The Time Traveller's Ball (The Erik Midgard Case Files Volume 1)

Chapter 13

XIII

I re-materialised in the empty lobby . I quickly jogged back up the stairs to the Ballroom. The guests were gathered in a rough semi-circle around the big screen, but they turned – eyes wide and mouths open– when they heard me enter.

            Mirabi was smiling and trying not to laugh.

            "Erik. You're a genius."

            "It was you," said Chris Venus, who looked pole-axed. "It was you! All the time!"

            "You're to be congratulated, Sergeant. That was brilliant," said Colonel Thor.

            "You," said Brian Mammon, "faked... the murder?"

            "Of course he did, Brian. We just watched him. I am so relieved," said Xandra Mammon, who was seeing her reputation as a hostess rising from the ashes of the Time Traveller's Ball.

            "It was you!" said Chris Venus again. Then Felicia Brahman came forward, her expression hovering between frightened disbelief and yearning hope.

            "Will...?" she said. "Is he?"

            "Come with me," I said.

=====

"MINKWOOD! YOU SON OF A MARTIAN!"

            I stepped well back as the cupboard door opened and the Prince burst out, swinging a bottle of floor cleaner at where he thought my head was going to be, spewing with fury, but very much alive.

            "WHAT THE HAX DID YOU THINK YOU WERE...!?!"

            "WILL!"

            Felicia Brahman shot past me and threw her arms around the Prince, burying her face in his shoulder and weeping. The Prince stopped in surprise, bottle still raised until Mirabi plucked it from his fingers.

            "Felicia? Darling! What's wrong?"

            "You were...I thought you were...," she sobbed. The Prince seemed to realise what she was saying, placed one arm around her shoulders and raised her face up to his.

            "Darling, I'm fine! I've just been stuck in there for... for about four hours, Minkwood! And what the hax is with the ChronOps uniform?!" He paused as he noticed Mirabi for the first time. "And who are you?!"

            "My name is Midgard, your Highness," I said. "I am with ChronOps. Sorry about the cupboard. I only just found out I did this to you."

=====

One explanation later, we all were back in the Ballroom. Felicia Brahman was still crying tears of joy, but the Prince's rage at me had turned into deep, personal horror once the full, tumultuous story of the evening had been explained.

            "Gentle Darwin!" he said. "You were all trying to kill me!?!

            "Only three of us," said Chris Venus, hastily slipping his palmcom into his pocket.

            "It was nothing personal, your Highness," Orson Osiris cringed.

            "No, it was a matter of principle, you foul neo-feudalist fascist!" said Jacques Loki, pulling his flexi-cuffs. "I would do it again without a moment's thought!"

            "I won't even ask, Uncle Karl," said the Prince to Yahweh, the immense outrage of betrayal showing on his face. "Dad is going to nail you to the mast for this when we get home."