Mardock Scramble полностью

“Sure. I hope this isn’t too hard for you. Basically, Shell is asking for the hand of one of OctoberCorp’s director’s daughters. Using the data on his dodgy dealings as a pretext.”

–That doesn’t make much sense. What’s that got to do with marriage?

“Well, uh, exactly, that’s the point. There’s a reason why the director in question can’t refuse Shell’s request. Or rather, maybe better to say that he doesn’t need to refuse.”

–I still don’t understand. What do you mean?

“It seems that the woman he wants to marry is mentally handicapped.” The Doctor seemed troubled. Balot’s eyes opened wide.

“The whole household is full of distinguished individuals—other than the woman. She’s been confined indoors all her life, apparently. A matter of keeping up appearances. Such an old-fashioned way of thinking. Deplorable, really. They knew about her condition long before she was born—and before you ask why the mother didn’t have an abortion, the answer is because their faith didn’t permit it. But really it wasn’t about faith at all, just about saving face. They had to take into consideration all their political affiliations—what their supporters would think, that sort of thing. Now, I don’t know how Shell got hold of all this, but he did. He learned about the girl’s existence and said something to the effect of ‘I’ll take care of her if you take care of me’—in other words, make sure he’s treated as one of the family with all the social benefits this entails. With the unspoken threat left dangling there that if the father didn’t allow the marriage then Shell would reveal the girl’s existence to the outside world. How the family has treated her, all sorts of things they wouldn’t want seeing the light of day.”

Balot put her cup down on the table quietly.

–I feel like killing them.

She didn’t say who, but it was quite clear: anyone and everyone.

The Doctor shrugged his shoulders as if to say Me too. Then, apropos of nothing, he changed the subject somewhat drastically. “I told you that I split up from my wife, didn’t I?”

–Uh-huh?

“I have a daughter. A little younger than you, I seem to remember.”

Balot was genuinely surprised. The Doctor gave a wry smile. “I’m not sure if that’s the reason, but part of me is starting to think of you as a daughter. I can even feel your deep personal hatred toward Shell. The thing is, I don’t think my feelings are very healthy.”

–I don’t understand. What’s wrong with them?

“Doesn’t it make you feel uncomfortable? When I tell you that I feel that way?”

–Not really—I don’t think of you like my father.

“Well, uh, I’m sure you don’t. It’s just that I’m kind of acting out of self-interest when I’m guiding you toward your next step. I just thought you might feel a bit uncomfortable if, on top of that, I started imposing some sort of unwanted paternal affection on you…”

–I’d feel very uncomfortable. Balot gave him a serious look. Uh…the Doctor was clearly flustered by her uncompromising answer, but Balot smiled a little to try and reassure him.

–But I am very grateful to you. And I really want to help you. For my own sake too.

The Doctor nodded. He was showing his own gratitude. “So, what do you want to do? After the case is solved, I’m thinking we do just as you like, really.”

–I haven’t been able to find an answer to that question. I can’t really get my head around the idea of this case ever being over.

She answered truthfully and followed up with a sudden question.

–When is Oeufcoque going to die?

The Doctor was taken aback. “Uh, I’ve just performed some maintenance tasks on Oeufcoque—it’s not like I’ve euthanized him or anything.”

–Tweedledum was saying. Professor Faceman too. That Oeufcoque only really started to think about living when he learned that he was going to die.

“Ah, I get it.” The Doctor’s face became difficult to read, and he stared into the air. “Five years, worst-case scenario.”

His tone was breezy. “That’s if we discover a particularly malignant tumor that we can’t treat. In reality? I don’t know. Double that, or triple? He might even live on for another half a century. It’s possible. But—it’ll be tough for him.”

–Tough?