'What about Ivarl?

'Where he always is, Edeard said. He was actually surprised by how little Ivarl ventured out of the House of Blue Petals; but then anyone he wanted to see responded quickly to his summons. There were Grand Council Masters who didn't command that much respect. On the plus side, that made it a lot easier for Edeard to keep watch on his opponent; by now he knew the House of Blue Petals better than any building in Makkathran except Jeavons station.

For the last two weeks he'd eavesdropped on the plans for their robbery in Vaji district. It was audacious and impressive, breaking in to the Chemistry Guild yard during New Year's Eve, and stealing their stockpile of platinum ingots. The planning was meticulous, using over twenty gang members and four gondoliers. They'd gathered guard rosters, bribed a couple of Guild members to leave certain doors open, used girls to make sure other strategic people were away from their posts. They even staged a fight in a tavern to occupy constables from Vaji station — what could be more natural than a drunken brawl on New Year's Eve?

Once he'd learned all that, the real manoeuvring game began. Edeard told the squads under his command that he'd got a source in Ivarl's gang, and there was a robbery being arranged. That took less than a day to get back to the gang master, and the resulting friction and suspicion it unleashed among otherwise trusted lieutenants was a joy to behold. Then Edeard convinced Ronark to allow the robbery to go ahead, promising his 'source' had revealed the hideaway where the ingots were to be stashed. That was where the constables' raid should take place, he insisted, after they'd let the gang think they'd got away with it, and hopefully luring out senior gang members to the hideaway as they began to fence the platinum to unscrupulous merchants and loose-moraled jewellers.

After that, Ivarl called in Trukal and Lian to announce a slight change of plan that only the three of them would know about. Edeard almost laughed out loud as they quietly plotted their reverse deception. After all the deceit and counter-trickery was starting to muddle his head, but this wasn't about the robbery anymore. This was him and Ivarl going head on. Watching Ivarl from within his concealment, he could see his adversary knew that, too.

Kanseen and Macsen arrived outside Edeard's maisonette. They looked eager.

'No hangover? Edeard enquired lightly.

'Not from last night, Macsen said. 'I have an example to set to the rest of your squads. I was in bed by nine o'clock with a cup of hot chocolate. He winked at Boyd. 'Alisool knows how to make really good chocolate.

Kanseen wrinkled up her nose. 'Lady preserve us from your ego.

'Let's go, Edeard told them.

When they got to the Jeavons station, the two other squads that were under Edeard's command were already waiting for them in the small hall. Everybody was sharing the same anticipatory glow. Droal and Urarl, the squad leaders, both saluted, which Edeard returned scrupulously. He was doing his best not to direct any attention towards Vilby.

'Everything all right? Urarl asked. He was a couple of years older than Edeard, a third son from a smithy in the Cobara district. Strictly speaking he'd been due promotion, though he never showed any resentment towards Edeard for making corporal first.

'They haven't moved, Edeard assured everyone in the hall. 'Chae's team has been observing them all night. The ingots are there waiting for us, and we've identified seventeen gang members involved. The courts are going to be very busy this afternoon.

Captain Ronark led another three squads into the small hall. 'Ready to go? he asked.

'Yes, sir, Edeard said.

'Here's your weapons certificate, the station commander said, handing over a small parchment with his official seal. 'I've just longtalked with the commanders of Neph and Bellis stations; they're reserving some squads to assist with the arrests. Good move, that. Don't want to put their noses out of joint.

'Thank you, sir. Edeard looked up as Probationary Constable Felax hurried into the room. The lad was only seventeen; he'd joined up just after Birmingham Pool, along with twenty others. Chae claimed his life was now a nightmare trying to train so many worthless screw-ups. Privately, of course, he was loving it.

'All the warrants signed, sir, Felax said. 'Judge Salby says good luck.

Edeard put the warrants into his pocket without looking at them. 'You can stay with us for today, we'll need runners.

'Thank you sir, Felax said worshipfully.

'Okay, your attention please, Edeard said, stepping up on a bench. 'The ingots taken from the Chemistry Guild are sitting underneath a house in Whitemire Street in Sampalok. They're being guarded by five or six armed gang members, however we expect more gang members to arrive this morning to begin distributing them to dodgy merchants across the city. Keeping the ingots in one place is risky for them. So we need to move in after those carriers arrive and before they leave. That will give us the maximum amount of people to arrest. Once we have recovered the ingots, we'll also be arresting everyone involved in the crime; but I have to stress we need the ingots as evidence. The first time I was in court with Arminel taught me that.

A ripple of laughter went round the room.

'We have three ge-eagles and ten ge-hounds from this station as back up; and in addition we'll have a number of other squads from Bellis and Neph. We know some of the gang members are armed, which is why we're being issued with pistols; but please only use them as a last resort. I don't want any casualties. This is a big operation, and it's going to send a very loud New Year message from us constables to the gangs that this is going to be their last year in Makkathran.

Macsen and Dinlay led the applause and whistles.

'It's going to be total chaos, Macsen said as they made their way down the Grand Major Canal on a gondola, another four gondolas were following them carrying the rest of the squads.

'Why? Dinlay demanded irately. 'Edeard has done a great job organizing this.

'Oh yeah? Who has responsibility when we arrive? The squads from Bellis and Neph are going to want to grab the credit, and they'll be led by sergeants. No disrespect, Edeard, but there are too many constables involved. The squads aren't used to working as a big team.

'I know, Edeard said. He sat back happily in the gondola, and smiled up at the sky. It had stopped snowing, with the clouds starting to clear. Strong fingers of winter sunlight were stabbing down to glare on the snow-clad buildings of the city. With people starting to return to work after the New Year holiday, Makkathran had an air of clean expectation. He liked that.

'What are you up to? Kanseen asked suspiciously.

'Actually, it's a lot worse than Macsen says, Edeard said cheerfully. He glanced back at the gondolier who was trying not to show too much obvious interest, and leaned forward to whisper to his friends. 'The gang knows we're coming.

'How? Boyd asked.

'My source told me. In fact the link was a simple one. Three nights each week Vilby paid a visit to a private room in the Black Horse tavern where Nanitte was waiting for him.

'Who in the Lady's name is this source? Macsen demanded. 'Everything we've done these last weeks is governed by what they've told us — you!

'Can't tell you. Edeard hadn't quite summoned up the courage to tell Macsen — of course, Macsen probably wouldn't even remember Nanitte.

Macsen growled and slumped back.

'So what do we do? Dinlay asked.

'Use their arrogance against them.

The squads from Bellis and Neph were waiting on the bridge by Mid Pool. Edeard's gondola pulled in to a mooring platform, and he got off to consult with the two sergeants in charge. Macsen had been right, their eagerness was palpable; Edeard knew they wouldn't follow his polite requests to coordinate with him. It would end up in a rush to make the arrests. He took out a map and showed them where the suspect house was in Whitemire Street, and they agreed to a pincer movement with their squads going through Pholas Park while Edeard took his across Myco, so they could converge on the hideaway from opposite sides. If the gang members did sense them coming, they'd still be trapped.