Chapter 34: Grieselda

The taxi hovered back into the air as Grieselda made herself comfortable. She hadn’t waited long before she caught one.

‘Seems like anyone with a bit of credit has a taxi these days.’

The purge of intelligent machines was also the fall of their lesser siblings: automated machines. This rejuvenated the taxi industry to the point of oversaturation.

“Where to?” The driver asked.

“The Magistrate office,” Grieselda said.

The driver waited for an opportune moment and the taxi leapt off the roof of her apartment building and into sky traffic.

She stared out the window, caught the reflection of her weary face. Between investigating the captain after hours, chasing leads on the Carrasco case during work hours, being woken by her neighbour’s fucking and the occasional overtime task like this one. Grieselda could barely get any rest.

The mounting pressure from the lack of progress on her assignment didn’t help either.

‘One thing at a time, things will work themselves out,’ she thought half-heartedly.

The captain had tasked her to find out what Carrasco had stolen. The council wasn’t fourth coming with its information which only impeded their progress on the case.

Their line of investigation bordered on insubordination and she didn’t like going behind the council’s back like this.

But we aren’t forbidden from consulting the archives, the captain had said.

It still left a bad taste in her mouth but on the other hand she also sympathized with the captain’s frustrations. The bureaucratic red tape helped no one and fuelled distrust between the city council and their cybermages.

‘But the council must have its reasons right.’

She sighed wearily, a wry smile on her face.

The taxi flew past stacks of tall buildings, with lit offices that help radiate the night sky. They trailed numerous red tail lights streaking the sky crimson as bright lights flashed past her on the opposite lanes. Her cab stopped at a traffic light floating mid-air at an intersection, further slowing her advance.

‘Night traffic is a bitch as always.’

Gau City was the city that never slept.

She could’ve called one of the police transports they were much faster. Furthermore they could fly at much higher altitudes avoiding air traffic but she’d gotten in the habit of using public transportation. People who didn’t want to be followed used it so as someone who follows people for a living she had to prefer it too.

The taxi indicated left, shifted into the slow lane as it neared her destination.

The taxi indicated again. Downward this time as it began a cautious decent against the traffic below. She watched the bright virtual billboards displaying all sorts of tech and entertainment – mostly League of Five adverts.

‘The five saviours of the world.’

If not for their banding together, combining their tech and resources to eventually create cybermages and help the federation bring down the old empire, where would humanity be today?

The taxi floated to halt before the Magistrate office’s concrete stairs.

Grieselda accessed her interface, logged into her account and settled the taxi fee. She climbed out and started up the ancient building as the taxi cruised away behind her.

Hordes of people went up and down the large, wide steps of this court like building. With her authority she was easily permitted inside.

With hasty steps she passed through the lobby sparing a look of admiration for the virtual portraits of the Governor General and the Lord Protector.

She passed numerous office doors. The deeper she went in, the fewer people she encountered. By the time she neared the archives there wasn’t another soul in sight and her steps squeaked across the marble floors that much louder.

She reached the archive room and pushed open the heavy double doors. A few meters into the room sat an old man behind a counter with a glass barrier. Beyond the counter lay rows of stacked shelves rising into the tall ceiling.

The old man lifted his head to the loud creaking of the doors. He regarded her approach and a half smile appeared on his face.

“A visitor,” he said in a way that suggested he didn’t get many.

“Grieselda Blanchett.”

“Ah, Ray Dawn’s new subordinate?”

Grieselda twitched surprise. “Yes, how did you—”

“He told me about you. He’s the only one who ever comes here so we talk sometimes. Dedicated investigator that one despite how sickly he looks.”

“I see.”

‘A friend or another pawn in the captain’s syndicate?’

“Shifu,” the old clerk said. “And how can I help you today?”

“The city armoury, I need records related to all its contents.”

“Hmm the armoury.”

Shifu rubbed his wizard like beard before setting off sharply turning into one of the rows. Grieselda’s gaze followed him but soon lost sight of him within the shadows of the seemingly endless row of files.

The archive clerk returned some minutes later with a large blue file in hand. He set it on the counter. Caressed the edges of the plastic file then the spine. He rubbed his finger across the surface of the file before bringing the finger to his face. Satisfied there was no dust or damage he opened the file and began to inspect the documents inside. His actions almost surgical.

“What are you doing?” Grieselda asked.

“Most of these files here never leave their shelf. So when they do its most prudent to check what condition their in.”

When the ritual was complete he placed the file in the small service hatch between them and she retrieved it on her side.

She hadn’t gone past the first page when her expression twisted. Thick black ink was striped over most of the page’s contents. She flipped through the file and encountered even more heavily blacked out pages.

“Peculiar isn’t it,” Shifu said. “The documents kept here are supposed to be all originals yet there is such a heavily redacted file.”

Grieselda closed the file slotted it back into the hatch. “Indeed, it seems this information is beyond my pay grade.”

She pondered for a few moments.

‘What do we know? Carrasco stole from armoury. Council doesn’t want external factors interfering because they want it back badly. It was taken from the armoury so it should be weapon related. Perhaps a powerful weapon.’

She nodded to herself, paused then shook her head.

‘No don’t jump to conclusions.’

It could be an item for fuelling a weapon, blueprints for making a weapon etc.

‘No, not blueprints it should be physical why else would they want it back so badly.’

If it was blueprints or stolen data they wouldn’t go to all this trouble because Carrasco would have already made copies and passed it off to his employers.

‘Or sold it over the virtual network if he betrayed the AoF like the captain suspects.’

“Shifu can you get me all files which mention any high level weapons and/or items.”

“That’s really broad,” the old man frowned. “Do you know how many such weapons there have been in history? More if we include the empire relics.”

Grieselda’s eyes widened. ‘Empire relics…’

The agents were machine worshippers or an offshoot of the religion and what would appeal to them more than empire relics. Not to mention they already had a history of stealing relics.

“Just focus on records of empire relics then.”

“That’s less but still broad.”

Grieselda threw him an apologetic smile.

The clerk grumbled putting his shrivelled but surprisingly energetic hands on the thick buttoned keyboard. It was connected to an ancient box monitor and box hard-drive.

‘Analog computer?’

He typed in the key words. After a minute or so he got a few matching results. He retrieved a pen and notepad from his denim apron pocket. Jotted down a few lines.

He was about to set off but rotated back to her.

“Wanna tag along?”

“I don’t think I’m allowed to, right.”

Shifu waved a dismissive hand, retrieved a bundle of keys from his apron and moved to unlock the door into the counter.

“Hmm, you sure?” Grieselda asked slightly taken aback. She knew this wasn’t allowed. Only an authorized clerk could navigate the archives because all the documents there were confidential.

“Yeah, yeah come on. No one ever comes here anyway. I’m sure you wouldn’t have come as well if Ray Dawn hadn’t told you to.”

She hesitated but eventually entered. Not like she was up to anything.

‘And the captain is friendly with this old man so I should get close to him too.’

“Get that trolley, will you.” Shifu gestured to the end of the counter.

‘Old bastard just wanted to put me to work.’

Outwardly, she nodded politely and fetched the trolley. They left the counter into the rows of shelves. Shifu chopped down one of the rows with intent, Grieselda in close pursuit. The old clerk navigated through the rows of files knowingly.

Grieselda’s eyes wondered. She hadn’t thought it possible but she’d still underestimated the enormity of the archives.

‘How inefficient.’

As a cybermage she wholeheartedly preferred virtual records. They were easier to access, track and didn’t waste so much space but then again the council had to be wary against hackers.

They stopped at one of the bookcases in order to return the initial file the clerk had checked out. Shifu with the file in hand paused, glanced up to the empty slot high up the shelf, about 7m high.

Grieselda glanced down the aisle then looked the other way. “Where’d you leave the lift?”

The old clerk rubbed his head in annoyance. “I forgot.”

‘I would’ve never taken him for the forgetful type being as meticulous as he is.’

Furthermore, forgetful or not, when one used the lift to take a file it was only logical to leave it there so you could return it later.

The old clerk wore a struggling expression.

Shifu gave her a sidelong glance then held out the book to her. “Would you mind?”

“What makes you think I can jump that high?” Grieselda raised an eyebrow.

Shifu glared at her as if he was being toyed with.

“Okay, okay.”

“Be careful, don’t just jam it in,” the clerk said and passed off the file to her.

Grieselda easily jumped the height, slid back the file and landed back with a resounding thump.

Shifu took a look at his notepad before setting off once more. Grieselda followed closely. She scrutinized the old man as they walked.

“Shifu?” She said innocently.

“Yeh?”

“Are you often forgetful?”

“No, your presence must be putting me off.”

‘Why did you bring me along then?’

“Ah! Apologies.”

Shifu waved her off as if to say don’t mind.

‘He doesn’t look scared, agitated or worried. Now that I think about it he lacks that ignorant look of fear or wariness most civilians bear against us.’

Although she thought this she didn’t call out the old clerk.

They found a lift on their way, bringing it along. The lifts were haphazardly placed across the archives.

“Shifu?” She repeated her tone even more inquisitive.

“What?”

“You’ve quite the accent,” she said. “I’m well-travelled myself but I can’t seem to place yours.”

“I’m originally from Cape City.”

A coastal city over a thousand km from Gau City.

‘That’s no Cape City accent.’

She’d worked an assignment there and had to master the accent herself to fit the cover she was using.

“You’re quite far from home. How’d you end up in this corrupt city?”

“How indeed?” Shifu mused. “I find myself asking the very same question at times.”

An awkward silence took over until Grieselda found her voice again.

“Shifu?”

“You’re quite talkative,” Shifu muttered under his breath. “What is it?”

“You’re quite spry for an old man.”

“Cybernetics.”

“Ah,” she nodded.

It sounded plausible enough but she couldn’t help but have this nagging feeling Shifu’s answers came off too rehearsed. She thought about probing further but it wasn’t appropriate to seem like she was fishing for dirt when the old man was breaking the rules for her. She could be a bitch but she wasn’t a complete asshole.

Well unless she was on assignment. Then she never held back.

‘After all we all wear masks, we all have our secrets.’ She squinted, examining the old man. ‘Some darker than others though.’

“Shifu,” she said unable to help herself. “That’s your first name right. I don’t think I caught your surname.”

“Aiy, cause I never gave it,” Shifu snorted. “Were not that close girl.”

“Girl?” Grieselda muttered to herself and smiled something that wasn’t a smile.

She shook her head and ceased the questions. Her inspectoral instincts never shut off coupled with her paranoia it made for expert an investigator.

‘Not so great for making friends.’

Besides she wasn’t here to find out about some shady old clerk.

“Were here,” Shifu said.

Without wasting time he climbed onto the lift. Flicked the on switch. The lift motor hummed mechanically. He eased one of the levers forward. The lift slowly extended, lifting him higher.

Not long after Shifu came back down with the file. He shook it a few times, his expression quizzical.

“It feels light for a file holder of this size.”

Shifu conducted another thorough inspection before opening the file. He went through the pages before passing it to her.

“Pages are missing.”

Grieselda frowned after a rudimentary look. The pages with any mention of combat class relics had been pruned.

“I can’t use this,” she said.

So the old clerk returned the file. They left to search for another file on his list. Then another until they went through the entire list. All the files had missing documentation or were redacted.

‘It seems the captain has underestimated the council’s tenacity in keeping this info confidential. Even erasing it from the municipal archives.’

The old fellow rested against a shelf. “What exactly are you investigating?”

Grieselda exhaled and said. “I can’t go into detail but it has to do with the Rhyno Park incident.”

“You’re not saying anything.” Shifu stroked his wizardly beard. “This might not be helpful but I can tell you what you’re looking for probably isn’t a regular relic.”

“What do you mean?”

“As far as I know there are two kinds of relics. The first kinds are the normal relics which are common and abundant. They only amount to trinkets that range from spyware, lie detectors, field disruptors etc.”

‘I think we have varying definitions of trinket.’

“The other kinds?” Grieselda asked.

Shifu exhaled and looked to have aged a decade. “They’re weapons of great power, built by the Oracle itself. Scattered across the free cities, most within the possession of the councils or the league. How many exist is unknown but each one seems unique in its operation. They’ve been called greater relics but I prefer their official name.”

The wrinkled clerk paused for effect.

“Astras.”