Free Perfiditas by Alison Morton Page A

‘I’ve run these images from the public surveillance feed and the box against our database and the custodes one and found no matches.’
    ‘So who are these guys?’ I studied the images. ‘Wait a minute, they’re all guys – there are no women.’
    ‘Exactly. How do you think that’s relevant?’
    ‘Not a clue, but it’s weird, and weird almost always means something. Okay, that’s really helpful. Thanks, Sepunia,’
    She looked at me, obvious curiosity in her eyes, but didn’t push it.
    Reports came in from about three onwards: Livius was in situ and would remain there until the start; Novius’s framework was ready; Atria was serving coffee with a smile across the road; Flavius had already mended a pipe, taken in mail and cleaned the hallway in Aidan’s office building – the perfect concierge.
    We were ready.
     
    By 11.00 the next morning, Aidan was sitting in the PGSF barracks, looking pale, drinking tea and recovering his breath. Both his apartment and office were secure and guarded, a new receptionist installed in his office, and a note on the website about family bereavement.
    My report would detail how a middle-aged woman walking awkwardly (those inserts nearly crippling me), accompanied by her attractive niece (Maelia wearing her best spoiled pout), had called at Hirenses Associates earlier that morning, looking for the aunt’s umbrella. The minute after the two women entered the reception area, Sextus, the receptionist, was suddenly overcome by a coughing fit. The niece, wearing a figure-hugging, electric blue dress that barely included a skirt, made straight for Aidan’s consulting room. The occupants – Aidan and Caeco – were stunned, momentarily by her smile and body, then by gas. The building security and comms lines had inexplicably blipped, but everything was back on line within three seconds.
    The only exciting thing was outside. Two cars had collided. The drivers cursed and threatened each other; it progressed to a full-blown fist fight. One passenger had hysterics, and the coffee shop server ran out to help. A uniformed concierge tried to separate the two fighting drivers. The custodes arrived and arrested everybody they could lay their hands on. A number of people exiting Hirenses Associates were caught up in the custodes ’ sweep along with several interested bystanders. Soon after the custody vans disappeared, a car transporter and city cleaning detail cleared up the mess, and the district went back to sleep.
     
    Daniel was waiting for us with a security detail at the Custodes XI Station. Caeco, Sextus and the three bystanders were bundled into a secure vehicle and driven back to the PGSF. We were at the back garage door, about to clamber into an unmarked truck to follow them, when I heard an echo from the past.
    ‘Ha! I heard a rabble had been brought in, but I didn’t expect it to be this scruffy.’ A tall, bulky figure with a grin breaking up his harsh-featured face stopped in front of me.
    ‘Hello, Bruna.’
    ‘Hello, Lurio,’ I replied, grinning back.
    ‘Love the outfit,’ he snorted. ‘But you’d be so much better out of it.’
    Everybody snickered. Daniel looked offended. He didn’t know that Lurio and I had briefly been lovers several years ago.
    ‘Aren’t you going to introduce me to your team?’
    ‘Everybody, this is Commander Cornelius Lurio, DJ inner city commander.’ But I signalled them to move out. Shielding their departure, I turned to Lurio. ‘You remember Major Stern from the Pulcheria operation.’ I shot a warning glance at Lurio. Daniel didn’t know the inside secrets from that operation.
    ‘Yes, of course.’ He scanned Daniel’s face, nodded at him. Daniel gave a taut smile. ‘And your other friends…?’
    ‘Oh, they’re a bit shy.’
    ‘Well, you’d better get going. We’ll need to give this garage a good sweeping out now.’ His face suddenly dropped into solemn, and he ran his finger down my cheek. ‘Give me a call sometime if