Page 293 of Mercy Written in Blood

"No."

Haruki looked between them.

"What is the real answer?"

Mori's gaze moved towards him.

"The real answer is that knowledge of the Archive was restricted after an internal breach seventy-one years ago."

"Sota," Haruki said.

Mori did not react to the name.

"Yes."

Renji became still.

"Sota Fujimoto is forty-two."

"The breach was not his."

"Then whose?"

Mori poured his own tea. He did not drink.

"His mother's."

The answer changed the room. Haruki leaned forward.

"Sota said his sister disappeared."

"She did."

"You knew his family."

"The Accord knew them."

Renji felt the shape of the missing history begin to form.

"His mother worked for you."

"She was an archivist."

Haruki's expression hardened.

"Sota left that out."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"You should ask him."

"I am asking you."

Mori looked towards the false city beyond the windows.

"Her name was Aiko Fujimoto. She entered Accord service at twenty-six. Intelligent. Methodical. Human. She specialised in pre-Accord records that had been absorbed into modern custody."