Zero History

described as a black suit. A black suit and she shoved her badge in your face. She was
wearing charcoal gray from Brooks Brothers, the credentials were presented slowly,
respectfully, at midtorso level. But then it’s a black suit, and she shoved the badge in their
face. Know what’s weird about that?”
“No,” said Milgrim.
“You don’t present the credentials, you don’t get that. That’s why cards are so much
better. The badge is like something out of a role-playing game, some seal of elder doom.
When your job’s building relationships and establishing rapport, the credentials are
murder.”
Milgrim considered her. “That’s your job?”
“You’re here, aren’t you?”
He thought about it. “I see what you mean. Who’s that man?” he asked, to change the
subject.
“I’m renting his spare bedroom. Really, the suit’s for him. If he’s going to drive me
around, I figure I can look like his idea of a professional.”
The man had strolled a little farther, stopped, and now stood with hands in raincoat
pockets, staring out in what Milgrim thought might be the direction of the City. Milgrim
twisted in his seat, saw Fiona watching them, astride the Yamaha, her helmet-hair a
tousled dandelion.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
“Gracie and Foley have kidnapped someone who works for Bigend—”
“ ‘Kidnapped’? That has a very specific meaning, for me. That’s a crime. Kidnapped
who?”
“Shombo. Chombo, I mean. He works for Bigend. They went to the home of the man
Chombo was staying with, hit the man, threatened him, his wife and child as well, and
took Chombo away.”
“You didn’t tell me?”
“I haven’t had time,” said Milgrim, which in a way was true. “And I’ve had to infer a
lot of it.”
“What’s Chombo?”
“He seems to be some kind of researcher, on a project of Bigend’s. Bigend wants him
back.”
“Ransom demand?”
“Me.”
“You what?”
“I’m the ransom. Fiona told me. She figured it out when Garreth was tasking her.”
“Go on.”
“They’re giving them someone else instead. Ajay. They’re making him look as much
like me as they can. I think he was a soldier. Or something.”
Winnie whistled. She shook her head. “Shit,” she said.