Chapter 15

With a satisfied smack, the man in front of Seroin placed his soup bowl on the table. He quickly wiped his mouth and tucked the cloth back into his blue robe. Carefully, he straightened the silver pin on his chest, which proudly displayed the two letters ‘O.I.’.

He happily unwrapped two small thimbles, put them on his fingers and pressed them together. He inhaled the new found smoke between the thimbles greedily and then exhaled it relaxed through his nose. ‘You didn't even look at your soup, good Sero.’

Since the beginning of the meeting, Seroin had not dared to look at the man in front of her. Instead, she looked around the balcony of the Steaming Dachshund restaurant. They were sitting at the same table as a few days ago when she was there alone with Tomga; even the flowers on the balcony seemed unchanged. The parlour of the orc grandmother Gomscha had always been a place of relaxation for Seroin. But not now, with a chief inspector from the city of Badazan and his entourage sitting in front of her.

‘I thought... we were coming alone, Madex.’ Seroin climbed over the table with her eyes. ’Alone.’

Madex ran his fingers through his thin, blond hair, his gaunt figure leaning back in his chair with relish. ‘What? You're not surprised, are you? I mean, you're here with your guard.’ He waved in Tomga's direction.

The elf sat huddled next to Seroin at the table, his gaze fixed on the steaming soup in front of him. His fingers were folded in his lap, trying to control their trembling.

For standing before him was the chief inspector's escort, calm, steely and breathless. The G.M.E. seemed to have been staring at them continuously since their arrival, but one could only guess, seeing nothing but the bizarre flat mirror mask and one's own reflection in it.

The chief inspector placed one of his boots on the table. ‘A new growth, eh? The sight of the good old G.M.E.s is something else. Although then again...’ A malicious grin revealed his teeth. ‘It's not the first time he's seen one of these, is it? You saw one of these recently, didn't you, Mr Balf?’

Tomga's gaze shot up and Seroin's breath caught briefly.

Madex, on the other hand, rummaged through his robe and pulled out a folded bundle of papers. ‘Here, where was it? Ah, yes. Incident in the Lieb´-quarter, on a bridge. Excessive A.M.I. use with a violent perpetrator. Neutralised. Shortly afterwards, a woman threw herself from one of the column towers.’ He looked coldly at Seroin over the papers. ‘Don't even try to deny it, good Sero. It only embarrasses you. Here, eyewitnesses report a woman with dark hair and two pull-fingers on her wrists. And a blonde elf with a scarred face and metal armour. Both jumped off the bridge but survived. Shortly afterwards, just after the jumpers hit the ground, one of the G.M.E.s on site registered a face.’ He looked up at the G.M.E. next to him. ’Do you have this information, ZK-23? If so, please relay it.’

The guard raised his strangely metallic voice. ‘On the roof of the aforementioned column tower, a face stood out, following the trajectory of the jumpers. It is not on our lists. Brief description. Elf, blond, reinforced scars on the face.’ The G.M.E. stared down at Tomga. ‘The most likely person at that time is the elf here, Chief Inspector Madex.’

‘Thanks, ZK-23, that's what everyone here thinks.’ Madex leaned forward and, without asking, grabbed Seroin's soup bowl. Immediately, his slurping sounds resumed. ‘So. You were there, Young Harvest too, I assume that's no coincidence. Then someone jumps from one of our towers. Fine, that happens here almost every evening. But you were there again. Now imagine, Sero, I get a message from you saying we need to talk. What a coincidence! And right after we recovered the dead woman and her belongings.’

Seroin shifted back and forth in her chair, her lips unable to form a reply, then she was starled.

The old orc woman Gomscha stomped up the stairs, her panting already betraying her deep anger. ‘In my shop, on my table! Ah yes, ah yes, none other than little Mad, none other. Feet off my tables!’

At the sight of Gomscha, the chief inspector hastily put his boots back on the floor. ‘Mrs Gomscha, I apologise profusely, I...’

Madex didn't get far before Gomscha flicked him several times on the nose. ‘Not here, lad, not here, my shop, my rules. It's a good shop, a clean shop. With clean tables. And that's how it stays. No rank in the world allows feet on my tables, no rank in the world.’ Gomscha shook her finger admonishingly in front of the chief inspector's face.

Next to him, the G.M.E. slowly turned to Gomscha. ‘Assault on an inspector of the free and beautiful...’

Madex immediately tapped the guard on the mask. ’Calm down, you can hardly call that an assault. More like a physical reminder of manners. Do not act, Unit ZK-23.’

The G.M.E. turned back to face forward and remained motionless.

‘You'd need ten of them, no, hundreds, before I forget my old traditions and manners, you young scoundrel.’ Gomscha slowly restrained her anger and examined the man. ’You've gotten thin, too little food, too much powder?’

Madex sighed, embarrassed by the rebuke. ‘Too much work, Gomscha. Too many criminals and bad boys out there. Talk to your two grandsons, they're supposed to be deep in with Shiverlips. Robes from Hopas Tailoring? How do you get them with honest work? You didn't learn that from me.’

Gomscha nodded, a new anger forming in her eyes. ‘Useless, lazy good-for-nothings. They don't get anything for free here anymore, nothing. Schnapps?’ She stared defiantly at Madex, who could do nothing but stammer yes.

She quickly took a slightly chipped bottle from her belt and poured a shot into his soup. ‘Fine, schnapps. But it'll cost you double.’

When she disappeared, the other patrons of the Steaming Dachshund also averted their gaze, some daring to giggle, but quickly remembering Madex's rank.

‘I would have offered it to you anyway.‘ Seroin pointed to the soup in his hands. “You've really lost too much weight. You and your hair.’

The chief inspector looked at her coldly, then the warmth of an old friendship returned to his features. ”I don't feel too good either, I must admit, Sero.’ He massaged his temples. ‘Too much powder, too much work. The office is planning so much and so big. Top secret, you understand, you're no longer involved. But it robs you of your sleep. I've even resorted to A.M.I.s now. Wasn't smart.’ He pointed to his thinning hair and the edges of his face. ’It does a lot of damage, I have to say.’

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Without asking, Seroin grabbed Tomga's soup and pushed it towards Madex as well.

The knight didn't protest, still frozen in place.

‘Thanks. I forgot how good the food is here at Sagvi.’ Madex devoured the rest of Seroin's soup and started on Tomga's. ’Did you know her? The woman?’

Seroin relaxed and stabbed herself with her powder fork. ‘He did it. Her diary is more important. Find his sister. New growth, typical, but important to him.’

Madex put down his bowl and patted his stomach. ’New growth live here like dog shit, you find them smeared on every kerb. Are you sure she's still alive? Badazan feeds on the blood and flesh of the naive.’

‘That's what we want to find out.’ Seroin sought his gaze. ’That's why I contacted you. And I must admit, I'm very glad you responded. It's been a long time since I've seen you.’

Madex smiled, seemingly sincerely. ‘It's been a long time. Since you left, we've only seen each other on official city business. How's Dala? Are you and Mrs Mesmoli still talking?’

‘Occasionally. Less often. Things didn't go smoothly. And feelings always get in the way.’

‘Wrong dream, wrong dreamer.’ Madex's gaze wandered over the towers of Badazan. ’I still regret your departure very much, I must say. You were one of the thoroughly correct ones. I never worried much about you, you always had the right instincts. I'm sure you earned yourself a shitload of A.M.I.s here in the Sagvi-quarter.’

Now Seroin smiled. ‘I don't give a damn about A.M.I.s, if that's what you mean. But life is good, yes. Still, you need work where you can get it. Every A.M.I. helps get you further away from the dirt and misery. And that shit grows with every day.’

Madex nodded thoughtfully. ‘Young Harvest are a problem here too? That Gardener brings us nothing but trouble. She ties up the new growth like no other, attacks, kidnappings, boxing. And not just the simple street trash and whores, no, important personalities are getting wrapped up too.’

At these words, Seroin heard Tomga's fists clench in his gloves, but the knight remained silent.

‘Yes, they're a problem here too. Growing every day. You haven't planned anything against them?’

Madex shook his head wearily. ‘The other O.I.s and the chief of all inspectors, the good Torius Sandevi, are busy with bigger things, plans made by his good sister Bema. We just spit out G.M.E.s and no one in any council can say anything about it. Soon Badazan will have an entire army ready to take on these street rats. But I'm already saying too much.’ With one movement, the man pulled a small, dirty leather book from his robe and threw it in front of Seroin. ‘Here. Take a look.’

The young woman blinked in confusion and couldn't help but beam at Madex, who waved the joy away. ’Leave it. And no fuss. I have to take it back with me, you can't keep it.’

Tomga hesitantly spoke up. ‘You can decide that so easily?’

‘Well, being a chief inspector does have certain advantages. I'm not losing or selling the evidence, I'm just going to lunch. Can't you take your work with you to lunch?’ Madex cheerfully lifted the soup to his mouth and slurped it down. ‘Ah, and don't forget, ZK-23, this conversation is confidential, no recordings.’

The G.M.E. didn't seem to move. ‘Confirmed.’

Seroin, on the other hand, slowly lost her smile, not daring to touch the book. ’Why? Just because I did you a favour? For the fucked up shit back then in the Magic Quarter?’

Madex folded his fingers together. ‘You didn't just save my ass, you saved the asses of many other inspectors. Back then, that was a quick way to make a name for yourself. You stormed right into a bunch of lunatics filled to the brim with A.M.I.s? I was simply impressed. You could have gone far with us. O.I. would even have been possible, at least G.M.E. You considered it once.’

Now the man in blue leaned forward further and lowered his voice. ‘And you're still cut from the right cloth, very much so. Here, look down at the street.’

Seroin peered through the flowers on the terrace railing and saw a group of inspectors in front of the restaurant. The men and women stood bored in a circle, chatting about their plans for the evening. Everyone seemed cheerful and relaxed, except for one.

A gaunt man looked nervous, beads of sweat glistening on his bald head. His gaze wandered around, then he saw Seroin. Panic and a new kind of nervousness broke out in his features.

Madex waved them closer again. ‘You know him, no need to deny it. The Growth Authority. A few days ago, an attempted break-in was reported. A man named Polbin, a growth, broke into the basement. He was probably trying to steal documents.’

Seroin stared at her legs, a new wave of heat spreading across her face.

But Madex's voice took on a tone of respect and recognition. ‘Normally, we don't look into the minds of new inspector candidates, not so precisely, anyway. But since the Young Harvest and their tendency to grow, we don't want traitors in our ranks. And I also had a feeling. Growth just knows the sewer system of Badazan, no, even survives it and makes it into the Growth Authority?! You and I know what kind of perversions live down there, what happens when you wash away all the magical rubbish and baptise the beggars and the lowly in it. You can't call them human beings. And he just gets through those monsters like that?’

The chief inspector smiled smugly. ‘No, no. I'd better take a look. And look at that. I found not one, but two intruders in his head. One of them all too familiar and all too honourable. You didn't want to kill any of those poor bastards. They do a dirty job for too little. The Sandevis would have been really angry about that. You saved his life. Not only that, you pointed him in the right direction, to the better life he can lead.’

He took another sip of soup. ‘All you have to do is add up the numbers. Growth authority, documents. Why were you there if it wasn't about growth? Then growth throws itself off a tower and you report to me. Simple work. So take the book and read it, it's on me. You can't be in a better position with me than you are now, Sero.’

Suddenly, something buzzed in the chief inspector's inside pocket, and he sighed irritably into his soup. ‘Not a moment's peace, not in Badazan.’ He took out a metal-rimmed shell, which already had an A.M.I. attached to it. He quickly opened it and held it to his mouth. ‘O.I. Madex, at midday rest! Speak.’

A rustling voice scratched out of the shell, barely audible to Seroin. ‘Chief Inspector... further preparations are necessary... please report immediately to... planned phase of Protocol I.N.G. is now in...’

Madex snapped the shell shut and shook his head. ’Sandevis, really. Now, Sero, a quick favour. Flipped through all the pages? You can have a dream dancer take a closer look at them later, the main thing is that they're stuck in your head.’

Seroin closed the book and pushed it towards Madex. ‘Thanks, Mad. I won't forget something like that.’

‘And I won't forget you.’ He leafed through the book, looking for torn pages. ‘You can never be too careful with you.’

Tomga spoke hesitantly. ‘Thank you. You are a great man. The ideas would make you proud.’

Madex chuckled. ’Ai ai ai, the believe of the Ideas, and that in Badazan. He still has a lot to learn. I'll generously overlook the violation of our customs.’

The knight sought Madex's gaze honestly and sincerely. ‘What else is there to strive for if not ideas?’

Madex demonstratively took out an A.M.I. and placed it on the table in front of Seroin. ’For the meal. It was so good. ZK-23, let's go, shoo the inspector candidates down there.’

The G.M.E. simply swung himself over the terrace railing and landed with a dull thud on the street, and the group in blue immediately screamed. ‘Resume the scheduled patrols, that is an order.’

The young candidates didn't need to be told twice by the tinny voice and hurried off.

Madex bowed to Seroin. ‘Dear Sero. See you soon, hopefully. Take care of yourself.’ He quickly disappeared, all eyes on his quick but proud gait.

Seroin looked at Tomga and a grin spread across her face. ‘I've got it.’

The knight slowly moved towards her and bowed his head, fresh beads of sweat sticking to his forehead.

Disgusted, Seroin wiped his forehead with a cloth. ‘You can slowly get used to the sight of metal men, you know?! And now you have every reason to be happy. Last pages of the book. Our woman in white describes a dinner. With an elf woman, with new growth from the Cold Belly. That was not long ago. This elf told of an important visit to the city.’

Tomga's eyes widened with curiosity. ‘And?’

‘Not to a noblewoman or other newcomer here in town. No. In our zoo, at a very specific enclosure. To a child of the Ideas.’ She smiled at him, delighted to see the growing realisation in his eyes. ’Looks like we'll have to move up your wish a bit. Let's free a demigod.’