Downworld

Chapter 31

Tinder and Kean were still angry at me and at Fiona for the whole college thing, and angry was a much nicer reaction that what Fiona's grandparents thought, so me and her brother, Stephen, were the only people from the family who attended her graduation; Elspeth was still young enough that she had to stay at home.

Stephen had started his own degree by then, he wasn't sure what he ultimately wanted to be, but he was training to be a paramedic at the same time in an attempt to work his way through college. I was thinking he wanted to be a doctor, but didn't know if he had the brains. I thought he could probably do it if he wanted it enough though, but that was the question, wasn't it?

To celebrate Fiona's graduation, and the graduation of some of my other library rats, I threw a party in a nice hotel. The hotel had to be nice, because I invited several of my business contacts. It also had to be far enough from the Gateway not to be crashed by uninvited downworlders, which it was.

Spotting Fiona, I excused myself from the circle of suited executives who were trying to indoctrinate me into the cult of tax write offs and holiday homes. They excused me with mixtures of relief and annoyance.

'I'm so proud of you, Fiona,' I said, giving the newly graduated political science and economics major a hug.

'Thanks, Jay.'

'Come with me for a minute, there's someone I want you to meet.'

'Who?'

'It's a surprise, come on.'

She followed, curious. After a moment of weaving through the crowd, I spotted my mark, an aging politician.

'Senator Criswell.'

'Mr. Glen,' the senator returned, shaking my hand.

'This is Fiona.'

'Ah, I've heard so much about you, Fiona. You're interested in politics, yes?'

Fiona blinked. 'Yes, Sir, I am.'

I left them to talk, seeking out the other graduates. There weren't many, but there'd be more next year, and more the year after that. And most if not all would be getting jobs above, because who would want to go back down once they had tasted the freedom of above? Malik and I had arranged it already; technically, they would be his sworn servants, but except for a little tax, which would go into the library and into paying the tuitions of more of my library rats, they wouldn't be required to take on duties.

I'd made all the intended introductions before Fiona found me again. She was looking a little shell shocked.

'So, how'd it go?'

'He offered me a job. Just as a PA.'

'That's great.'

'Jay... you arranged this, didn't you?'

'I only supplied the introduction; you did all the work, Fiona.'

Not quite true, she would have never gotten that job if I -- and by I, I meant the corporations which Malik owned -- hadn't bankrolled a part of his campaign. Criswell was a good ally to have in power; he never forgot his debts.

'What am I going to do?' she asked.

I put my hands on her shoulders. 'Fi, I'm not going to tell you what to do, but you know you don't have to do what your mother wants. She might be mad at you for a while, but is that worse than regretting not taking this opportunity for the rest of your life.'

'You're not making this easy on me.'

'I don't mean to. Your parents will come around.'

She sighed, and shrugged my hands away. 'I hope so.'

Isamu spotted us and came over. 'Something wrong, Fiona?'

'I got a job,' she said shyly.

'Really? That's great.' He gave her a hug. 'I'm happy for you.'

'Thanks.'

Then Isamu preceded to tell her a joke that made her giggle and she cheered up a bit.

Not long after that, one of their friends was dragging them both off to dance. I was pretty sure he had a crush on one of them, I couldn't tell which, though I was also pretty sure he wouldn't get anywhere with either of them.

Since, for the moment, no one was watching me, I took the opportunity to slip out of the party. I was still not much of a person for socializing. I was more of a casual hang out and movies kind of person. Fortunately, so was Malik. I found a lift, and went up to the room I'd rented to find him already waiting for me.