No Such Thing as Evil

Chapter 9

"Honey, are you sure you want to keep looking at it?" asked Lisa's mom on the pubcomm display on the hospital room's wall.

Lisa stared into the hand mirror. The image was grotesque. She wouldn't be fitted for an ocular implant for another few months, and more plastic surgery for her cheek was scheduled. The empty eye socket was revolting, but she preferred not to wear the eye patch the doctor gave her. She wanted the constant reminder, and she wanted there to be no confusion for others about what happened.

"Please, honey, put it down, just for now."

"No," she said, tilting the mirror for a better angle.

A small vid image popped up, superimposed in the corner of the display. "Lisa, you have a visitor. He's on his way up," said the duty nurse.

"That's the officer now. Please, honey, put down the mirror so you can talk with him. He's trying to help you."

"Mom, he's just going to take my statement. Again. He's not going to do anything."

"But you recognized that man. They have to take you seriously now."

"Detective Fontain is fat and old. He's a slug, Mom."

"Please, honey, don't you think—"

Fontain entered the room. Seeing her mom on the display, he said hello, and they exchanged pleasantries.

"How are you doing, Lisa?" he asked.

She put the hand mirror down. "How's it look like I'm doing?" She let the sight of the eye socket make its impression.

Unflapped, he said, "Lisa, I came here to talk to you about your claim that Aeron Skotino is allegedly one of the people who held you captive."

"Claim? Alleged? Are you fucking kidding me?"

"Oh, honestly, dear. Your language. Be respectful and—"

With a gesture, Lisa ended the vidcomm.

"Fine," said Fontain. "I'll give it to you straight. Do you know who this Skotino character is?"

"Who cares? What counts is what he did to me."

"He owns and operates one of the largest companies in the world. A conglomerate. We're talking hundreds of billions of dollars, Lisa. While you were so busy comming my office, did you pay any attention to the news story? Huh? The guy is giving money to charity, Lisa. In a big way."

"So he's a goddamn saint? Is that what you're saying? So, again, you're going to do nothing? You came all the way out here to tell me that?"

"Just think for a minute about the likelihood."

"Fuck you."

"Lisa, your forensic data are inconclusive. If the guy was within ten feet of you, we could pick up some kind of DNA evidence that—"

"I can't even believe it. I'm the victim, you idiot. I was there, asshole. Get out! Get out!"

110 110 110

Under the darkness of night, Mark Spire moved silently along the street leading to the medical center building in London. From his percomm, he tapped a command, and the display showed verification from Tyvold that the security system was now disabled.

He moved in behind the building to the back entrance next to a loading dock door. The light above the door went dark. In the shadows, he waited until the pocket door swished open, and then he slipped through. He went to the sixth floor and found the designated examination room. Inside, he surveyed the ceiling tiles and selected a location for his perch.