The Lost Libraries Archive (The Erik Midgard Case Files Volume 2)

Chapter 11

XI

We were halfway across the main room when my wristcom bleeped. The screen flashed 'Call waiting – Viking Weapon Systems, Ltd.'

"Go ahead. I'll catch up," I said. I stepped over to one side of the room and linked my Helmcom into the hypernet feed, so I could talk, more or less privately, inside my own helmet.

"Hello again, Colonel," I said, as Thor's face appeared on the inside of my visor.

"Good afternoon, Detective," he said. "I'm afraid I've got bad news."

"How bad?" I said.

"Unhelpful at the very least," said Thor. "I've traced the recharger. We sold it on the 13th of this month to a Dominic Underworld of Neptune. However, we've checked with some associates and we're 90% certain that was a false identity. We've got no visual record of him and his contact details have all turned out to be dead ends."

"Send them through to me anyway," I said.

"Of course," said Thor. "But that's not the main thing. The recharger wasn't a single purchase. It was part of a shipment."

Thor tapped a couple of buttons on his deskcom and a shipping manifest downloaded to my Helmcom. I clicked my tongue against my teeth as I read it. As well as the rifle recharger – which was one of four hundred of them – Underworld had also ordered nearly three thousand multi-beam unirifles, two hundred heavy laser canons, fifty rocket launchers and almost four thousand hand grenades.

"Gentle Darwin," I said.

"All I can say in my defence is that the documents and licenses he produced were the highest quality forgeries," said Thor. "We thought we were supplying the Neptunian navy."

"I see," I said.

"We'll do everything we can to help," said Thor. "Both my company and my brethren. I'll put all the resources I can muster into locating him."

"Thanks," I said. I considered, but resisted, the urge to tell him not to and to leave the hierophants searching for whoever had stolen my cloning tube. But once again, it wouldn't matter if whoever had the weapons shipped them to the past and caused a paradox reaction.

"I'm sorry I can't do more," said Thor. "If only Andrew was still there with you, I'd get him to..."

"What?" I said. My head snapped up. "Andrew Tawaret?"

"Yes. Though I'm sure you've heard about it," said Thor. "It's was a terrible tragedy. He was so young. He had so much potential."

"How do you know hi... He was a hierophant?" I said.

"Yes, he was one of my brethren," said Thor. He looked concerned for a moment. "Please don't think he was trying to infiltrate the library project in any way, Detective. I know your commanding officer is convinced that's what our brethren in ChronOps are up to. Andrew wasn't under orders from us. He actually contacted our higher members to ask permission to volunteer. We granted it of course, and he was so happy when he was accepted."

"Could you have mentioned this to me earlier?" I said.

"I didn't see any reason to. He has passed away," said Thor. "I've re-read all the hypermails he shared with us about the project. I can't find anything in them that could relate to Professor Wei'To's murder."

"I want to see them," I said. "You're not here. You haven't seen all the evidence."

"Of course. I'll send them right away," said Thor. "And, Detective?"

"Yes?" I said.

"You don't need to look so worried," said Thor. "No matter how bad things might look at the moment, the time stream will have brought you to where you are standing right now for a reason. When you find it, you'll understand."