Page 105

‘What about Grapevine?’ Pivot asked. ‘Does your associate know anything more about the network?’

‘He confirmed that it serves the Suzerain. The head of the organisation is a member of her family, and reports to her directly. She goes by the name Vindemiatrix Sargas.’

‘Is sheAdvena sapiens, then?’

‘Yes,’ I said. ‘That’s all my associate could get.’

It wasn’t quite true – there was the threat of Deathwatch – but these three were amaurotic. Trying to explain the intricacies of ethereal technology would be hard, especially when I didn’t know a great deal about it myself.

‘It’s more than enough,’ Pivot said. ‘He has saved us a great deal of time and risk.’ She consulted her data pad. ‘So far, there is no evidence that Scion is aware of any of our operations on Capri. Your identification and extraction of a source was efficient, and reflects a more considered and mature approach to danger than you showed in Versailles. Well done.’

I nodded. Even if I was never going to be a model agent, I was glad I was keeping Domino sweet.

‘All of this is well and good,’ Spinner said, ‘but we’d like to speak to this supposed non-human ourselves.’ His accent was a nasal twang I had never heard before. ‘When can he be here?’

Even if it was an accurate description, the way he saidnon-humangot my back up.

‘Warden is recovering from seven months of captivity and torture,’ I said. ‘He isn’t in any state to be questioned.’

‘I’m afraid I must insist, Agent Blake.’

‘You’ve no right to insist. I work for Domino, but I’ll thank you to remember that Warden doesn’t owe you anything.’

‘Flora, you have been straightforward with us. I will return the courtesy,’ Pivot said, with a pointed glance at Spinner. ‘While we have some limited knowledge ofAdvena sapiens, we have never received concrete evidence of their existence, other than what Widow reported from Paris. We need to confirm with our own eyes that we are not chasing shadows before we decide on what action to take.’

‘It would be useful to establish a formal relationship,’ Ducos said. ‘And understand the role your allies play in the Mime Order.’

And the more they understood about the Mime Order, the more likely they were to fund it.

‘Domino has been leaking like a sieve,’ I said. ‘Can you guarantee that Warden will be safe?’

‘We would put stringent measures in place to ensure his privacy,’ Pivot said. ‘The Palazzo del Giorno will be off limits to all operatives for the night. It will only be the three of us who see him.’

‘Do you want to see him specifically, or any Reph?’

‘Wait.’ Spinner leaned forward. ‘You’re saying there’s more than one in Venice?’

‘Yes,’ I said. ‘I know the leader of his faction.’

‘Then by all means, bring them both.’

‘It’s not my decision,’ I reminded him. ‘They don’t answer to me.’

‘Of course not,’ Pivot said, her tone placating. ‘We only ask that you extend the invitation.’

Terebell would probably be willing, for the sake of gaining more support and money for the Mime Order. I was less sure about Arcturus, but I could pass the offer along.

‘I can do that much,’ I said.

‘Thank you. We await their decision,’ Pivot said. ‘In the meantime, we must decide on your next assignment. As an ace, youhave a say in your own deployment. You also know this dreamwalker personally, along with his modus operandi. What does your instinct tell you?’

‘I’d like to go to Rome and look for him. If he has the same range as me, he needs to be within a mile of someone to possess them, so he must have been in Italy when he framed Bianchi. After that, he would have found a way to Sala and Rinaldi. All signs point to him being there. I could try to see the Prime Minister, to offer him my support.’

Spinner shook his head. ‘From what your associate and the whistle-blower said, Rinaldi could be under surveillance, or communicating with Scion. My doublet will keep tabs on him, but direct contact could give the game away.’

‘I agree,’ Ducos said. ‘We don’t want to show our hand too early.’

‘If you say so.’ I looked between them. ‘Have you had any luck finding President Sala?’