“So Olivia and her people obtained the recording,” Rogan said, “and now it’s an unexpected bonus. What do they do with it?”

“Blackmail is an obvious choice,” Augustine said. “Howling controls the Moderates, the third-largest faction within the Assembly. This might be about Assembly elections.”

“No.” Rogan pushed from his seat and began stalking back and forth like a caged tiger. “These people want destabilization. Chaos. The surveillance recording wasn’t supposed to exist, but it does and they have a copy of it. If we hide the recording and they choose to sit on their copy, Richard Howling becomes their puppet. If we forward the recording to Lenora, she will have to arrest Richard Howling. There would be a public outcry over Garza being murdered by a head of a House. David still gets what he wants. If they release their copy ahead of us, David again gets his House and the DA’s office will look incompetent. There will be a huge wave of public outrage.”

“Doesn’t matter what we do, they win,” Augustine said. “This isn’t just usual House politics. This feels like a seismic shift within the power structure, one I’m not sure we have the combined power to oppose. Rogan, are we on the wrong side of this?”

Rogan pivoted to him. “They murdered civilians and nearly demolished downtown, which would’ve killed thousands more. They will never be the right side. I intend to win this war.”

“I know that.” Augustine’s face was tired. “I just wonder if history will view us as heroes or villains.”

“Depends on who writes it,” I told him. “We have to take it to Lenora.”

Rogan studied me. “Why?”

He knew perfectly well why. “You said yourself, these people are interested in chaos. You can’t create chaos unless you rile up the public. They will release the video, they will do it somewhere it can’t be contained—like the social networks—and they will stoke the outrage. It will look like the DA’s office deliberately hid the fact that a beloved senator and champion of the people was murdered by a Prime. I don’t understand why they haven’t released it already.”

“They’re waiting for the right moment,” Rogan said.

“And that’s exactly why the more time Lenora has with the video, the better.”

“We’ll talk to Lenora’s office in the morning,” Rogan said. “I’ll need time to pull together paperwork.”

He knew I was right so why the hell was he stalling?

“Are you going to apply for a Verona Exception?” Augustine said, a calculating look in his eyes.

“Yes.”

“You will require the cooperation of House Harrison.” Augustine turned to Cornelius.

“What is the Verona Exception?” I could look it up on my phone but I was too tired.

“It’s named after the Capulet and Montague feud,” Cornelius explained. “Romeo and Juliet begins with the Prince of Verona issuing an ultimatum to both families promising to put to death the next person who rekindles the feud. Then he walks off stage and washes his hands of it until their actions force him to return.”

“A Verona Exception means filing a claim against House Howling with the DA’s office,” Rogan said. “Troy is my employee and so are you by virtue of my agreement with Cornelius. Howling attacked you both, made no effort to offer any reparations, and can’t be reached by normal means.”

“But you don’t know that.” My brain was so slow and tired, and when I pushed it to make rational thoughts, it threatened to collapse. “You haven’t called the head of his House.”

“I’ll call Richard in the morning,” Rogan said. “He’ll disavow any knowledge of the incident. He doesn’t want to be involved, which is why he made David into a dark horse in the first place.”

“A Verona Exception effectively states that this now becomes a matter of open warfare among specific members of these three Houses,” Augustine said. “By granting the Verona Exception, the DA’s office will acknowledge that enough evidence exists to warrant retribution from House Rogan and House Harrison and empower them to enact this retribution, provided they don’t demonstrate gross disregard for civilian welfare.”

“So it allows them to wash their hands of it and let us fight it out?” I asked.

“Yes,” Rogan said.

It made sense. The DA’s office had some magic users on staff, of whom Lenora Jordan was the most dangerous, but if they got involved every time two Primes fought, the result would be catastrophic for police personnel.

“It’s standard procedure,” Rogan said. “The DA gets involved when the safety of the public is at stake. I’ll need a sworn affidavit from you and dispensation from House Harrison stating that they allow Cornelius to engage.”

“That may be a problem,” Cornelius said quietly. “We have a small House. We act cautiously and we don’t get involved. My parents maintained this policy for years and now my sister preserves it.”

The same sister who had sent a card and some flowers when she learned her youngest brother’s wife had been murdered.

“I’ll speak to her tomorrow,” Cornelius said.

Tomorrow might be too late. If that video hit the Internet, there would be riots. I didn’t almost die about ten times trying to save Houston from being burned only to see it tear itself apart.

I turned to Bug. “Can I have a copy of the video, please?”

He glanced at Rogan.

I pretended to sigh. “This is getting tiresome. Rogan and my employer signed a contract, and that contract goes both ways. If we have to share evidence with you, you have to share evidence with us, especially since my employer obtained it. I would like a copy of the video, please. Email would be great.”

“Do as she says,” Rogan said. He was smiling. I had no idea what was so funny.

My phone chimed announcing a new email.

“Thank you.”

“Take your time, Cornelius,” Rogan said. “Like I said, paperwork takes time and Lenora may not even see us tomorrow considering the Baranovsky mess. This is a delicate matter.”

“If my sister refuses, I’ll proceed on my own, but our case would be stronger with us both.”

I got up. “Where is the bathroom?”

Rogan pointed to a door in the far wall.

“Thank you.”

I got up, walked into the bathroom, and shut the door behind me. Was there conflict of interest? I had promised Cornelius that I would give him the name of his wife’s murderer, but I had made it abundantly clear that I wouldn’t kill that person for him. Cornelius’ agreement with Rogan technically had nothing to do with me. It only specified mutual cooperation and bound Rogan’s hands.

No, there was no conflict of interest. I was in possession of a video showing the murder of two citizens. It was my obligation under the law to report it. I texted Bern. This is very important. I’m going to email you something. Can you find a way to send it to Lenora Jordan so it won’t be traced back to us?

No answer. It was three in the morning.

I’m sorry to wake you, but this is really important. Please wake up. If I blew up his phone, the beeps would wake him up.

Sorry.

Wake up.

Sorry again.

Wake up.

A reply popped onto the screen. I’m up. On it. Are you okay?

Yes. Thank you so much.

I exhaled. He would find a way to do it.

I put my phone away and looked at myself in the mirror. There were bags under my eyes and they weren’t Prada. I was so tired all of a sudden, I could barely stand. I had to get out of this bathroom, because the floor was beginning to look nice and inviting.

I washed my hands, came out, and sat on the couch. They were still talking about something, but I could no longer follow. My eyes were closing. I tried so hard to keep them open, but someone had attached weights to my eyelids. Augustine said something I couldn’t quite hear. Rogan answered and then the world turned soft, warm, and dark, and I sank into the welcoming blackness.

Chapter 11

The tantalizing scent of freshly brewed coffee drifted over to me. I opened my eyes.