Empire's Legacy

Chapter 13: Annieka Brenner

Grey stared at her. "You're kidding me."

"Nope." She took a deep breath and glanced down the car at the other passengers. "So here's what we're going to do. When the tram comes to a stop, I need you to fall against me. When you do that, pass me the pistol."

"Look, I don't need you to get arrested just because—"

She fixed him with an intent look. "Grey. Trust that I know what I'm doing, and shut up and do it."

He shrugged, and as they approached the Crescent Village stop he shifted his weight, falling against Amy as the tram came to a halt. She slipped the pistol from his hip, checked the safety, and swiftly tucked it into the belt of her sundress, beneath her jacket.

"This would have been much easier if you'd just listened to me," she muttered as they stepped off the tram. She slung her bag over her shoulder and headed for the exit. "Why do you always assume you're right?"

"Why do you always assume you're right?" Grey demanded. "Ever since I met you you've acted like you know everything. As a personality trait I have to tell you that really wears on a person after awhile."

Amy strode out of the station and headed up the hill. "I hired you to help me with a job, Grey. On a subject upon which I am the undisputed expert! So I'm sorry, but yes, I do know everything because for god's sake, that is the entire context of our relationship to date!"

"Excuse me, sir, ma'am, but if we could speak with you for a moment?"

"What?" Amy and Grey both snapped, and Amy realized that at some point they'd stopped in the middle of the road partway up the hill. Two members of the security force, their weapons slung across their backs, stood downhill. They were both young and looked uncomfortable at having intruded on what they clearly thought was a lovers' spat.

"Lieutenant Taylor, ma'am," said the taller one, "and this is Lieutenant Perez. I'm very sorry, ma'am, but it appears you're carrying an illegal weapon. Is this correct?"

Amy ran her tongue across her teeth. "Hah. Yes. Well spotted."

"Not hard to spot a pistol when a girl's wearing a sundress," muttered Lieutenant Perez. "Not a lot of places to hide it."

Grey snickered. Amy shot him a look before returning her attention to the two men, a bland smile on her face.

"You are aware of Idylla's laws?" Taylor said.

"Mmm. Yes."

"Then you're aware that carrying a weapon without a license is illegal," he said. "You don't have a license for your weapon, do you, ma'am?"

"Not on me, no."

"Then I'll need to take your weapon, ma'am, and I'm afraid that we'll have to arrest you. Do you understand what that means?"

Grey glanced sideways at Amy, but to his surprise she didn't seem at all concerned. Instead she looked almost amused, as though she was enjoying some private joke to which none of the men was privy.

"Oh yes," she said. "I understand perfectly. I'm not sure you do, however."

"I beg your pardon?"

Amy glanced behind her as Taylor removed the pistol from her waistband and carefully clasped her wrists together. "You really ought to ask for a person's name before you try to arrest them," she said genially. "Just so you know who it is that you're arresting."

"What good will that do?" Grey asked. He sighed and looked at Taylor and Perez. "This is ridiculous. Surely there are some exceptions to the rule."

"I'm afraid not."

"Hah," Amy said. "I think you'll find you're mistaken."

"Oh, for god's sake," said Perez. "Who the hell are you, if you're so keen for us to know?"

Amy smiled and beckoned him closer. When he'd stepped near enough, she leaned forward until her mouth was next to his ear and whispered, "Annieka Brenner."

Perez took a step back. "Oh shit."

Grey looked from Amy to the guards and back. "I don't understand."

"There's been a mistake," Perez said to Taylor. "Let her go."

"But she doesn't have a license—"

"I do, actually," Amy said. "I've had one since I was, oh, 14? But I don't carry it. It's in my desk drawer at home." Her smile grew fixed. "I don't think I should really need it, do you?"

"No," Perez said quickly. "Of course not. We're awfully sorry, ma'am. We'll just—be going now." He nudged Taylor. "Give her back the pistol."

Taylor looked bewildered. "But—"

"Just do it," he hissed. "I'll explain later. Jesus, hasn't anyone told you about this family?"

His face a picture of confusion, Taylor returned the pistol to Amy, who smiled graciously. With many backwards glances, the two guards headed back down the hill towards the tram station, Perez whispering urgently as they went.

When they'd gone, Grey turned to look at Amy, who was busy tucking the pistol back into her belt. "You want to explain what the hell that was about?"

"Not really." She settled her jacket over the pistol and picked up her bag from the road. "Shall we?"

"What did you tell him?" Grey asked, starting after her.

"Seriously, I don't want to talk about it."

"You obviously knew something they didn't. What made them change their minds?"

"What part of 'I don't want to talk about it' don't you understand, Grey?"

"I'm just trying to work out what it is about you that managed to turn the primary law of a planet entirely on its head."

Amy stopped short and folded her arms. "Okay, look. I told them my name, all right?"

Grey frowned. "What's so special about that?"

She hesitated, her eyes narrowing, and then said carefully, "I told them my real name. Which on this planet, as in many other Commission-controlled places, wields a certain amount of force because of who my family is." With that she turned and started back up the hill. "And that is all I have to say on the subject." She threw an arm out, one finger up to forestall Grey's next words. "Before you say anything else, I really, really don't want to talk about it."