A Weapon Too Free

Wake of the Killer

Mannosett was angry. You could tell by the way she held herself with more control and poise than usual. Her voice was quiet, but with an edge that rang like a bell in the quiet attic room.

"Are you sure you're fully recovered?"

Her assistant nodded and swung her legs off the bed. Empty healixir bottles in the blankets clanked together.

"Fatigue will hit me hard, and sooner rather than later, but I have a  good hour or so in me yet."

She touched one foot to the ground. The leg threatened to collapse under her so Mannosett lent an arm to keep her steady. The assistant smoothed down her clothes until she was steady enough to stand unaided. The sloped ceiling was low enough that she had to duck under a beam.

"I'll read my notes back to you," Mannosett opened a small book.

"You spent the evening observing the archivist, Wuqiong, as instructed. He had remained indoors since surveillance began. Just before dusk, the adventurer Essendra visited him, along with the pixie, Drud. They remained inside until at least midnight, when you were... attacked."

Mannosett prided herself on maintaining a professional demeanour in the face of anything, but she had such a respect and love for her assistants that she couldn't quite prevent her voice from cracking.

"The first thing you saw was a hooded figure appearing in the frame of the window, right in front of you. Slim build, consistent with the person we pursued earlier. They struck you in the head with a small weapon, possibly a blackjack, which left you dazed. Your next clear memory was when we shook you awake."

Drud had raised the alarm after the attack on Wuqiong and news had reached Mannosett shortly afterwards. While other Guild agents had swarmed over the foreigner's lodgings and combed the streets in search of the would-be assassin, Mannosett had headed straight for this room where her assistant had been surveilling Wuqiong. She had feared the worst and discovering the young woman's still form had seemed to confirm that fear. It was only when Mannosett saw the NightCap that she had realised it was merely magical sleep. The relief had hit her so hard it had been like a physical blow.

"Yes, that's as much as I can remember."

Now the immediate emergency had passed, Mannosett had opportunity to think. Her mind span like bright metal wheels as she mulled the situation. Decades of experience as an investigator had given those wheels their shine and speed.

There are three possible levels of conspiracy to consider. The least complex is that the attacker was working alone. The second is that Wuqiong knew he was still under suspicion and staged the attack to make himself look innocent. The third is that Wuqiong, the assailant and the two adventurers are all in on it.

The third option would be a clumsy piece of stage management. The NightCap being left behind, rather than recovered, indicates time pressure. That makes little sense if the entire routine was scripted. Where would that time pressure have come from, it was a plan being enacted? The attacker identified my agent and neutralised her with the NightCap. There would have been no reason to wait until Essendra left if she had been in on the plan, and no hurry to leave afterwards and leave the NightCap behind.

There are similar problems with the second hypothesis. Wuqiong would have had plenty of opportunity to ask Essendra and Drud to leave, rather than jeopardise the plan. He would also need to have known he was under observation to make a plan like that. It's not impossible to beat the Veracitrine, with the correct specialised magic, and if his accomplice had seen my agent keeping him under observation they might plan an 'exculpatory' incident. This particular incident would be poor choice. I can think of at least four simpler plans with less scope for any mistakes. Such poor attention to detail would be at odds with the clever planning for the burglary. Unless, of course, they are starting to panic.