The man looked relaxed, sitting with his legs crossed and his hands in his lap. He wore the same dark suit. Up-close, Zidarov could see how good it was. It must have been bespoke tailored, for the man’s body was a strange shape – his chest was a little too big, his legs a little too long. His skin, as well as being pale, had a sweaty sheen on it, which might have come from different climatic expectations, since it wasn’t that hot.

‘Do you know who I am?’ the man asked.

‘You’re Airon Vermida,’ Zidarov said. ‘Jazc Corporation. Rank and function… well, I don’t really know exactly.’

‘Very good. And how do you know that, I wonder?’

‘I have a good memory for faces. It helps, in my profession. I assume you know that I’m a probator? Just to give you fair warning of what you’ve got in front of you.’

Vermida smiled. ‘I’m aware. I’m aware of quite a lot about you, Agusto Zidarov. Do you know why you’re here, though, now, with me?’

There were a number of possible answers to that question. Maybe Glovach just couldn’t keep his mouth shut. The worst one was that Vermida somehow knew about the break-in at the warehouse.

‘Why don’t you tell me?’ Zidarov offered.

‘Very well. For a long time now, I have been working for Avro Lascile, whom I’m sure you’ve heard of. He is a busy man, and entrusts some of his more arduous tasks to me. The Jazc fiefdom has been expanding in recent years. I have been privileged to play an advisory role in that expansion.’

‘Pays well, does he?’

‘Very well. Now, things are moving fast. An alliance has been created with certain elements of the Terashova Combine. Not all of it, you understand. Just the parts that interest my client.’

‘Like Udmil Terashova.’

‘Quite so. Think of it as a merger, rather than a takeover.’

‘I couldn’t imagine it any other way.’

Vermida lifted his chin, looking at Zidarov as if he were a curious specimen found on the sole of his shoe. ‘It will all become public very soon. We imagine it will create quite a stir, in the right quarters.’

‘And the wrong ones.’

‘You do not seem overly surprised.’

‘I work hard to maintain an equable demeanour.’

Vermida uncurled his hand and showed Zidarov the personnel tracker from Udmil’s groundcar. ‘Perhaps,’ he said, ‘that is because you have been keeping rather closer tabs on Mzl Terashova than she would be entirely comfortable with.’

Zidarov looked at the device impassively. ‘That’s enforcer-issue tech you’ve got there. I might have to report you for it.’