The Autumn Republic

“Perhaps you got the explosive wrong. Maybe it was something else.”

“I put the time to good use while I was waiting for my appointment with Fell,” Adamat said, removing a paper from his pocket. “I employed Flerring the Younger, the heir to the Flerring Powder Company, as an expert in my investigation. She examined the union headquarters and has given me written evidence that the explosion was indeed caused by blasting oil, and that the oil was purchased by the Underhill Mining Coalition.”

“How the pit did you get her to sign that?”

Adamat coughed into his hand. “I swore that we wouldn’t prosecute her or her company.”

“You’re a bastard.”

“If we need a scapegoat, the dead chemist is as good as any. But we don’t need a scapegoat. We just need the location of the Underhill Society.”

Ricard sprang to his feet. “Absolutely not.”

“Why is that?”

“What’s the point of a secret society if it’s not secret anymore?”

“They tried to kill you.”

“They? More likely just one or two of the members.” Ricard cursed under his breath. “I rose up through their ranks. I’ve been friends with those men and women for the last twenty years. I’ve given every one of them good jobs, business opportunities. Pit, I’ve kept three of them out of jail.”

“How many members are there?”

“There are-” Ricard’s mouth snapped shut. “I’m not supposed to talk about it at all. Secret society, remember?”

“I think they waived their right to secrecy when they decided to use the society as their front while trying to kill you. Are any of them particularly stupid?”

“It’s not as stupid as you think. Less than fifty people in Adopest even know that the Underhill Society exists. Giving the name to some small powder company means absolutely nothing, and let’s be honest-we only know it was this blasting oil because of you. The police didn’t notice anything different about the explosion.” Ricard slumped back in his chair and drained his cup of coffee. He bent over suddenly, his face twisted in a grimace.

“Are you all right?”

“That coffee was really hot.” Ricard recovered and went on. “I can’t do it. I can’t betray them like this.”

“They betrayed you.”

“One or two of them. Maybe! Pit.”

“I understand this is hard for you, Ricard.” Adamat leaned across the desk. “They’ll try again, though.”

“How can you be certain? You said they only had a sample.”

“After examining the union headquarters, Flerring the Younger said she thought two explosions weren’t big enough for them to have used all the blasting oil. They may still have enough blasting oil to make several more bombs.”

“Well, pit.”

“If you can give me the names of one or two of the society members you suspect, I can trail them. I would need some men to help me, but we might be able to find out where they keep the blasting oil or their next target.”

“I know where they’re keeping it,” Ricard said miserably.

“Where?”

“At the Society building.”

“They’re keeping an unstable explosive at the Underhill Society? How stupid are they?”

“Not as stupid as you think.”

“You have to tell me where it is.”

Instead, Ricard turned and shouted for Fell. When she appeared at the door, he said, “Get together five of my most discreet men.”

“When?”

“As quickly as possible. Within the hour.”

“Yes sir. What is it for, sir?”

“We have to search the basement of this building for a powerful explosive.”

Adamat was astonished at how quickly Fell prepared the operation.

At Fell’s insistence, Ricard left the building-ostensibly to meet Cheris for an early lunch-and several of his most valuable lieutenants were suddenly called away. Within thirty minutes, two men and three women had gathered in an empty hotel room. Adamat could only assume they were union members who had earned Ricard’s trust but not yet been given any duties of importance.

Adamat stood near the window of the hotel room. Two of the women sat on the bed, and a third near the door, while both men had their backs to the wall. Everyone watched intently as Fell entered the room and closed the door behind her.

She began quietly, “What we say at this meeting does not leave this room, understand?”

The gathered group exchanged looks before giving their unanimous consent. Some of them glanced at Adamat and he wondered if any of them knew who he was. He recognized three of the faces by happenstance, but didn’t know any of their names.

“There is a strong chance that someone has placed a bomb beneath this building,” Fell said. To their credit, none of them headed for the door. “The perpetrator does not know that we know, and we are going to search the premises quickly and quietly until we find it. We will start with the basement and work our way up. Before any of you ask, this is not a volunteer assignment. If one of you leaves the building before I say so, you will never find work in this country again.”

Adamat noted that one of the men had started to sweat violently. Fear? Or guilt? The woman by the door swallowed hard.