Spymaster Alitus Vivaldi paused beside his new assistant's desk and tapped a finger on it.
The man jumped to his feet. "Yes, sir?"
"I didn't mean to startle you, Jarod." The man had been with Alitus less than a week, but he'd already proven himself invaluable. "I'll be working on a Class Four project the rest of the day. Keep interruptions to a minimum."
"Yes, sir. I'll ensure you're not disturbed, Minister Vivaldi."
Inside his private office, Alitus set the standard safeguards, and added a few layers of additional protection. The glowing logo for the Conqueror's Division of Imperial Intelligence faded as Alitus pulled up a bank of images from the idBot interface. He flicked his fingers to cast images onto the walls around the room.
"Begin capture. Target: Wulf Gabriel. Parameters: record my questions as well as any and all information available in database for target." Pointing toward the top right of one wall, Alitus moved his finger diagonally to the bottom left to bring up another bank of pictures. "Play series." His current quarry was walking toward the Renyoj Building in the Di Consueto District. "Stop playback."
Alitus tapped a finger on one picture to create a still, and zoomed in for a better view. Mid-stride, Wulf had reached the entrance. He wore a charcoal gray suit, dark hair tousled from the breeze. A former supermodel, Wulf's chiseled features and strong jaw set him apart in any crowd.
How could anyone fail to recognize him? Wulf was beautiful. All he had to do is walk into the room and everything stopped.
The lover of wealthy tycoon Luc Saint-Cyr, few things Wulf did were off the public record. The man still had fans from his modeling career five years ago, but these days, fans followed him because he managed famous rock bands for Lucsondis Entertainment, Saint-Cyr's business.
That wasn't what had warranted the attention of the spymaster. Wulf was no traitor to the crown, and he'd committed no crimes.
Wulf was suspected of having an affair.
Luc Saint-Cyr wanted to be sure, and since he was a friend of the Conqueror, she had tasked Alitus with finding out who was to blame. Saint-Cyr might have no qualms about engaging in an affair himself, and was well-known for his licentious behavior, but his partner had no such freedom. Saint-Cyr and the Conqueror were allies in every sense of the word. Were even lovers when it suited them.
Alitus would refuse no request she made. Nor could he refuse Saint-Cyr. One drew the Harbinger's ire at one's peril.
The man owned a large percentage of legitimate businesses on Tarth, Kelthia, and a smattering on other planets. He had once headed the Kelthian Thieves' Guild. No one had yet proven he led the largest crime syndicate in the empire, but the assumption was there, despite official denials. There was no public discussion of Saint-Cyr anywhere except entertainment news, where it seemed to be encouraged. On Kelthia, they said his name only if they couldn't avoid it. Otherwise he was the Harbinger, or the Man, or simply Him.
One could hear the capital letters.
Proving Wulf was having an affair would be dangerous. It could cost Wulf everything, up to and including his life.
Especially if they discovered the affair was with Alitus.
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