Performance (version 4-2)

CHARLES SUMPTER thought "music" meant "country and western." An evening at the White House built around three classical musicians did not entice him, but he didn't realize how much trouble he was in for until the day arrived. First up, there was a last-minute cancellation by the Assistant FBI director's husband--and the substitution of a Special Agent Sumpter had never heard of. Of course, the Agent would check out, but it was disturbing because it almost certainly met that the Assistant Director was going to use the occasion to get something to the President--it was a tactic she had used to get around the Attorney General and the Chief of Staff before, and the President would know.

It was something that happened all the time, but it also made for a disrupted routine--and mistakes were most likely to be made during that routine. Truthfully, Sumpter really worried about some political shenanigans that the Secret Service might be asked to testify about than an assassination attempt--but there was always the chance that the President would want to get away from Secret Service protection and possible Secret Service agent testimony, and that was always an opportunity for danger.

Lorraine Tiggs--she had never taken back her maiden name--wasn't sure what she felt about Setsuna, but by now she was sure she loved the child Setsuna had had with Martin. Caring for Persephone was the most satisfying thing she had done in a long time. Perhaps always.

Martin wasn't going with her--the trouble with the FBI meant he was not likely to be welcome at the White House. But he wasn't watching, either. He had a good excuse, certainly: a big convention meant that there was a lot to keep an eye on.

Lorraine wondered why she was watching the performance on TV; it was unlikely that Setsuna would even be on. But there seemed to be something right about it. Anyway, Peri seemed to be fascinated. And Lorraine had gotten curious enough to look through the archives of the French gossip sheets and find out about the interesting and very stormy relationship between Michiru, her lover Haruka, and Roland Descartes. Lorraine didn't have a fine ear for classical music, but she certainly could see friction between the corners of this triangle.

Michiru seemed to be the complete image of herself, except that those photographers familiar with her reputation were surprised how maternal she was--it was the first time she had ever been openly photographed with her children, and it was clear she was not putting on an act for the President.

Once she began to perform, however, she was all "green fire," especially when she was performing only with Descartes--she was clearly performing to show him up, and while he did not falter, the strain was obvious to anyone watching the performance, whether in the drawing room or on Television. Even Kimi noticed it, though she didn't say anything to her father . . .

Jack Crawford hadn't paying a great deal of attention to the performance. He was calculating his chances to actually speak with the President all the way until intermission. But Michiru flew out of the drawing room as soon as intermission started. So did the President--in another direction.

"Well, I was wondering if you would show up," said the President.

"We were late, but I decided not to interrupt the performance," said the Assistant FBI director.

"All right, Annie, I've only got a minute," said the President. "What's so important? What do you want to get past the Attorney General."

"The Director and I felt it was wiser to make a direct report. Special Agent Ballin here has made a preliminary identification of several individuals involved in the GALATINE incidents."

"Individuals? What do you mean? Ballin?"

"I believe I have identified all three of the so-called angels in the Lake Merritt incident, and two others."

"Identified? You mean, you know how to find them?"

"Yes," said Ballin. "They have ordinary identities."

"Apparently some of the stories about normal people transforming into these 'angels' are based on truth," added the Assistant Director.

"You're sure about this?" asked the President.

"Yes," said Ballin, starting to hand the memorandum over. "I also brought an archive disk which--"

"Keep your material, for now, Agent Ballin. I want both of you to stay after the performance. We'll discuss this business after our little event here. Which, need I remind you, is on live television? My absence will already be drawing comments."

So, the President came back to the drawing room, on live television. Crawford spotted the Assistant FBI Director and her escort for the evening entered close behind. Something's up, he thought, moving forward, hoping to get close enough before the performance resumed.

The President went immediately to Michiru, who was with her partners, her children, and two strangers--a woman of uncertain age, and an adolescent girl. The girl looked vaguely familiar . . . she was quite petite, and was quickly lost from sight among the taller adults around her as Crawford tried to politely find his way in.

The President moved off from Descartes: he had darling children, but he was an ass, if a talented ass. She asked Michiru, "And who are your other friends here?"

"This is my friend Setsuna, and Hotaru and her husband Shingo. This is Sarah, and this is Minako, and her daughter Ishtar."

"Mr. Kruppenhauer already introduced Mrs. Jones and her daughter to me," said the President, wondering how to respond to the mixture of bows and offered hands.

"And this lovely lady," said Michiru, kneeling down and putting her arms around a little girl, "is my firstborn, Nereid."

Victor Ballin followed the Assistant FBI Director who followed close on the President. She went to the performers for the evening to speak with them before the performance resumed-perhaps a hopeful sign, because she might be planning on leaving soon after the performance ended. Or perhaps she just wanted some good PR, or really liked the performance.

They were not able to stay that close, though, because the French Ambassador and his wife made room for themselves. One of the performers was French, or at least spoke French. He had a baby in each arm. The Assistant Director whispered to Ballin, "They're both his--one's his wife's and one's Michiru's."

"Michiru?" He recognized the name. "Which one is she?"

Nereid was always interested in what people who were whispering might be saying; she tuned her uncanny hearing in on the man and the lady who had come in just behind the President. But she stopped listening to them for the moment when the President bent down and spoke to her.

"Your name is Nereid?"

"Yes," she answered. "My name is Nereid Chiba."

When the President bent down, the people beyond her were visible to Ballin, the Assistant Director, and the camera operator who had come up beside them, and Jack Crawford, who had circled around, figuring the camera would be allowed to get close. Crawford heard the name "Chiba" spoken by a child, and was instantly attuned to any conversation that would follow.

"Nereid; that's a special name," the President said, diplomatically. Also a strange one.

"My papa Mamoru is a doctor," Nereid went on. "Ishtar is my sister. Her Mama is Auntie Minako, but my papa is also her papa. I have two sort of sisters and one sort of brother whose mama is also Auntie Minako and whose papa was Uncle Kevin. Sarah is sort of my sister, too. My papa is married to her mama, Auntie Usagi. I have three sisters whose mama is Usagi, too, and one more whose mama is Auntie Ginger. They did not come tonight. They are all too little, except for Kimberly. She is in the hospital."

"Hospital?" asked the President.

"A bad man cut her with his knife."

Ballin had a perfect view of Hotaru at that moment--and realized that the girl with the strawberry blond hair was Sarah Uer. He whispered to the Assistant Director, "Five of the suspects are here!"

Ishtar felt great fear coming over someone close by. She could not tell exactly who was afraid; she couldn't see with all the tall grownups around her. She began to walk toward the fear, as always, wondering if she could help.

Naturally, her mother noticed her wandering off, and followed.

Michiru stood up, picking up Nereid, and after giving Nereid a kiss, said to the President as carefully as she could, "The police do not know who did this thing. But Kimi-chan is getting better. We are going to visit her tomorrow."

Nereid recognized from the tone that her mother did not want her to talk any more, so she went back to listening to the whispering people.

Annette Kerkorian dug her nails into Ballin's arm. "Quiet. What do you mean?"

"Sarah Uer is here! And four others on the list!"

"You're not making sense. Why would they be here?"

"The violinist--Michiru!"

At the moment Special Agent Ballin spoke her mother's name, Nereid lent her mother her ears.

"Michiru?" retorted the Assistant Director. "She's a world-class performer. What connection would she have with your suspects? Agent--"

"There was a Keiou Michiru on the visitor's list for the last suspect!"

Ishtar Chiba did not have the unearthly hearing of her half-sister Nereid, but her hearing was good enough to hear what the man and the woman were whispering. She had slipped up to them unnoticed.

Her mother was just a few seconds behind her.

Ishtar noticed now that the lady was beginning to be afraid.

Annette Kerkorian began to believe Ballin had not gone over the edge when she saw a face that she recognized emerging from the crowd--Minako Jones, the only famous one from among the suspects.

The Jones woman smiled at her, politely, and then bent down to speak to a child, in Japanese. The little girl said something back, also in Japanese. Mrs. Jones rose with a different expression--a smile, but a forced one. "Is there something wrong? My daughter thinks you are upset about something."

The Assistant Director forced herself to be calm; she was rather better at that than most men, because she had a lifetime of practice: Annette never wanted to be perceived as a helpless, panic-prone woman. She asked, "Excuse me, but are you Minako Jones?"

"Yes, I am. And you are?"

The Assistant Director introduced herself and Agent Ballin, and the asked, "Why are you here tonight?"

Another unpleasant surprise came at about that time--the President had turned around to face her, and Michuru came up to stand beside Mrs. Jones. "Mina-chan is here because I insisted she come. She is one of my oldest and closest friends. Is that sufficient reason, Madame Director?"

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