“I did,” Vincent said. “But then you started cutting corners; hurting the people who wanted to help you. I couldn’t understand why, but I was willing to be patient. Now you’ve shown yourself to be everything you claimed to be fighting against. Selling a woman to someone like Lucian Lamprey? Don’t even try and tell me you don’t know what fate awaits her in his hands. With a father like yours, there’s no pleading ignorance.”

“Asano told you,” Arella said. “I wondered if he would.”

“He said it won’t really hurt you. The things you’ve done will outshine where you came from. He even thought that you chose eradicating corruption as your project for advancement because it plays to the story of rising above your criminal origins.”

“He’s not unintelligent, although far from as smart as he thinks. Where is he now, Vincent?”

“I don’t know. He said he wasn’t going anywhere.”

“Of course he did; he’s arrogant and reckless. Running around, believing himself some master manipulator. If it weren’t for people not wanting to anger Rufus Remore and Danielle Geller, he would have been put in the ground months ago. He stood, right where you are, and told me how things were going to go. It never even entered his head that he was being played. You know I’m going to take his membership if he doesn’t produce the girl. I hope you told him that.”

“I guess Lamprey won’t keep his end of the deal unless he gets her,” Vincent accused.

“I’m not looking for your perspective on my affairs, Vincent. You no longer work here. Genevieve is waiting outside to take your official’s pin and other accoutrements.”

Vincent knew it was coming before he set foot in the building, but it didn’t lessen the sting. Without bothering to respond, he turned and walked over to the door.

“I didn’t tell you to leave,” she told him.

He opened the door and paused, without looking back.

“You just gave up the right to tell me a damn thing,” he said. “I thought you were different. That you had integrity. Just so you know, I don’t care who your father is. You’re worth hating all on your own.”

He closed the door behind him to find the deputy director waiting in the hall as promised. Vincent had always liked the elderly elf. She was stern but fair in her dealings, at least the one’s he was privy to. It saddened him to know she was aware of the director’s activities.

He was taking off his Adventure Society pin and handing it over when a flustered functionary came stumbling out of the elevator and rushed down the hall.

“Deputy director!” the winded woman greeted. “Something’s happening with the expedition!”

“Tell me.”