Zero History

military contracts, at least it is this time. She took my picture, in Seven Dials. Then came
to the hotel. Do you want your computer back?”
“Of course not,” said Hollis. “Why did she follow you?”
“She thought we might be involved with Gracie. That Bigend might be. Then she talked
to me, and saw that Bigend’s just after the same contracts.” She could barely hear him
now.
“Bigend’s an arms dealer?” She looked at the back of Aldous’s head.
“No,” said Milgrim, “but Gracie’s trying to be involved in the same sort of contracting.
Legitimization.”
“And she told you this because … ?”
“She wants Bigend to know,” Milgrim said, miserably.
“Then tell him.”
“I shouldn’t have been talking with her,” Milgrim said. He’d locked his hands together,
like a child desperately miming prayer. “I’m afraid.”
“Of what?”
His shoulders drew further together. “I just am,” he said. “I’m like that. But I …
forgot.”
“It’ll be fine,” said Hollis, immediately deciding it was a ridiculous thing to have said.
“I wish you weren’t quitting,” he said.
Narrow City streets, their names often basic common nouns. They had to be really old,
then, she supposed. She didn’t know this part of London at all. Had no idea now where
they were. “How much further?” she asked Aldous.
“Almost there,” said Aldous. There was little traffic. Quite a few very new buildings,
recalling the boom prior to the bust. They passed one with a logo she remembered from
an ad on the cab she’d taken, the night Inchmale had advised her to call Bigend.
She reached over and gave Milgrim’s balled double fist a squeeze. His hands were very
cold. “Relax. I’ll help you. We’ll do it together.” She saw that his eyes were closed.
“Draw Your Brakes” briefly filled the truck. “Aldous,” Aldous said into his iPhone.
“Yes sir. Miss Henry, Mr. Milgrim, and Miss … ?” He glanced back at Hollis.
“Give me the phone.”
He passed it back to her.
“Heidi’s with us,” she said.
“I wasn’t expecting her,” said Bigend, “but she can play with the balloons. We do need
to talk.”
“She’ll understand.” She handed the phone back to Aldous. He held it to his ear. “Yes
sir,” he said, and slipped it into his black suitcoat.
“Milgrim and I have to have a talk with Hubertus,” Hollis said to Heidi.
Heidi turned. “I thought you wanted some help with that.”
“I did,” said Hollis, “but it’s gotten more complicated.” She rolled her eyes in Milgrim’s
direction.