Baccano! - Volume 21 - Chapter Ep

Linking Chapter Masterminds Don’t Appear at the Scene

In the darkness, Huey Laforet was standing on the roof of a building.

He was fairly high up, but the sharp spire of Ra’s Lance in the distance was higher.

Looking out over the city lights from a rooftop somewhere in Manhattan, the man smiled quietly.

Was it because things were unfolding as he’d expected, or because he was pleased at some unanticipated development? No one knew what that smile meant.

After he’d spent a while taking in the view, he spoke over his shoulder to Salomé Carpenter, a man whose hair was sprinkled with white. “How are the preparations going?”

“Smooth as butter, sir,” the leader of Rhythm responded courteously. Then he asked a question of his own. “Still…are you certain about this? The man from the House of Dormentaire is one thing, but using both of your daughters as ‘decoys’…”

“Chané and Leeza both agreed to it.”

“What did you tell them?”

“I haven’t told them about the entire plan, only that I want them to be decoys. Of course, they have been informed of the mortal danger involved,” Huey replied evenly.

Salomé’s eyes shone. “And they were satisfied with that? Perhaps I shouldn’t say this, but it’s rather hard to imagine them being in agreement. Emotionally, Miss Chané’s and Miss Leeza’s personalities are polar opposites.”

“Oh, that isn’t true. Recently, they both seem to have begun integrating emotions to which they aren’t accustomed. If we’re lucky, deepening their involvement with each other may catalyze a change.”

“Splendid…! I’d expect no less of the ultimate masterpieces you and Renee Parmedes Branvillier created! They were raised as humans, but they’re practically as uncomplicated as homunculi. Whatever emotions they ultimately acquire, I imagine they’ll be fine samples for the homunculi Rhythm produces!” When Salomé had finished his excited rant, all expression abruptly left his face. “By the way. Which one do you intend to present to Madam Renee?”

“Frankly, I haven’t decided yet.” Huey’s faint smile didn’t even flicker. “I may change my answer depending on how this incident affects the emotional integration I mentioned earlier. If circumstances call for it, I could give both of them to Renee. Breaking my promise and giving her neither is also an option.” His words were cold and wily, striking a contrast to his tranquil expression.

“I see…”

“Well, it all hinges on the results of this experiment.” Huey took a rather large jar out of his jacket pocket.

Inside was an eyeball.

As he watched it squirm, attempting to return to its owner, Huey went on. “After all, she seems to be in town as well.”

At that, Salomé dipped his head courteously. “I see. I can’t afford to disgrace myself in front of my venerable leaders… I’ll return to put the finishing touches on the preparations.”

“Yes, please do. I’ll get a little more fresh air, then join you.”

For a few minutes after Salomé left, Huey walked around the roof, gazing at the city. He didn’t seem to be taking the air so much as observing the heavens, with the scattered lights of the town as stars.

“……”

Sensing someone behind him, Huey turned around.

A man was standing in front of the door that led from the roof back into the building. There was no telling how long he’d been there. He seemed to blend into the faint light from the moon.

“Hello there. It’s been a long time.”

The man greeted Huey as if he were an old friend.

Huey looked at the other man’s face, then shrugged and returned his greeting. “Yes, it has. I thought you might be in town.”

However, as far as Huey was concerned, this was no friend.

“Scheming again, Fermet?”

He was a mortal enemy who had tormented and killed the woman Huey loved.

“My, what an awful thing to say. I’m not one for scheming. That’s your specialty, isn’t it?”

With an unpleasant grin, Fermet quietly stepped forward. Passing Huey, he set a hand on the rooftop railing and gazed out over the city. A finger twirled around his thick bangs as he went on with audible amusement. “I don’t feel that I’m plotting anything. I’m just bringing about the things I want to see. Would you call it a ‘plot’ if a child dropped candy in the dirt so he could watch some ants?”

“If the candy were covered in insecticide, yes, I believe I would.” Even though the man who’d killed his lover was standing right behind him, Huey’s tone didn’t change.

Fermet shrugged at the jab, but maybe he couldn’t argue with it. Instead, he changed the subject. “And? That Elmer fellow isn’t in town, is he? I doubt it.”

“I really couldn’t say. It’s impossible to predict what he will do.”

“I ran into him on a train once, on my way to this very city… What an awful time that was.” Fermet shook his head, looking extremely put out.

The quality of Huey’s smile changed very slightly—so subtly that even he didn’t notice it. “Our lives are long, and paths will cross. No doubt he’d suggest a smile to celebrate the twist of fate.”

“……”

Imagining the face of a certain immortal, Fermet tsked softly. “Well, that’s fine. If he does come, I’ll just make myself scarce. After all, I’m only the audience.”

“The audience?”

“Yes. I’m just here to watch.” The same nasty smile Fermet had worn earlier returned to his face. “You’ve spent several years setting up this experiment. Will it bear fruit, or will it all end in vain? How will you react when it happens? What will bring despair to the sweet little children you’ve forced to participate, and what will give them hope? I can’t wait! Oh, I’m looking forward to it! Just fantasizing about it has me all excited!” Fermet said with twisted glee.

Still smiling, Huey shook his head. “You haven’t changed.”

Keeping his back to the other man—he asked him a question.

“Were you smiling like that when you stabbed Monica?”

Silence fell, and the night wind blew across the roof.

The hush was broken by Fermet; he was biting back laughter. “What’s the point of asking that now? You want revenge for your lover? I’d say that ship has sailed.”

“No, not at all. I simply wanted to know about the life Monica lived in a little more detail.”

“I don’t remember, sad to say. What about you? What would those who’ve suffered for your research see on your face?” Chuckling, Fermet turned around and leaned against the railing. His eyes were on Huey’s back. “During this grand experiment you’re about to perform…what would the seven million residents of New York see?”

“……”

Huey fell silent for a moment. Then he responded with his usual faint smile. “I doubt my expression will be any different from this. To me, it doesn’t have enough meaning to warrant anything more than this mask of a smile.”

“I see. Then I guess resting in peace won’t be an option for those unfortunate millions.”

“You talk as if I’m planning to blanket the city with poison gas.”

“You’re not?” Fermet taunted him, his smile broadening. “What you’re attempting is an experiment that may not even have any real meaning. Meanwhile, these healthy people will never have normal, human lives again. Isn’t that right?”

“……”

“Who’d ever have thought you’d add the liquor of immortality to the New York City water supply? Not even Szilard Quates would have come up with that one. Creating seven million immortals… That experiment’s going to change the world.”

It was an appalling prospect, but Fermet said it quite simply. He looked rather entertained. It was as if he was imagining the tragic comedy that would result from that experiment and amusing himself by visualizing the upheaval of the world.

“You’ve really done your homework.” Eyes lowered, Huey smiled. Then he shook his head slightly. “Close, but not close enough. Your guess isn’t quite accurate.”

“…What?”

“I am after the water, but I won’t be using the liquor of immortality. That was one idea, but…Renee already did something similar at Mist Wall, you see.”

“Then what exactly are you planning to put in the water? You can’t actually intend to poison it, can you? That’s not quite in line with your philosophy. It’s something a real terrorist would do.” Fermet thought for a little while, then continued. “Not that I’d mind either way.” His lips curved in a grin.

“…Naturally, you know about Sham and Hilton, don’t you?” Huey asked.

“Of course. I cooperated a bit in the development of that techn—” Fermet broke off.

He’d finally realized what Huey was planning.

There was a moment of silence before he burst into raucous laughter. “Ha-ha… Gwah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! I see! So that’s it! Just becoming an immortal wasn’t enough for you; you’re trying to become something else entirely?”

After he’d had a few moments of cackling, he suddenly took on a more serious, subdued tone.

“Do you intend to become God?”

“That isn’t the objective, and I can’t imagine I’ll be able to transcend humanity during this incident… It’s an experiment. Nothing more. You understand that, don’t you?”

“But you’re experimenting for an objective, right?”

“My objective hasn’t changed.” Slowly, Huey turned to face Fermet. His golden eyes held no emotion. “Not since the day you took Monica from the world.”

Huey’s tone was mild. Fermet shrugged, then dissolved into laughter again. “Ha! …Nobody likes a guy who doesn’t know when to let go, you know.”

“Pots and kettles, some might say.”

“I don’t need to be liked,” he said shamelessly. He stepped away from the railing and walked past Huey again, heading for the door. “Okay. All I’m interested in is the uproar at Ra’s Lance, which you’ve set up as a distraction. Whatever you do in the meantime, I’ve got no reason to interfere.”

“That would be a great help, if it’s true.”

“Even I’ve only got one body, so I’ll go wherever intrigues me the most… Although if that creepy smile junkie gets involved, that’s going to change things.”

The man who could be called the “root of all evil” spoke as if he had nothing to do with this.

Then he set his hand on the doorknob.

Huey watched Fermet go until he had disappeared into the building. The faint smile never faltered.

He never took his eyes off him.

“Oh dear. Who’d have thought he was planning something so dramatic…?”

As he descended the stairs, Fermet muttered to himself.

His vulgar smile was exactly the same as it had been 224 years earlier.

“…Come on. Of course I’m going to interfere.”

New YorkA broad avenue

A few minutes after Fermet had left the building and vanished into the dark city—

—a lone woman appeared, walking the building’s perimeter and looking around restlessly. “Hmm… I’m pretty sure I’m close, but…”

Holding a jar with Huey’s eyeball inside it, Renee Parmedes Branvillier strolled through the Manhattan night.

She clearly wasn’t dressed for this scene, but no thugs whistled as she passed.

A knife-wielding mugger or two had come up behind her, intending to drag her into the shadows—but whenever it happened, somebody dragged them into a dark alley instead and knocked them out with a blow to the head.

Meanwhile, the oblivious Renee continued sauntering down the dark streets as if she didn’t have a care in the world. Watching her from a distance, her shadow bodyguard—Archangelo—heaved a deep sigh.

“…She really does have a total disregard for danger.”

A few minutes after Renee and Archangelo had switched to a different street—

“…This…is…the right…build…ing…isn’t…it?”

Muttering to himself in a halting, broken way, a lone man climbed up to the high-rise where Huey waited. He was holding a large bag; from time to time, its contents made a noise like glass scraping together.

The man—Begg Garrott—glanced at the bag. Then he looked up the stairs, mumbling. “…That…louse…Huey. Is he…seri…ous? I never…thought…he’d…have me…make such…a thing…”

More so than the others from the Advena Avis, Begg had a knowledge of pharmaceuticals that was top class, and so were his skills in compounding them. He seemed to have some sort of contract with Huey that involved this bag filled with a certain “drug” he’d made himself.

He’d definitely compounded it, although he hadn’t tested it.

This was a substance that could never be tested, even on a guinea pig.

With this drug, the first subject was just that important.

In fact, drug might not even have been the word for the substance. It belonged in the same category as the liquor of immortality.

“Sor…ry, Maiza. Czes.” Murmuring the names of his old friends, Begg smiled. “I really…am…a…worth…less…research…er.

“I…wanted…to…see whe…ther the…drug…I…made…w-would…change the…world.”

On this night—the immortals also began to stir in the darkness.

It was as if, in a world crawling with humans, these abnormalities were drawing close to one another.

Granted, there was no possible way their community could be a peaceful one…

And so the dice were thrown again and again.

Ra’s Lance and the island of Manhattan—the chain reactions of destiny that were based in these two neighboring locations began to move nearly simultaneously.

Using an enormous vortex he’d intentionally created as a distraction, Huey Laforet was attempting to whip up an even greater one.

His own subordinates, his daughters, the alchemists who had once been his companions, the Runorata Family and other giant syndicates, and even Victor’s Division of Investigation—Huey threw all of them onto Fate’s table as his wager.

…And the people in question were given no time to intervene.

But there was something Huey hadn’t yet noticed.

Several of the intricately layered gears of Ra’s Lance had meshed with gears on Manhattan Island.

These engagements, which even Huey didn’t know about, were beginning to bend Fate in a peculiar direction—but so far, no one had picked up on it.

The gambling continued.

The time for placing bets had begun.

Using every means available, with everything they had, they wasted all they’d accumulated.

In order to win proof that they were enjoying life, proof that they were living…

…the immortals continued to bet infinite time.