She struggled to regain her line of thought. Anyway, this is all beside the point. Which is, that I am in a greater position to help you as a free woman than as a social pariahor dead. After all, this civil war of yours probably wont happen. As you say, the great nations have too big a stake in stability. And if it doesnt happen, then what? Its back to the drawing board, minus one hideout for you. Back to bombing and other ineffectual terrorist tactics.
Bryce closed the book and restored it to his jacket. What of it? Weve already lost this place. If the war doesnt happen theres no downside.
But consider what you could do if you had an allya patronesswith wealth and resources, and more experience than you in covert activities? She looked him straight in the eye. Ive
killed a number of men in my time. Ive built and run my own spy organizationno, Im not Amandera Thrace-Guiles. Im someone infinitely more capable than a mere heir to a backwards nation on this backwards little wheel. And with power, and wealth, and influence I can help you.
No deal. He stood up and gestured to the others to follow him as he walked to the metal door.
A printing press! she called after him. He looked back, puzzled. In order for that money to work, she continued, dont you need to mint thousands of copies of the bills and put them into circulation? It has to be used by everybody to work, right? So wheres your printing press?
He glanced at his people. Itll happen.
Oh? What if I offered you your own mintdelivery of the presses in a monthas well as a solid budget to print your money?
Bryce appeared to think about it, then reached for the door handle.
And what if you had an impregnable place to house the press? she called, frantically reaching for the only other thing she could think to offer. What if Buridan tower was yours?
One of his lieutenants put a hand on Bryces arm. He glared at the man, then made a sour face and turned. Why on Spyre would we trust you to keep your end of the bargain?
The tower contains proof that Im an imposter, she said quickly. The council is going to want to visit it, Im sure of itbut how can I clean it up and make it presentable? None of my new servants could be trusted with the secret. But you couldand you could take photographs, do what you need to do to assemble proof that Im not the heir. So youll have that to hold over me. Youll have the tower, youll have money, and as much influence as I can spare for you.
He was thinking about it, she could telland the others were impressed as well. Best of all, she added before he could change his mind, if my deception is ultimately revealed, you may get your civil war anyway. What could be better?
Bryce walked slowly back to her. Again I say, why should we trust you? If theres proof as you say in Buridan tower if youd even let us get there before the police descended on us Too many ifs, Ms. Thrace-Guiles.
Ill draft you a note right now, she said. Made out to the night watch at the elevators, to let your people ride the elevator down to Buridan Tower. You can do it right now, and release me after youre sure Im right.
And be trapped there when your charade is exposed?
That was just too much for Venera. Then forget it, you bastard! she yelled at him. Go on, get out! Im sure youre far too busy playing the romantic revolutionary leader. Go and sacrifice the lives of a few more of your friends to convince the rest of them that youre actually doing something. Oh, and blow up a few women and babies for good measure, Im sure thatll make you feel betteror start your damned war and kill ten thousand innocents, I dont care! Just get out of my sight!
Bryces face darkened with anger, but he didnt move. Finally he stalked over and scowled at her. Venera glared back.
Bring this woman some paper, he said. Youll write that note, he said in a low voice, and well see what we can find in Buridan Tower.
With finite space, the citizens of the wheel had jammed new buildings in between existing ones; corkscrewed them inward and outward from the rim; overgrown what was original with the new. Streamlined towers hung like knife blades below the rim, their bottom-most floors straining under nearly two gravities while the stacked apartments overhead converged to shadow the streets and a second layer of avenues, then a third, were built up where weight diminished. Yin-yang stairs, elevator cables, ancient rust-dribbling spokes,
and leaking pipes all knotted together at the smoke-wreathed axis. Ships and shuttles clustered there like grazing flies.
Hammerlong seemed designed for skulking and the population did just that. Most were citizens of nations based on Greater Spyre, after all, so they brought the paranoia of that realm with them to the city. Those born and raised in Hammerlong and the other wheels were more open, but they formed a separate class and had fewer rights in their own towns. Left to their own devices, they cultivated a second economy and culture in the alleys, air-shafts and crawlspaces of the layered city.