Mortuary did not handle the affair, but, well, apparently morticians talk among themselves, and Cosmo told me that Kien's mortician mentioned that there was something irregular about the body."
"'Irregular'?" Brennan asked. "Like what?"
Father Squid shrugged. "He knew no details. Just that there was something odd about the corpse."
"I'll bet," Brennan muttered. "Is Fadeout the head of the Shadow Fists now?"
The priest nodded. "As far as I can tell. The Fists have kept a very low profile in recent months. As profitable-and cold-blooded-as ever, of course, but the Shadow Fist Society has been avoiding rather than seeking headlines recently."
Brennan nodded. "That sounds like Fadeout, all right."
He'd try to operate as circumspectly as possible. He'd consider it a good business practice. He looked into the priest's eyes. "Thanks, Bob," he said.
"For what?"
"For being here when I needed help."
"What else is a priest for? I still have high hopes for your soul, Daniel."
"At least someone does. Keep an eye on Jennifer for me." Father Squid nodded and went back into the room. Brennan and Brutus went down the corridor, took the elevator back to the first floor, and went out into the night.
Brutus, huddled under Brennan's leather jacket, shivered. "I'm cold, boss."
"Don't worry," Brennan said. It had started to snow again, and the wind was blowing hard. Brennan turned his face into the driving snow as he headed toward his van. "I'm sure things are going to warm up very soon now"
"Shit," Brutus said, and huddled down even more.
Kien looked up from his desk when Rick and Mick entered the office. The joker brothers were Siamese twins, of a sort. They had one pair of legs and one trunk, though their body bifurcated halfway through the rib cage, giving them two chests and two sets of arms and shoulders. Though they were impressive physical specimens, Kien sometimes thought that they didn't have half a brain between them.
"Guy here to see you," Rick said.
Mick looked at his brother with a hurt expression. "I was going to tell Fadeout that. I spoke to the guy, after all."
"You spoke to him, but it was my idea to see the boss first before letting him in."
"Your idea? I-"
"Please," Kien said, holding up a hand. It was times like this that he missed Wyrm. "Does the gentleman have a name?"
They both thought about it, said "Cowboy" simultaneously, then glared at each other.
Kien stiffened. That was the name Daniel Brennan used when he'd gone undercover and joined the Shadow Fists in an attempt to bring them down from within. His ploy failed because he blew his cover to save Tachyon's life, but he managed to do a fair bit of damage to the Fists before giving himself away.
Kien knew that Brennan and Cunningham had been chummy. Now, he thought, he'd discover exactly how chummy. "Show him in," Kien told his joker bodyguards.
He made himself sit calmly when his longtime enemy entered the room. Brennan was wearing a mask, a simple black hood, that he took off after Rick and Mick had left the room, shutting the door behind them. He looked fit and tanned despite the winter season. He hadn't gained a pound since Vietnam, though his face had more lines in it and his hair was flecked with grey.
He looked around the room curiously, then at Kien. His eyes were as flat and hard as Kien remembered them, though they had an even greater bleakness, as if a major new worry was gnawing at him. His bitch, Kien noticed, wasn't with him. Maybe the hit hadn't been a total washout after all. "Don't you think taking the man's office when you took over his organization was a bit much?" Brennan asked suddenly.
Kien shrugged and smiled. This was his hidden hole card, the ace up his sleeve. Brennan thought he was Fadeout. That was all the advantage Kien needed to finally crush his long-time foe. "Why not? It's a nice place and the lease suddenly became open. Besides, I felt that it would help provide for a smoother transition of power."
Brennan nodded, as if he bought the explanation, then sat down without being invited. Annoyed, Kien opened his mouth to say something, then suddenly closed it. Cunningham apparently tolerated such behavior.
"Back in town for a visit?" Kien asked in as casual a voice as possible.
Brennan nodded. "Someone hit my house this morning." Kien put a shocked look on his face. "Any idea who?"
"I would guess Kien," Brennan said steadily, "if he wasn't dead."
Kien nodded. "Good guess, but he's dead.