Chapter Thirteen
Welcome Home
With Gustav determined to make an entrance, with his arm in a cast, and otherwise looking quite unremarkable . . . Gogi pulled up to the front steps and got out.
It’s showtime!
Two young footmen, neither of whom recognized the man with the coat slung over his shoulders, open enough to show the end of the cast and the sling.
Gogi hopped out, leaving the car running, and hustled to follow his uncle up the broad steps.
He was close enough to catch the butler’s shocked “Lord Gustav!”
As he stepped through the doors and they closed behind him . . . everyone in hearing distance was turning to look, as Gustav shed the coat and everyone could get a good look at him.
“Welcome home!” A bit breathless in shock.
“Thank you, Mr. Heribert.” Gustav looked around at the crowd. “Monika? We should have a little talk.” A ripple of movement in the fingers sticking out of the cast.
And he strode through the crowd like . . . he had every expectation that people would get out of his way . . . and they did.
The lady was pale and wide-eyed. Backing away . . . “Gustav . . . I didn’t . . . they weren’t supposed to . . .”
“What were they supposed to do? Gogi tells me that Vater paid the ransom.”
“They were supposed to let you go, and the ransom was my dower . . .” She was pale, and backing away.
“Hansel said that on their own World, no one would ever chip me . . . YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT IT’S LIKE!
GROWING UP SO POWERFUL, SO SMART . . . AND KNOWING THAT YOUR OWN LOVING FATHER IS GOING TO DESTROY IT ALL SO HE CAN MARRY YOU OFF TO SOME HOARY OLD CREEP! ”
She paled, backing away, her voice going small. “They weren’t supposed to hurt you. Hansel said he’d save me . . . save my mind, my Power . . .”
Gustav shook his head. “And you believed them. Did they ever tell you who hired them to get me off the Main Line?”
“Hired . . .”
“They didn’t do it for fun. Not even for a wife.
A million-mark ransom? That’s nothing for someone like us.
So, Sister. You and I and the police and the Inquisitors are going to have a nice long talk.
” He swept his gaze around the listeners.
“And you’re going to remember everything, and every name they might have let slip, every hint . . .”
Then Ernst was pushing through the crowd. “And first—after almost twenty years absence—you are going to prove your identity, and then explain why you couldn’t get back sooner.”
“Delighted to . . . cousin.”
Lord Henry elbowed his way through the crowd. “I think we will get private, with some other authorities.”
Lots of Red Robes, several plain clothes police . . .
Lord Dietfried, looking good, even a few dark streaks in his white hair . . .
The servants opened up a buffet and everyone who thought they were here for a boring meeting and a fancy dinner milled around gossiping, speculating . . .
Gogi stayed out of the way. Available if called . . . wasn’t called.
Lord Gottfried Gisbert Vogel was called in.
Now 12 Vogel, his older cousin died several months ago.
Then they came out.
The officials turned for the front door.
Lord Ernst raised his voice. “Trust Board members, we will meet in the boardroom in ten minutes.”
Lord Dietfried escorted Lady Monika upstairs.
Lord Ernst and Lord Gustav headed for the board room.
:: What a fucking mess! Talk later. We’ll leave right after. ::
:: Right. ::
One of the cops eyed him and pointed toward the front.
Most of the crowd was headed either for the boardroom or one of the TVs.
Gogi eased up to the front doors. The big police captain stopped beside him. Nice expensive suit, made him look solid and businesslike, as opposed to, say, muscular and dangerous. Really.
“The police work regularly with Cyborgs. They save our asses, then get discarded, when they’ve been injured too badly, or just reached an age where they might still get a good price on the Board.”
“Oh?” Gogi tried to look neutral.
“Yeah. Just this morning we learned that one of the best guys got sent to the board. The whole department’s . . . unsettled about it.”
Gogi nodded. “The police, on the T3 I live on, employ a lot of older Cyborgs. Perhaps I should have them look into this experienced police Cyborg.”
The cop just nodded and walked away.
Did he realize that Gustav . . .
Of course he did. No other reason he’d mention one of his coworkers getting shafted.
He found a quiet corner and called up the Board . . .