more forceful attack on Villiren is imminent.’
‘You reckon you can save the city?’
Brynd located some deep place inside himself and stared into it. ‘Let me explain something to you: the portreeve has nurtured a terrible culture here. I’m not sure of his methods, but I’ve never witnessed more drug use, or known of more brothels. Thieves openly help themselves to goods on the stalls, people pay to watch violent acts in underground theatres. Lutto says that citizens are, on average, wealthier and healthier.’
‘I’d suggest those figures are skewed,’ Jeryd interrupted. ‘From what I’ve seen, the people on the streets have very little, while the gang members and dodgy traders continue to piss all their wealth up against a wall.’
‘The gangs control everything here, investigator,’ the commander said, ‘and the portreeve rewards them by leaving them to bask in their pleasures and vices, and to sell such lifestyles to the citizens.’
‘Barely any crime seems to get reported,’ Jeryd agreed.
The commander smiled, as if he had been leading Jeryd to say it was so. ‘And what does that indicate to you?’
Jeryd thought about this. ‘That most of the people in the city are criminals anyway, or at least condone this culture.’
‘So contemplate your question once again, on whether or not I can save Villiren.’
‘The city’, Jeryd concluded, ‘has already fallen.’
‘Yet we must press on, out of duty. If you have anyone you love, now’s probably the time to get them down to the tunnels and away to safety. I expect you yourself will still be able to fight?’
Those words hit him like a low punch in the stomach. The situation had till now been on the periphery of his conscience – that he might actually have to fight – and being so concerned with the missing persons he had almost forgotten about the possibility.
‘I’m ready for anything,’ Jeryd lied.
FORTY
Malum’s life hadn’t always been as screwed up as it was now, though even as a kid he’d had it tough – his father walked out on his mother before he even really knew the man. There were a lot of young men in the Bloods in a similar position. Maybe that’s why such a band of men had formed in the first place, through looking to each other for some kind of guidance. It was why he had once tried so hard to be a good father . . .
He’d been walking across Villiren for hours now, and he still didn’t know for sure how far he’d