Amateur Author

‘The Lady of the House?’ the inspector asked, slightly skeptical.

‘That what I have been told,’ Emma replied.

‘Do you think it’s the truth?’ the inspector asked her. ‘She is said to be able to see into the past, present and future. Given the events of the past week, I doubt you have that power.’

‘You are right, I don’t. All I have seen is flashes of the future. Only a few times so far, and I didn’t have any control over it.’

The inspector let these new facts sink into his mind for a moment. ‘We can assume that whoever they cloned you from is dead. We had no report about her death, even though she is one of the most influencial members of the House,’ the inspector reasoned. ‘On the other hand, the House does seem to know who you are; they even supplied a photograph, but were very frugal in supplying us with personal information.’

‘Jaydon told me about that,’ Emma nodded. ‘But why would the overlord lie? He was convinced I was some kind of oracle, as was she.’

The inspector got up, and started to pace up and down the interrogation room. ‘Still, if the Lady never named her successor, and you don’t have her powers, who is the next Lady?’

Emma shrugged. ‘I don’t know. I have no memories of her life. Sometimes things seem familiar, but it’s nothing but a faint impression.’

‘So they way they `recruit` these oracles is something you can’t confirm yourself?’

She shook her head. ‘I’m afraid not.’

‘Knowing the House, they covered their tracks very well. At least they won’t be able to do that to anyone else anymore. The chance of finding this oracle amongst many billion people is almost nill,’ he pondered. ‘Too bad we can’t get them for their past indesgrations. They would never admit it of course.’

Emma had a thought. ‘They’re still after me, right?’

‘They think you are dead right now, but as soon as they find out that’s not true, I suspect they’ll go after you again, yes.’

‘Jaydon and I already talked about this, and I really want to be left alone, live my life in peace. They might leave me alone if they learn I’m no oracle, but they might descide to get rid of me all together. Either way I won’t get any rest until I get them off my back.’

‘Are you proposing something?’

‘Jaydon and I agree that they might tell me more. If you hand me over to them,’ she suggested.

‘Could be very risky.’

‘I know, but I feel I owe her that much. They kept her in involuntary servitude for her entire life, and they would do the same to me if I had her powers. They should pay for that.’

‘I doubt we’ll get enough to even get them in front of a judge,’ the inspector stated. ‘Even a taped confession of that monsigneur of the Vanguard wouldn’t be enough. You need hard evidence, something they got rid of long ago.’

‘So they’re going to get away with it?’ She looked dissapointed.

‘Looks like it,’ the inspector answered, equally dissapointed. He became a police officer to serve justice. He learned long ago that justice is not always served. Sometimes, the `bad guys` get away. It was a universal truth. ‘But,’ he suggested, ‘We could arrange a meeting between you and them. So they learn that you don’t remember anything incriminating, and you are not the person they think you are. You can do it somewhere safe, like aboard this ship. You can at least confront them… If you feel up for it.’

Emma thought about it and made a descision. ‘I would like that.’