Once the groundcar was stowed, he made his way back into the Bastion’s internal labyrinth. It was as busy then as it had been before. The holding cells were full, and staff from the Office of the Justicius were swarming through the public access areas. Many of the Vidora gangsters had access to significant slate, and that bought representation. You could break some heads, disrupt some operations, but it was harder to keep the Second Circle gangers in for long without at least something on the evidence docket.

He didn’t waste any time checking who’d been brought in, but headed straight back up to Vongella’s chamber. Adimir was standing at the closed door, as if on guard duty. Other members of the Panthera lounged around in the anteroom beyond, kitted out for action.

‘Like a bad luck charm,’ said Adimir, looking down at him. ‘What brings you back?’

‘I need to speak to her.’

Adimir laughed. ‘She’s busy.’

‘I know. That’s what I need to speak to her about.’

Adimir’s expression went blank for just a moment, and Zidarov guessed he was sending a query inside. Once he got his answer, he quickly resumed the expression he wore most of the time – targeted hostility, the kind of standard-level enforcer hatred that he somehow managed to make personal.

‘Make it quick,’ he said, pushing the control on the door.

Inside, Vongella was surrounded by three of her senior legal advisers, all dressed in deep-red loremaster robes. One of them had rolls of parchment ticking out of a machine perched on his shoulder. Another had a quill-tip index finger and an ocular augmetic the size of a child’s fist. Zidarov recognised the latter – Beckia Haile, who he’d had dealings with many times before. He knew the faces of the other two, but not the names. He tried to avoid taking advice on the Lex as much as he could – he rarely got the answers he wanted.

‘So, I’m guessing you’re here to tell me that you’ve made your breakthrough,’ Vongella said, looking at him coolly.

‘I’m progressing,’ Zidarov said. ‘I hear things are moving with our friends, too.’

‘Always with your ear to the ground.’

Zidarov shot a quick look at Haile. He’d rather have had this conversation without their presence. ‘Yuti’s made contact.’

‘What’s that to you?’

‘I’d like to go along.’

Vongella laughed. ‘Not content with the damage you’ve already done?’

‘I wouldn’t need to say much. Maybe anything. It’s to do with the Terashova case.’

‘You’re still pushing your link, then. You know that Yellow­snake’s still in holding? You could talk to him.’

‘I did. It’s looking more complicated. I’d like to hear what Yuti has to say.’

‘I guess you would. I’m not sure what value that would have for me, though.’