"Yes," Tatiana agreed. "Though the populace does seem to be accepting the explanation of accidental death very well."
"There's one more thing we need to discuss," Ming interrupted. "We may have a situation with Ashaya Aleine."
"She's controlled," Kaleb said, brushing the issue aside. "We have her son, correct?"
"Yes. However, I'm not sure how long that's going to hold her."
"But it does for now," Nikita responded. "Shoshanna's right - we need a new Councilor fast."
"Agreed," Ming replied. "But unlike with Kaleb, there's no one ready to step into the role. We considered Gia Khan in the last round, but she's since proven weak, unable to stop unrest in her local region."
A taut silence.
"I have a suggestion," Kaleb said. "He was once a Council candidate, is now powerful enough that he defies us, and he's strong enough to take on Marshall's responsibilities."
"You're talking about Anthony Kyriakus," Shoshanna said. "The man is a thorn in our side, but you could be right. Make him Council and we gain access to his considerable resources and business network."
"He turned down a Council seat once before," Nikita reminded them. "He may not accept now."
Kaleb considered his next words with care. "After the confirmation of Marshall's death, I had a discussion with Anthony."
"Without Council authorization?"
"Give me credit, Ming," Kaleb responded. "There are ways to gauge interest without saying anything of the least note."
"Your conclusion?" Tatiana asked.
"He may be willing."
Shoshanna's mental star swirled in thought. "He has considerable contact with changelings - he's still subcontracting work to his daughter, Faith."
"That," Nikita said, "could be another advantage. He has to have gained a lot of knowledge about the cats."
"A good point," Ming acceded. "I have no reservations against him as a candidate."
"I have one," Henry said. "Like Nikita, he also has a daughter who has dropped out of the Net. Will that weaken the Council's image?"
"In my opinion, no," Kaleb responded. "He's already proven he can hold us at bay. He has more businesses backing him than any of us."
"I agree," Shoshanna said. "I vote yes."
One by one, the others all agreed.
A day later, Anthony Kyriakus, leader of the influential NightStar Group and father of the most powerful F-Psy in the world, accepted their offer.
At the same time, Ashaya Aleine unfolded a plain pen and paper note hidden inside the latest batch of equipment she had requested. Keenan would be flown in for his next scheduled visit, but the one after that would be by car.
She hoped the man who had held a gun on her the night she'd set Jonquil Duchslaya and Noor Hassan free had told the truth. Because they would have only one chance. Ming was watching her. She had overplayed her hand, and now the Councilor was inches away from enforcing her obedience through the most vicious of mental violations.
EPILOGUE
Two days after the night that had given her forever, Talin met with the specialists at Shine and they put her through a rigorous series of tests that confirmed Clay's hunch and Sascha's diagnosis.
"Your need for the feedback is so small," Dr. Herriford exclaimed, "it wasn't picked up on the initial tests we run on every Shine child." He shoved a hand through his hair, making the bright orange stuff stick up in untidy tufts. "We're going to have to redo that testing. If you slipped through, so will others." His distress was open. "We'll need to start doing periodic checks as students age, too, rather than just the intake scans."
Talin had every intention of helping reboot the system, but first she wanted solid answers. "So I don't have to worry about any of the symptoms?" No more fugues, no more having her sense of choice taken from her. Her hand curled around Clay's, held on tight.
"Everything you've told me," the doc said, glancing at his small electronic notepad, "the fugues, the lost memories, even the mysterious allergic reaction, they're all symptoms of Process Degeneration."